things to think about and do
This coming Saturday is the first annual YMCA Youth Triathlon. Our daughter is participating in this and we are so excited to cheer her on! What does she have to do? Swim 50 yards, bike 3 miles, and run 1 mile. I think she will really enjoy herself. Stay tuned for pictures and a recap on Saturday. This is the kickoff event for our family’s year of fitness!
It’s cold outside and I’m so happy about it! While out shopping for a pair of jeans yesterday at Catherine’s (one of the few clothes outlets for the full-figured gal,) I spied the rack of leather coats with a 60% off sign on it. How could I walk past that? So, I found a coat I liked, put it on, and bought it. The price tag said $249, but I paid only $90 for it with the sale and my Catherine’s Perks discount on top of it! Cha-ching! I plan on wearing it this winter, then ebaying that baby in April. I’m so happy with my coat! My scarves all look beautiful with it. Well, there’s my one shopping tidbit for the year.
Next year, I’ll be shopping for a new leather coat about 10 sizes smaller! Join me on my journey at www.rediscoveringfood.com.
It’s that time of year again to purchase Fun Cards at Busch Gardens. For Florida residents, that means we buy a one day admission and can come back all year through Dec. 31, 2008! Sounds like quite a deal, doesn’t it?
Let’s take a closer look. If we just want annual BG (Busch Gardens) passes, for our family of four (2 adults, 2 kids – ages 4 and 8), the Fun Card total is $239.80. This does NOT include parking ($9 general), discounts on food, beverage and merchandise, or anything else.
Here’s my suggestion: For $35 more, buy one adult 1-year Passport and Fun Cards for everyone else. 4 trips to the park will pay for this difference in parking alone, because you get free general parking with the Passport. Another area of savings is 10% off all food, beverage and merchandise. Get this Passport for the parent who will be taking the family all the time. If you are planning to get Fun Cards again next year for the family, pay $50 more and make mom’s Passport good for 2 years. If you can’t swing the money up-front, BG offers EZ-pay for Passport holders! For the 2 year passport, it’s $6.24/month for 2 years. Add on the Fun Cards for 2008, and it’s only $174.85 up front plus the $6.24 for mom, the first month.
We’ve found that the benefits of the Passports are worth it. You will use your pass more since you won’t have to pay $9 to park every time you go. Exhausting your preschoolers in Dragon Land for a few hours in the morning or afternoon won’t cost you anything but gas to get there and back, goldfish crackers, raisins and water bottles (all in Mom’s backpack!)
Read more about all of the ticketing options at Busch Gardens here.
This is a great gift for your family members, retired parents/grandparents, home schoolers, stay-at-home parents with small children, your nanny, and even your teenage babysitter!
Stay tuned for more Busch Gardens tips soon!
