The Price of Preschool...Have you been considering enrolling your child in preschool purely to provide her with social interaction? Save some cash and join an organization or social club just for families. These groups usually plan family-centered activities, organize playgroups, publish informative and fun newsletters, and offer positive support for parenting. Not only will your children make friends, but so will you! You can find groups locally by checking with your church or community center or get in touch with a national organization. Here are a few national organizations with local chapters all over the country:

• MOMS Club - http://www.Momsclub.org
• MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) - http://www.gospelcom.net/mops/
• Mothers & More - http://www.mothersandmore.org/
• National Association of Mothers' Centers - http://www.motherscenter.org/

There is usually a small fee associated with membership ($25-$50 per year).

Treasures in the Library... Have you visited your local library lately? You might be surprised by the wide variety of activities that are offered free of charge. Story hours, mock pajama parties, crafts, and demonstrations are now commonplace. Many also organize fun reading incentive programs that reward young participants with parties, prizes, and even free books. Beyond the great activities, libraries offer videos, CDs, cassettes, CD Roms, periodicals, and of course the latest best sellers all free for the borrowing!

Budget Bar-B-Ques... Hosting a summer party can be great fun for the family, but how can you feed your friends without busting your budget? The biggest expense is usually food. Most people will offer to bring something when invited to a party, so be sure to take them up on it! Make your gathering a potluck and not only will you save on grocery costs, but you'll get to sample your friends' specialties. Or, you could host a BYOB (bring your own burger) party. You supply the fixin's, side dishes, and drinks, but the most expensive ingredient (the meat) is supplied by the guests. Frugal food for Bar-B-Ques: Hot dogs (we buy a 'cheap' brand for $.69/pound), in-season fruit salads, corn on the cob, powder mix drinks (imitation Kool-Aid - 10 packets for a dollar!) for the kids, homemade popsicles (also made with the imitation Kool-Aid), iced tea for the adults, bulk-bought pretzels, homemade brownies with a dollop of ice cream for dessert. Cheap Fun: Host your party at a local park and make use of tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and basketball hoops for pick-up games. If are at home, save the lawn watering for your summer party and turn on the sprinklers during the early evening for the kids to run through. Rent a funny video (or better yet borrow one from your library) for the kids to watch while the adults enjoy the cool evening.