Summer

In the summer months, there is nothing I love more than throwing together a backyard barbecue for our family and friends. With a smaller home, the great outdoors allows us to offer a comfortable place for our guests to spread out and enjoy themselves. Backyard barbecues can be practically effortless with a little bit of planning and preparation. I wanted to showcase some easy ideas for achieving a successful & fun backyard bash that will long be remembered.

With the price of gas, eating out, and hotels on the rise, why not take advantage of what your local area has to offer and plan day trips and mini-excursions for the family this summer! Not only will you save money, but you won't feel like you need to take a vacation from your vacation.

Summer birthdays can be tons of fun with so many outdoor options: swimming, hiking, and parks. But as the mom planning the party, we immediately see a challenge in packaging goodies to travel.  And as a mom who has hosted many “away” birthday parties and served tons of snacks outdoors, I can tell you that it’s all in the packaging.

Fourth of July is a fun-filled day for my family. I have three small children under the age of 6, and they all love berries. Summer is the peak season for blueberries and strawberries, which means it is the perfect time to find them at seasonal low prices. So, we start our Fourth of July celebration with Eggo Waffles topped with flag colors: white whipped cream, fresh blueberries and ripe strawberries.

Summertime is upon us, bringing with it fun parties, barbeques, family reunions, road trips, vacations and more. All of which can add up to a lot of money – if you don't plan ahead of time. Here are a few tips to help keep your summer spending in check.

When I was a kid, I spent my summers shoeless and with little else than a bathing suit and t-shirt, playing at the beach until sunset. I try to make my children's summers be as carefree and unscheduled as I remember mine. We schedule very little once school is out, and live in the moment, drifting between the pool and the playground. More often than not, friends come over, and we end the day with spontaneous cookouts and parties, easy socializing for the whole family.

How sad to see summer come to an end, but is there anything more fun or symbolic to the ending of summer than a fun get together outdoors? Labor Day is a fantastic holiday to spend with your loved ones and to segue into that next season with parades, fireworks, celebrations…and of course, a fantastic backyard barbecue.

The warmer weather has arrived and that means fun in the sun and lots of outdoor entertaining for our family. I love the ease of outdoor entertaining. When else can the crumbs be taken away by the wind, where it is perfectly acceptable to eat on plastic plates, and where nature and the great outdoors can be the setting for any great party?

The summer is my favorite season to entertain. I love having people over during the summertime because throwing a party in the summer is cheap and easy. Here are a few ways to take the heat off your wallet when throwing a summer party.

During the summer evenings, we like to get our fire pit going and make some yummy s’mores. Nothing better than that ooey gooey toasted marshmallows layers with chocolate and cookies.

Nothing says summer like flip flops, bright colors and fresh fruit!

Road trips are the most popular family vacations and make for many childhood memories. Here are 5 key tips to make those memories good ones, rather than a notorious backseat brawl or a chorus of "Mom, he’s touching me AGAIN!"

In March, I shared ideas for keeping your family busy during Spring Break. In response to my post we received hundreds of great frugal staycation tips from our readers. With summer vacation almost here, I chose my favorite ideas sent in by Snackpicks readers to help keep the kids having fun this summer for little to no money.

The weather is hot, school is over, kids are running through sprinklers and women are stressed about swimming suits — it must be summertime! Time to fire up the grill and party!