Things to do with the kids this summer on a budget

The kids are out of school and if you are like me, you are looking for fun things to do that won’t cost you ton. Every year I browse the paper, internet and flyers sent home from school to find some of the best and cheapest things to do. Here are some of the activities I’ve done with my two girls, ages 12 and 13, over the years and a few new ones I’ve found.

My kids love going to the movies, but they can be so expensive. During the summer you can go to the movies for $1. This is part of the Regal Theatres Summer Movie Express. It runs for 9 weeks starting June 5^th in our area.  The movies are Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute. Go to their website at www.regmovies.com and look up promotions. The movie theatres locally are Park Place Stadium 16 and Regal Largo Mall 8. The movies are G or PG and start at 10 a.m. Some of the movies include: Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon2, The Lego Movie, the Peanuts Movie, The Secret Life of Pets, The Minions and more.

For older kids and adults Clearwater Beach offers free movies on Friday and Saturday nights at Sunset at Pier 60. You can see movies like Lion King, Black Panther, Apollo, Moana, Jaws, A Wrinkle in Time and more. Go to the their website to find the listings at www.sunsetsatpier60.com.

If older kids want to see the latest releases head to Studio Movie Grill in Seminole all movies all day are $5 on Tuesdays.

My girls love to bowl. Kids can go bowling for free all summer long. It is part of the Kids Bowl Free program. Bowling alleys all around the United States participate. Locally kids can go in Largo to Liberty Lanes, in St. Petersburg to Ten Pin Lanes or Sunrise Lanes, in Dunedin to Dunedin Lanes and in Clearwater to Maple LanesCountryside, in Seminole to Seminole Lanes and in Port Richey to Lane-Glo Lanes North. Kids get to bowl 2 games free a day. You must register at www.kidsbowlfree.com. Remember to bring bowling shoes or you can rent them.

We are so fortunate to have baseball all around us. Not only do we have the TampaBay Rays, but we also have 4 minor-league baseball teams in the area. If your kids like baseball, the minor league team tickets very affordable. The Clearwater Threshers have dollar Tuesdays, where the tickets and food sell for $1. We went recently, and it was a blast. The Tampa Bay Tarpons formerly the Tampa Bay Yankees have a great kids club where you pay $20 and get a bunch of fun items including a hat and all Sunday games are free with a food voucher for hotdog, soda and chips. The Dunedin Blue Jays and the Lakeland Flying Tigers also have kid’s clubs and great promotions on ticket deals and food. Go to the team’s web sites for more information.

One place my two girls love going to is the beach and it’s free. Did you know that on Friday nights there’s a place on North Redington Beach that offers hula dance lessons to kids and adults? It is at Mango’s Restaurant and Tiki Bar which is located right behind DoubleTree Beach Resort. You can listen to tropical music on the beach and right before sunset on Friday nights the Sunset Island Dancers come out and put on a wonderful hula show. The kids have a lot of fun!!

If your children like to read and like baseball, they can read their way around the bases with the Reading with the Rays program. Just for reading a certain number of hours during the summer, they can get a free ticket to a Ray’s game. You can find out more at your local library.

Kids can also earn a free book at Barnes and Noble with the Barnes and Noble Summer reading program. It is for kids grades first through sixth. If your child reads 8 of their own books and journals the books, they can get a free book at the store. You can find out more at www.barnesandnoble.com.

If your children like to build things or make crafts, take them to Home Depot this summer. They offer a free workshop for kids the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to noon.  On Saturday, July 7 they will host a workshop on building a fishing game. Recommended ages are 5-12. The crafts the children make are incredible. The kids get to keep their craft and receive a free certificate of achievement, a workshop apron and commemorative pin. This may be something a grandparent wants to do with their grandchild. I know my kids love it!

The Glazer Museum in Tampa offers free museum admission on the first Tuesday of the month to everyone from 12-7 p.m. You can find out more here. 

The summer is a great time to explore where you live. There are so many fun things to do right in your own backyard. You just have to know where to look and make the most of it!  Hopefully this gives you a few ideas of things to do with your kids and you won’t have to spend too much money.

Going out to eat on a budget by capitalizing on free meals for kids

Are you like me, working during the day and than running your kids to all their extracurricular activities in the afternoon and by the time you get home, it’s already dinnertime and you don’t have anything ready to eat? As a mom on a budget, knowing what restaurants offer free kids’ meals can help out when you are on the go or when you want to go out for a nice dinner. The savings can add up. I did some checking and found at least one restaurant a day, if not more, offering free kids meals.

Monday

On Monday all day long, you can visit the Mexican restaurant Carmelita’s, with locations in Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg, for a free meal for kids 10 and younger when you purchase an adult meal. Also on Monday and Tuesday, Cody's Original Roadhouse Bay Pines offers free kids meals for children 10 and under. You can get 2 kids meal per adult entrees purchased. Plus they have a person who will make balloon figures for the kids! Also Lee Roy Selmon’s offers a free kids meal. Quaker Steak & Lube has kids meals for kids 8 and younger form 5 p.m. to close with an adult meal purchase. They also have free games for kids.


Tuesday

The biggest night for free kids’ meals is Tuesday. Beef 'O' Brady's allows kids 12 and under to eat free all day on Tuesdays with the purchase of a regular price adult meal. Also on Tuesday, Delosa's Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Largo offers a free kid’s meal per adult meal purchase.

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Clearwater allows children 10 years and under to choose an item from the kid’s menu with the purchase of an adult dinner. Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q offers a kids’ eat free night on the first Tuesday of the month after 4 p.m., but only at the Tyrone location. You can get 2 kids per adult meal over $8.99 from 4-8pm.

Also Slyce Pizza on Indian Rocks Beach will give kids 12 and under a slice of pizza with an adult food purchase. The new Texas Roadhouse in St. Petersburg also has a kids night on Tuesday.



Wednesday

CD Roma Restaurant in St. Petersburg has a free kids night on Wednesday with the purchase an adult meal. It is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and you can get up to two kids meals with an adult entrée.


Saturday 

On Saturday kids eat free with an adult meal purchase at Proino Breakfast Club in Largo from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. All weekend long kids can eat free at Steak ‘N Shake all day. For every $8 spent you get one free kid’s meal. You need to eat inside the restaurant.



Any day

Pick a day, if you like pizza, than take your kids to the Untouchables Pasta & Pizza in Largo. They offer a free kids’ meal every day with the purchase of an adult meal.

Personally, I have found it’s sometimes cheaper to eat out than cook at home when you get free kid’s meals.  I also enjoy not having to wash the dishes! One last money saving tip is to order water. Drinks can add up quickly. Enjoy!