Cost: $3 for children and $2 for parents (covers materials and admission to the schoolhouse grounds)

June 29th: Planting seeds and growing things with Gary Honea UT Agriculture Dept. and painting pots for plants with Ms. Marty Lewis and Mrs. Mary Jo Bearch

July 6th: Indian Culture Day (includes crafts and games)

July 13th: Learning about Trees (make a Tree Identification Scrapbook)

July 20th & 27th TBA

Those who know me well, know that I place high value on photos! Luckily David Williams of Digi-Quest Photography came to one of our games and captured some beautiful shots of my son and the entire team! AND best part…they are cheap (prices start at $1.50). You can order online (so can family) and they are mailed so it is fast and convenient. The low cost certainly did not mean low quality and that is a Cheap Blondes must!

Check them out: WWW.DIGIQUESTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

For more information: Click Here!

The biggest tip–BUY IN SEASON! Want to know what’s in season so you can be sure you’re getting a low price? Check out the seasonal produce chart–Click here!

For more information on Maryville’s Farmer’s Market, check out their helpful website–Click here!

If you do not currently own a grill, there are several deals  right now with prices ranging from $5 at a garage sale to thousands of dollars in stores. Amy looked at a LOT of stores that carried grills and almost all retailers had grills on sale this month.
There are four types of grills currently on the market: gas, propane, electric, and charcoal. Each has their own pros and cons.  If you do not own a grill, do a little bit of research online to determine which one best fits your needs. Of course, our suggestion is to determine your budget and find something that fits within it.

As with many things, the best deals can usually be found used.  Look at garage sales and on Craigslist for options. You will often find people who have upgraded to a better model so they are selling their old one inexpensively. Heck, you may occasionally be fortunate enough to find one still new in the box!

http://travel.nextag.com

This is a great start for researching options and price points. However, don’t stop there. Find your preferred hotel (even better, a few top choices). Then, before booking online, be sure to call your local travel agent for pricing and always call the hotel or inn directly to see if they can price match the lowest online price and offer additional incentives (free breakfast, discounted tickets to local attractions, etc).

In this economy and with technology at your fingertips, bargaining has never been easier.

If traveling is just not in your budget, check out our latest column on staycations (click here!)…sometimes it is not only cheaper but more restful! After all, hotels are great but there’s no place like home!

Now until the end of the month is a great time to take advantage of winter clearance sales! Not only can you were items now and for the next few weeks, but you could go ahead and update wardrobes for next fall at deeply discounted prices.

Shopping off-season clearance racks is a great way to purchase clothing at stores that might normally be out of your price range. The key though is quality, not just name brand or styling. By purchasing well-made, quality clothing (this is in terms of stitching and fabric), your clothes will last longer and will ultimately be a great investment. Things that you wear often, should probably be replaced every year but good quality will look good all season. However, other items, especially formal and special occasion should last a while. This is why it is also wise to stick to the classics and only purchase a few trendy things if you have extra money after buying basic necessities.

As always, the first step to saving money is to get focused and organized!

We recommend:

1) Making a list of wardrobe necessities–pants, tops, skirts, dresses and shoes you need to get through the season based on your lifestyle (for example: do you need dress clothing for church? dress pants for work?)

2) Then go through closets and throw out things that are too worn or were not worn this season. Then decide based on size and condition, what can be used next season and what needs to be replaced. Then formulate a shopping list. This will help prevent you from buying too much or buying things you really don’t need.

3) Check the condition of coats, boots, hats and gloves and add items that need to be replaced to your shopping list

*When shopping, focus on needs first and if money is left in budget, buy “wants” (like accessories, etc.)

For example, this is what Sarah’s fall/winter clothing necessities are for her closet:

dress coat, casual coat,  leather gloves, wool hat, waterproof snow boots, ski pants, ski gloves, ski coat, fleece ear warmer band, 1 black dress boots, 1 brown boots, tennis shoes, casual shoes (brown), wool socks, dress socks, leggings/tights, 2 winter dresses, 1 black skirt, 4 dressy shirts, 1 iron-free white button-down shirt, 1 suit,  1 party/formal dress (pref. black), fleece jacket/pullover, brown-tone sweater, black sweater, casual blue jeans, dressy blue jeans, 1 heavy-weight khaki pants, 1 pair black pants (lined), 5 pairs of knit pants (stay-at-home mom staple), 5 long-sleeve casual shirts, 3 workout outfits, 2 winter nightgowns, 1 pant-pajama set, a heavy robe, slippers.

*In bold are things that will need to be replaced for next year and will be purchased at clearance sales in the next few weeks!

Remember, try to purchase items at least 50% off retail!

Happy Shopping!

I always find that calling and speaking to a real person, whether it be for the circus or a hotel, usually means more success at getting a better discount…because as always, “it doesn’t hurt to ask.” Real people can override stipulations whereas computer systems cannot.

The circus is coming to Knoxville March 3-7. The code is good for kid tickets, ages 2-13.

The code when calling is: KIDG4 and the number is 865-656-4444

Check out our column in the Wednesday edition of The Daily Times for tips on getting the biggest bang for your buck with diet and fitness programs!

If you are in the market in Blount County, we’ve compiled some information to help you get started. We sound like a broken record, but as always…do your homework (the information listed below is not guaranteed and are not paid advertisement nor are they endorsed by Cheap Blondes).

Here are the January promotions we know of for food programs…

• Jenny Craig*-loose 20lbs for $20 (*does not include food cost)
• Weight Watchers*- Registration fee waived, free online trial, free meeting
• Nutrisystem* – 2 weeks of food free
• LA Weightloss*- offering 30% off through the end of the month

Health Clubs/Fitness Programs–

With health clubs, take a look online if they have a website at the different promotions they are offering. Many clubs have a set fee that can be broken down into monthly payments. Other clubs vary in their pricing. Some will not reveal their prices because they want to get you in the door.  Try to gather information about several gyms before deciding on one and don’t let a skinny sales rep in a nice sweat suit talk you into something you’re not sure about!

With most clubs, take advantage of free week to 2-week trial memberships at several clubs. You could work out for a couple of months before you have to pay for anything and you will know for sure which one you want to join!

Each club has their own system with contracts and enrollment fees but just know that the price point for this area is between $20-$30 a month.  This really won’t change even after the New Year’s rush.  What you may get now that you won’t see in a couple of months are extras, like free food programs, personal training or discounted enrollment fees. As always, shop around!

In Blount County, you have a few options:

• Curves http://www.curvesinformation.com
• Jazzercize http://jazzinmaryville.com
• Quick Fitness 24/7 http://www.justfitness247.com
• Ladies Total Fitness: http://www.ladiestotalfitnesstn.com
• Cherokee Athletic Facility
• Dyna Body
• Fitness Concepts
• National Fitness Center (formerly Court South on Alcoa Hwy.) a new facility is opening in Maryville on W. Broadway in the fall.
• Rush Fitness Complex in Alcoa http://www.therush247.com

Ask your friends where they workout and see what their experience has been like and what they are paying. When you join a health club, ask about friend referral discounts. For example, at Ladies Total Fitness in the mall you can get a free month for every friend you refer and a free lifetime membership if you refer six friends.

So if you join LTF, be sure to write the name “Sarah Herron” on your referral line. Sarah has five more friends to go before getting the free lifetime membership

Know of other health club or food program promotions or tips? Email us at cheapblondes@gmail.com!