Feb 9 & 10 | FREE or Low Cost Events for the Whole Family

Lowe's Build & Grow

• Saturday, February 9, 10 AM | Valentine's Day is right around the corner! Bring your child to Lowe's and they can build this Wheel of Love. FREE event

Michael's

• Saturday, February 9, 10 - 11: 30 | Kid's Club - Let your kids explore their creativity while you shop! Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour from 10AM - 11:30AM. Create a Valentine's Heart Party Love Bug Bag.
• Sunday, February 10, 1 - 3 PM | FREE Family Craft Time - Wood Heart Frame
• Monday, February 11, 5-7 PM | FREE Family Craft Time - Painted Heart Frame
• Tuesday, February 12, 5-7 PM | FREE Family Craft Time - Origami Bookmark

A.C. Moore

• Saturday, Feb. 9, 1 - 3 PM | Buy & Decorate - Buy a plasctic treat tube and decorate with new Duct Tape Designs FREE.
• Sunday, Feb 10, 1 - 3 PM | Demonstration - Make & Mold Marshmallow Filled Candy Hearts

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FREE Financial Advice with Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Do you have a question on retirement planning or other financial challenges? Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine is offering FREE financial advice during their annual Kiplinger's Jump-Start Your Retirement Plan Days on Thursday, Feb. 7 and Tuesday, Feb. 12.

This annual event sponsored by Kiplinger and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors offers people a chance to get free one-on-one financial advice. NAPFA members will be answering questions during online chats from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on those two days.

This year, Jump-Start Days will feature four separate chat rooms: Taxes in Retirement, Saving for Retirement, Income in Retirement, and Other Financial Challenges.

Click this link for more information on how to submit your questions.

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5 eBooks to Strengthen Your Marriage for Just $7.40

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, this week's BundleoftheWeek.com bundle is packed full of resources to strengthen your marriage! Whether you've been married for 6 months or 25 years, you're sure to find something new and fresh in this collection from top Christian marriage authors and bloggers. Get all 5 ebooks for only $7.40 (a savings of over 80%) for one week only.


15-Minute Marriage Makeover by Dustin Riechmann
15-Minute Marriage Makeover is more than an ebook; it's a plan designed to refresh your relationship, add sizzle to your sex life and bring more happiness to your marriage. And all of that in just 15 minutes a day! The exercises in this book focus on the four pillars of a happy marriage -- communication, romance, intimacy and finances -- with time management tools, mini lessons, couple time tasks and a weekly date night to review the topic of the week.

A Simple Marriage by Corey Allan, PhD
Written to help you experience more in your marriage, A Simple Marriage: The Path to Experiencing More in Marriage and Life is a compilation of Corey Allan's experience as a husband and counselor. Not only will it show you the foundational principles that are present in every marriage and an understanding of where you currently are in your relationship, but it also provides the encouragement, tools and steps to help you invest in your marriage today, whether your spouse is interested in participating or not.

Stripped Down by Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo
In Stripped Down: 13 Keys to Unlocking Intimacy in Your Marriage, this husband and wife duo show you how to create a solid marital foundation by placing God at the center of your relationship, establish family boundaries, improve communication, make your bedroom a sanctuary, have fun together and much more. With frank conversation and practical advice, this ebook will walk you through exercises to invest in intimacy and reconnect with your spouse.

Entangled by Amy Bennett
Through her own story, Amy gives readers an honest, detailed look into an emotional affair and how God restored her marriage. In Entangled: Recognizing Your Emotional Affair & Restoring Your Marriage, she shares what an emotional affair looks like, how to get out of one and -- most importantly -- how God can meet your deepest need for the love you’re seeking.

The Husband's Guide to Getting Lucky by Marla Taviano
With Marla's candid humor, The Husband's Guide to Getting Lucky clues guys in to the way their wives operate and gives them practical suggestions for being husbands their women want to make love to. Although it's written primarily to men, The Husband's Guide to Getting Lucky provides insight for both men and women into what makes their other half tick and how to achieve a fulfilling sex life.

The Marriage bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 2/11. Get yours today:


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Save Money & Celebrate Valentine's Day at Home | Date Night on a Budget

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? My husband and I have celebrated the day ever since our first one together in 1992. In the early years, we both spent a lot of money on flowers, food, and gifts, but Valentine's Day can change with your spouse when kids enter the picture.

Now we avoid the busy restaurants and lavish gifts and instead we spend the evening in the comforts of our home. Yes, I'd love to eat out and have someone else prepare my dinner and serve me, but that would involve a babysitter and a food tab. Now we save money, but still celebrate our marriage and our family.

Our two daughters love the holiday too. Pink and hearts--it's the official holiday of 5-7 year old girls everywhere. So for us, they are included in our festivities. Of course, if you'd rather have an intimate dinner with just your honey then shuttle the kids to bed early and move your dinner to later in the evening.

7 Tips Celebrate Valentine's Day at Home

1. Unplug from the Outside World.
Turn off the phones and any form of social media. Don't invite or allow your Facebook friends into your special day/night with your sweety.

2. Use the Good China.
If you're like me, you'll have to wash it because it sits in a cabinet unused the other 364 days out of the year, but it sets a tone for a special night.

3. Create a Romantic Ambiance.
Create a romantic vibe with a candle lit table and your favorite music playing in the background. And tonight might be a good night to change out of that outfit you were wearing when you cleaned your house earlier in the day. I've made that mistake, take my word on that one!

4. Make an Ultra Special Dinner.
Does your sweetheart have a favorite restaurant dish or maybe a favorite ingredient, like shrimp or salmon?  Do a google search for recipe ideas. Here are some of my favorite recipes from the Family Balance Sheet archives:

• Grilled Salmon with Peach Salsa
• Pasta with Clams and Fresh Tomatoes
• Roasted Tilapia with Tomatoes and Olives
• Turkey Sausage, Arugula, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
• Roasted Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Garlic Lemon Shrimp
• Grilled Lime Chicken and Mango Red Pepper Salsa
• Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp

5. Make a Yummy Dessert.

• Chocolate Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping
• Blueberry and Peach Crumb Pots with Homemade Whipped Cream
• Homemade Brownies with Homemade Whipped Cream

6. Sip on Adult Beverages.
My husband and I like to indulge on a adult beverage (or two) when we are dining at home.

• Valentine's Day Cocktails

7. Watch a Romantic and Funny Flick.
Laughter is the best medicine and it's good for relationships too!

No matter how you spend the holiday, Have a Happy (& Romantic) Valentine's Day!

How will you spend Valentine's Day? Will you go out or have a date night in? Let us know in the comments.

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Image: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I'm Doing a Pantry Challenge in February

In an effort to find some extra money to fund our Christmas Savings Account, I'm doing a pantry challenge in February. My goal is to plan February's menu around what is currently in my pantry and freezer and fill in any needs at the store, but reduce my overall monthly grocery expenses.

I took an inventory of my freezer tonight and I started plotting our meals for the month. I usually plan my menu once a week, but I have almost 3 weeks of meals planned so far for February with what is currently in my freezer. Our schedule might change slightly, but I have enough meals planned that I can make some minor adjustments and avoid any last minute calls for take-out.

My goal is to reduce our grocery bill by $200. I'll be posting my progress through out the month.

Have you ever done a pantry challenge? Was it a success for you?

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