Money Saving Duo

Discovering how to live a glorious life on less

Kati Mora

Enter to Win $1000 for your Staycation!

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Please note: This post contains a referral link and we may receive an extra entry into the giveaway if you click through the links and enter yourself. We just thought you should know!

Want a little extra spending cash to make the most of your staycation? Enter to win $1000 from Vrbo to spend on family activities during these uncertain times.

Enter to Win a $1000 Staycation
credit: Vrbo.com

Five lucky winners will receive a $1000 prepaid VISA reward card to spend on family activities during these uncertain times.

Use yours to stock up on board games, a backyard tent, or maybe even a trampoline… that’s what we decided to spend our spring break money on this year since we had to cancel our original plans.

April 12th, 2020 is the last day to enter so act fast!

Free eBooks from Sesame Street!

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Looking to add a few new books to your children’s library? Right now, you can do so for free courtesy of Sesame Street and Barnes and Noble!

Free Sesame Street ebooks!
credit: BarnesandNoble.com

Featuring some of my all time favorite books (I see you the Monster at the End of this Book!) , you’ll find a variety of Sesame Street classics currently available for download at NO COST!

Each book features a read along so kids can enjoy the books again and again.

You’ll need a Nook reader or the Nook app which is available on a variety of devices. Learn more here.

Which book will be your new favorite?

Museums On Us – Bank of America Customers Get FREE Admission to Museums Nationwide

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Bank of America offers free access to museums across the US every month for cardholders through their Museums on Us program. Check out the eligible dates for 2020!

Our family loves to visit museums. In fact, we have an annual memberships to our local ones and have enjoyed access to many museums across the US thanks to reciprocal benefits associated with our memberships.

We’ve also taken advantage of this great deal from Bank of America too and it can be a fun way to check out museums where you live or where you travel at a discount. Depending on which museum you visit, they can be rather pricey excursions. This will help with that; however, please note that the free admission is for the card holder only so it may not cover the entire price of your visit if you have other people in your party.

Here’s how it works: On the first weekend of every month, you can present your active Bank of America, Merrill or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card along with your photo ID for one free general admission to one of the more than 225 institutions participating in the program.

The next eligible Museums on Us weekend is March 7 & 8th, but you can get the full calendar of dates here. A list of participating institutions can also be found online.

January 2020 Free and Fun Family-Friendly Activities in Mid-Michigan

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Are you ready to kick off the new year with fun and free family activities? We’ve scoured community calendars and Facebook event pages to find a solid list of activities that we hope your family will love and enjoy as much as ours.

fun and free family-friendly activities in Mid-Michigan

January 8th, 4-5:30 pm, it’s Open Make time at CMU! Open to 3rd – 7th grade students, Open Make is part of the CMU Center for Excellence in STEM Education and provides a great opportunity for students to try their hand at a variety of STEM related projects at no cost. RSVP and learn more here.

January 8th, 3:30-4:30 pm, stop by the Shepherd Community Library for Create, Make & Take Crafts! Open to children of all ages, the library provides all the supplies you need to create something wonderful. Learn more on the Chippewa River District Library calendar.

January 10th, 5-6:30 pm or 7-9 pm, Take the kids on a full moon stroll this month at the Sylvan Nature Preserve or at Chippewa Nature Center. Strolls at the Chippewa Nature Center are led by Interpretive Naturalists Jeanne Henderson and Michelle Fournier and begin at 5pm. Hikes at Sylvan Nature Preserve will begin at 7 pm Learn more about the stroll at the Chippewa Nature Center on Facebookor check out the Sylvan Nature Preserve on the MeetMtP.com website.

January 11th, 10 am – 4 pm, The Midland Mall is hosting its annual Kids Day event. Businesses and organizations will be on site to share kid-friendly resources and products with those who attend. Learn more on Facebook.

January 18th, 2-3 pm, Stop by the Chippewa River District Library in Mt. Pleasant to learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. through the eyes of Coretta Scott King. Rosie Chapman will be honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. through a dramatic and interactive performance. Appropriate for all ages. For further details visit the Chippewa River District Library’s website.

January 19th, 2-2:30 pm, For those of you with younger ones, the Baby & Me Storytime at Barnes and Noble in Midland may be the perfect break in your day. Recommended ages are between 0-2. Learn more on Facebook.

January 25th, 1-4 pm, Stop by the City Forest in Midland to cheer on those participating in this year’s Midland Midwinter Chill Cardboard Sled Races! Participants build sleds out of card board and can win prizes. Learn more on Facebook.

January 30th, 7:30 pm, Expose your family to the arts by attending one of CMU’s Faculty Artist concerts. This one is titled ‘Rebels & Rulebreakers’ and is free to attend on campus at the Staples Family Concert Hall. For a full list of performances, visit CMU’s Event website.

Mid Michigan College to Host Free Financial Workshops this Fall

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Looking to get ahead financially? Take advantage of three free classes being offered this fall by Mid Michigan College!

Putting Pennies into a Piggy Bank

Having a game plan for our finances has been a total game changer. Aaron and I were never frivolous with our money, but we started our married lives with a whole lot of student loan debt and then continued to acquire debt long after school was over because it felt like it was a way to meet our needs.

Eventually, we found ourselves in a pretty tight financial spot and realized we needed to rethink our financial game plan and now, finally, we’re in a position where we’re not worrying every day about whether or not we’ll be able to make ends meet.

When it comes to a financial game plan, knowledge is power. That’s why we love sharing educational opportunities designed to help people develop a better game plan for their finances.

This fall, Mid Michigan College is offering three different financial workshops that may appeal to you and your needs. Each class if offered free-of-charge and might provide you with the inspiration you need to make choices that will positively impact your future.

The classes include:

The Entrepreneurship Equation where you’ll learn how to put banking, retirement and insurance tools to work and build and protect your business.

Foundations of Investing where you’ll learn the ropes of investing! From developing a strategy to choosing quality investments, and from building a diverse portfolio to investing for the long term, you’ll leave knowing how to focus on what you can control.

Making Your Money Last where you’ll learn what to consider when developing a withdrawal strategy and discover ways to plan for expected and unexpected expenses with insurance.

Interested in attending one or all of these classes? Get more information and register online today. Classes are scheduled for September 18th, October 16th and November 20th.