A picture I took inside Cades Cove, from our last vacation to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Our family hasn’t been on vacation in a few years now, and this past year has been an extremely trying one with two major medical crises affecting our family (for those who don’t know, or don’t remember, my mom suffered an aneurysm and stroke, and is still recovering some ten months later). Another close relative has been battling illness. Frankly, we’re a little worn down. I’d like to see different scenery, and smell some fresh air, even if it is just a long weekend.

So, looking ahead to this year’s summer vacation I had the idea to head to the Smoky Mountains for a relaxing few days. Unfortunately, I burned through most of my personal leave at work, so our summer vacation plans will have to work around a long weekend. Still, it will be fun to take a short timeout from the daily grind.

Of course, we’ll have to vacation with cash since we no longer borrow money. This is not a show-stopper, but will require a bit of planning. I’ve created a “vacation” fund at our online savings account and will put away a bit from each paycheck between now and late July to prepare for our trip. Ideally, I’d like to return to the mountains when fall colors are at their peak, which may require a second long weekend in October.

Staycations are great for those trying to get out of debt, or saving for a specific, short-term purpose (i.e. a down payment on a house, etc.). However, if your debt snowball or savings plan will take more than a couple years, I recommend finding a way to take a short, cheap summer vacation with cash. We all need a little break every now and then, and admitting to it makes us no less dedicated to our financial turnaround.

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The list of summer activities ranges in cost from free to frugal, but each requires extra quality time with kids – something we can all afford to spend more on!

14 Fun, Frugal Summer Activities

Day 1. See a “one dollar” movie at the theater. Many theater chains around the country offer summer movie programs for kids where they offer a “one dollar” movie every day for a week, or on a particular day of the week all summer.

Day 2. Sprinkler day.  Delay your sprinklers for one day so they come a little later in the morning.  This way everyone can get on their bathing suits and have fun jumping through the sprinklers on a hot day.  But not for too long!  This is a good time to teach them about conserving water, reducing utility costs, etc.

Day 3. Attend “story time” at your local library.  My kids love to check out books on all kinds of subjects.  My son currently has three library books on swimming, pirates and going to the dentist (quite a diverse reader, huh?).  Many libraries also have a story time to encourage a summer reading program.  Stories are read out loud and the kids have a chance to interact with the story-teller and answer questions about the book.

Day 4. Set up a lemonade stand. This is probably my favorite idea because of the lessons in entrepreneurship involved.  Loan your kids $10 as “seed money” for supplies, or better yet, let them use their own money from savings.  This way they don’t get used to the idea that borrowing leads to prosperity.  Take the kids along to the grocery store one morning and let them pick up the lemons, sugar, cups, and a couple bags of ice to keep in a cooler.  Yes, Crystal Light lemonade works, too, but is less authentic and more expensive.  This is a great way for neighborhood kids to work together, as they can divide into teams to man the lemonade stand, make the lemonade, handle the money, etc.  Please remember that an adult needs to be with the kids at all times, both inside and outside the house, so have a neighbor help.

Day 5. Teach your kids to fly a kite. Check your 10-day forecast and look for a windy day in the coming week.  Pick up an expensive kite for the kids.  I even recommend springing for the extra spool of kite string on a roller because the string and handles that come with the kites are lousy.

Day 6. Make homemade play-doh.  I haven’t run a cost analysis on this recipe to determine it’s “frugalness,” but I can tell you it is a lot of fun!  I suppose the next best option would be to pick up some commercial Play-Doh on sale, but what fun would that be?

Day 7. Bake a cake.  I remember having a ball helping my mom bake something when I was young.  And not all the fun came at the end when I got to lick the icing from the bowl!  Let your kids help bake a cake, and surprise mom or dad when they arrive home that afternoon.

Plenty of teachable moments here with opportunities to teach fractions (four 1/4 cups equals one cup, etc.).  By the way, my wife made this pirate birthday cake for my son’s birthday last week.  Arrrgghhh!

Day 8. Build a “fort” in the living room.  When my son was smaller he got the biggest kick out of playing in giant cardboard boxes.  We would color them, and cut “windows” out for him to look through.  A living room “fort” could be as simple as a few kitchen chairs gathered in a circle with a large bed sheet thrown across them and draped to the floor.  The kids can hide from mom and dad, read books, or pretend they are camping out in the living room.

Day 9. Go bowling. My grandfather and I spent many hot, summer afternoons bowling a couple games at the local bowling alley.  These days, bowling can be an expensive activity.  Call the lanes ahead of time and ask if they have any summer specials (certain days may be cheaper). Also check those coupon mailer packs for coupons for free games.  To keep costs down, just let the kids bowl – you can work on your game another time.

Day 10. Declare a “bored” game day. I learned to play chess, checkers, backgammon, and poker (my mom wasn’t thrilled with that) one summer while staying with my grandparents.  Few kids today don’t realize you can play games without a computer.  Most of these old board games are inexpensive in their basic form – skip the “deluxe” edition to save even more.

Day 11. Have a water balloon fight.  My son attended a birthday party recently and the parents had filled several dozen mini balloons with water.  The kids participated in games like a water balloon toss – they start close together, but take a step back with each toss to increase the distance.  The last one to break the balloon is out.  With that was left, the kids had an all-out water balloon battle.  Lots of fun, but be sure to pick up the balloon remains, especially if you have very little ones or pets as they could be a choking hazard.

Day 12.  Create a “mini-me.” Find a piece of large poster board, or large heavy-duty paper (such as a butcher paper) wide enough for your kids to lay down on.  Use a dull pencil (less chance for boo-boos) to trace their entire body to the paper from head to toe.  Now let the kids decorate the kids to look like themselves in the same clothes they are wearing, same color eyes, hair, etc. When they are finished, help them cut out their mini-me for proud display.

Day 13. Pajama day.  I feel like having these days as an adult!  Stay in your pajamas all day long.  Make pancakes in the morning, bake a pizza for lunch, and lounge around watching movies.  Use your Netflix subscription to have a couple kid-friendly movies on hand.

Day 14. Spend a day volunteering your time. A good way to wrap up your two-week blitz of summertime fun is to allow your kids to donate their time to a worthy cause.  Contact a few local charities and find out which ones will allow kids to volunteer some time over the summer (under your supervision).  My daughter has worked with Project Linus in the past – an organization that makes blankets for children who’ve suffered a traumatic experience.

So there you have it; fourteen days of frugal summer fun!  I’d love to hear your ideas as well.

Photos courtesy of StormyDog, rochelle, et. al, Mrs. Frugal, daveparker, skennel

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Photo courtesy of laffy4k

We are using this year’s spring football game as a frugal introduction to the game of football for my son, who up to this point has only seen football on his Nintendo Wii or on television.  He is not generally fond of crowds and loud noises, so taking him to a regular season college football game has not been an option.  The spring game is usually not quite as loud (or crowded), and there are a variety of family-friendly activities for the kids to participate in leading up to kickoff.

This year the school is having a punt, pass, kick competition for all different age brackets.  They will also have a variety of inflatable, sports-themed games and toys for the kids to play and interact.  Cheerleaders will be on hand to do face painting, and for photo ops (my wife says I’m not allowed to participate in these two events).

I love college football, and I love going back to my school for any reason.  It will be even more special to share this experience with my kids (my daughter has already been to one game last season).  My son has only recently taken an interest in football, despite growing up to the sounds of football from Saturday morning to Monday evening on his Dad’s television.  I’ve never been one to force the game on him; I figure I’ll let him decide on his own what he likes to play.  But I also want to share the experience with him so he gets to see the game the way I saw it, and played it growing up.  I want him to hear the sounds of the band, and the crunch of the pads.  I want him to smell the hot dogs , and feel the warm sun bathing the stadium on a late afternoon.  I want him to experience the camaraderie shared between 90,000 close friends.  Can you tell I’m excited?

So What’s All This Going To Cost?

The tickets for the spring football game were $5 each, general admission.  If we arrive early, we should be able to pick out good seats so my son can get close to the action.  Regular season tickets easily run six or seven times that amount, making a family of four outing quite expensive.  We plan to pack a picnic lunch in our cooler before setting out to save on food costs.

We’ll probably burn through close to one tank of gas there and back, so I’ll have to factor in those costs as well.  Probably looking at around $50 for the entire day, including a souvenir or two for the kids, and a bag of spicy boiled peanuts and a souvenir cup of Coca Cola for the adults (hey, it’s a tradition!).

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Tonight at 8:30pm (local time) Earth Hour organizers have asked us to turn off our lights for one hour, as a vote for our planet against global warming.  Despite how you feel about the politically-charged issue of global warming, I am convinced energy conservation is a good thing for our planet, our society, and our personal economies. Earth Hour also provides an excellent opportunity for families to enjoy one of my favorite frugal ideas.

Flipping off the light switch is nothing new to our family.  Last year I wrote about the “Frugal Family Fun Nights” we often celebrate on the weekends.  Over the last couple years we have enjoyed backyard campfires, luaus, movie nights, and my personal favorite, “Power’s Out Night.”

When the lights go out we turn to old-fashioned forms of entertainment (and lighting). We light a few candles and gather around a table to enjoy a game of scrabble, or play cards, or just sit around and tell stories.  This year the kids have sleeping bags and we’ll probably have a little camp-out in the living room, complete with a battery operated lantern and cold cereal for dinner.  The kids always enjoy the idea of “roughing it,” without having to fight the bugs, the cold and a hard spot of ground in the woods.

Instead of making this a one-time event, consider adding this to your own weekend routine.  Maybe not “Power’s Out” every weekend, but once a month or so it’s a good reminder to kids that we can survive without the creature comforts we’ve grown to expect – television, computers, air conditioning. Here are a few ideas for ways to spend tonight as a family, in the dark:

Five Family-Friendly Activities For Earth Hour

1. Open the windows in warm climates and turn off the air conditioner. A house without circulating air gets stuffy pretty quickly, so if you live in a warmer climate, consider opening up the windows for a fresh breeze.  Don’t forget to close and lock them before bedtime.

2. Play outside. In the eastern time zone it is close to dark at 8:30pm, but not quite.  Enjoy the last few minutes of daylight tonight by doing some of the same things you used to do as a kid.  Look for fireflies, play some nighttime basketball with a glow-in-the-dark ball, or maybe a little star-grazing.

3. Go for a walk around the neighborhood.  I suspect many neighbors will spend at least part of Earth Hour outside on their porches, or strolling the neighborhood.  This might be a great time to meet other families living nearby since we are normally cooped up inside our homes playing Guitar Hero or watching television.  Wear bright colors and a grab a flashlight to make things a little safer.

4. Gather in the family room and tell stories.  One of the fondest memories I have from my childhood was siting around a campsite with my grandfather listening to stories about his childhood, growing up in the Depression, etc.  He is a great story-teller, and without the distraction of television and games, he had a captive audience eager to here them.  Gather around your family room, or out on the back porch, and tell the kids how you and your spouse met, or relive a funny memory from a family vacation.

5. Work in a talk about conserving energy.  Remember the reason for “Power’s Out” fun nights, and Earth Hour – you are sacrificing an hour or two of energy to reduce both the amount of energy you consume, and to reduce your utility bill.  Explain to kids that you have to pay for the power to turn on lights, computers, televisions, hot water heaters for showers, etc.  To most kids this is a completely abstract idea – they flip the switch and expect there to be light, not realizing that someone is charging them for that bit of energy all along.

What are your plans for Earth Hour?

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Photo by SD Dirk

We haven’t even talked about food yet.  Heading to the food counter to get a soda, hot dog and nachos and you’re probably out a good $10-$15 bucks.  For bigger cities, I’m sure you can pretty much double this.  For a couple, the cost might not be so bad; but a family of three, four, five, or six? Imagine John and Kate Plus 8 Going to a game?  Yikes! The cost adds up pretty quick.  Here are a few tips for you and your family to save money while attending one of these fantastic events:

1. Eat before you go.

Just as simple as eating a small to mid-size meal before going should give you a full enough feeling to where you won’t be tempted for those hot dog or nachos at the game.  Just by simply fixing a cold cut sandwich or warming up some leftovers from the night before is an easy savings for you and your family.

2. Pack a bottle of water/soda.

By the second quarter, after the referee has made the third-worst call of the game, your voice is hoarse from the screaming and excitement.  Your throat is parched and it’s time to head to the concession stand.  But do you really need to get that 32 ounce, $5.00 Coca Cola Classic?  Why not pack a bottle of water and/or soda with you from the house to save you the money and also the hassle of having to head to the concession stand to possibly miss that great moment of the game.

The key for this to work is having a wife that’s willing enough to:

1. Carry a big enough purse to hold the bottled beverage.

2. Be cooperative in having to carry the extra weight.

If you meet these two requirements, you are on your way of saving anywhere from $5 to $15 at the game.

3. Pack a snack.

Well, that turkey sandwich that you fixed prior to the game is now wearing off.  Approaching the third quarter the food vendor is staking you having walked by your seat three times now and all you think about is that relish and mustard smothered over that nice and fresh hot dog.  By packing a quick snack, whether it is a bag of pretzels, nuts, or maybe a granola bar; that should hold you over until the end of the game.  Not to mention the fact that it’ll give you plenty of energy to root on your team to victory till the end of the fourth quarter.

4. Don’t go out to eat afterwards.

Hopefully with the pre-game meal and the mid-game snack, you’re not starving and won’t need to head to the local family restaurant.  By not going out to eat afterwards, that is huge savings on the budget.  For a family of three, that’s an easy $30-$40 that stays in the checking account.

5. Watch it on TV

If the game is televised, why not buy some soda, hot dogs, and popcorn at the store and have “game night” at the house.  You’ll still get the benefit of family time if you make a night of it and get all the same food attractions as a concession stand, without concession stand prices.  Also, if you have a DVR, you’ll never miss the “play of the game”.

With over 16 home games over the course of the year, we estimate that to be a pretty significant savings.  Money that could be added to our emergency fund, Roth IRA, or 529 College Savings Plan.  Nothing like boosting your nest egg and still rooting on your team!

This was a guest post by Jeff Rose. Jeff Rose is an Illinois Certified Financial Planner(TM) and co-founder of Alliance Investment Planning Group. He is also the author of Good Financial Cents, a financial planning and investment blog. You can also learn more about Jeff at his website Jeff Rose Financial.

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The Fire Bowl Search Begins

We scoured the sale papers and Craigslist over the last couple weeks, but couldn’t find any particularly good deals this time of year, until yesterday.  We had looked at a couple fire bowl models are Target, but I was convinced they were overpriced (not that I had much to base that on, but this was Target, and they aren’t exactly known for their deals on large, household items).  On Saturday night we looked at one, even put it in the shopping cart for closer inspection.  It was $79.99.  We decided to put it back, convinced that just wasn’t in the budget.  The next day it was on sale for $55.00!  I dashed back the store on Sunday and picked up the last fire bowl on the shelf.

My wife had already picked up a set of pokers for the four of us from the dollar store.  I stopped by the grocery store and grabbed a bag of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers, and found a three-pack of Hershey bars on sale.  I also grabbed a small bag of firewood, though I’ll be rounding up some free wood from now on.

Assembling the Fire Bowl, and the S’mores

On Sunday night we assembled the fire bowl.  It was a snap; we simply had to attach the four legs and the handle for the screen cover.  I rounded up some kindling and an old brown paper sack to get the fire going, while my wife prepared the trimmings for hot dogs.  When the fire was hot I added two pieces of firewood and we sat around and roasted our hot-dogs and marshmallows.  The kids loved making S’mores, and best of all, enjoyed being outside cooking on a campfire in their own backyard!

Fire Bowl Safety Reminders

1. Follow manufacturer recommendations on how far the fire bowl should be from a structure, such as your house.
2. Use a pot holder of the hook end of a poker to lift the handle on the screen cover.  I only learned this myself after burning the fingerprints off my left hand when grabbing the fire bowl’s screen top handle.  Doh!
3. Do not set the fire bowl down directly on grass, particularly in dry conditions.  While the fire remains well above the ground, hot embers could drop through the drain in the bottom of the bowl and ignite the grass.  Consider a small paved area, or kill back the grass and put down a few bricks to keep the fire bowl up off the ground.
4. Watch small kids! Do not leave small children unattended around the fire bowl.  Curiosity could get the best of them and if they get too close they could inadvertently ignite their clothing.

Basically, apply the same rules you would for an inside fire in a fireplace, but be a little more vigilant since the fire is accessible from all sides. A backyard campfire is a great way to spend a fall or early-winter evening, and once you have the basic supplies it is an inexpensive way to entertain your family.

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This past weekend my wife and I enjoyed a meal out.  It has been a long, long time since we celebrated a date night.  My mom’s hospitalization has played a part in that for a couple reasons.  One, her or my mother-in-law usually play babysitter when my wife and I have a date night.  Two, traveling back and forth to visit my mom has us on the road a lot.  I usually make a daily trip to visit her (roughly a 45 minute round trip).  But, she has made significant improvements in just the last ten days or so, and I decided to take a night off from visiting to enjoy a dinner out with my wife.  Her favorite restaurant is Olive Garden, so deciding where to eat was the easy part.

Bread and Water

Having not eaten out in a while, I was a bit shocked by the menu prices.  It seemed like each item was a couple dollars higher than it was the last time we ate out.  I looked over the menu in search of the cheapest item, but plain old spaghetti at $9.95 didn’t sound appealing.  My wife noticed me scanning the menu.  Wondering if it was the right time to be a cheapskate, I asked, “Is it alright if I order salad and breadsticks?”  She had a better idea. We ordered the Tour of Italy (which looked more like the tour of Little Italy) and shared the portions.  I ordered unlimited salad and bread for $2.95.  We skipped a glass of wine, opting for a glass of iced tea (my only splurge–I should have ordered water), and skipped dessert.  For less than $25 we enjoyed a meal at Olive Garden and were able to still leave a generous tip.  Just a few months ago we would have easily spent well over $50.

It’s Nice to Have a Spouse on the Same Page

Of course, all this was possible because I am married to a “frugal wife,” who isn’t ashamed of her frugal husband.   We weren’t always this way.  I remember early in our marriage we enjoyed a Valentine’s Day dinner at Outback Steakhouse where the set menu was prime rib, baked potato, and a glass of wine for $60, plus gratuity.  Back then we were still busy trying to impress each other, and those around us.  Now, we don’t waste as much time or money trying to impress others, because we know what our goals are, and are not concerned with what others think.

Guys, don’t misunderstand–it is still a good idea to occasionally “wine and dine” your significant other.  Just don’t make a habit of it, and if dating, be a little wary of someone who expects it.  This is about as close to anything resembling relationship advice you will read here at Frugal Dad.  After all, I’m no Dr. Phil!

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Hobo/Bum

• Old tattered clothes with a few holes (maybe some of Dad’s old work clothes)
• An old, beat-up hat
• An old pair of well-scuffed shoes
• Worn canvas sack on a stick over the shoulder carrying belongings

Spa girl (My daughter dressed as a “spa girl” last year)

• Green face paint to simulate a mask
• Towel for head or curlers
• Sleep mask
• Bedroom slippers
• Bath robe
• Pajamas

Nerd

• An old pair of eye glasses with black electrical tape for reinforcement
• Too-small pants (short ones/high risers)
• Shirt tucked in with pocket protector and a handful of pens
• Hair slicked down with gel
• White socks
• Black shoes

Ghost (a frugal Halloween classic!)

• Sheet with holes cut out for the eyes
• White, long sleeve shirt to wear underneath
• White gloves
• white pants, socks and shoes

Hunter/Soldier

• Camouflage clothing
• Dark green (olive) paint for face
• Black face paint for under the eyes
• An old Army belt with canteen
• A green backpack

Scarecrow

• Flannel Shirt
• Overalls/Jeans
• Rope belt
• Wheat straw to stuff under the cuffs of the jeans and shirt
• A straw hat
• Paint a few freckles on face

Present

• Big box wrapped in festive wrapping paper
• Large bow to place on your head
• Cut holes on sides of box for arms, and in the top of the box for your head

Bunch of Grapes (This one reminds me of the old Fruit of the Loom commercials)

• Purple sweatsuit
• Purple balloons pinned to sweatsuit

Chef/Cook

• Tall chef’s hat or hair net
• Apron
• White button down shirt
• Black pants and shoes
• A big pot to collect candy in (with a big wooden spoon)

Kitty cat

• Black clothes
• Black shoes/socks
• White cardboard for the belly
• Tail (can use an old sock or buy one)
• Ears (headband with felt)
• Facepaint for whiskers and nose
• White gloves (optional)

Most of these homemade Halloween costumes can be put together with items from around the house, or for less than $10 by visiting a consignment shop or Dollar Store. However, if you must resort to buying a Halloween costume, check out the deals at BuyCostumes.com!

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Fall is my favorite time of the year.  The summer heat is finally breaking, replaced by crisp days with a cool breeze and a crystal blue sky.  Backyard grills are busy cooking up tailgating meals on Saturday afternoons as friends and families gather to take in a college football game.  The milder temperatures make for a great time to be frugal because there are so many cheap activities to be enjoyed outside of the house.  I’ve included a few of them below, along with a very special frugal activity to mark Museum Day.

• Visit a museum, for free!   Hundreds of museums across the country are celebrating Museum Day 2008 by offering free admission this Saturday, September 27th.  Museums offer a great frugal entertainment option.  We may visit a nearby arts and sciences museum where they have an area dedicated to children’s activities.  Check out this link to find a participating museum near you.

• Plan a picnic.  With the weather finally cooling off around the country it is a great time to plan a picnic at your favorite spot.  Pack up a few homemade sandwiches, some bottled water, and your favorite fruits to enjoy a meal in the great outdoors.  Don’t forget to pack a blanket to sit on, and a frisbee, a kite, or maybe even a football for some post-meal entertainment.

• Go for a bike ride, as a family.  Me and the kids all have our own bike, but my wife does not currently own one.  We would like to change that in the near future, but for now we may have to settle with renting her a bike at a park with a bike trail.  For just a few dollars you can rent a cruising bike all day and explore the trails and the park together as a family.  Don’t forget your helmets, Dads!  Remember, your kids will think they are cool only if you wear them (note, this is only applicable through the preteen years–after that, nothing you do is cool!).

• Host a “Field Day” at home.  One of my kids’ favorite days of the school year is Field Day.  I remember enjoying events like the 100-yard dash and the softball toss.  Why not recreate some of those events at home?  Have a family relay race–kids against parents, or boys against girls.  Find some old potato sacks and have a sack race, or stop by a dollar store and pick up a few hula hoops for a hula hoop contest.

• “Old school” game night.  Today’s kids do not know how to entertain themselves.  Without the help of a video game, a television, or a parent, most kids would be bored out of their minds.  Teach them some “old school” games and compete against them.  Start out with some classics like Simon Says, or Red Light/Green Light.  Then teach them a little Hide and Seek and Freeze Tag.  I remember playing games like these for hours in neighbor’s yards, and even inside on rainy days.

Spending a lot of money is not a requirement for having a lot of fun.  The two most important ingredients for family fun are creativity and togetherness.  As long as we can think up fun stuff to do together we can avoid expensive entertainment such as movies, arcades and amusement parks (which are a lot of fun, too, but in small doses).  Have a great frugal weekend!

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What is the Lesson Here?

Besides the lesson that often times you can go broke trying to be frugal, there is a lesson in breaking down expenses to individual units.  How much is a “cheap” subscription service really costing you per item of enjoyment?  Would it be cheaper to watch less movies, and buy the ones you really want via eBay?  Maybe.

The lesson from an online DVD rental perspective is that if you are going to sign up for either Netflix or Blockbuster’s Total Access plan, you better be prepared to watch a lot of movies to get your money’s worth.  That’s not a problem in our household, because we cut back to basic cable some months ago and find most television program boring.

One of the benefits of the Blockbuster Total Access plan is that you can return movies to the local store and check out a new one, limiting the wait time to turn around movies.  For every movie you rent each month you are effectively driving down your per movie costs.  Netflix has started offering movies on demand, a feature that allows you to download movies to your computer as part of your membership.  With this feature, the only additional wait time is the amount of time it takes your internet connection to download the large files.

Online movie rentals can be a frugal entertainment option, but as Debt Defier found out, you certainly have to keep close tabs on your expenses, all the way down to each DVD rented.  For some, the compulsion to get the most out of the deal could lead to increased movie/television viewing, which could be detrimental in other ways.  My advice?  Give one of the services a try, and if you find yourself not taking advantage of the memberships, cancel it or put it on hold for a while.

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