Now everything is free – camping tips, finding participating campsites, how to safely start a campfire and even songs to sing – with registrations however they are doing this as a fundraiser. If you have the ability to donate or get sponsors in your area that helps the National Wildlife Federation keep up all these great programs.  Join with friends, coworkers, neighbors, or your family and see how spending a night outdoors creates lasting memories. Smores, anyone?

What chains lacks in charm they make up for in convenience, dependability and free Wifi. Find one that has a wide range of low priced choices and stick with it for the loyalty program rewards. My favorite is  Marriott which represents many different brands – Courtyard, Fairfield, Renaissance, Springhill Suites - just to name a few.

They are everywhere and the best course of action is to join the club and make your reservations on the Marriott site.  Check back before you leave, if the rates have gone down and there is still time, cancel your reservation and reserve at the new rate.  Now if you are going at high season to a crowded location, the rates are usually competitive however remember when you join the loyalty you are accumulating points towards a free night’s stay. When it is not high season or a less traveled road, the rates can be amazing, especially when you throw in a free breakfast at many locations.

The site is easy to navigate, holds all your reservations with no penalty for cancellation, and keeps track of your points.  There are also specials and vacation deals offered through out the year. And for those planning business conferences, they have plenty of options.

Why spend half your morning searching for a cup of coffee?  It’s nice to come down to the lobby, grab a bagel, muffin, some cereal, or fruit, then go back to your room to pick up your briefcase or tour guides. There are many chains however this one has always delivered the goods at a great price.

Frozen: Frozen meals have come a long way since the old-fashioned TV dinner. Today, you‘ll find healthy frozen meals low in sodium, free of preservatives and full of taste. Before you buy, read the Nutrition Facts on the package, paying attention to serving size, total calories, sodium content and sugar and fat sources. (Tip: multiply servings per container by total calories to determine how much of the meal satisfies your daily caloric needs.)

Ahead of time: Prepare your meals ahead of time and cut costs, calories and stress. When you prepare your own food, you control the ingredients, and the portion sizes. Set aside time on Sunday to plan next week’s menu. With list in hand, purchase only the foods you need for those meals and snacks. Save time by knocking out some of the prep-work in one session: Cut up raw vegetables for stir-fry, or divide trail mix and other bulk snacks into bags. This way, when you’re packing lunch, you can just grab and go!

Semi-homemade: Cook with a mix of fresh and prepared foods to save time. Homemade tomato sauce is delicious, but is it necessary? Spare time (and labor) without sacrificing quality by incorporating all-natural and organic prepared foods into your meals. Here are a few semi-homemade cooking ideas:

-          Use jarred organic tomato sauce for pasta or pizza.

-          Canned vegetable purees, such as organic pumpkin, are great with pasta dishes or baked into desserts (no carving, dicing or slicing required!).

-          Instant rice is an instant crowd-pleaser. Use it to stuff peppers, bulk up soup or just as a side.

-          Toss organic dried fruit pieces into tossed salads or stews, or use in baking recipes.

-           Use pre-cooked chicken breasts, canned salmon or canned tuna to save time preparing and cooking meat.

Take-out: Some nights, even a microwave meal is too much of a hassle. Surrendering to takeout is OK on occasion. To help ensure you’re choosing the healthiest options, gather up your restaurant menus beforehand and circle the best entrees. Keep these tips in mind:

-          Red sauces and soups are better than creamy versions.

-          Skip the cheese, or substitute avocado for cheese when possible.

-          Request dressing on the side.

-          Avoid fried foods. Go for steamed or grilled entrees and side dishes.

-          Request un-buttered bread—whole wheat, if they have it.

-          Try dividing meals in half before you eat, saving a portion for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner. This will help prevent overeating.

When you’re constantly on the go, it’s natural to reach for the nearest food in sight—candy, fast food or processed vending machine snacks. But these foods don’t provide the fuel your body really needs. Think F.A.S.T. to eat healthy when you’re in a hurry—and nothing will be able to stop you!

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Vitacost.com has been selling discount vitamins since 1994. Since then it’s grown into one of the biggest online marketplaces for healthy living essentials-with vitamins and supplements being just one of their many helpful categories! Get the best price on vitamins such as vitamin D and Vitamin B12, nutritional supplements, health foods and diet products. Vitacost.com’s customers mean the world to them, and it’s their goal to provide you with the best nutritional supplements, natural foods and sports nutrition to help with your health and wellness. Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog, and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.

Now, it is possible to buy health insurance for your pets. Of course, the standard concerns apply. Does it pay? You have to ask yourself some pertinent questions:

• How much is the monthly premium, and how does it change over time and with respect to the age of your pet when you start the coverage? How does it change if you use the policy especially if you end up with a chronically ill pet?
• Can the policy ever be cancelled by the insurance company because you have used it too often?
• Are there limitations on the amount of the payments and acceptable fees? Does it take into account where you live? A specific operation might cost $1,000 in a big city and $600 in a smaller community. The insurance company might only allow $400 and pay only 80% of that.
• What is the deductible and how does it affect your premiums?
• What is covered and, more importantly, what is not covered?
• How long has the company been in business, and what is their track record?
• What does your vet think about the different companies and pet insurance in general?

In the end, it comes down to one thing. What will you do if your pet comes down with a chronic illness or has a serious accident? If you think you could let your pet go, you might be wrong. Faced with the prospect of losing your companion, you might not be able to do that. You might find yourself spending the thousands of dollars it will take to care for the loving creature that keeps you company and accepts you for who you are, warts and all.

That is the big question and, ultimately, the one that matters the most. If you are certain you would do whatever was necessary to take care of your pet, then insurance is probably a very good idea. If you are absolutely sure you would not and have had the experience that allows you to know this is true, insurance may be a waste of money.

Here is a suggestion. Sit on your couch and call your pets. While they are busy wagging tails, snuggling up and purring, make your decision. If your heart melts, and you can’t imagine life without them, pick up the phone and start to learn everything you can, so you can make the best decision. Otherwise, take a look at the numbers and make your decision based on the cold, hard facts. Regardless of why you choose to take out a policy, if you do, remember to read the fine print.

Guest post by Nancy Richardson who writes for Key Insurance Quotes.com and has four dogs and two cats. They were all rescues that didn’t even make it to a shelter. They were street rescues, and she loves them all.

Beginning May 7th – September 14th 2012, communities, students, families and school supporters (ages 18 and older) can vote for their local K-8 school at avery.com/giveback.

Avery is expanding the 2012 campaign to award 40 schools with much-needed educational resources and offering cash benefits through Avery’s partnership in Box Tops for Education®. Avery manufactures a large selection of school supplies such as binders, dividers, Sticky Notes, NoteTabs™, Hi-liters and Glue Stics, as well as a diverse selection of office and organizational supplies that will prove to be extremely valuable for schools across the country.

This year, Avery will award the top 35 schools with the most online votes in a tier-based structure:

- The top five schools with the most online public votes will each receive $10,000 worth of Avery office products and school supplies of their selection, 25,000 Bonus Box Tops coupons (redeemable for cash by schools) and ten $100 gift cards to be split among the teachers for purchase of additional classroom supplies; the school with the most votes overall will receive an in-school donation presentation.

- The next 25 schools with the most votes will each receive 10,000 Bonus Box Tops coupons (redeemable for cash by schools).

- 10 randomly selected schools with over 100 votes will be awarded 5,000 bonus Box Tops.

ProFlowers has these beautiful lilies and irises in a keepsake vase for $19.99 or a dozen assorted roses at the same price.  A great option when you are out of ideas and mom has too much stuff anyway.

Check my post about  magazine subscriptions or get her a museum membership for ideas that last all year long.

Make a donation in Mom’s name to her favorite charity.

Maybe Mom would like a night out, buy a gift card to the movie theater near her home or tickets from Goldstar.

Try Target for a special Mother’s Day CD . It makes a sweet gift paired with some Burt’s Bees products.

Amazon is still the easiest with the most variety and mostly free shipping if you order over $25.00. They even have a page set up with Mother’s Day suggestions and sales.

Art Lover Mom reads the arts section first, collects catalogs, and thought your first grade drawings were influenced by Kandinsky. Take her to your local art museum and have a bite at the cafe.

American History Buff Mom knows the name of every U.S. President, fact checked your homework, and easily quotes what happened on this day fifty years ago.   Head out to the a historical site in your city and have a picnic nearby.

Environmental Mom recycles everything, knows global warming is not a hot flash, and uses both sides of the printer paper.  Spend the day helping out at a beach clean up or food bank.

Design Mom knows what is the new black this year,  how to use Photoshop to make your holiday pictures more interesting, and only sees art films.  Take an architectural tour of your city.

Sports Mom was always at little league and knows all the baseball stats. Take her out to the ball game for some peanuts and cracker jacks.

Yoga Mom stays flexible, eats vegetarian, and believes that meditation will solve all your problems. Here in Los Angeles take her to BryanKest’s Power Yoga Santa Monica Studio for a donation only class and then to Real Food Daily for lunch.  Sit on the beach afterwards and chant OM.

Let me know if you have interesting ways to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Topics that will be discussed include:

Is a home equity line/loan a good option to pay off higher interest-rate balances?

Can I use a home equity line to pay for my child’s college expenses?

What types of questions should I ask before applying for a home equity line/loan?

What is the difference between a home equity line of credit and home equity loan?

Solid advice about these important financial issues.

Where do we get these fabulous bags and how do we get them at the best price?

Bananas For Hand Bags has some sweet deals and is vegan friendly.  The pictures show they are good for classics or a punch of color for the new summer styles. Never a charge for shipping and just in time for Mother’s Day!

Bananas For Bags

Bananas For Bags

Check out Bad Joan for the fabulous Carla Mancini line.

6pm.com (an advertiser on this site) carries a hugh inventory of everything including backpacks, clutches, and handbags. They are usually my go to place for shoes however the bags are very cute and what’s a great pair of shoes without a bag.

Try  Baghaus for hot, haute bags that include all the latest totes.

Target has lured so many great designers that it is worth your time to cruise the site or stop in person to snap up the latest trend.  Summer is for fun and they have wonderful selections of fringed and print bags.

Have fun shopping out there and let me know your favorite finds!

Here are the no fee programs the Frugal Diva likes best and why.

Staples – They give you $2 for every used printer cartridges and a percentage of purchases in a rebate check.  Watch for emails with weekly savings and coupons. Back to school is an excellent time to stock on supplies for the office.

Ralphs – Their points system allows you to get back a small rebate for Shell gasoline. They will email you items that garner bonus points and just by clicking you can make your way to savings. The coupons are loaded into your loyalty card and automatically deducted at checkout. No cutting and no forgetting.

DSW- Buy your way to the next pair of shoes. Plus a $5 coupon for your birthday and offers all year long for double points, free tote bags, and discounts.

Chicos – After an initial purchase amount, members receive an automatic 5% off and a coupon every month plus a birthday bonus, invitations to private sales, and special discounts.

Let me know what you think are great programs and I will add them to the post.