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Spring Break Guide for the Twin Cities 2022

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spring break guide twin cities

Spring break is a full week off for kids (and sometimes even longer), and in Minnesota is typically in March. 

Whether your kids’ week off is in early or late March (or even April), this guide should help you think of fun things to do!

Basically I’ve compiled multiple guides from my site – some listing fun things to do in Minnesota, discounts for fun, and even things kids can do at home when they’re bored.

And at the end I have some free spring cleaning resources for your family too (for your kids to help you with, of course! ha).

Highlights for spring in the Twin Cities:

thomas the train mcm

Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails Exhibit – Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul. Now through May 8th. Go for FREE on the first Sunday of the month! Or save the MOST on tickets with my exclusive code. Just go to mcm.org and use my code TCFM to save $3 per admission on tickets IN-PERSON. You can also use that code to save $20 on a membership either in-person or online. (Note that my code is only good for ticket purchases in-person at this time due to COVID restrictions. Just mention my code when you purchase your tickets.)

Sundays at Landmark – Landmark Center, St. Paul. There are Urban Adventure days and other events throughout the month – all free.

Como Zoo – Always free, though donations appreciated. In St. Paul. Must make a reservation.

Visit a library! Libraries are full of books and movies, but also storytimes and other special events!

Scheels Eden Prairie

Scheels – Located in Eden Prairie, this store is like an amusement park. It has a ferris wheel, aquarium, candy store – lots of fun! We visited when it opened in 2020 and things that were closed then (like the ferris wheel) are now open!

For events happening this month and ongoing:

Twin Cities Deals & Events Calendar

This calendar includes local events (& deals!) for the current month, and is updated regularly.

Twin Cities Deals & Events Calendar

Staycation & Short Trip Ideas in Minnesota

Austin Minnesota

Austin, MN – We had a perfect weekend getaway here!

Duluth, MN – I grew up here, but visit here often with my kids. I’ve written many recaps of our visits including Spirit Mountain, Glensheen Mansion, the Vista Fleet, North Shore Railroad and Great Lakes Aquarium. 

Great Wolf Lodge in Bloomington – We stayed here twice and love how there’s so much to do on-site! 

Radisson Blu Hotel at the Mall of America – We also stayed here twice and love how it’s so nice and connected to the Mall of America for unlimited fun.

Stillwater, MN – We go here all the time and here’s my review of our weekend visit.

Franconia Collage

Shafer, MN – You have to stop at the free Franconia Sculpture Park! Less than an hour from the Twin Cities.

Guides!

The Ultimate List of Minnesota Family Fun

This lists every place a family can find fun in Minnesota, organized alphabetically by category! Cities/locations are included.

Originally created as a list by one of my readers, I then expanded this list and published it here. Then another reader created an interactive spreadsheet for me to include! It’s all here:

Ultimate List of Minnesota Family Fun

Twin Cities Discount Guide for Families

All the ways you can save money at places all around the Twin Cities, compiled here.

[Read more…]

Tips for Keeping Your Household Clean, Healthy, and Organized This Spring

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clothesline

Generally, everyone enjoys having their house clean and organized all the time. A clean and healthy environment can go a long way in brightening up your mood, and it will also help make your home attractive and comfortable to stay in. Nevertheless, keeping your household clean through all seasons may be challenging, especially during the transition process, like from winter to spring, for starters. The hardest part about spring cleaning is how to begin decluttering your space. This article outlines some essential tips that will help you keep your household clean and organized during spring so your family remains healthy.

Undergo a Thorough Spring Cleaning

To ensure that your house is clean and organized during the spring season, you have to warrant that you clean it thoroughly. You have to do this in an organized manner if you want to have a desirable result afterward. For starters, you have to decide which part you are going to start with. You could start in the kitchen, then the bathrooms, and then make your way to common areas in the home. Have everyone in the family clean their own bedroom.

When cleaning your home, ensure you sweep, vacuum, mop, disinfect, and dust. You should do this because if the dust is combustible, a dust explosion could occur. In the last 30 years, over 3,500 dust explosions have been recorded, with the highest number coming in 2019, according to a report released by Purdue University. To keep your home healthy, cleaning should be your number one priority.

Get Outside and Moving With Family-Friendly Activities

If you want to ensure that your house stays organized during the spring, you have to spend less time inside. The only way your home will get disorganized after you clean and arrange everything is when you or your children disorganize it. As such, try to go outside and do family-friendly activities with the children. For instance, you can have fun by playing outdoor games in your backyard, going on bike rides, hiking in local parks, and walking around your local town or city. This will keep your family healthy as the season transitions, too.

Put Healthy Food On the Table Via a Backyard Garden

One of the top ways of maintaining ideal health is by eating healthy. Unfortunately, most food products are usually processed in industries in this modern times, and they contain many chemicals. At the same time, these processed foods usually lack essential minerals for healthy living. You can put healthy foods on the table in your home by planting food crops in your backyard garden.

Lettuce, green beans, radishes, peppers, zucchini, and carrots are some vegetables you can plant in your very own backyard to incorporate into your family’s diet. Keep in mind that food crops face stiff competition from over 30,000 species of weeds, 10,000 species of insects, and over 3,000 species of nematodes. Be sure you are prepared to take on this project. Enlist the help of your family to get started!

Organize, Recycle, and Donate Items in Your Home

Decluttering your home is an essential part of cleaning up and organizing your space. Ideally, you may not necessarily require a lot of things anymore, and these things may have depreciated, meaning that you cannot sell them out. The only way of getting rid of these items is by donating them to those who might need them. Recycling is also one of the essential money-saving tips that you should incorporate in your life. This will ensure that your house remains organized and clean.

Schedule Necessary Medical Appointments

Having a medical check-up is essential because it helps you know if you have any underlying conditions or medical issues you’re unaware of. Medical appointments are necessary for people of all ages. Schedule doctor and dentist appointments for everyone in the family so you can move forward this summer with everyone in tip-top health. Moreover, most dental diseases like cavities, for instance, can be stopped in their initial stages so that they do not cause any complications. There are over 201,117 dentists in the industry, meaning that the chances of finding a qualified dentist to help you with your dental problem are pretty high.

Indeed, while organizing and cleaning your home during spring is not an easy task, the tips outlined in this piece will surely help you have an easier time. What’s more, these tips will also help you live a healthy life.

Also check out my guide, How to Simplify Spring Cleaning and 5-Page Printable Checklist!

Free Printable Spring Cleaning Checklist

How to Simplify Spring Cleaning and 5-Page Printable Checklist

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How to Simplify Spring Cleaning
and 5-Page Printable Checklist

clean

It’s that time! Springtime – which means not only getting outside for some fresh air fun, but finally opening windows, decluttering and cleaning! 

Spring cleaning isn’t always the most fun thing, but here are some tips and a FREE 5-page printable checklist to help you go through your house, room by room!

START WITH A PLAN

Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming before you even start if you don’t have a plan. Formulating a plan of attack can help decrease overwhelm and stress.

Grab a notebook to jot down an overview of what you want to accomplish, and who is going to help in the process. At my house we delegate jobs to each family member who’s old enough to help!

Another option is to (spoiler alert) use a room-by-room checklist to guide in your Spring cleaning!

Here’s a FREE 5-page printable checklist to help you! 

Free Printable Spring Cleaning Checklist

It includes one page for each area of your home:

  • Bedrooms
  • Bathrooms
  • Kitchen & Dining Area
  • Living Room
  • Extra Areas 

DECLUTTER FIRST

[Read more…]

Simple Ways to Save Money During Spring Cleaning

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Cleaning ProductsSpring the best time of the year for gardening, picnics, and, of course, cleaning. After a long winter of staying inside to avoid the cold weather, it’s time to ensure your house is clean and able to keep you and your family comfortable and healthy. But between cleaning supplies, expensive equipment, and everything else that goes into cleaning, your spring cleaning efforts can get surprisingly costly. And with fewer than one in four Americans having enough money saved to cover six months of expenses, it’s important to not go overboard with spending this spring. So this article is going to provide a few tips on how to save money during spring cleaning.

First off, it’s a great idea to make your own cleaning supplies. This is not only a great way to save some money, but it’s a good way to ensure your family isn’t being exposed to harmful chemicals too! Products like soaps and laundry detergents can easily be made at home. Using ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, distilled water, and essential oils, you can easily make budget-friendly cleaning products that are safe to use in your home. These products generally last longer too so you’ll be saving money in the long run as well.

This book, All You Need is Less, has great tips for cleaning your home naturally and living a frugal, simple life. Read my review here.

If you’re doing some serious deep cleaning that requires equipment, try to refrain from purchasing equipment for yourself. While it may be more convenient to own equipment like carpet cleaners or polishers, they can be quite expensive and put a serious dent in your spring cleaning budget. Instead, consider renting the equipment. You’re most likely going to only use this equipment every once in a while and it may make more sense to just rent it as you need it. Home improvement stores often have this type of equipment available to rent or, if possible, borrow from a friend or family member.

Cleaning in itself can help you save some money too! Deep cleaning things like your refrigerator or HVAC system can help your systems run more efficiently — and we’re not just talking about giving them a good wipe down. Contaminants can build up in the units themselves, causing them to have to work harder. In fact, this is partly the reason why 25% to 40% of energy used by heating and cooling systems in a home is wasted, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. With that in mind, it’s important to ensure that all of your appliances and systems in your home are thoroughly cleaned so they can run as efficiently as possible.

And one last thing you should do before getting into your spring cleaning is take inventory of what you already have. Almost everybody has gone out and bought something only to remember later on that they already have that item at home. Doing this can be a big waste of money. So, it’s important to pull all of your supplies out, figure out what you are missing or running low on, and then go to the store. This quick extra step can end up saving you big time.

Spring cleaning is a great way to give your house a quick refresher and make sure it’s ready for the year ahead. And if you follow these simple tips, you’ll have your house cleaned, and your bank account full, in no time.

Also be sure to read my current Twin Cities Spring Cleaning Guide for more tips and resources!

(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no cost to you. All opinions are 100% mine.)

Twin Cities Spring 2018 Kids Consignment Sales

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If you saw my Twin Cities Spring Cleaning Guide 2018 and my segment on WCCO This Morning,  you saw that I included Kids Consignment Sales as a great way to sell your kids used kids stuff as you do your spring cleaning, and you can potentially make hundreds of dollars!

Well, kids consignment sales are also a great way to buy everything for your kids from clothes to toys to strollers. At these sales you can find high quality items that local families are selling, and for lower prices than new!

Spring is a hot time of year for kids consignment sales, and here’s a round-up I put together of sales in the Twin Cities this spring 2018!

Just Between Friends Coon Rapids Spring Sale
March 22 – 25
Riverdale Village
12737 Riverdale Blvd
Coon Rapids, MN 55448
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/187985821939734/

The #1 reason moms shop Just Between Friends is because kids grow fast and budgets don’t! JBF is your one stop bargain shop for baby & kids items. Shop and find bargains from over 300+ families all in one room! Anyone can sell with JBF and everyone can shop and save.

This is one sale you cannot afford to miss! [Read more…]

Month by Month Shopping Guide

Month to Month Shopping Guide

A year-long, month by month guide to getting the best deals on everything!

BigSale

January

-White sales: Largest savings of the year on table linens, bedding and towels
-Vacation packages: Airlines and hotels seek business after the travel peak in December (except during COVID – but there ARE travel deals as travel is starting to pick up again and the hospitality industry is hurting)
-Calendars and planners – these typically are at least 50% off now!
-Gym memberships (for New Year’s Resolutions)
-Fitness equipment, DVDs, weight-loss products, health foods
-Football game watching supplies including burgers, bratwursts, chicken wings, barbecue sauce, pizza, condiments
-TV sales (for the Super Bowl!)
-Valentine’s Day candy and gifts
-Semi-annual sales at Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus fruits, kale, leeks, parsnips, sweet potatoes and turnips!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

February

-Valentine’s Day candy, flowers, long-stem strawberries (for dipping in chocolate!)
-Fragrances/perfumes
-Furniture – New designs debut in the spring time so furniture stores must make room
-Humidifiers are marked down this month and next
-Electronics – New models of electronic items like TVs, gaming and wearable fitness products (i.e. FitBits) were announced at last month’s annual International Consumer Electronics Show so buy last year’s models at a discount

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Same as January: Beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus fruits, kale, leeks, parsnips, sweet potatoes and turnips!

President’s Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

March

Frozen Foods Month

-Frozen foods: Look for great supermarket sales and coupons in your Sunday paper for Frozen Foods month
-St. Patrick’s Day items like corned beef, cabbage, “green”-colored items including pancake mixes
-Tax software (The April 15th tax deadline is approaching!)
-Winter gear: Coats, skis and boots are being cleared for spring and summer items

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, kiwi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapples, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, turnips.

April

It’s Springtime! Look for sales on cleaning supplies and vacuums.

Plus it’s National Car Care Month! Look for car care specials at auto parts stores and service centers.

-It’s the best time to shop at thrift stores, as people are spring-cleaning and donating loads of clothes, furniture and home goods
-There are many kids consignment sales this month as families clear out the old and shop for “new” spring and summer items too!
-Rummage Sales begin! 
-Digital cameras go on sale as families plan travel over spring break
-Snow Removal Equipment goes on sale

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas.

May

This month there are special holidays offering discounts…

For example, you can find Star Wars merchandise and deals thanks to Star Wars day on May 4th: “May the Fourth Be With You.”

Mother’s Day means unfortunately higher prices for flowers leading up to the holiday, but at least you can find them everywhere!

National Wine Day is May 25th! Or just snag my Mother’s Day wine deal from FirstLeaf here! (Get 6 bottles of wine shipped for $29.95!)

National Burger Day is May 28th. Look for burger deals! 

-Tex-Mex Foods for Cinco de Maya including tacos, avocados, ground beef.
-Summer items like picnic supplies, outdoor furniture and fire pits
-Mattresses: Mattress manufacturers are shipping new models, so retailers want to move lingering inventory
-Cookware to woo wedding shoppers and moms for Mother’s Day
-Athletic Apparel
-Large and small appliances – look especially for deals around Mother’s Day (think Instant Pots for mom!) and Memorial Day (grills!)

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Apricots, artichokes, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mangoes, okra, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas, strawberries, Swiss chard, zucchini.

Memorial Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

June

June is Dairy Month! Look for deals on dairy items.

Also June 4th is National Donut Day! Look for donut freebies and deals.

It’s the best time to buy:

-Dairy foods like cheese
-Grilling and outdoor items like burgers, hot dogs, bratwursts, buns, baked beans, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, first aid items including bandages
-Swimsuits and summer wear
-Workout gear
-Power tools, tech products for grads and dads for Father’s Day
-Wedding gifts: Now is the height of wedding season, so get some dishware now
-Semi-annual sales take place at Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, corn, cucumbers, green beans, kiwi, lettuce, mangoes, peaches, strawberries, Swiss chard, watermelon, zucchini.

July

July 4th is Independence Day and there are many great sales this weekend on everything from food to mattresses.

July 18th is National Ice Cream Day! Look for ice cream deals and freebies.

-Back to school supplies debut (woohoo, right?). Great time to stock up on office supplies.
-Furniture: Great deals as stores make room for new lines
-Month-to-month gym memberships (Gyms are more negotiable now to keep numbers up, which dip in the summer)

Avoid large outdoor items like lawn mowers as they’re in such high demand now (if you can wait).

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers, plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini.

August

Root Beer Float Day is August 6th. There may be deals online.

Thrift Shop Day is August 17th – watch for thrift store sales.

National Waffle Day is August 24th, so watch for waffle deals at places like Denny’s.

-Swimwear and other end of summer deals like air conditioners, lawn mowers and yard equipment
-Camping gear: Best prices on tents and other outdoor gear now
-Luggage
-Back to school supplies
-Computers
-Fall fashions
-Lunch box foods including peanut butter and jelly, snacks, juice boxes

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Acorn squash, apples, apricots, blueberries, butternut squash, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, figs, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers, plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini.

September

-Summer clearance
-Perennials, shrubs and trees – Greenery at this time of year can’t be beat, according to Consumer Reports
-Bicycles – deals start now and run through Fall
-Halloween candy, decorations, costumes show up in stores
-Baking supplies
-Lawn mowers – prices get trimmed to create space for snowblowers and other winter gear
-Apple products like the iPhone and watches as new models are revealed
-Appliances (like washers, dryers, stoves) as new models are hitting showrooms soon
-Airfare for the winter holidays is cheaper now
-Cars: New models hit the showroom floor so older vehicles are the ones to buy

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Acorn squash, apples, beets, butternut squash, cantaloupe, cauliflower, eggplant, figs, grapes, green beans, lettuce, mangoes, mushrooms, okra, peppers, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, spinach, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes.

Labor Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

October

Halloween deals are happening this month! However, note that the best deals are right before and right after Halloween.

It’s also pizza month so watch for pizza deals!

-Tires and car supplies are discounted for Fall Car Care month
–Halloween candy, decorations, costumes
-Summer clearance items; best time to stock up on next summer’s patio furniture or buy a grill
-Appliances and vacuums: New models arrive so you’ll find sales on last year’s kitchen appliances and washers and dryers
-Winter gear: Get good early deals on coats, hats and scarves
-Camping gear, as summer camping season comes to an end
-Travel! Warm destinations want to attract families now that kids are in school, and it’s not yet the holiday season.

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Acorn squash, apples, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cranberries, grapes, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, turnips, winter squash.

Columbus Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

November

-Wedding gowns: Boutiques are clearing out inventory between now and Christmas
-Halloween clearance (while it lasts)
–Thanksgiving meal fixings
-Baking supplies for the holidays
-Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales! Best deals on electronics, toys.

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Apples, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tangerines, turnips, winter squash.

Veterans Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores
-Veterans should seek special discounts, such as at Applebees where veterans get a free meal

December

-Gift cards! Retailers are pushing any sales they can get for last-minute shoppers, and there are deals. Check Target as they have offered 10% off Target gift cards for a limited time in early December.
-Cough and cold medicine, facial tissues
-Cars: Car dealers are more open to a bargain before the end of the year to boost sales numbers
-Toys, electronics and much more are on sale for Christmas shopping season

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, papayas, parsnips, pears, pomegranates, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, tangelos, turnips.

Day after Christmas – Best time to buy Christmas gift wrap, cards, storage for all your decorations

Twin Cities April 2022 Events Calendar for Families

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Twin Cities Deals & Events Calendar

April is here and it’s time for Easter egg hunts and events (watch for a full list coming soon), plus many kids consignment sales!

First be sure to plan your shopping for the month (and year) with my guide, What to Buy (& Skip) in April to Save Money!

Month to Month April Calendar

I’ve updated the Deals & Events Calendar and there are also many fun activities this month, Some events happening this month:

[Read more…]

What to Buy (& Skip) in April to Save Money 2022

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Month to Month April Calendar

Did you know that there are different things on sale each month of the year? 

A while back I put together a Month to Month Shopping Guide that lists the best items to buy each month to save money!

Here I am highlighting the best items to buy this month!

What to Buy in April

Easter clearance! Easter falls on April 17th this year, so shop clearance starting the 18th.

It’s Springtime! Look for sales on cleaning supplies and vacuums.

[Read more…]