Once again, Apple stores will be offering their annual free 3-day program this summer for kids aged 8-12. According to their website, Apple Camp encourages kids to “broaden their creative horizons by making movies, composing musical stories, coding games and robots.”

Here are the options:

• Telling Stories with Clips
• Beat Making and Songwriting with GarageBand
• Coding with Sphero Robots

Because there is no cost, the camp would be a good educational opportunity for youngsters to work on their tech skills. 

It’s being held at Apple Stores around the country. Search for a location nearby. 

There is nothing fun about having chronic insomnia, but it does provide me with plenty of quiet time in the middle of the night to read and watch TV. One of my favorite things to do is scroll mindlessly through Youtube, looking for videos on cooking, couponing, gardening, and saving money.

Because I’ve been into the frugal lifestyle since 2008, most of the tips aren’t new, but I do enjoy seeing how other families live, especially the ones who are extreme. 

What is the difference between frugality and being a miser? Choosing to suffer when there’s no need.

One lady I watched seems to revel in misery. She and her husband downsized from a 3,300 Sq. foot Tri-Level outside of Dallas into the woods of Northern Idaho. Totally off grid, she uses a wood cook stove, has no bathroom, no electricity and lives in a shed converted into a tiny house with 4 kids.

She gave an inside tour that showed a remarkable lack of furniture (3 of the kids share a small mattress) and only a single radio that runs on batteries for entertainment. They did have a computer and camera, but must visit the library for WiFi. 

In storage, she showed off reusable muffin liners, fabric Ziplocs, cloth diapers, homemade potions crafted from herbs, and a 5-year supply of emergency food rations with some scary looking canned meats. By the time she got to the reusable cloth toilet paper, I quit watching. (Added bonus: she does the wash by hand and air-dries, even in winter!!!)

Why, oh, why would anyone spend a single minute of their life reusing toilet paper? That isn’t penny-wise; it’s pound foolish! Not to mention gross, unnecessary, and probably not sanitary.

Toilet paper is on sale 52 weeks per year. By using coupons and rebates, it’s super cheap. As for cloth diapers? You’ve got to be kidding me. I have more Huggies, Pampers, and Seventh Generation in my stockpile than I could ever use—even if I had triplets on the way.

I tried canning food. The jam and pears were yummy. Will I do it regularly, standing over a stove, during the hottest part of the summer, boiling tomatoes to make pasta sauce that retails for $1.00 a jar? NO, it’s not worth it. 

Saving money can become a dangerous obsession. I choose to save in most areas so that I can splurge in others. What I want is the lowest-priced Coach purse, not a stained and torn potato sack that I made for free!

The point is this: Saving is good, but not at the expense of quality of life. Moderation is key. Every family will have a different budget, with different goals. That’s fine. Just don’t sacrifice your time, peace of mind, and happiness for a nickel.

USA Today has compiled a huge list of Mother’s Day freebies—donuts, ice cream, bagels, Mimosas, pretzels, coffee, and even full dinners. Definitely worth it, if you can handle the holiday crowds. 

We’re planning a very low-key day around here, just family, with lots of time for talking, eating, and enjoying each other. I’ve also been told that a “super special” gift is coming my way. No idea what that is, but I’ll report back when I do. 

If you enjoy sampling products and hosting parties, House Party is something you will love. 

I have been applying for parties for at least 5 years and on multiple occasions, I’ve been picked. The goodie boxes vary, but they’re always filled with supplies, coupons, and sometimes even gift cards.

Sponsors are well-known brands—Oreo, Hood, Walt Disney World, GE Lightbulbs, Palmolive, Kikkoman, Lego, and many more.

Some of the parties have specific locations/demographics. The more activities you complete on the sign-up page, the more likely you are to be selected. It’s all easy stuff like tweeting, Facebook, etc. 

No cost to apply, no cost for the goodie box (not even shipping). If selected, you are required to post about your party and complete a survey.

Along with House Party, there is a sister site called Chatterbox that’s also fun, just a lot smaller (never been picked on Chatterbox, but I keep trying!)