My Top Fall Activities On A Budget

Fall is here! I know in Houston it might not feel like it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t partake in some Fall activities. This time of year that is no shortage of things to do, but there can seem like a shortage of activities that won’t break the bank. I recently looked up fall festival nearby that would cost my family $60 just to get in the door! I’m sure it would be fun, but paying that kind of money isn’t realistic for some families. However, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out. I’m sharing my top 5 favorite Fall activities that are both budget friendly and allow for social distancing.

Top 5 Fall Activities

********************************************************

Pumpkin Patches

There’s lot of options for pumpkin patches in the Houston area, and a lot of them are free to visit. You just purchase whatever pumpkins you want to take home. We like the Blue Monkey in Friendswood, TX. Not only is there some good photo ops, but the proceeds from the pumpkin sales goes to various charities. You can also check out some local churches as most of them don’t charge any admission. Once you have your pumpkins, the options are limitless. You can paint them, carve them, or make your favorite pumpkin treat!

Drive-In Movies

I love that more and more drive-ins are popping up! It’s a great way to switch it up for date night, and social distance at the same time. They have all the typical movie snacks available as well as some local food trucks. My suggestion would be to pack a picnic to bring, and that’ll save you even more money.

Baking

https://www.britneybreaksbread.com/index.php/2020/09/16/apple-cider-cinnamon-rolls-with-browned-butter-frosting/

How can you not want to bake this time of year?! There’s so many good recipes out there, and it’s a great way to spend time with family. I know a lot of people lean towards pumpkin around this time, but we love all things apple in my family. There’s lots of apples in season right now, so you can find some great prices in the grocery stores (Aldis for sure). I recently tried out these apple cider cinnamon rolls (click above for recipe), and they were amazing! I won’t lie, it does take some work but they were so worth it! I like to search different hashtags like, #falldesserts on Instagram to see what comes up. It’s a great way to try something new.

Fall Festivals

Now I know these festivals can get pretty pricey. I mentioned earlier about the one that would’ve cost us $60 just get in the door. However, there are some farms that have cheaper admissions. They may not have all the bells and whistles of the $60 farm, but they’re still just as much fun. The kids are going to have a good time regardless of what you pay, trust me. We like to visit Frobergs Farm in Alvin, TX. Admission is only $10 and that includes the corn maze and pumpkin patch. You decide what other activities you want to pay for.

Visit the Zoo

Fall is the perfect time to visit the zoo in Houston. You can actually walk around and not be miserable in the heat. We didn’t visit the zoo at all this summer once they opened. I couldn’t bare the idea of walking around with a mask on in 100 degree weather. Another plus for this time of the year, is the free Tuesdays each month. On the first Tuesday of each month they have free admission. Tickets are available online the Wednesday before. They go fast so set those phone reminders!

Budget Friendly Holiday Activities

The holiday season is here! It’s that time of year for family, new and old traditions, and making lots of great memories.

I will admit that I can sometimes be a grinch during the holiday season, but not this year! I’m excited to celebrate Journee’s first Christmas with all our family and friends. I’ve made a list of holiday activities that I’m going to attempt to do before the month is out. Most of these are budget friendly ideas, and baby friendly (minus the boozy hot chocolate!).

1. Christmas crafts- baby’s first ornament

2. A night in with matching PJs and Christmas stories

3. Take Christmas themed pictures

4. Send out Christmas cards

5. Visit tree farm

6. Ugly Christmas sweater party

7. Sensory boxes with bows and wrapping paper

8. Find some holiday lights throughout the city

9. Bake Christmas cookies

10. Visit hotel with Christmas decorations

11. Christmas themed day at library

12. Play Christmas music

13. Unplug and enjoy family time

14. Find boozy hot chocolate recipe

15. Binge on classic Christmas movies

Am I missing anything? Let me know your favorite holiday activities below!

Store Brands: Yay or Nay?

So when it comes to store brands I feel like most people are on one side or the other. Either you’re okay with them or you’re not. I’m okay with it depending on what the item is. I will at the very least try it out.

I recently decided to try out two store brands of baby items I use daily. The first was Target brand diapers, and the second was Sam’s Club (Member’s Mark) advantage formula. So far so good!

With the Target diapers, I haven’t had any problems. No major leaks, no diaper rash, or anything in between. I’m glad I tried them out. Honestly, the price was too tempting. For a box of 104 diapers, I paid $15. If I had stuck with my normal Pampers, I would’ve paid $25. I know $10 doesn’t sound like much, but it all adds up in the end to some really great savings.

Now with the formula I was definitely skeptical. I used to have some Mom guilt once I stopped breastfeeding, and I thought giving her a top brand like Similac Pro would ease some of that guilt. The truth is though Journee is growing and developing just fine. I don’t have to feel guilty about giving her formula. She’s getting fed and that’s all that matters! Any other Mamas with me? 🙂

The Sam’s Club version of Similac Pro Advance is basically the same ingredients. There is some variations, but none that were significant for me. I did my research and I decided it was worth trying. It’s been about 3 weeks and I haven’t noticed any issues from Journee. She hasn’t had any discomfort, and there’s been no changes in her diapers. Price wise it’s a big difference. With Similac we pay about $1.25/ounce and with Sam’s we pay about .50/ounce. So it’s been a substantial amount of savings for us!

So as you can see, I’ve had a pretty positive experience with store brands lately. I’m looking forward to trying more, and potentially saving even more money!

What has been y’all’s experiences with store brands? Any you recommend? Please share!

Nursery Finds…UPDATE

I’m definitely a little late to the nursery party.  It was last on the list after we moved to Houston.  Then every time I thought about getting Journee’s room together, life happened.  So here we are at 5 months and we’re finally tackling it.  Luckily it hasn’t really mattered.  Journee has been sleeping in her bassinet in our room, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  I’m just now coming around to the idea of her not being next to me 😦

So let me share some of the deals I’ve found so far with you guys (and please let me know if you have any as well!).

First up was the crib.  I don’t know if you guys ever check out Facebook Marketplace, but you can find some great deals on there!  I was able to snag this Jenny Lind crib from a local mom for $40! I’m so happy with it. The fitted sheet is actually from Pottery Barn Kids, but I found it on Ebay for $10! It was in the original packaging, unopened. Can’t beat that!

Next, I purchased this 6 drawer dresser on sale from Walmart for $99. I was concerned about the quality, but it turned out to be pretty sturdy!

Mainstays Dresser – Walmart

Mainstays Dresser

Lastly were these pom pom curtains. I originally saw these at Target for $50, but I found a cheaper alternative. I bought some white blackout curtains from Walmart and then I sewed on some pom pom garland from Hobby Lobby. The garland happened to be on clearance so all in all I spent around $25 instead of $50.

Not too bad huh? Next on the list is a black and white rug. I will say, I’m not having a lot of luck when it comes to deals on rugs. So I still have some researching to do! I’ll be back soon with an update!

Let me know if you guys have any nursery deal ideas!

*Update* 

After some digging, I finally managed to find a decently priced rug from Overstock.  They’re having a great deal on rugs! I went with this black/ivory striped rug for $120.  It’s 6×9 and I absolutely love it.  Click below to check it out!

Black/Ivory Cotton Rug