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Washington, DC Travel Tips – What To Do OUTSIDE the District

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November 8, 2024 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Travel

Washington, DC Travel Tips – What To Do OUTSIDE the District

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When you go on vacation to a place that’s full of exciting things to see and learn, you may not realize that a little further out there’s just as much to explore! Venturing out is also a great way to instill in your children to look for an adventure and go ‘off the beaten path’. So, now that you’ve spent some time visiting Washington, D.C. and getting to know the Nation’s Capital, you may be looking for things to do outside the district. I absolutely love the fact that we live in an area in which there is so much to do and see, and that includes areas of the District, Virginia and Maryland. I feel as though the beauty is never-ending and the list of activities is awesome, too comprehensive to include in this list of the Top 10. Don’t forget our 10 Free Things to Do in Washington DC, 10 Things to Do with the Kids and our list of Outdoor Activities in DC.

Check out some of these things you can do outside of the District. Have fun spreading your wings a little bit with these places!

1.) Visit the National Aquarium in Baltimore: Our family is a huge fan of the Aquarium. It’s always neat to see creatures and animals that live far below the surface of the water. The Aquarium has tons of experiences like Australia (Wild Extreme) or the Dolphin Discovery. This is a place where any family could spend hours. Consider buying tickets online as they have windows of time you can go. This is good, as well, if you want to spend part of the day instead of investing in a full day. When you are done, it’s a great time to visit the Inner Harbor and grab a bite to eat!

2.) Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore: If you love discovery and have children, the Children’s Museum is a great hands-on place to visit. WPort Discovery is so unique; they offer tons of things that any kid would love. Take a look at their KidWorks (and Urban Climbing Treehouse for kids and adults alike) and Miss Perceptions Mystery House for some uncovering and problem solving skills mastery.

3.) Shenandoah: An awesome place called Shenandoah National Park, it’s located 75 miles outside of Washington DC is an ideal place to visit outside of the district. You can take a hike, walk along Skyline Drive, and maybe even take a picnic. There is truly so much to do and see. This is the location of many wedding and photographs. Discover old barns, take a look at breathtaking Fall foliage, and see another side of Virginia – the countryside!

4.) Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland: I love the Naval Academy for so many reasons, it gives our kids a chance to see something historical up close and personal. You can take a guided walking tour of the Academy and soak up the history and beauty! Located on the Severn River, it’s a beautiful spot to catch a sunset. I also suggest going into the city of Annapolis for some amazing dive spots and crab! We really like Boatyard Bar & Grill.

5.) Hike the Potomac Heritage Trail:The Potomac Heritage Trail is more than just a place of beauty, these are paths explored by George Washington himself. You are literally walking down history lane. You can explore the various landscaping and bask in its gloriousness. If you are up for more hiking, make sure you check out the Great Falls Trail, here you’ll get an up close and personal view of the Potomac River as well as some beautiful falls!

6.) Huntley Meadow Park: Do yourself a favor right now and Google “Huntley Meadow Park” on Google Images. You’ll get an up close look at its natural beauty. This park has been around for 40 years, is over 1500 acres, and is majestic in its beauty. You can expect to see wildlife, wildflowers, and get in touch with nature all over again. It’s a great place to get out of the concrete and urban.

7.) Tysons Corner: When talking about DC and the Mall, often one things of monuments and Smithsonians. Get outside of DC, to Virginia to get some serious shopping a Retail Mall. Without a car? Arrive by the Metro and have an awesome day of shopping. There are dozens of retailers awaiting your arrival, you can even grab a bite to eat at any of the many dining locations.

8.) Air and Space Museums: The Air and Space Museums are a must see. There are two of them, one is in the District (at the National Mall) and a larger one is located outside the district at Dulles. The Air and Space Museums focus on exploring space, seeing various exhibitions, and even seeing what researches are currently doing. Admission is free, parking is not. During your visit, take a look at the Concorde, the space shuttle Discovery and we like visiting the Air Traffic Control Tower located right beside Dulles International Airport.

9.) Sandy Spring Adventure Park: There are tons of parks in Washington DC and outside of the District, but this one is remarkable! There are so many features of this park, such as a series of platforms in the trees- all connected by cable, rope, wood, and even zip-lines. You can even climb by night under the glow of the stars and lights, definitely a must-try!

10.) Visit Mount Vernon: One of our favorites is Mount Vernon, you get to check out George Washington’s home. The first president of the USA was certainly an amazing person, you can get an inside look at his home and what his life was like. The grounds are beautiful and much lager than you think. Take a look at that back yard and view of the Potomac River. Be prepared to take some time in the museum as there is a lot to uncover.

If visiting in Winter, around Christmas, take a look at Christmas at the Potomac and ICE! at the Gaylord and National Harbor.

As you can see, there is so much to do outside of the District. I’m anxious to visit our next place on this list. Have you ever visited any place on this list? Tell me about it in the comments.

Take a look at the list of these Top 10 Restaurants in Washington, D.C. Pin to Pinterest.

Don’t forget the List of 10 Free Things to Do in Washington DC. Pin to Pinterest.

Also check out the 10 Things to Do in Washington DC with the Kids – Pin to Pinterest.

Looking to take it outside? This list of Outdoor Activities in DC is perfect for adventures. Pin to Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Affordable Dinnerly Recipes Create Easy Weeknight Dinners

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June 19, 2024 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Recipe, Social Media

Who could say no to a fresh food delivery that is affordable and yummy?! Take a look at the Dinnerly recipe service and create easy weeknight dinners with this meal service subscription box. Grab a promo code for a free weekly meal box!

Is taste important to you? Do you crave more time? Will you change your dinner routine for the convenience of food arriving at your front door? If you are looking for affordable weeknight cooking and delivery service with fresh ingredients and simple recipes, take a look at Dinnerly Meal Delivery Service.

What is Dinnerly?

Dinnerly is a meal delivery subscription dinner box. The meal service brings recipes with fresh ingredients straight to your door for unfussy, affordable weeknight dinners. Dinnerly supplies everything you need to prepare quality, delicious, home-cooked meals that require no planning or shopping.

Customer benefits include a choice of 100+ unfussy weeknight meal choices. Each simple recipe includes pre-portioned ingredients and will take 30 minutes or less to prepare and cook (often less!) Often the meal subscription service works straight with the farmer suppliers and small organizations, making veggies fresh. Fresh ingredients = lots of taste!

Dinnerly can be shipped anywhere in the United States.

How does Dinnerly work?

The dinnerly website is very clear and easy to navigate. To get started you need to set up your account with your location and the number of people you plan to feed each week.

To get started…

Choose Your Meal Size. To begin, choose the number of people and choose the number of meals. You can choose 2 or 4 people. You can choose up to 6 meals a week. Don’t worry you can adjust this each week when you are choosing your recipes.

Enter Your Location. Enter your zip code for shipping options.

Choose a Delivery Day. There are a few options for your delivery day based on your zip code. Your box will arrive between 8 am and 9 pm.

Dinnerly boxes are designed to keep your produce fresh and refrigerated items chilled during their journey to your doorstep. Once your box is delivered, you should unpack your cardboard box as soon as possible and place its contents in your refrigerator (or freezer.)

How much does a Dinnerly subscription cost?

The price of this fun meal service will vary. For most users, portions will be around $4.99 – $7.00/serving. When choosing your Dinnerly meals, there are a few meals that might have upcharges for premi-YUM ingredients or dietary restrictions including grass feed beef, gluten-free, shrimp, seafood, steak, etc. As a counter, there are also a few options where the price of the portion is reduced.

For a pricing example, I feed a family of seven on 4 person box. (I will share later how I do this.) On average, I have four meals arrive each week. A four-meal week with a portion of four people costs me $94.24 plus $11.99 shipping. That is less than $25/meal for a freshly cooked meal for my family. This pricing did not include any special offers or up chargers. This was $5.89.

Dinnerly pricing varies on two things:

The number of meals ordered a week.
The number of servings for each meal.

Dinnerly Cost

Look at this price chart for the dinnerly cost per serving based on the number of servings and meals.

With this chart, you can see that the dinnerly cost is as low as $4.99 per person. This is because Dinnerly only lets you get meals for up to four people. But I get a meal for 7 people… So really, I stretch the dinnerly price to as low as $2.85 per person (plus any add-ons I get from my grocery store.)

I have found a way to get the Dinnerly cost down to $2.85 a person!

Why was this pricing worth it?

It gave me time as did not have to meal plan.
It offered convenience as did not have to grocery shop.
Everything was at my front door on a date I chose.
I was offering my family a variety of recipes (instead of the same old recipe.)
I can quickly see nutrition facts including calories, fat, and dietary details.
I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

At a low price of (as low as) $4.99/serving (or a Dinnerly price of $2.85), this was totally worth it and a very affordable meal kit.

Can I edit my recipes?

Yes, choose the weekly recipes you want! There are plenty of different meal options and varieties from Mexican, to Asian, Italian, and more. Dinnerly will suggest weekly menus, but you can edit your dinnerly offers each week. Add more or fewer recipes to your box depending on how many days of the week you need to cook.

I have dietary needs.

If you have dietary restrictions, Dinnerly has solutions. The meal plan recipes can be sorted and you can search among super recipes for vegetarians, gluten-free diets, and healthy living.

Are the recipes hard to make?

No.

I could stop with no but I will offer you more details. I seriously hate coking. It creates a mess and requires culinary creativity. These recipes dummy it down in a quick 20 to 30 minutes. The instructions are easy to read. The tastes are really great. I actually feel amazing at the end of the process. Having cooked dinners from a meal box for almost five months I actually feel like I have acquired a few culinary talents (nothing I ever desired to achieve.)

Can you pause your subscription?

Yes! Are you traveling or extra busy for one week? You can pause your subscription or skip a week. Customers can cancel at any time, there are no commitments to stay.

I have canceled ordering meals during Thanksgiving week or family travel.

I have more than four people in my family.

When you create a dinnerly subscription, you can choose a 2-person meal or a 4-person meal. If you have more than four people in your family, there are a few options. Simply order the same meal multiple times and get up to eight services or add ingredients to your grocery shopping.

I do the latter. Each week after I choose my recipes for the following week, I know what will be included in my dinnerly shipment. Based on these easy dinner recipes, I use my grocery delivery service to order extra ingredients like meats, starches, or vegetables. My kids eat A LOT and it’s not uncommon for us to have a small portion of leftovers because I added extra chicken, pasta, or even broccoli to a weeknight recipe.

Easy Weeknight Recipes with Meal Subscription

Weeknights are full of activity mixed with the anticipation of getting to bed at a reasonable time and restarting the next day. Because of the hustle and bustle of the evening, having an easy weeknight recipe is very important.

Dinnerly has changed our evenings in the fact that I am not chasing fast food or going crazy repeating the same ole recipe. I simply open my phone, choose a recipe from my box for the night and grab the ingredients from my fridge.

The ingredients in dinnerly recipes are often about 5 to 7 items. Fewer ingredients plus a few steps. The steps are never longer than six easy steps. The directions are well-written and easy to follow.

Highlights which make these easy weeknight meals…

Recipes 30 minutes or less
Portioned ingredients
Simple recipe instructions
Reused pans and bowls for easy cleaning
Easily accessible ingredients
Few complaints
No grocery shopping

Often easy weekend night super of put on repeat. You know how to do it with the back of your hand and your family tires of this easily. When I open a dinnerly recipe, I have no idea where to begin but the six steps don’t cause me much stress. They are easy-peasy and all create new or familiar flavors we love.

In five months there might be five recipes we have repeated. Some recipes are similar tasting but each is new.

Adding to Subscription Box Meals

Dinnerly includes all the key ingredients you need to prep your meal. However, it’s very easy to add your ingredients to a Dinnerly recipe. Recipes only feed up to four people and I have a family of 7 (you do the math.) I could easily order another four-person recipe but that cost adds up. Instead, this non-chef tries this trick – ordering extra ingredients.

Because Dinnerly requires you to choose recipes in advance, I know what is coming the following week. So instead of duplicating my order, I order a few of the key ingredients in my grocery delivery service and add these staples to the easy Dinnerly recipe I plan to cook that week. Typically the items I add to recipes are meat, veggies, or starches. For example extra ground beef, extra pasta, or extra pasta. If we are really in need of more food (which is rare), I make a side salad, a bread loaf, or a fruit salad.

If you do not wish to order extra food from your local grocery store, during your meal subscription checkout, Dinnerly has the option to add these extra products. These extra meat items or sides are sometimes at a lower price than most grocery stores.

In addition to adding more to the main course, during dinnerly checkout, you can add fun dessert recipes, snack bars, or already-prepared meals.

Recipe Ingredients

When cooking Dinnerly dinner recipes, there are a few pantry staples you will want to have around your house. These items are not shipped but are common cooking ingredients in most homes.

Kitchen staples you should have in your home include…

Eggs
Red Wine Vinegar
White Vinegar
Cooking Oil
Olive Oil
Sugar
Flour
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Mayonaise

These key ingredients will be included in many of the subscription box Dinnerly recipes but not in your subscription box.

Dinnerly Recipes PDF

Dinnerly does not include recipes in their box. They include recipe ingredients but no recipe cards. Rather the menu planning Dinnerly website has a digital recipe box.

The first week I received my box my heart began to race because I was looking everywhere for dinner instructions. However, I quickly realized how easily I could locate the dinnerly recipes in the app on my phone.

Since the dinner recipes are available on both a Google play store and Apple Store Dinnerly app, you can easily look at digital recipe cards on your phone. However, if you want printable dinnerly recipes, follow these steps for your Dinnerly recipe PDF.

Sign in to Dinnerly.
Go to the order tab.
Click the image of the recipe you want to print.
Click the “click for cooking instructions” button.
A recipe card PDF will open.
Print this printable recipe PDF.

Save these recipes in a recipe binder. This will save money on printer ink and paper later as in the future you can repeat these dinner recipes and easily refer to your dinnerly menu recipe printables.

Of course, there is no need to print your recipes. You can view the cooking instructions right on your smartphone.

Dinnerly Review

Now you want the Dinnerly review? Let me give you my personal Dinnerly experience. I am sure you likely saw a few of my perceptions through the explanations of this meal kit delivery service.

If I may be very honest, I hate cooking. I hate baking. I hate mess. Being in the kitchen includes all of that. Regardless of my distaste for cooking, dinnerly has given me a positive experience.

I started a Dinnerly subscription in August. By February, I was still using the weekly meal delivery service. That’s a really long time (at least for me.) I have tried meal kit services like (Hellofresh or Home Chef) before and never committed to more than a three-week trial. This is dedication through half of a school year and I have no intention to stop. I bet you I make it this entire school year because of how useful it is for me.

What I love about Dinnerly Meal Subscription…

Dinnerly does my grocery shopping. I find it very helpful that the meal service does the grocery shopping for me. Besides using cooking staples (I already have) and adding a few extra items to my grocery list, I am no longer collecting ingredients at the grocery store for my family’s meals.

Dinnerly plans my meals. Dinnerly weekly offers suggestions for kid-friendly meals based on my history and saves and reviews. The menu planner eliminates the difficult planning and offers me weekly ideas. I can quickly confirm what I want to keep on my family’s menu and replace (or erase) what I do not want. This might take me 5 minutes each week.

Dinnerly tastes good. Not one time did my family not love one of the dinnerly supper recipes. I never had to toss a meal. Ingredient quality is there and you cook with fresh ingredients which add plenty of flavors. Does my family have different taste buds? Yes. That being said, there are times that a couple of picky eaters did not favor a dish but for the most part, at least five people like what I have made (that’s a huge accomplishment.) Most of the time it’s all seven that like the delivered meals as I cater recipes to my family’s taste buds. My husband, who used to order individual meal services, stopped his delivery service and now eats what I cook. Hear me out, it wasn’t awful before it was just not food he wanted. He loves the meals now.

Dinnerly gives me confidence. Confidence in the kitchen was not something I was looking for. I could seriously care less. But I find as I cook more and order more dinnerly meals, I kind of understand the art of cooking. Sorry, I hate to be cliche. But I am learning how to substitute things or add slight variations to improve the preferences of my family/s likes. This was not a skill I had before. I also love the mechatronic pat on my back I get from my family when they say “yum!” or “so good!” (It’s quite frequent.)

I have used dinnerly not only for my immediate family (did I mention I have seven) but also for the extended family that has visited as guests. They loved the meals too. When guests come, I either order double the recipe or I just make adaptions like adding extra rice, sides, or meats.

In fact, this easy and low-cost meal service is mother-in-law approved! My MIL, who I find to be the best home chef ever, totally loved the convenience and cost of this meal service. She is a person who can run to the grocery store and create a five-course dinner with little or no direction. She’s creative with ingredients and flavors and really loved each of the meals I made for her when she visited.

All in all – time, taste and convenience have won me over to use this company week after week after week!

More Dinnerly Reviews

I wanted to supply you with other voices too! It’s important to read reviews before a big purchase like this. Google reviews actually has over 2,000 dinnerly reviews that show 4.5 stars.

Read some of these reviews of Dinnerly. I will share the good and the bad so you can see a variety of what people are sayings. Pay attention to the bars. Over 2,000 reviews and that’s a pretty heavy 5-star line.

Every meal has been so delicious and my kids love them too! Also, I always have leftovers so the portions are a great size for a family of 5! I would recommend it to anyone.

We received our first Dinnerly box and it was better than expected! The shrimp bake in foil was amazing! We are now on week 3 of our Dinnerly subscription and we have Tuesday as our delivery date but every week thus far we have received an email update on Tuesday that due to unforeseen circumstances, our order will be delivered one day late. We still have our date set on our profile to Tuesday, but have not received our box on Tuesday. Other than this faux pas, the items shipped and quality are excellent & the recipes are very easy and quick!

Please note: I (Ashley) had a shipment issue like Tifnie and Dinnerly refunded me the full box.

There are some really cool recipes! They use less plastic than some of the other companies. You do not get printed recipe cards which is very annoying to me. There are also no pictures on the recipe instructions online, which as a visual learner is sometimes difficult.

Please note: I understand Dawn’s frustration. I wish I had printed cards too. You can print off your online account if this is important to you. Otherwise, use your app.

We’ve done a bunch of meal services but hands down love Dinnerly the best. We love the wide range in vegetarian and chicken options as our family doesn’t eat much beef and pork. Even when forgetting to select meal the options picked are amazing and meet our dietary restrictions. Good produce and great price for the value.

I thought it was important to also give you a 1-star Dinnerly review so you can also read a negative Dinnerly review in addition to the positive dinnerly reviews.

My experience with Dinnerly started out fine. I enjoyed the convenience of planned meals with simple recipes and ingredients delivered. The recipes were down to earth and for the most part worked well for my family of picky eaters. However, over the past year there have been issues with quality, condition and missing ingredients. It was easy to let the little things go by at first. A smashed tomato, meat package leaks, smashed bread, a seasoning left out, the wrong meal sent, etc. Most recently, it was moldy bread and brown basil with pictures attached. I complained a total of 3 times and within a week each time received partial credit for the problems. I didn’t complain each time there was a problem because I didn’t want to mess with it or I would forget. Most of the time, I could use something I had on hand as a substitute. The frustration and disappointment level is just too much for the amount of money I pay for a service to reduce stress and make life easier. I contacted the company on Monday with the attached pics expressing the problems I have had and asked for a full box credit if they would like me to continue the service. On Friday, they offered to credit one meal instead of the box so I cancelled my subscription. I don’t have time to complain with almost every box and the one meal credit wasn’t enough to compensate for the issues in the past or time in the future needed to deal with ingredient problems. Six days ago I received an email requesting that I leave a review, so here it is. I gave three stars to be fair, but if you use this service be prepared to be flexible and have some extra ingredients on hand. If your experience is anything like mine, you will need them. Edit: Changed to a one star based on response below. Obviously, I have already given them feedback directly and they chose not to keep me as a customer.

You can even review Dinnerly too.

Dinnerly Promo Code

Ready to try these well-rounded and restaurant-worthy recipes?

If time and convenience are important to you, I have an exclusive money-saving offer for you! Save with this Dinnerly Voucher. With this Dinnerly savings, you will get the following offer.

Up to $100s in savings off 5 boxes
Save a percentage off the first box and other percentages off future boes.
Super simple recipe instructions

PROMO CODE FOR DINNERLY: Use our exclusive Dinnerly code AFF140W for $140 off up to 5 boxes at checkout. Please note the code is constantly changing. This link will give you the most recent code.

Please note: This promo is frequently changing per season and per holiday. Regardless, for trying just your first box you can have incredible savings!

This dinnerly coupon code requires no commitment—just free meals and nice savings. Oh… and maybe a few super simple recipe instructions that will create family-friendly dinners everyone will love.

Please let me know if you have any further questions!

THIS IS THE MOST RECENT DINNERLY PROMO CODE

Free Dinnerly Box

Once you sign up for Dinnerly and enjoy its rewards, sign up to 10 friends with a free Dinnerly box. Sharing is caring but you will not get any rewards or benefits by sharing.

The promo code above, however, will save them more for the long run – an 8-box delivery. However, if they just want to give it a “try”, they can grab one Dinnerly box free via you. However, if they are committed the Dinnerly coupon promo code is a better choice for saving more money. If they get the free box, they will not be able to use the exclusive code later for savings.

This will give you a free box and them a free box. Win – Win.

Give it a try today and let us know how it goes!

If you love these easy recipes, also take a look at these Sheet Pan Suppers. Similar to a one-pot meal, it’s everything you need for dinner on one cooking pan. Easy cleanup!

If you are in the DMV area – D.C., Maryland, Virginia (and Delaware), saving on groceries. You can be $30 off $60 and free delivery with Giant Grocery Delivery options.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your Dinnerly experience. Let others know your Diinnerly review, favorite family recipes, and overall results. Leave a comment here or on Pinterest!

Family Reunion Ideas

This post may contain affiliate links or ads. Read my privacy policy and disclosure policy here.

April 20, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Games, Instagram, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

The season is approaching – the season of reuniting! We have plenty of fun Family Reunion Ideas for your important occasion. Enjoy family reunion themes, planners, family reunion games, activities, printables, décor, party favors, t-shirts, and more. Everything you need in one place!

We are getting close to that time. The time when families reunite…

Reunited and it feels so good…

I had to go there in the song, of course.

Are you ready for a good ‘ole family reunion? We have so many family reunion ideas from Family reunion quotes (for your photo table) to family reunion printables, family reunion printable games, family reunion party favors, family reunion themes, and even family reunion decor.

What are some good family reunion themes?

If you are hosting the gathering, having a good family reunion theme will guide you in focusing your planning in one direction. Family reunion theme ideas allow all guests to also plan when packing. For example, are you having the family Olympics, if so you might have a family that wants to pack tube socks, short shorts, and sweatbands for the occasion. If your family reunion is the tree of life, ask family members to bring photos of family past and present and create a huge tree backdrop where the family can hang their photos.

Take a look at these fun-themed family reunion ideas.

Our Roots are Strong (tree theme)
Reunited and It Feels So Good (70s theme)
Family Summer Olympics
Christmas in July
Camp (enter the last name of the family)
Our Family’s Got Talent
Karaoke Kin
Anniversary Theme
Family Fued
How Well Do You Know Your Family Trivia
Milestone Birthday Theme
Decades Theme
Halloween Thriller
Wild West
Carnival / Circus
The Family Games (board games, Minute to Win it Games, etc.)
Fiesta
Lake Life
Hawaiian Luau
Make a Splash
Survivor
The Price Is Right
The Hunger Games
Top Chef
Murder Mystery

Once you have your theme, you are ready for the festivities to begin. Take a look at these family reunion ideas with your theme in mind.

We’re both are so excited ’cause we’re reunited, hey, hey…

Fun Ideas for Family Reunion

Now let the fun ideas begin. If you are looking at what should be included in a family reunion, take a look at our low-cost family gathering ideas. This should fill your entire family’s bucket list of ideas for entertaining kids and adults at a family reunion.

Family Reunion Foods

We don’t introduce any family reunion foods but some suggestions include a potluck. One night, have each family make a giant size of their family’s favorite dinner dish. You could even include recipe cards so everyone can go home with a copy of the recipe. When they make it to their house, they will be thinking of you over dinner. We like these vintage recipe cards to share your family recipes.

Another idea is to create a family reunion theme meal. Is your family Cuban? Have a weekend’s worth of authentic Cuban food. Are you at the beach? Host a seafood night or scout the best restaurants on Yelp – call ahead, we bet you’ll have a large party!

For a Top Chef, Hunger Games, or Nailed it Family Reunion Theme, create cooking competitions. Create your own with a themed Southern Living BBQ Picnic, Mexican Fiesta Taco night, Best Chili Recipe Night, etc. Award prizes to the winners.

Use these recipe cards and create your very own family recipe book from some of the delicious dishes created!

Family Reunion Quote

We wanted to get you this printable with a family reunion quote first. Print it and display it in a wooden 8×10 frame. It is great for the center of a table adorned with family photos.

“Family. Like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.” — Unknown

Print a Copy of Free Family Reunion QuoteGet all of our free printables including this Family Poem. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download any of our free printables.

I am happy to share digital downloads. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

Family Reunion Planner

We found a few family reunion planners to get you organized for your next family reunion.

Get planning with this Family Reunion Checklist from Family Tree Magazine will keep you organized. This planner starts 18 months out but don’t stress if it’s a month away and you are just getting started.

If you want more detail, try this Family Reunion Planner from Tip Junkie. You could use both free family reunion organizers and be extra prepared!

Family Reunion Decorations

You do not have to go all out with Family Reunion Decorations, just a few touches help!

Cheers! Grab these Family Reunion wine labels with fun family reunion quotes.

A family that drinks together, stays together.
As long as we have wine, this reunion will be fine.
Pairs well with family chaos.
Wine because family.

Tired of trying to figure out who’s who at large family dinners? Print The Cousin Explainer. Frame it and print it a few times on 8×10 paper for others to pick up and use. Maybe began to map your own family’s heritage as you begin to name the who’s who of your family. (Source)

What an amazing thing Leigh Anne did with her Family tree. Follow this DIY Family Tree Chalkboard and display it for the family to see older photos of great-grandparents, grandparents, and more! Your grandma would be proud.

You could also make a family tree using a tree, of course! Fill frames with black and white photos of family members and nail to a tree. This is also a great memorial idea for a family reunion or small backyard wedding. (Source where it’s found.)

Speaking of photos, make sure you have a family reunion photo booth for all your guests in attendance. Cute Family Gathering Party Photo Booth Props Kit from Big Dot of Happiness store.

Favors for Family Reunion

A few keepsakes can help you remember the fun. Get something practical that can be used over and over. Grab a t-shirt, but know it might become a sleep shirt. The Favors for Family Reunions will get your creative juices flowing.

Pass out a keepsake. We love these personalized Family Reunion Stadium Cups. These bright state cups are also cute Family Reunion Favors. Use some of these personalized items as prizes for entertainment and games.

Family History Daily had four unique Family Tree Templates. Have your best scriber write down names and dates and make a copy at Staples for everyone to keep. Older family members will be very helpful when creating this family tree. You could even frame it!

Have the grandchild generation decorate and then hold numbers corresponding to their birth order in the extended family. Include pregnant mamas and photos of babies that have passed. Process the photos and make sure you hand out photos for everyone. Alternatively, instead of holding signs you could even make a numbered family t-shirt where every member has a number. Assign family members numbers and then have each immediate family order their own shirts. (Source Taylor Party of 5)

Include those that are far away or unable to make it with a Skype or Zoom Virtual Reunion Tutorial. Using a projector (grab a mini one that connects to your phone) display relatives from far away on the wall and take a photo. Process the photos and make sure you hand out photos for everyone. Those family members that are far away can participate in a virtual game to join in on the fun. (Source Diana212m)

Family Reunion Games

Nothing brings loved ones together like laughter and games produce laughter. Keep the good times rolling by filling the event with a few memorable Family Reunion Activities and a fun game or two or three. The Hunger Games family reunion theme idea will have not only a cooking competition but a competitive games competition.

Keep the family entertained with these 19 family reunion activities. Includes family reunion games with instructions and a supply list. The set includes a Family reunion scavenger hunt and family reunion charade cards. Games for indoors and outdoors. Minute-to-win-it games and family reunion icebreaker games for that first night. Everything you need! Use it for a day, the entire weekend, or an entire week.

Make the party happen with Family Reunion Activities. Kids love these Family Approved Minute to Win It Game Ideas for engaging activities for a reunion or take a look at these ideas below.

Consider your venue and enjoy some of these other fun games for a family reunion including…

Family Reunion Activities

Everyone can participate in this Toss ‘n Talk-About Family History Ball. I encourage you to do these conversation starters with the oldest generation and RECORD IT! We did this (without the history ball) for my grandparents and they both passed within a year of recording it. I am so grateful I had those family stories on tape.

Get in groups and try this Family Tree Reunion Selfie Scavenger Hunt. Decide if you plan to divide into teams or play individually and then hand out the selfie scavenger hunt game cards, one per team or individual. Set a time limit and let your guests scramble to complete all the selfie tasks. Each one completed earns a point if you have the photo on your phone at the end of the game to prove it. The team or person with the most points at the end of the family reunion treasure hunt wins!

Take a look at these other scavenger hunts for a family reunion

Play the Family Feud Theme Song and host a Family Feud Trivia Box Card Game. Encourage family trivia after dinner while people are sharing drinks and laughter. Don’t forget the answer buzzers.

How well do you know your family? Have a game of Family Reunion Jeopardy! Ideas for questions and an example board on One Creative Mommy.

You can download our family reunion trivia questions. These family conversation starters and fun challenges will help you with the game.

This family looks like they were cracking up! I bet they had the best time with these Family Reunion Olympic Games from Physical Kitchness.

Family Reunion T-Shirt Ideas

I was searching for some Family Reunion Shirt Ideas and the adorable tee options were endless. I find Amazon to be a great resource, but my favorite place for Personalized Family Reunion T-Shirts is Etsy.

Family Reunion Shirt Ideas:

1. Reunited And It Feels So Good T-shirt
2. Cousin Crew T-Shirts Family Reunion Tees (Match Color to Immediate Family)
3. Cousin Explained Event Helper Family Reunion Shirts
4. Tree Family Reunion Tank
5. Family Reunion Recipe T-Shirt
6. “It’s a {LAST NAME} thing” Personalized Family Reunion Shirt
7. Thing 1…2…3…4…5… Family Reunion Shirt
8. We Are Family Reunion Tee
9. Mountain Design Family Reunion T-Shirt
10. Baseball-Inspired Family Reunion T-Shirt
11. Don’t Blame Me I Married into This Shirt (not a group shirt, but definitely funny for whichever in-law shows in it!)
12. Beach Design Family Reunion T-Shirt

Some things we didn’t share but you can add to your planner are sack races, bean bag toss, a slide show, and a talent show. These are classic games that will include the older generation in a bit of nostalgia.

If there is something we missed, share it with us in the comments!

Have you lost a loved one? We pulled together some of the best Memorial Crafts for Loved Ones. Remembrance ideas for the deceased include how to save a voicemail, memory keepsakes, celebration of life ideas, and clothing ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Also, take a look at these High School Reunion Ideas. Some of them you can overlap to great a great Family Reunion. Take a look at the empty chair poem for those loved family members that have passed before. Pin to Pinterest.

Speaking of family, enjoy these Family Traditions to Start Now! Pin to Pinterest.

Is Rent The Runway Worth It?

This post may contain affiliate links or ads. Read my privacy policy and disclosure policy here.

March 28, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, Facebook, Frugal Living, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Online Shopping, Pinterest, Review, Social Media

Back-to-back black-tie weddings caused me to take a closer look at one time rentals vs buying discounted designer apparel. Take a look at Rent the Runway, where to buy designer brands for less, and rental clothing competitors. Get the answer to “Is Rent the Runway Worth It?”

Have you tried Rent the Runway? I first tried RTR 6 years ago when I was pregnant with twins – only I didn’t realize I was pregnant and I had to put on two pairs of Spanx to get in the dress. While this blog post has nothing about being the mother of twins or wearing twin Spanx (pun intended), it does provide a little insight on how to find the perfect size dress (or clothing item) for your special occasion.

In addition to finding the perfect dress for an occasion, there are other options to find more than the perfect dress. While you might have tried renting a dress online before, you might not be aware of a monthly clothing rental service too. With a Rent the Runway Membership, you can find outfits for any occasion including weddings, work, weekends, travel, and more. If revamping your closet for a month isn’t your cup of tea, give Rent the Runway a short try and rent designer clothing for a few short days during a special occasion.

How does Rent the Runway Work?

Rent the Runway is a rental clothing company that allows you to try on and wear designer brands. The online boutique includes stylish clothing connecting consumers to high-end top brands. Their business model focuses on helping women to stay up-to-date with constantly evolving fashion trends — without breaking the bank or repeating their outfits.

When renting clothing, your rental window can be as short as 4 days or as long as a 30-days. The online designer store includes many popular brands including Tory Burch, Farm Rio, LoveShackFancy, Mac Duggal, and more. Rent the Runway clothing is sent straight from the warehouse to your home and includes a pre-affixed return package for an easy-peasy designer rental service experience.

How to find your perfect size

One thing I love about Rent the Runway is the sizing. I can (humbly) enter my weight, height, and typical size and compare myself to others. This gives me a review and photos of how the dress looked on them. I can see the shape and height of other women and know how something might fit me.

As we all know, clothing size can vary greatly by designer and region. For example, UK fits much differently than US versions. To find your perfect size, when you find the ideal dress read the Rent the Runway reviews. Many individuals share their experiences with their rented dresses (items of clothing) – you might even find a few of my reviews online.

Once you find the item you want, click the reviews or customer images. Sort the feedback by sizing that matches yours. Simply pay attention to your height, weight (be honest), and chest size. Then find similar women who have rented the same dress you are looking at. This quickly helps you realize if the item is true to size, runs small, or runs large.

This is my favorite thing about this website. Shopping like this cannot be done on T.J.Maxx, Nordstrom, Dillards, and other online dress stores I typically use first.

Take a look at my personal Rent the Runway sizing experience. By paying attention to the sizing, I knew I had to rent a size 14 Borgo de Nor Lemonade Margarita Maxi dress for a wedding rehearsal. M typical size is 6/8. In fact, the same designer has another dress that doesn’t run this large and it would have been better for me to go with a 6/8 – talk about confusion. This is why Rent the Runway reviews for each item are important.

Now that you know you have the ability to find the perfect size brand name clothing, let’s talk about renting brand-to-consumer items. To learn more about the rental process, take look at one-time rentals and memberships.

Rent the Runway One Time Rental

Rent the runway has short window items. This can be as short as 4 days or as long as 8 days. With a one-time rental, you can select a delivery date 1-2 days before your plans. With one-time rentals, to help make sure you get an outfit that fits, a free backup size is included in every order. Once you have chosen your items, the Rent the Runway rental bag will arrive at your door. No need to leave your house (except for your special event.)

Consider short-term clothing rentals for special occasions including:

For these special occasions, individuals often want a one-time use. In this case, buying a dress can often be a waste of money. Plus designer clothing vs warehouse clothing is quite different. Either you spend a little and the item doesn’t fit great. Or you spend a lot for a three-hour event.

Rent the Runway’s Collection Includes Popular Brands:

Ienna by Mac Duggal
Badgley Mischka
A.L.C.
Adam LIppes Collective
SIMKHAI
AMUR
Donna Morgan
Staud
Lilly Pulitzer
J.Crew
AFRM
Ulla Johnson
Veronica Beard
FARM Rio
MISA Los Angeles
LoveShackFancy
Sea New York
Tory Burch
Gucci

… and more!

Right now, code GETDRESSED with give you 20% off trying this one-time service.

Feel like a million bucks for only a few short dollars.

Rent the Runway Tip: If you have your eye on a specific, must-have dress for a one-time occasion, go with the one-time rental. You can schedule the date of your rental and ensure you have the perfect dress during this open window of time.

Rent the Runway Membership

Once you’ve chosen to rent designer clothing, it’s important to discover how you can rent top brands for less.

Do you need clothing for work? Do you have a series of events coming up? Do you want to treat yourself? Are you feeling like you deserve a closet overhaul but lack the budget… if you answered yes to any of these, then try Rent the Runway subscription service.

The Rent the Runway monthly clothing membership allows you to hang on to five items at a time. There are three membership plans allowing you to keep all five items for one month or get up to 3 free shipments a month and up to 15 brand-to-consumer items a month.

RTR makes this pretty easy with three main subscription plans.

Subscription Plan 1

5 items a month
1 shipment a month
Rent items up to $350 MSRP
$94/month

Subscription Plan 2

10 items a month
2 shipments a month
Rent items up to $3000 MSRP
$144/month

Subscription Plan 3

15 items a month
3 shipments a month
Rent items up to $3000 MSRP
$193/month

Subscription plans include all the popular designers’ brand names you get from the one-time rental but they give you more of unlimited access to your look. Grab not only designer gowns but the option of jewelry, handbags, coats, accessories, or even more clothing items to complete the look.

Runway customers can rent items for as long as they’d like during their ongoing plan and have the option to purchase any pieces they love at a discounted price.

Returns

When your rental period is up, return your items using the included prepaid UPS shipping label. With easy Rent the Runway returns, simply return the item to a UPS location with a prefixed label and packaging. You can also schedule a UPS pick-up. Easy peasy, return it immediately. They will do the cleaning.

Cancel

It’s really easy to discontinue and you can cancel Rent the Runway at any time. When you cancel the service, you still can keep your clothing items until the end of your subscription period.

A Rent the Runway phone number is not necessary. You can easily cancel online within the backend of your account. During my subscription period, I found the chat feature to be very helpful. This is a real person, not a robot. You can do this by going down to Contact Us at the bottom of the www.RenttheRunway.com page. You will get connected immediately.

Chat is available:

Monday – Friday: 9 am – 7:30 pm EDT
Saturday & Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm EDT

When canceling Rent the Runway, make sure to return your rented clothing items before your Rent the Runway membership/trial period ends.

Rent the Runway Promo Codes

One thing I love about this website is they don’t hide their discounts. How much does Rent the Runway cost? That will vary on the rental window and value of the clothing item. However, unlike the competition, RTR is pretty blatant about wanting you to save money and see what is available to rent. To find Rent the Runway coupons, scroll down to the bottom of the www.RenttheRunway.com page. Look for current promotions under the get help column.

Find Rent the Runway discount codes for their clothing rental memberships and one-time rentals so you can give them a try.

Rent the Runway Review

I decided to give Rent the Runway Membership a try. I went with the most popular plan, getting up to 10 items a month (It was only 8 rent my runway items when started but soon turned to 10.)

The Backstory

Within two years our family was invited to two destination black-tie weddings. With the first wedding, my husband and I went as well as three (of our five) kids. The receipts on wedding guest attire quickly added up and I looked for any way to save money. I was pleased with my purchases for the first wedding. I did a great job of savings on a Mac Duggal Runway Dress. I found a way I could resell the dress and earn money back.

For the second wedding, I began to try the same thing of shopping T.J.Maxx Runway Collection for designer gowns. This wasn’t working. What I purchased wasn’t exactly what I wanted. For me, finding the right dress is a “you know when you know type situation.” I wasn’t hitting the home run and new buying and returning was going to exhaust my time and quite frankly annoy me, so I began to search other places.

First, I searched for my favorite brand on Google. I knew exactly how Ieena by Mac Duggal fit so guessing which size was best would be easy. As I searched Mac Duggal on sale, Rent the Runway Mac Duggal dresses were coming up quite often. I had an existing RTR account so I began to heart (or save) these dresses.

Then it hit me. In addition to a black-tie wedding guest gown, I also need dresses and clothes for multiple events in the next few weeks. This included my daughter’s high school dance. I could rent both my dress and my daughter’s homecoming dress for a fraction of the price it would cost me to buy. I decided, in this season of activities and events, to give Rent the Runway Membership a try.

Experience

I began looking at the RTR membership prices. I decided with a discount code, the middle plan would be best for me. This gave me up to 8 items a month (now 10) and it allowed me to quickly return that Rent the Runway cocktail dress (for my daughter) that I needed for a mere 24 hours.

I had plenty of items saved so I just thought I would purchase the membership and quickly add these items to my cart. They would be a few days for shipping, it would be easy peasy. I quickly found a Rent the Runway coupon savings me almost $50/month for two months. I would pay about $90/month for two months. I purchased the membership and began the process of adding my items to the “bag.”

It wasn’t that easy!

I was so mad. Seriously, it felt like everything was unavailable. In fact, in a folder of about 100 saved items, I was able to maybe get 5 items. Thank God, I could grab that high school dance dress (did no one else need a Rent the Runway homecoming dress?) This was a $300 SIMKHAI Michelle Velvet Mini dress and I knew my daughter would be excited. Okay, so that was solved but I spent another two hours shopping for myself.

I saw that the rehearsal dinner dress I was eyeing had one available but it was over four sizes too big. However, reading reviews, I realized I would need it big because it ran small. I decided, even though the wedding is six weeks away, I might need to add this dress to my bag now. In this two-hour online shopping experience, I realized it was going to be hard to quickly grab my favorites. I was initially frustrated as I had to come up with a bunch of new likes. However, after getting started with a new folder of likes it became less hard and more fun as I ran through an index of all my upcoming events.

Since I needed the cocktail dress for my teen right away, I quickly added a few other cold-weather designer-brand items to the cart for a trip I was taking to New York City. While they didn’t excite me at first, I grew to love them. They actually gave me a few fun brands to wear while I waited for my ideal black-die wedding guest dress to become available. I would pay attention to my likes to see if any of my favorite dresses popped up as available.

While I used my first (of four) orders, a Mac Duggal gown became available. I am obsessed with Mac Duggal dresses and pretty much knew my size, so I quickly added it to my next order. This dress arrived maybe a week after I used the service and I held on to the dress for five weeks in anticipation of the wedding. I feared returning the dress and it no longer being available. So once I returned my New York Items and my high schooler’s dance dress, I grab the MD gown.

I now had two dresses that I held on to and I began to switch out other items. Cold winter items turned into a few fun spring dresses as the weather warmed. Once I learned to broaden my likes, I quickly found I loved the service. I loved that I got to wear dresses that were tailored, cost a lot of money, and had amazing fabric. I was saving money instead of buying new pieces for one-time use.

The wedding rehearsal dress and wedding gown worked out perfectly. I had plenty of fun things to wear in between trading one brand-name item for another.

What I Rented

Want to try what I tried? Here is the full list of items I rented while on the membership program.

Borgo de Nor Lemonade Margarita Maxi Dress – Rehearsal dinner, runs small
SIMKHAI Michelle Velvet Mini Dress – Homecoming dress, true to Size
Peter Som Collective Ruffle Shoulder Sweater – NYC vacation plus day to day
BLANKNYC Safari Cheetah Duster – NYC vacation, church event plus day to day
Benjamin Benmoyal Floral Long Caftan – True to size, adorable. This was adorable (pictured above) I would buy it if it wasn’t $590.
Trina Turk Yucca Floral Dress – I loved this. Wore it to church. True to size. Bright colors.
Lauren Ralph Lauren Floral Tie Waist Shirtdress – So cute, wanted to hit Nantucket but wore it to church instead.
Rebecca Taylor Camel Rose Plaid Blazer – Adorable. True to size. Dressed up with a dress and own with jeans.
J.Crew Block Print Coral Dress – Adorable. Wore on a cool weekend with a cardigan.
7 For All Mankind Stripe Puff Shoulder Sweater – I wanted to buy this, so cute. True to size.
Ieena for Mac Duggal Tie Back Floral Gown – I love it. True to size. Beautiful and sexy for a black tie wedding (but just enough.)
Tanya Taylor Cynthia Dress – Didn’t get to wear. cute. I thought it ran bigger.
Roksanda Anaisa Maxi Dress – Ran Huge (with a capital H.) Didn’t get a chance to wear it. Saw some wear in the collar on this piece.

Cleaning

Knowing I didn’t have to worry about the cleaning was a huge relief. When my daughter went to her school dance, I reminded my sweet girl over and over how expensive a dress she was wearing and to take incredible care of it.

Well, she’s 14 and she had an unavoidable stain at the end of the night. I began to panic thinking of how I was going to fix this stain. You know what… I sent it back when the stain and there was no charge for the dress for the returning cleaning. I read many reviews of Rent the Runway dry cleaning and the incredible fairy magic they have. Instead of trying to take care of it myself, I let them do their job at no added expense or charge. I was so relieved.

I realized that cleaning after each use does wear on some of the dresses. This was the case for the Roksanda Anaisa Maxi Dress. while I didn’t get a chance to wear it, I noticed the collar was losing a bit of coloring from use. This is a $1,300 dress so I would expect better r- would you eve imagine a $1,300 dress in your closet, by the way?

Summary

In summary, I found many of the most popular Rent the Runway Gowns are hard to acquire within the RTR membership. However, there are plenty of other items to replace that favorite. Many are just as cute. If you have your eye on that one item, the membership does give you a membership perk – take an extra 25% off all reserved rentals if you want to reserve a dress for a 4 to 8-day window. This Rent the Runway savings applies automatically at checkout.

If you have some time to watch availability, then you are good to go. For example, if you have a wedding in March, start the service in February with at least two return windows. This will let you request the dress as soon as one of your favorites becomes available. Or, you can also have a large selection of dresses instead of your eye on one item. This is what happened at my black-tie wedding. The dress wasn’t my first choice but it worked out in the end and I am really pleased with my choice. A slit down my chest was quite daring but since I was limited on favorites, I took the plunge and loved going outside of my comfort zone on a wedding destination vacation with just my husband and me.

So is it worth it?

When I first tried the designer rental subscription, I told myself “I will never do this again” because I could not get my #1 dress choice. This changed quickly as I realized how many other items they had and I began to open my eyes to so many pretty brands. I began to get so many compliments on the items I was wearing. In fact, not one item did I wear and not get a verbal like. I loved the items so much and so did others.

I wanted to keep the service for longer than I did. I kept the service for two months. The reason I stopped was I am a sweatshirt and sweatpants type of girl. If I needed everyday workwear or attended fancy occasions often, I would absolutely continue this service. In fact, the next time my daughter has a dance, I would love to try the service another month and have fun with a few cute items (In honor of her special occasion, of course!)

Next time I have a fancy wedding or upcoming event I will (in this order)…

1.) Find the best solution by buying from T.J.Maxx Runway and reselling on Poshmark & thredUP when done. Why rent, when you can own is my initial thought.

However, if I can’t find my ideal dress at a discount or need a lot of outfits, I will…

2.) Get a two-month period of renting designer clothing weeks in advance.

If I don’t need a lot of clothing…

3.) I will do a one-time 4-day rental with a free UPS return.

Make Rent the Runway your own. All of these options are ideal based on your own needs. Ask yourself…

Do you need something immediately?
Do you have time to wait for that ideal item to become available?
Do you need more than one item?
Do I want to gift myself a month full of fun clothing?

Seriously, Rent the Runway rentals have been worth it, and such a lovely way to try out new brands without breaking the bank.

Rent the Runway locations

Are you ready to shop Rent the Runway? Can I shop in person if online shopping is intimidating? If you live in a larger city, you used to be able to shop and return in person at one of the Rent the Runway luxury stores. However, Covid crushed this realization.

Popular places you could shop/return designer fashion brands were…

Rent the Runway Flagship Store NYC
Rent the Runway Dallas
Rent the Runway Chicago
Rent the Runway Bridgeton
Rent the Runway Miami
Rent the Runway Nashville
Rent the runway Greenwich
Rent the Runway Austin
Rent the Runway DC

However, all RTR locations are permanently closed. This was disappointing for many but exciting for others who took advance of the Rent the Runway sample sale.

Since closing all of its flagship locations, RTR returned its focus to investments in digital. This made it fair for everyone as the time, hours, and inventory are equally shared. It also made renting the runway returns a uniform process for all. Returning from multiple US locations to digital stores only created an equal ~~playing~~ shopping field for all. Everyone can shop pre-loved designer clothing with their online Rent the Runway Brand Consignment shop.

Rent the Runway on Amazon

One benefit of digital is RTR sample sales were no longer. Instead, you don’t have to live in a major city with a flagship store. Now everyone has access to Rent the Runway Clearance Sale and the “buy now” button (for those that don’t want to rent.)

In addition to buying used brand-name clothing off the Rent the Runway website, you can also buy from Rent the Runway when you shop on Amazon for Rent the Runway items. The Amazon Fashion resale option gives you the option to buy things from your favorite brands on one of your favorite websites.

Give Rent the Runway a try or try the competition. Questions about Rent the Runway vs. …? well Rent the Runway’s competitors include Nuuly, Armoire, and Fashion Pass. Let us know your experience and favorite place to rent designer clothing. I researched all three places before beginning with RTR. I still find the original place to be the best. RentTheRunway appears to be much more transparent than the places that opened after the original store.

So…. Is Rent The Runway Worth It? You let me know! I have found the clothes were fun and covered many of my event needs.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your ideas.

Simple & Cheap Wedding Ideas on a Budget

This post may contain affiliate links or ads. Read my privacy policy and disclosure policy here.

February 17, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Instagram, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

Hosting a stay at home wedding? Want your own intimate backyard ceremony? These Cheap Wedding ideas give you a visual of frugal ways to save money on a wedding. Get creative with DIY Wedding Decorations on a Budget. Happy planning.

Small weddings are trending, Couples are opting for a more intimate celebration to get quality time with guests and a relaxed atmosphere. We might be in a new year but if 2020 taught us anything it is about the importance of close family and friends, as well as, simplicity.

If you want to create a small intimate wedding, take a look at these Unique & Simple Wedding Ideas on a Budget. When planning a cheap wedding, the biggest advice I can give is to purchase something you can use later. Skip the wedding planner and do it yourself. Chalkboard signs, mirrors, garden lights, etc. All of these items can be incorporated into a couple’s home. Sort of like home styling and wedding styling in one.

Helpful Posts:

Hosting a Stay at Home Wedding, these posts can help transform an inexpensive backyard wedding.

How can I make my at home wedding special?

A wedding can cost the average couple $27,000. Couples looking to tie the knot on a budget face a difficult challenge. One of the biggest savings can be with the wedding venue. By moving a wedding venue from a hall you rent to a backyard venue, Here’s a guide to getting married at home without breaking the bank.

Pull off an at home wedding on a budget with these fun ideas…

Use Items You Have.

The best use of low-budget DIY Backyard wedding decorations is uing what’s around. Walk through your house and take a look at items you have like candles, faux plants, picture frames, etc. Also, ask family and friends if they have items. If you don’t have it and you can use it in your home later, consider a small purchase.

Use Lighting.

The lighting can set the ambiance. Have the actually ceremony during sunset (or if you dare, sunrise.) Set up the backyard with lighting that illuminates signs, trees, bushes, and other things. A small investment in landscape lighting can be an investment in backyard landscaping you can keep for a long time.

Collect Vintage.

What about having an eclectic collection of vintage silverware and plates? Nothing has to match that is what gives it the personal touch. Visit thrift stores, Goodwill, or shop Facebook marketplace for fun plates, dishes, and cutlery. This might be a great opportunity to collect from your mother your grandmother’s priceless china!

Give a Gift of Ride Shares

Grab a few valets to help with street parking. You can even get UBER codes and help your guests get home safely after the party. Simply put a QR code by the driveway that guests can scan on the way out. That QR code can lead to an Uber Wedding Voucher for your guests. That leads to controlled parking, stress-free driving, and safe driving after a round of drinks.

Get Creative with Entertainment

A lot of couples say that don’t save on entertainment and they provide their guests with a good time. In fact, within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority! Save on wedding entertainment by hiring a band or only a few hours. Get through the ceremony, and the dinner, and then let the entertainment arrive. Before the band comes, you can play these fun Wedding Games for ice breakers and to connect your guests and an intimate backyard venue.

Hire Outside Help.

Get creative with people you know or people your friends and family might know. Perhaps someone is looking to earn some extra cash on the weekend. Use extra help to help transition guests, clean up, or act as a day-of-wedding planner.

While we talk about at-home wedding ideas on a budget, there are plenty of other ways to save on a wedding with a $1,000 or $5,000 budget. Take a look at these cute but fun, super simple wedding ideas on a budget.

Simple Wedding Ideas on a Budget

On average, couples themselves pay for 49% of the wedding costs, though older Gen X adults (81%) shoulder a greater percentage of costs. Once you are footing a lot of the bill for your wedding, you begin to desire to save.

If you are ready to save money on the wedding cost then take a look at these simple at home wedding ideas on a budget. Take these at-home wedding tips and use them at a smaller and more affordable wedding venue too! Wedding planning can be fun.

Backyard Wedding Tip

Instead of spending money on the venue, host a stay at home wedding. If you are looking for outdoor wedding ideas on a budget, this one is a winner. The money saved on the venue can go toward your own inexpensive backyard landscaping ideas for a garden wedding. Feel free to splurge a little and get the garden & yard you like. Two birds, one stone.

Dollar Tree Wedding Supplies

Everyone’s favorite place to start with cheap wedding accessories is the Dollar Tree. Take these Dollar Store Wedding ideas for DIY Wedding Decorations on a Budget. Dollar Tree wedding ideas include such items as vases, mason jars, paper lanterns, frames, and more. | Clark Condensed

DIY Lighting

Chandeliers are pricy. For a smaller wedding, take a look at this DIY Hula hoop chandelier lighting made with upcycled Christmas Lights. This makes a cute lighting idea for a wedding tent, porch or under a tree. | Sarah with an H (As seen in our Upcycled Christmas Lights Post.)

Low-Cost Outdoor Lights

Candles set such a beautiful atmosphere but lights can safely do the same. Set the ambiance with lights. This is a very easy tutorial on how to string lights from natural elements like tree limbs using galvanized buckets and concrete. It would make an adorable edge to an aisle or even the dance floor. (As seen in our Backyard Movie Ideas) | Ida klipper och klistrar (in English)

Wedding Welcome Sign Mirror

This is a current trend. Upcycle a mirror into a Wedding Letter Board. Not only do you get a cute & cheap welcome to our wedding sign, but you also get a mirror you get to keep reminding you of the special day. | Ruffled Blog

Wedding Wishes

This small wedding idea is cute. The people who will wish you the best are those guest you hold dear and near. If they made it to your small backyard wedding, they likely have the sweetest words to say. In light of that, ask your guests to make a sweet wish for your marriage. Plant the tree or bush in your yard after the wedding. The power of positive thinking. | Source

Wedding Hand Sanitizer Favors

Wedding favors are given out at 69% of weddings. If you are hosting a post-pandemic wedding. Spread love and not germs with this Hand Sanitizer Wedding Favors. In sickness and in health. | Larissa Catherine Photography

Wedding Mask for Guests

In a wedding my husband and I attended, they gave out masks at the buffet line. These weddi ng face mask bags are another idea for mask storage when people are on their feet. | Buy Online

Wedding Centerpieces Greenery

Save on flowers and go cut greenery. You can use recycled mason jars or vases (hit the Goodwill or a thrift store. Even borrow from friends!) Natural elements make beautiful cheap wedding centerpieces. If you lack greenery, buy some Eucalyptus Garland. You can add little touches of green to the place cards too. | Boho Weddings

Wedding Remembrance Ideas

Looking for memorial ideas for loved ones who have passed? Create a memorial family tree with picture frames on the lawn. | Grey Likes Weddings (Similar family tree photo frames seen in our family reunion ideas. You can also add our empty chair poem.)

Wedding Polaroid Guest Book

Fewer guests allow you to focus on guests like family members and really close friends. Create a wedding photo display. This framed photo display is perfect for guests to add photos, like a polaroid photo guest book for weddings. Additionally, you could display photos of the happy couple leading to the wedding day. I love these photo string lights with clips. | June Bug Weddings

Photo Display at Wedding

Additionally, this makes beautiful and cheap wedding décor. Use wooden crates to create a beautiful wedding display of the couples. One cheap wedding idea is also displaying wedding photos of the couples parents and grandparents. | Elegant Wedding Invites

Wedding Blanket Sign and Station

A smaller guests lists means everyone can get warm and cozy. Collect blankets from friends or grab really cheap flannel blanks from Kohl’s. This snuggle up display is perfect if a backyard wedding has a dip in temperatures. They are perfect for a lounge area and are a great accompaniment to warm cocktails! | Buckinghams

Chalkboard Wedding Sign

Lead your guest to the ceremony with this chalkboard arrow wedding sign from Wayfair. You could also point to the food truck – yum!

Cheap Wedding Tip: If the wedding message doesn’t easily wipe off, buy chalk paint. Paint over the the sign and add your own message later. It is a purchase for your wedding you can keep forever.

String Lights for Wedding

Outdoor Curtain Lights will transform a boring space into a magical venue. This would make a beautiful backdrop for the musicians and entertainment. Enjoy it later as garden lights for your house. | Source

Cake with Natural Flowers

Keep your wedding cake simple, it might even be one your can create yourself. Opting for just one tier means you can go all out on decorations without it breaking the bank! Hosting an outdoor wedding, you can even add in outdoor elements. To pass out have cupcakes for dessert that match the bride and groom’s cake. | A WPA Bakery, Jeffrey C. Gleason Photography and Ruffled

Wooden Pallet Sign for Wedding

Ready for a simple wedding reception idea? Use a upcycled wood pallet to write out the timeline of events for the wedding reception. This lets the groomsmen, bridesmaids and wedding guests know where to be. Include times for the wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and/or dancing. Alternatively, you can do something similar to this but have the menu listed or a selection of available alcohol drinks. | Boho Weddings

Bourbon Wedding Tradition

Have you heard of Bury the Bourbon wedding tradition? To ward off rain, exactly a month before the wedding date, bury a full bottle of bourbon upside down at the venue. One activity to include as a small intimate wedding is uncovering the bourbon and sharing a shot with the wedding party. (This was our wedding rehearsal.)

Sparkler Wedding Exit Idea

Of course there is no better way to send off a couple then with Sparklers – right? Take a look at these cute Wedding Sparklers Printables. | Evermine

City Hall Wedding Photo

Instead of taking it in your backyard with a smaller guest list, head to City Hall to say your vows! City Hall weddings are becoming more and more mainstream because let’s face it, weddings and the lengthy planning can be very stressful and in many cases – incredibly expensive. How adorable is this Courthouse wedding outfit? After the courthouse wedding, you can then have your at home wedding reception on a budget. | Melanie Duerkopp

Wedding Venue + Honeymoon

Want those amazing photos. You can incorporate a small getaway with your gorgeous wedding dress. And if you are not too far from the West, have your very own Desert elopement for your big day. You have to pay nothing for the wedding venue of a destination wedding. It’s a destination venue turned into a honeymoon. Invest in a beautiful bouquet of flowers, the dress, the suit, and the photographer! How beautiful is this Red Rock wedding? | Meg Amorette Photography

Has this answered all your questions about…

How to have an inexpensive backyard wedding?

In summary, bring together these tips for both at home and at a special venue…

Use decor you have or can use later in your home
Add personal touches
Hire outside help
Gift rideshares with Uber vouchers for weddings
Add lighting
Find friends and family who can help
Shorten the length of your entertainment
Bring in fun wedding games

Most importantly celebrate you. There will be nothing like washing dishes outside your kitchen sink and looking out your backyard window to remember the epically important big day.

Having an at home wedding is affordable. The venue provides daily mental photographic of such a special and important day.

Don’t forget these Bachelorette Party Ideas before the wedding! Pin to Pinterest.

Going to a wedding? Look at this low cost wedding gift, Hand Stamped Spoon Tutorial with free printable! Pin to Pinterest.

Save on the DJ and wedding entertainment with these budget-friendly wedding reception games. These games are tried and loved by all the guests. So funny and fun. Use in a backyard wedding, at a venue, or for a wedding shower. Pin to Pinterest.

This post has been updated. It was originally published Feb 7, 2021.

Giant Grocery Delivery – Order Groceries Online

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February 14, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Store Deals

Have you tried the convenience of easily ordering groceries online? Learn how Giant Delivery works, the benefits of online grocery shopping, and how to save on groceries with an exclusive Giant coupon code today!

This post has been updated to reflect a name change – Peapod delivery is not Giant delivery!

Although grocery shopping can take a lot of time and energy, I have found a way around all of this. As many of you know, I do not grocery shop anymore. I use Giant grocery delivery service to help me keep groceries in my house. The end result is I get more time with my family, which I love. I also save money, which I also love…. obviously, Frugal Coupon Living!

I began online grocery shopping when I was on bed rest with twins in 2018. I loved it so much, I never went back. Did you know that online grocery sales will surpass 20% of the overall U.S. grocery retail market in the next five years, at least several years before pre-pandemic projections, a new Mercatus/Incisiv study predicts? It seems a lot of people are enjoying the convenience of groceries delivered straight to their front porches.

If time with your family and saving money is something you covet, then ordering groceries online might be for you too! Take a look at Giant Delivery formerly called Peapod and see how you can save on groceries today!

How Does Giant Food Delivery Work?

Are you located in the Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia regions? A grocery delivery service that may just change the way you live your life is called Giant Delivery formerly Peapod. You can grocery shop from anywhere and get it delivered when it’s right for you. It’s easy to shop, schedule your delivery, and then get your groceries delivered to your home or scheduled for store pick-up.

Follow along as we “unbox” Giant Food Delivery to see if it’s something you can benefit from.

Giant Delivery Cost & Requirements

When making an adjustment to your home, like the way you grocery shop, it is important to understand the service fees. I have great news, it is possible to get groceries delivered to your home for free depending on the day of the week you choose.

Midweek orders are your friend as there are no midweek delivery fees. There are times that cost, however so pay attention to these details.

Online orders delivered Tuesday-Thursday are fee-free.
All other days (Friday-Monday) have a grocery delivery fee of just $3.95.
A $30 purchase is all that’s required to get your groceries delivered to you.
100% contactless delivery

Grocery delivery is available each day from 6 AM – 10 PM.

Giant Pass

If you find you are ordering groceries frequently in these off hours, you can get Giant Pass. Pay monthly or yearly to get all grocery delivery feeds saved. This can look at $12.95/month or $99/year (as low as $8.25/month.)

With this online grocery delivery membership plan, I typically have groceries delivered 3xs a week. If I find my order is very small and I need to add more products to hit that minimum order requirements, I typically add coffee (or another nonperishable staple) to my cart. This Delivery Pass service is similar to Amazon Prime and costs $139 a year.

It is important to note, you do not have to be a Giant Pass member to get groceries delivered. You can pay the delivery fee mentioned above if you would like.

Giant Pickup

Of course, you are welcome to pick up groceries too. Giant pickup orders offer 100% contactless pick-up. Store associates come to your car with your groceries. Giant pick-up orders are delivered when you are parked conveniently in designated parking spots. Instead of shopping yourself, try this resource and drive to your local grocery market to grab your groceries using pickup services. There are no pickup fees.

Free grocery pickup plus no pickup order minimums.
Same-day service is available.
100% contactless pickup.

Free pickup is available at participating stores from 8 AM – 9 PM ET.

Giant Grocery Aisle

If you are going to order fresh groceries from Giant, you may want to know what types of items the grocery app carries. Giant direct actually carries a lot of in-store favorites.

Here are the items or grocery aisles that are available:

Fresh produce
Quality seafood
Quality meats
Organic choices
Natural choices
Store brands
Meal kits
Specialty products
Alcoholic beverages
Health and beauty
Pet care
Household products
Paper goods

The grocery list pretty much covers the same grocery aisles you would have in your own local store. When I need an item that is available in the store but not online, I simply make a request and I have seen that item show up in the online store.

You can filter through the options available through Giant. No matter if you’re looking for organic produce or weekly specials, you can find it all or something similar.

Are Giant Grocery prices the same as in-store?

Yes and no. I have compared and sometimes the store has better prices. Additionally, there are different sales. Sometimes online is better. However, I have found if there is a price difference, online vs in-store, it doesn’t wave the benefit I get from using the online grocery delivery service.

My suggestion to you is to create the same shopping list two weeks in a row. One week, shop online. Another week shop in the store. What was your price difference? Is that price difference worth the at-home delivery? For me, it was. I might have been spending a couple more dollars for the convenience and time with my family.

Giant Delivery Savings

Want o save money on groceries? Your first step is to sign up for Giant Grocery Delivery via my referral code. This exclusive Giant Promo Code will give you the following benefits…

$30 off a $60 Grocery Delivery

It’s almost impossible to find 50% off your grocery order these days. That is a free $30 order to top brands and needs.

Click here for your Giant Coupon Savings

Grocery Delivery App

After you are signed up for Giant, download the Giant grocery delivery app through the Google Play Store or through the Apple Store to order at any time. Then the magic will begin, order groceries from anywhere you can access your phone, wi-fi, cell service, you name it!

As you continue to shop, sign up for their flex grocery rewards and pay attention to their digital coupons savings tap. You can add your own savings and watch promo codes and grocery promotions to save all the time.

With ease and convenience, I have even ordered groceries to my house from another country. This was great when my husband and I traveled to India but we had the grandparents at home. I could send them what they needed and no one had to leave the house while taking care of 5 young kids!

Enjoy market delivery on your terms. You can have your groceries delivered the next day or even the same day, depending on the area in which you live.

Why I Love Giant Online Grocery Ordering

I personally use Giant Online Grocery Ordering because it works wonderfully with my schedule! I do not grocery shop in stores. This is why I rely on Giant to help me out. In fact, if I see I have a grocery need for the next day, I can get my groceries delivered even before my morning alarm clock goes off – hello last minute school needs!

I like to say that this grocery delivery service helps save me time and money. The time-saving benefits of online shopping are obvious. I save time because I am not in the store. I save money because I am not buying things I see on display. I only order what I need, which is awesome!

I do forget things. Let’s not forget that I can order all day long. This is less time than running to the store over and over. I just keep adding items to my cart as I think of things throughout the day and then I submit the order when I am ready. This gives me more time with my family, which is why makes me super happy! More time with my family is what truly matters in the end.

As for saving money, let me further explain how those dollars are adding up. Sometimes the items are a few cents more. I am okay with this because I am saving money. How am I saving money? I am buying less. I am buying what my family immediately needs. I am not ending up at the grocery store hungry, filling my cart with three containers of OREOs and a bag of chips.

My husband and I love the Flexible Points Available. We can use these grocery rewards on grocery savings, gas savings, special offers, and charity donations. There are lots of rewards that meet the needs of everyone. We personally use these giant points for the Shell gas Sation. It isn’t uncommon for me to get up to $2 off Each Gallon of Gas! Not only am I saving in the store, but I am also saving out of the store too!

If it isn’t a part of my meal plans, it doesn’t get added to my cart. That saves me money: it also saves me calories – no?

Giant Customer Service

“Hi Peapod!” It’s the choral expression my three boys give when greeting Giant multiple times a week at the door. The drivers are friendly and professional and are always very engaging with my boys.

Why do they express peapod? Well, we have been using this service for three years and though the name has changed, the chorus of hunger boys has not.

It’s important to know that Giant has 100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you are not happy, Giant Grocery is always great about making sure it’s right. You can call or email Giant about problems with your delivery order.

Problems that I have had with my Giant Delivers order are the wrong groceries, broken eggs, missing groceries, or smashed bread. This is not a frequent problem and each time this issue has occurred, Giant has made this issue right and refunded my money or sent back out the right groceries.

Giant Delivery Phone Number

It’s very easy to contact Giant Grocery Delivery. The Giant phone number for grocery delivery customer service is

888-469-4426

The hours of operation for groceries are 7 AM to 10 PM ET each day, however, the hours for customer service vary.

Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 7 PM ET

Saturday: 8 AM – 5 PM ET

Sunday: Closed

If there is a long waiting list on the phone, they will allow you to leave your number and call you back.

In addition to calling Giant Grocery, you can also quickly access all you need online. Using the Giant Delivery App or website page, you may email customer service at any time.

I love that Giant Company Grocery Stores are focused on customer service and making sure you are happy in the end.

Have you ever used Giant Delivery Service? What did you think about your digital grocery shopping experience? Let us know by leaving a comment ton the blog post. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Get Your Giant Grocery Promo Code & Discount

Need easy weeknight dinners with really tasty recipes he entire family will love? I am on a 5 month run of Dinnerly Meal Kits and our family is obsessed. Take a look and grab a promo code! Pin to Pinterest.

Try Instacart where you can order groceries from many locations at once! Order groceries form multiple locations with the push of a button! Pin to Pinterest.

Test an Amazon Fresh Trial too! Enjoy groceries from Whole Foods with the push of a button. Pin to Pinterest.

When I do shop for groceries, you can believe I have this mommy hook to help me! It is one of my biggest and best-used mom hacks. More in my Life Hacks Post. Pin to Pinterest.

Adorable & Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Rice Krispie Treats

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November 2, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Recipe, Thanksgiving

Looking for a sweet treat that can help you celebrate all things turkey? Thanksgiving Rice Krispie Treats are easy to make and assemble!

There are always tons of crafts and recipes to make around the holidays, but this Thanksgiving Rice Krispie Treats recipe is so fun to put together and the ingredients are super simple. This Rice Krispie Turkey is also budget friendly, which I love! Making a craft that is also edible is a win-win in my book. The kids will literally gobble it right up!

Tips for Making Thanksgiving Turkey Rice Krispy Treats

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are changing color, the air is getting crisper, and families are gathering to give thanks. And what would Thanksgiving be without a turkey-shaped treat? This year, why not try something new and make your own Thanksgiving Rice Krispy Treats? Here are a few tips for making them.

Choose your shape. Whether you want to go for traditional rice Krispy treats or you just want to do a circle, this is the time to create your favorite shape.
Make the dough. Start by melting marshmallows and butter in a pot over low heat. Once the mixture is melted, add in rice cereal until evenly mixed.
Scoop and shaping. Use a spoon or cookie cutter to scoop out dough and shape into your desired turkey shape.
Decorate! Have fun decorating your turkey with frosting, candy eyes, and whatever else you can think of!

Enjoy! Let your creativity shine through and have fun making these delicious Thanksgiving treats!

Is there a difference between marshmallow cream and marshmallow fluff?

Marshmallow cream is a thick, spreadable mixture made from marshmallows, corn syrup, and gelatin. Marshmallow fluff is similar but does not contain gelatin and has a lighter texture. Both can be used as substitutes for marshmallows in Rice Krispie Treats, but may result in slightly different textures and flavors.

Thanksgiving Rice Krispie Treats

I love sharing kids food crafts with you on the Rachael Ray Show October 2013. This year we have another fun one – a Thanksgiving Turkey Rice Krispie Treat. It’s a great way to recycle leftover Halloween Candy!

Ingredients

Gather a few supplies for your turkey rice krispie treats.

6 cup Rice Krispies Cereal
4 tbsp Butter
10.5 oz Mini Marshmallows
9 Reese’s Miniatures
9 Orange Reese’s Pieces
18 Candy Eyes
45 Candy Corns
1/4 cup Red Candy Melting Chips

Also grab a cookie sheet, bowls, spatulas, for preparing these delicious treats.

Directions

Thanks Thanksgiving rice krispie treat instructions are simple

Line a deeper (1″) baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place Reese’s Miniatures in freezer for 15 minutes.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
Add cereal and mix well.
Remove from heat and allow to sit about 3 minutes.
Butter your hands or use wax paper to press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan. FOcus on getting the 1″ depth and only fill as much the sheet as you can while keeping the thickness.
Allow to set for at least 10 minutes.
Using a 2″ cookie cutter, biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out circles.
Place red candy melting chips in corner of zippered sandwich bag and microwave for 45 seconds.
Gently massage melted chocolate candy to insure that it is smooth and completely melted. If not, heat another 15 seconds.
Clip very tip of the corner of bag to allow you to pipe on candy.
Using candy as glue, attach miniature to bottom half of circle.
Using candy as glue, attach 5 candy corn feathers around upper half of miniature to be tail feathers.
Using candy as glue, attach Reese’s Piece to bottom half of miniature on its edge as beak.
Using candy as glue, attach eyes above beak.
Pipe on a waddle down the bottom of miniature below beak.
Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set up.

The next time you need a treat idea for the classroom or for a Thanksgiving gathering, these Thanksgiving Rice Krispie Treats are perfect!

Can you make Turkey Rice Krispie Treats ahead of time?

Yes, you can definitely make Rice Krispie Treats ahead of time. Simply prepare the treats according to your desired recipe and store them in an airtight container. They can last for up to a week at room temperature or even longer if stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature before serving for optimum gooeyness and enjoyment.

Can these turn into Rice Krispie Pops?

Yes. Go ahead and prepare your Rice Krispie treat turkey. You can use these lollipop cake pop sticks to create cute turkey pops. For a fun idea, stick your dessert sticks in a decorated foam flower block or even a pumpkin drilled with holes. Display on the Thanksgiving dessert tables.

Is there a substitute for marshmallows in rice crispy treats?

If you don’t have marshmallows on hand or prefer not to use them, you can try using marshmallow fluff or melting chocolate chips and mixing them with the Rice Krispies cereal. You can also try using melted white chocolate or cream cheese as a substitute for the gooeyness typically provided by marshmallows. Experiment with different combinations and see what works best for your taste preferences.

How long will homemade Rice Krispie Turkey Treats stay fresh?

Homemade Rice Krispie Treats will stay fresh at room temperature for about a week, stored in an airtight container. They can also last longer if stored in the refrigerator. If you want them to stay even fresher for a longer period of time, you can also freeze them for up to a couple of months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

More Thanksgiving Treats for Kids

Want more fun food craft recipes for Thanksgiving? Take a look at these Thanksgiving Food Treats featured on Rachel Ray. We hope you have a sweet tooth because there are plenty of ways to carve a turkey for Thanksgiving desserts.

This Turkey Sugar Cookie recipe is the most simplistic. Make the attached sugar cookie recipe or grab a pre-made store brand. Use icing as glue and create decadent feathers with candy corn. Pin it to Pinterest.

The Turkey Nutter Butter Cookies are the most popular Thanksgiving Food Craft, the flexibility of this food craft is nice. How much you want to go with this cookie is up to you. You can have a stand up turkey or a lay down turkey instead. Add leftover Halloween candy to spruce up the design or keep it simplistic with icing and candy corn. Pin to Pinterest.

On the show we made Rolo Pilgrim Hat Thanksgiving Cookies with chocolate peanut butter cups but you can also do with caramel cups. Pick up store bought frosted fudge cookies and glue on the top of the hat to make the perfect little snack for your little Pilgrim. Pinterest to Pinterest.

Lastly, this fun Chocolate Covered OREOs Turkey craft is likely for experienced and steady of hands baker. Mix colors and create bright feathers on your Oreo Turkey using a pretzel as a template. Again, how little or how much of the activity and design you want to do is up to you. Pin to Pinterest.

Follow all Recipes on Frugal Coupon Living as well as FCLAsh on Pinterest. Share on Pinterest and let us know how this recipe worked for you!

40 Beach Tips and Tricks – Hacks and Ideas for Your Trip to the Sand

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September 21, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: DIY, Frugal Living, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Summer

Who’s ready for some summer fun and sun?! For the best beach trip ever, check out these Beach Hacks, Tips, Tricks, and DIYs for your next beach vacation. Wondering what to bring to the beach? We’ve got a beach checklist just for you, too! Follow some of these crafts, tips, tricks and ideas for the beach to make your next day on the sand the most memorable one yet.

Since we lived in Florida, we have figured out some of these beach hacks for fun in the sun (and sand) just from experience! For all of you who are less experienced with beach hacks, you are definitely going to want to consider these before you take off for the beach on your next vacation.

How can I make a beach day more fun?

The heat of the sand and the grit of the dirt can cause a lot of chaos on the shore. It’s easy to get grumpy when you are not prepared for the adventure ahead. Make a beach day more fun by having a few activities, hack and tips in your back pocket. These ideas for the beach will allow you to be prepared making the beach fun for everyone.

Did you know there’s one simple ingredient that will easily wipe off sand? Did you ever think to freeze aloe into ice cubes to make sunburns less painful? Are you looking for exactly what to bring to the beach? Have you ever thought about putting a twist on your favorite childhood beverage with an adult Capri Sun?

Try out some of these FREEBIES, Beach Hacks, Tips, Tricks, DIYs, and more to make your summer vacation extra fun for the entire family!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our Beach Life Hacks! Plus, if you and your family are snackers like mine, you’ll want to save these beach-friendly food recipes: Strawberry Salsa Recipe and Seasoned Oyster Cracker Recipe.

Beach Games for Kids

The first idea for fun at the beach is having activities the family will enjoy. These Seventeen Family Friendly Beach Games can be played with kids, adults, youth, teens, families and more. These games include directions as well as a supply list. No need to purchase expensive games online. Access your beach towels, beach balls, cups, water bottles and more.

Download and print these fun activities for the beach. Laminate them to keep them from getting wet and use over and over again. These beach games are perfect for you next beach vacation!

Beach Games Directions PDF

The Best Beach Hacks

Enjoy a family vacation, time with friends, and the sun and surf! Relax on your next beach vacation by being prepared with some tip and tricks. Having a few beach ideas in your back pocket will allow you to enjoy the sound of the waves, sand castles and other fun things.

Pull up a beach chair and follow along for some of the best ideas for the beach.

Beach Packing List

1.) I would hate to let you forget any of the essentials before you leave for the beach! If you need reminders about what to bring to the beach, grab this FREE Beach Packing List from Frugal Coupon Living.

Sunscreen Tattoo

2.) Have some fun with your sunscreen! Make your own custom shape with this Sunscreen Tattoo from While I’m Still Young Tumblr.

DIY Beach Waves for Your Hair

3.) Tired of straight hair? Sea salt water is the perfect beach hack for effortless, beautiful curls! Make a DIY Sea Salt Spray for Beach Waves from Naturally Curly.

Aloe Ice Cubes

4.) Sunburn sucks, and the aftercare can get messy. Solve the “goo” problem by freezing your aloe vera! You can thank me later for the soothing cooling sensation. Get this Aloe Vera Cubes beach hack from The Dumbbelle.

Baby Powder Sand Trick

5.) Plot twist: it’s actually incredibly easy to remove sand from your skin. Just make sure you add baby powder to your list of “what to bring to the beach” must-haves! Remove Sand with Baby Powder from I Dream of Clean.

DIY Drink Holder Craft

6.) Sand on the bottom of my cold beverage is a major pet peeve of mine. When you pick it up, the sand falls all over your towel, chair, everywhere! Here’s the solution: make a DIY Drink Holder beach hack from Positively Splendid.

Baby Pool Trick

7.) A Kids Beach Pool is a great beach hack to keep the little ones busy while you sit back and relax in the sun. Fill yours with water, toys, or both! It’s also great for a nap from Baton Rough Moms. Get yours HERE.

DIY Lip Stain

8.) Who has time to reapply lip color while they’re at the beach? Not me! Make this fun The Kool-Aid Lip Stain from The Beauty Department for a beautiful lip color that lasts all day.

Popsicle Cupcake Holder

9.) This Ultimate Popsicle Beach Hack uses a cupcake holder from Ziploc to prevent drippy messes when you’re enjoying a sweet treat at the beach.

DIY Beach Dress

10.) You don’t need to buy a fancy cover-up to look cute on the beach! Use a scarf to make a DIY Beach Dress for the same look, or recreate this cover-up from Lily Girlfriends they shared in a YouTube Tutorial.

DIY Face Mist

11.) Cool off and treat your skin! This Green Tea Face Mist can be chilled for a refreshing beach hack during a hot day at the beach. Green tea is great for your skin, too! If you’re a fan of skincare and health, don’t forget our other Essential Oil Recipes.

Beach Activities

12.) Looking for activities to keep the kids occupied and stave away boredom? Check out Beach Games from Mom Me. Print our beach activities and take them along with you!

DIY Beach Bag

13.) Figured out what to bring to the beach? Once you have your essentials together, don’t bring them in your favorite tote just for it to get it soaked! You need to make this DIY Duck Tape Beach Bag from Fiskars.

Shaving Hack

14.) Freshly shaved legs plus salt water are painful, but not anymore with this beach hack! Shave and layer with Baby Oil from Munchkin and Military.

DIY Towel Holder

15.) You can never have enough pockets, and now your beach towel can have them too! The fold in the towels create storage for sunglasses, your phone, flip flops and more. Try this Simple Beach Hack Towel Tutorial from Making it with Danielle (link unavailable.)

Beach Day Trip Organizer

16.) Organize your ride to the beach! I’m loving these Car Organizational Tips from The Castro Family.

17.) Here’s a fun alternative to regular old ice packs. Fill water balloons and use them to cool food in the cooler from Brit Co. The kids will have tons of laughs with them later!

Water Balloon Cooler Hack

DIY Snack Traps

18.) Reuse Coffee Mate Containers to make these beach hack Snack Bottles from Mrs Happy Homemade. No one goes hungry, and you’re doing the planet a favor, too!

Bagged Ice Cream Recipe

19.) Want a cold dessert for your beach picnic? You can have ice cream at the beach without it melting with Ice Cream in a Bag! You can safely keep ice cream in your cooler with this beach hack, or make it at the beach! Idea from Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Adult Capri Suns Recipe

20.) You know your kids love Capri Suns, but just wait for this adult version. Make these Adult Capri Suns with this recipe from She Knows. Cheers!

Hair Scarf Directions

21.) This beach hack is a beautiful way to style your hair and looks effortless, too. Try this Beach Hair Scarf Tutorial from Hair Romance.

DIY Beach Kit

22.) Have everything you need in one place! Make your own Beach Vacation Kit from The Tip Toe Fairy. I’d definitely include these essential oils including Carrot Oil (for sunscreen) and Citronella (for bug protection).

Nap Idea for Babies

23.) Were the sandcastles exhausting? The beach is a great backdrop for babies to nap. All you need is a shovel, hole in the sand and some towels to create this beach hack nap spot for babies (or adults) from Kelly’s Korner Blog. A kiddie pool with towels for a pillow also works great.

Fruit Salad Bento Box

24.) This one’s great for all the kids (and adults) that love snacks! Take finger snacks to the beach. We love to sort ours into compartments and use a toothpick (or plastic fork) for picking-up (shop here). Idea from The Creative Food.

Dollar Store Sand Toys

25.) There’s no need to buy a bunch of beach toys when you can make your own! Idea on Sandy Toes and Popsicles. Before your next adventure, head to the dollar store or pull together things you already have.

Money Holder

26.) Protect your cash at the beach. You can make a money holder using a medicine bottle with this easy beach hack! This DIY Medicine Bottle Cash Holder comes from Inspiration Realisation.

Hide Your Money

27.) Looking for an even more discreet money holder? This Chapstick or Marker Money Stash is the solution for you. This DIY comes from Instructables.

Keychain Float

28.) This DIY Cork Key Chain allows your keys to float, and it’s especially useful for boaters. This beach hack will save you from a lot of trouble later on! Idea on Green Moxie.

Waterproof Phone Case

30.) Keep your electronics safe and dry with this waterproof case for your phone, iPod, and more!

Update: Hold on, we also ran into this cell phone case tip! You’ve got to see this!

DIY Beach Tent

31.) Ready to watch the sunset or enjoy and evening bonfire? Make a beach tent to act as your family’s home base using just sticks, a blanket, and other supplies from home. Idea from Apartment Therapy.

Simple Beach Tent

32.) Make your own reusable tend with this DIY Easy Beach Hack Tent Tutorial from Getaway Today!

Waterproof Safety Tattoos for Kids

33.) These are amazing for keeping your kids safe on the beach. Try these Waterproof Safety Tats for easy ID, in case something should happen!

DIY Sewing Beach Bag

34.) More space for goodies = more fun on the sand! Create an Oversized Beach Bag from I Heart Naptime.

Sand Handprint Craft

35.) Take a lasting piece of the ocean home with you. Did you know you can make casts of handprints and footprints with sand? Make a Sand Hand or Footprint Cast from Crafting a Green World. These handprint decorations could make cute mementos and memories from the trip.

Tarp Beach Pool for Kids

36.) Easily make a beach pool so kids can still enjoy the water on days where there are rough waves or strong tides. Idea from In Lieu of Preschool.

Beach Bathtub for Kids

37.) This works best at a public beach that is not too crowded. Store your beach toys in a large Rubbermaid container. When you get to the beach, remove the toys and fill a large plastic bin with water at the closest shower. Keep the bin filled while you play during the day. The water will warm up in the sun. When you are ready to go, grab a bar of soap and bathe the kids in your Rubbermaid container. Fill back up with toys and drive home. This is great for getting the kids clean before they climb back into your car!

No Mess Beach Toys Holder

38.) A Mesh Basket for Beach Toys also works great for preventing mess. This shakes the sand off immediately to keep the bag and your toys sand-free. Idea from the Idea Room. Grab yours HERE.

Sand Play-Doh

39.) Take the beach home with you and make your own DIY Beach-themed playdoh! The kids will love this Sand Play Dough Tutorial beach hack from Mama Papa Bubba.

Seashell Craft

40.) If your family is anything like mine, you leave the beach with more shells than you know what to do with. Instead of letting them sit around, try this Melted Shell Crayon Art from Artful Parent. You can store them all in a glass jar or vase for beautiful, colorful room décor at home.

What are some of your favorite beach hacks and tips? Have any advice on what to bring to the beach? Please share in the comments below!

No more moans of “I’m bored mom” when you prepare for your summer with these Summer Boredom Busters and Activities for Kids! Pin to Pinterest.

Headed to the beach? Also take a look at these Pool Noodle Ideas and Hacks – Pin to Pinterest.

Next, enjoy our Beach Inspired Party Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Washington, DC Travel Tips – What To Do OUTSIDE the District

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