My tips, ideas

Holiday, dating, anniversary ideas
- Instead of going to a hotel rearrange your room, clear things out, add some flowers or candles change the bed spread, put mints on the pillows and set up a t.v. in the room. Make a new place out of your old room, check out some movies and buy special ice cream for a nice romantic and relaxing evening.
- Write a song or a poem for your sweet heart
- Go on a picnic: put everything in a basket really plan ahead making sure you have food easy for a picnic and have at least 3 picnic spots in mind incase some are crowded. Also take a soccer ball, frizbee or plan to go hiking or play in the river to make your date complete.
- Go for a drive up the canyon and surprise your sweetheart by driving all the way to Heber and go to Granny’s or a special new spot and take out some take out food or fast food you hid away till later just enjoy the nature and beauty.
- Have a nice date starting with a nice homemade meal at home then go to a museum and walk about talking to each other and pointing out what each other like and why. End the night with a homemade dessert at home or going out for ice cream at the creamery
- Lots of pizza and food spots will have specials on Tuesday also Movie 8 has 50 cent night that night so you can go to a movie and get food for as little as 5-6 dollars. (Eatza Pizza has all you can eat for around $3.50 a person all the time)
- Have a nice night at home reading a book together and rubbing each other’s backs or feet.
- Go to Provo City free Monday night concerts at 500 N. 500 W. at the park there where they also give discount tickets for the Provo outdoor pool and you can end an evening swimming, diving and watersliding.
- Do an afternoon date going to a swim pool or other favorite sport.
- Ice blocking can be fun you could go with another couple and do a double date.
- For holidays plan ahead for all the meals, a homemade surprise, a special card, poem or song, go to a memorable place have family members or friends come serinande, with or without you, your sweetheart with a special song
- Put all of your change you get in a glass jar and have that be your dating money so depending on what you want to do you can do something free or use a little money from the jar or save up for a special gift or outing.
- If someone asks what would be a good gift for you suggest gift coupon to go out to eat or tickets to plays or concerts.
- Borrow a canoe or raft and go for a ride out on Utah lake or another river or lake taking a picnic or snack food.
- Go hiking up stewart falls, Timpanogus, up rock canyon, up to squaw peak, go for a tour of Timp Cave, explore different canyons and trails take a backpack with a few band-aids, a sweater, table cloth and food and drink, sunscreen and hats
- When you have children do trade babysitting with another couple that you trust. It will allow you to have more money for your dating and you can go out more often.
Gifts Ideas
-Nice card of remembrance or thanks
-Nice homemade card
-Nice homemade card with coupons for services such as: back rub, hour of housework, room cleaning, yard work, nice dinner at your house, babysitting etc...
-Make your own cards and wrapping paper with stamps
- Use previously given gift bags
-Buy gift supplies at the dollar store or paper store
-You can buy nice kitchen supplies, matching dish towels and hotpads at dollar store
-Buy a nice basket at dollar store add a dish towel and food supplies out of your cupboard for a wedding gift
-For a child’s gift a fun box with a lid, a basket, or colorful bag with misc. art supplies and fun things like whistles, cards, crayons, markers, stickers or just nick-nacks from your house kids like to play with. Possible to decorate box or bag calling it their secret box, treasure box etc.
-Write a song, poem or fun story to share fora special occasion
-For a graduation, birthday or special event take pictures and make a special scrapbook page to give as a gift
-Another child’s gift would be a kids meal from a fast-food place with a cool toy inside some of those toys are kids favorite and they appreciate food just for them
-Anybody appreciates a plate of cookies or brownies as a gift
-Use the dollar store, being aware of what they carry, keep in mind it changes but you can get tools, notebooks, gag gifts, baby supplies, toys, candy, jewelry, party supplies there.
- Giving an inexpensive gift that has a special meaning between you and the person wrapped in a pretty way and given with a thoughtful card is as meaningful as anything.
-Give a movie or book they would given with popcorn
-White elephant gifts given with food or candy always go over well at white elephant parties
-Share things you have learned you think might be helpful and put it in a binder maybe add a memory or special thoughts
-Surprise with a clean car, room, office
-Give a gift of time and service: a listening ear, help packing, preparation for a wedding, bring over a meal, babysitting. All of these are so appreciated in real ways
*Remember your friends and family wouldn’t want you to go into debt or blow your budget to get them a gift. The important thing is the thoughtfulness in the gift and way it is given.
Household (Helpful hints and money saving tips)
-When you have busy days or have work prepare a crock pot recipe earlier in the day then you have a nice meal when you want it.
-Use grocery bags for small garbage bags
-Clean with Comet for sinks, toilets, bathtubs (only 79 cents at Target)
-Pour vinegar down drains starting to clog or drains that smell let sit for a hour
-Grow homegrown vegetables even in apartments see FHE manual for directions or Bearstein Bear’s Grow It or see if you can barrow a piece of land from someone in return for a share of the crops
-To help clean ovens or microwaves cook water to boiling then clean it will loosen hard to clean soils
-Use hairspray or alcohol to clean pen stains
-Use boiling water to clean carpet stains
-Use hydrogen peroxide to clean blood stains
-Use Shout or oxy-clean just spraining on stains before wash to clean most stains.
-Have one container of Lysol or WF brand disinfectant wipes handy to do a quick clean up of bathroom or kitchen for unexpected guests or illness
-When sickness is in the home or right after people feel better: sanitize all door handles, light switches, bathrooms and kitchens then wash sheets and spray Lysol in the air and open up the doors and windows to clean and freshen the air (also remember to sanitize toothbrushes w/ boiling water or Clorox)
Good deals on Groceries (Macey’s will often have these sales especially in the Summer)
-Bread $1.00
-Butter $2.40 a lb. (Costco is usually the best)
-Cheese$ 2.50 a lb. (Costco is usually the best)
-Hamburger $2.59 a lb.
-Skinless, boneless Chicken 2.99$ or less a lb.
-Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom 0.79 a can
-Yellow onions 0.40 a lb
-Bananas 0.49 a lb
-Milk $2.50 (Costco or BYU Creamery)
-Apple Juice under $3.00 a gallon
-To buy Western Family or another cheaper brand doesn’t seem to make much difference except for in mayonnaise and salad dressings so at least try the cheaper brands on other things
-More you make from scratch the cheaper and healthier
-Make 4 or 5 loaves of bread at once it can last a while
-Freeze bread
-Buy shredded cheese in bulk then separate into smaller zip-lock bags and freeze extra bags
-Watch for holiday sales and buy two weeks before holidays on items like stuffing, ham, cranberries, candy etc. or week after the holiday
-It is worth looking at grocery adds and looking for sales for items you use and plan your meals around what is on sale, use coupons only if they are for something you would use and would save money on
-Buy the fruit and vegetables that are on sale and it will automatically make you rotate and save you money
-Have cookies or cake made once a week and you have them if a special occasion comes up. (Plus husbands often see special food for them as a love gift)
- Sometimes easier is better when having people over even if that means easy recipes, pot-luck meals, pre-bought rolls, pre-mixed salads, pre-prepared honey ham, letting your guest bring something because sometimes half the work is preparing your home for guests, the important thing is that you are not so tired that you can’t enjoy just being with your family and friends when they are there.