Congrats GRAD!

It’s that time of year again….time to bid farewell to teachers, textbooks, campus, homework and school chums. It’s always a little bitter-sweet saying goodbye, but that full summer ahead sure takes the sting out fast!


Planning a party for your favorite graduate? Whether it’s for a graduating kindergartener or your nephew finishing law school, here are some great links to help you out with money-saving ideas:

www.celebrations.com/graduationparty-games                All ages party games

www.earlylearningactivities.com/PDF/eoy1.pdf              Grade school

www.highlightsteachers.com/archives/party_ideas/         Grade school

www.teachingheart.net/endoftheyearpage.html                Grade school

www.fun-theme-party-ideas.com/college-graduation-party.html   College

http://www.graduationparty.com/                                          High School


Fairly Frugal gifts for GRADS

• Prepaid phone cards

• Address book filled with notes from family and friends

• Gas gift card

• Laundry basket with detergents, fabric softener, roll of quarters

• Personalized coupons

• Gift cards to the Grad’s favorite store or restaurant

• Emergency Preparedness backpack

• First Aid Kit

• Journals, pens, stickers

• Stationery, hand-made gift cards, and stamps

• Movie Night gift basket: DVDs, popcorn, theater gift card

• Shower caddy filled with personal hygiene items

• Breakfast basket: pancake mix, syrup, spatula, fresh fruit

• Personal organizer

• Luggage

• Money tree

• Wallet with some money

• Picture frame, scrapbook


Tips for Moving Out of the Dorms
1. Divide and conquer: Decide which items will be thrown away, stored at a friend’s house near campus until next year, or brought home

2. Sell back textbooks at www.amazon.com or www.half.com . There is a great textbook rental company www.chegg.com , where an excellent condition, Organic Chemistry textbook that retails for $156 can be sold back for $81 or traded in for $89 in "Chegg Dollars" - which can be used, in turn, to rent next year's textbooks. And Chegg pays the postage too!

3. Donate items at www.freecycle.org or at local drop off centers such as Goodwill or Salvation Army or Deseret Industries


And now for a few fun freebies this week:

Free Vanilla Cone at Sonic Drive-in 5/29

Do you have a student graduating from kindergarten through fifth grade this year? If so, congratulate them on this milestone achievement with a vanilla cone from SONIC®, America's Drive-In. SONIC's Free Vanilla Cone coupon is valid 5-29 College Savings Day, May 29, 2010, at participating SONIC Drive-Ins.  Not a parent of a graduating kindergartener - 5th grader but know someone who is? Be sure to Tell a Friend about the SONIC promotion.   http://www.ok4saving.org/rsvp/rsvp.html

Free Krispy Kreme Doughnut (June 4th)

Krispy Kreme is offering customers one FREE doughnut of any variety at participating U.S. store locations on Friday, June 4. No purchase is necessary to receive a free doughnut. The offer is good for one doughnut of any variety per customer.     http://investor.krispykreme.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=473923

Olay Body Wash Sample: Get a free sample of Olay Total Effects Body Wash (2.0 oz. bottle) from Walmart. http://bit.ly/c0dVPS

Free iTunes Starbucks 10-song Sampler: Visit iTunes on Facebook and fans get a free 10-song Frappuccino Beverage http://bit.ly/cX0LnF

Shutterfly 3 Free Cards ($0.99 s/h): Get your 3 FREE 5x7 Folded Photo Greeting Cards ($5.97 value) from Shutterfly. http://bit.ly/bxNG4e

Congrats GRAD!

CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty 

Make it a Memorable Memorial Day this year!

For most Americans, Memorial Day is a chance to sleep in and get the day off of work or school. If you have children, it’s a terrific opportunity to teach them about our country, respect, honor, reverence, history, and more.


Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day set aside for remembrance of those who have died in our nation’s service. Memorial Day was first proclaimed on 5 May 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers. The South, at first, refused to acknowledge Memorial Day, honoring their dead on separate days until after WWI. It is now observed in almost every state of the union on the last Monday of every May. Since the Civil War more than 1.1 million veterans, both women and men, have lost their lives in military service to America.

With four sons in my family, we’ve created a fun tradition with our Cub Scout pack where we place flags on the tombstones of fallen soldiers and then we present a special wreath at the cemetery’s ceremony on Memorial Day. The boys really get a kick out of reading the tombstones and imaging what the soldiers would have looked like. The parents go crazy with their cameras, taking incredibly patriotic photos of their own sons in uniform paying respect.

Memorial Day reminds us of our duties towards the wounded soldiers and the bereaved families, orphans and widows of the dead soldiers. In addition to the fun BBQ's and recreational activities of the weekend, we should take a few minutes to show our gratitude to those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Here are a few ways you can honor their memory this year:

Placing flags, garlands or flowers on the grave sites.

Visiting cemeteries and memorials.

Furling the American Flag at half-mast until noon.

Furling the 'POW/MIA Flag'.

Keeping silence for a minute at 3 p.m., 'National Moment of Remembrance' and listening to Taps being played.

Taking a pledge to aid the disabled veterans, widows, widowers and orphans of the dead and keeping it.

Offering thanks to the veterans and appreciating the ultimate sacrifices of the soldiers to the bereaved families personally.

A Sister Thrifty article isn't complete without FREEBIES, so here we go:

Free Memorial Day quotes, poems, songs, tributes, reflections, presidential declarations and facts: http://www.thememorialdaytribute.com/observe-memorial-day.html

Free Memorial Day essays, speeches, and prayers: http://www.usmemorialday.org/write.html

Free Memorial Day clip art images: http://www.designedtoat.com/memorial_day.shtml

Free Memorial Day ecards:www.memorialsday.com www.123greetings.com www.bluemountain.com

Free Memorial Day coloring pages: http://hubpages.com/hub/FREE-Coloring-Pages---American-Memorial-Day---Colouring-Sheets-Free-Downloads

Ok, now I can’t ignore the fact that Memorial Day also means the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation for many families in America, so here are a few more fun things to do as you get prepared for some serious fun in the sun!

Free Orlando Vacation Planning Kit: http://www.orlandoinfo.com/vacationkit/

Free Gift Bag from PacSun (5/29) - PacSun on Memorial Day Weekend 5/29: "First 50 in the door when the store opens score a gift bag stuffed with a piece of monster schwag. We're talking music, headphones, clothes, or even trips. BIG trips. How big? Check 'em out..." http://shop.pacsun.com/content.jsp?pageName=summer

Free Limeade at Taco Bell valid through 7/11/2010 or until 500,000 free Limeade Sparkler online coupons are redeemed, whichever occurs first. http://www.tacobell.com/promo/limeade-coupon

One Free Bag of PopChips at Jamba Juice Stores Print coupon for a free bag of PopChips. Coupon expires May 28, 2010 and Valid only at Jamba Juice http://www.facebook.com/popchips#!/popchips?v=app_163849080647

Free One-Year Subscription to ELLE Elle reports on emerging trends in fashion, beauty and style. Its visual core is surrounded by features, news and analysis of the larger world. Its articles feature information on culture, health, politics, art and relationships. http://www.freebizmag.com/emailelle02welcome.htm

Chick-fil-A Free Spicy Chicken Sandwiches 5/21 Chick-fil-A is giving a limited number of FREE Spicy Chicken Sandwiches to customers who make a reservation. To make your reservation, visit this offer beginning Friday, May 21 and choose your preferred Chick-fil-A Restaurant location and time. http://www.getspicychicken.com/

Dice: Hundreds of the Latest Technology Magazines Hundreds of the latest technology magazines offered by Dice technology magazine center in association with Mercury Magazines. Tell them about yourself, choose up to three magazines and complete subscription forms. http://www.mercurymagazines.com/pr1/111/111158

AVEENO Hair Care Free Sample and Coupon https://secure.startsampling.com/sm/101063

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty