Oh Boy - A Baby at FamilyWize! Pass the Baby Wipes Please

Oooh Baby - It's a Boy! 

Team Leader Amber at Familywize.

But we knew that!  What we didn't know was when this little bundle of joy was going to join the FamilyWize family!  And we are very happy to announce that the FamilyWize family just got a little bit bigger!  

We shared the surprise party we threw for our team leader Amber (Amber's Shower), but now we want to send a big hug and congratulations to Amber and her husband on the new addition of their family on July 3rd!

Amber and husband welcomed their sweet baby boy on Tuesday and none too soon!  

The Fun Has Just Begun!
Having a baby is only the beginning!  There are sooo many things to think about.  Although Amber and her husband were well prepared with baby shower gifts and pre-baby shopping, a baby in the family brings a reality check to your life and your wallet.

From baby clothes to formula (if you are nursing) to diapers and baby wipes - it seems once you have a baby the money tree in the backyard can't grow fast enough.

Making your own baby wipes saves money.

So I shared a little secret with Amber on the day of her baby shower - homemade baby wipes!  

Making Your Own Baby Wipes

Having babies doesn't have to be expensive.  You can make your own food, make your own baby wipes; there are many ways to save money as you grow your family!  With three children of my own, saving money when adding babies to the family tree can sure come in handy!

As with everything FamilyWize, we believe in paying it forward!  So I am going to share a baby wipe recipe that was given to me after my first baby - AND I rarely bought baby wipes after that!

Recipe - Baby Wipes:
1 roll of paper towels (soft, cotton paper towels)
2 cups of hot water
2 Tbsp. of Baby Soap
1 Tbsp of Baby Oil or Olive Oil

Directions:  

1. Lay the roll of paper towels on its side.  Cut the roll of paper towels in half with a sharp knife - setting aside one half.  
2. Carefully remove the inside cardboard of the roll.  You will be pulling the wipes from the center.  Doing this step makes it easy to take one wipe at a time.
3. Put one half of the roll in an empty diaper wipe container or other container large enough to hold the half roll of paper towels.
4. Mix water, baby soap, and baby oil in a measuring cup or bowl.
5. Pour the mixture over the towels in the container.
6. Let it sit for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. 

You now have your own baby wipes that you can use immediately! 

Be sure to share with us how you save money having a baby in the family!  Also - please share this recipe with all your young mom friends!

Donna Cornelius
Online Marketing Manager

How to Save Money This Summer at Your Local Movie Theater

It seems the cost of everything is going up these days!  From prescription medications to groceries to utilities, gasoline, and more!  As I chat with family members and friends, I continually hear how expensive it is to do much of anything beyond paying the bills.  The mere cost of living often prevents many people I know from taking a summer vacation or doing the relaxing activities we all need.  Cut backs aren't just an employment issue, they are a household issue.

So beyond our free prescription discount drug cards, part of what we aim to do at FamilyWize is to provide you with money saving ideas.  I love to share ways on how to save money while doing fun activities for kids, date night with your spouse, day trips with your family and friends!  Each week I will share some ideas I've found, or those you've shared, of simple ways to save money, cut your budget, and plan affordable fun activities - such as....

Summer Movie Theater Discounts and Coupons!
Looking for affordable options for movies in theaters?  Know where free movies at theaters are, as well as other summer movie coupons.

Check with theaters for summer discounts and coupons.

Regal, United Artists, and Edward Theaters  - Summer Movie Express is a family fun special that runs for 9 weeks.  You can see G and PG rated movies for only a dollar at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This festival also benefits the Will Rogers Institute.

Marcus Movie Theaters - this movie theater provides $5 coupon deals on Spotlight movies on Wednesdays and Thursdays - who says date night needs to be on a weekend.  They also have a Young at Heart® program for those aged 60 and over. And for fun activities for kids check out their Kids Dream Summer Film Series on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10 a.m.

Carmike Cinemas - their 2012 Summer Kid Series, which started June 7th, offers 10 weeks of summer movie viewing every Thursday for only $2, which includes a drink and popcorn.

Rave Cinemas - has summer movie fun for the whole family!  Their Free Family Film Festival offers a variety of FREE G and PG movies twice a week for nine weeks at 10 a.m. Dates and times are available by state on their website.

Cinemark (Century Theatres) - has a Summer Movie Clubhouse. For only $5 you can see 10 movies (movie tickets must be purchased in advance; otherwise each movie is $1 at the door or $10).  For a list of participating movie theaters, dates and times, just click - Cinemark.

Second Run Theaters - all across the country are smaller mom and pop theaters that offer second run movies at discounted prices. These theaters don't just offer summer pricing - their discounted prices are year round.

Although I didn't list all of the summer movie theater discounts and coupons, there are many more summer movie specials for early birds, coupons for discounted food items, and group discount tickets.  Check out your local movie theaters for the best movie deals near you.

Be sure to check in and let us know what summer movies you are watching and where you are by liking us on FourSquare FamilyWize or twitter us about the movie when you follow us at Twitter FamilyWize.  Or just leave a comment about your favorite summer movie savings right here!


Donna Cornelius
Online Marketing Manager at FamilyWize