Through the first few years, an emergency fund for my little family literally meant I would potentially call close family if I absolutely needed some financial help.  

Thankfully, I was lucky and managed to avoid any terrible emergencies that required that dreaded phone call, but I stressed a lot about the possibility of it happening.

And I’ll tell you that it was no cake walk starting a business with only a few pennies in my pocket. 

Starting a business takes stamina, drive and straight-up grit, but with a successful business under my belt that now provides all the money that my family needs – including that emergency fund! – plus some extra to start a side hustle, I can tell you with full transparency that even a little bit of investment cash helps get your dream business off the ground.

Starting a business on a shoestring budget is definitely still possible.  I’m living proof!  But, your business is going to become established and successful much quicker if you are able to afford things like a website, and a mailing service subscription.  And if you are able to hire a coach and pay for putting a marketing plan into place, you’ll see even more significant profitable results even sooner.

So, when these two truly brilliant Harvard grads reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in collaborating to offer my audience an easy opportunity to fund their businesses (or their emergency funds!) … I didn’t even hesitate. 

I am incredibly flattered to be able to introduce the incredibly impressive, LiftRocket.com.  

Lift Rocket is a non-profit organization and a community that helps you figure out funding for your business, to fix your car, to start an emergency fund, or whatever else you might need.

Instead of struggling to figure out how to cover that unexpected $500 expense or to raise start-up funding for your business, LiftRocket has created a truly unique system that just makes life a little easier – no credit check required. 

And with that, I will pass over the blog mic, in a sense, and share the incredibly insightful article that LiftRocket asked me to share with you:

Many Americans know the importance of building an emergency fund, but few are able to do so successfully. Research from the AARP found that 53% of American households lacked an emergency savings account. 

Not only are Americans unprepared for emergency expenses, but most households would struggle with an unexpected $400 expense, according to the Federal Reserve. These findings indicate that few people have invested in either a rainy day budget or an emergency fund, relying instead on loans and credit card debt when unplanned expenses pop up. 

It doesn’t have to be painful to build a rainy day budget or an emergency fund. We’ll walk you through a few tips to illustrate how to save money, as well as provide a budget calendar to help you stay on track with your savings goals. 

What is the purpose of a budget?

A rainy day fund is slightly different than an emergency fund, but the two often get confused. A rainy day fund is something you can draw from to pay for smaller expenditures – if a major appliance in your house needs to be replaced, or if your child needs braces, for instance. A rainy day fund is important to have to avoid going into debt to cover small inconveniences that will pop up and disrupt your careful budgeting. 

An emergency fund, on the other hand, is your safety net in the event of a big financial emergency; loss of employment, illness, or a global recession, for instance. Most experts recommend building an emergency fund with at least six months’ take-home pay, e.g., your paycheck less taxes and other obligations for benefits and retirement. 

How much do you need in your rainy day and emergency funds? The numbers vary depending on your living expenses and income level. “To cushion against a simultaneous spike in expenses and dip in income, a middle-income family needs about $5,000 in a rainy-day fund but has just $2,000 — a gap of $3,000. Lower-income families need about $2,500 but have just $700,” reported the New York Times. The AARP recommends a slightly higher budget of $10,000 – $50,000 for your emergency fund.

Typically, a rainy day fund is smaller: between $500 and $2,500. There’s no amount too small to start with when you begin saving money. Start somewhere, and make saving a habit – here’s how.  

How to save money

If you’re living on a shoestring budget, building both a rainy day budget and an emergency fund can feel daunting. Most experts suggest focusing on your existing expenses first. 

“Creating a rainy day savings strategy starts with getting a handle on any future expenses. For most people, monthly expenses such as house payments, utilities, insurance and groceries stay steady. Other costs are less frequent but not technically emergencies. Make a list of the expenses you’ll probably have to pay in coming years. In addition to car maintenance or house repairs, this could include kids’ braces or veterinary bills,” wrote Nerdwallet. 

A good way to track your expenses is to use a budget calendar. Use a budget calendar to log every bill due: from utilities to rent or mortgage to paycheck. Log each amount in your calendar to see what’s going out when. 

From there, you can start to estimate how much you need in your rainy day fund and in your emergency fund. For your emergency fund, The Balance recommends that you set a goal and then put aside a small amount each month. “Figure out how much money you’d like to have in your fund, then work backward from there. Divide the amount you’ll need to adequately fund your account by how much you can afford to put aside each month. Then, you’ll be left with the number of months it will take you to reach your goal.” 

When you first start out, you may need a little lift to help get your savings off the ground. Consider working with a community like LiftRocket.  

You can find out more about LiftRocket and how their funding opportunities work on their website and on their Facebook page.  

The post How to Start a Business with a Blast-off at Launch appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

One very recent snowy morning, that question was burning hot in my brain.  Waking up groggy as hell, I found myself in quite the “situation,” and I was feeling tons of regrets, fear, and so much doubt.   

It was October, and my monthly calendar was full of scribbles, notes, and chicken scratch: 

• I had reserved four days for an exciting event with Amy Porterfield in San Diego to build my own business.  
• I had committed to a week long visit in South Florida to support my client during his annual conference.  
• And, earlier in the year, I had also committed to starting out the month babysitting and house-sitting for my sister and brother-in-law for eight days so that they could take a break and celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday.

It was too much. 

My mistake was overestimating my available time, my available mindspace, my stamina…basically, I overestimated everything that I needed – and I underestimated the overwhelm that came right along with all of that.

Stepping into my sister’s shoes and pretending to be a single mom to four young children and a new puppy turned out to be one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in years.  

As much as I love my nieces and nephews, I found myself almost immediately counting the days – even hours and minutes – until my commitment would be over and I could return to my life and my “normalcy.”

During that crazy week, not only did I miss my quiet mornings and me-time, but I was constantly challenged with the struggle of balancing my business needs with the needs of the kids (and don’t forget the brand new, crazy hyper puppy – that you can’t help but love in spite of his naughtiness).  

It almost felt like a sick joke when we had an unexpected snow storm in the middle of it all, canceling school and leaving us to fend for basics without electricity for a few hours.  That was a total moment of feeling like an ant in the anthill that some kid up above was threatening with a magnifying glass.

It was that early snowy morning, while the city was quiet and dark, when I found myself searching for “the lesson” to take away from this super difficult experience.  My cell phone rang around 5:00 that morning, and my sister’s voice woke me with, “So, this is the worst case scenario happening…”

After hanging up the phone and wiping away a few tears of exhaustion and frustration, I had an epiphany:  

This life I was leading, this person I was at that moment…it was YOU.  

Although this used to be my daily world, too, as a single mom of two daughters, this whole experience was a great reminder. It allowed me to get a real close look at what my clients – the target market for The Single Mompreneur – have to deal with every single day:

• the chaotic mornings getting everyone out the door to school on time 
• the craziness that hits right as you are trying to make dinner
• the true bedtime battle (there is no better description – and that phrase basically says it all)
• and the exhaustion that comes with every bit of it

Clearly, it has been awhile since I have lived that life – my youngest daughter just graduated high school and now it’s a different kind of #momlife – and I was being reminded of just how hard it can be.

My hat goes off to all of you mompreneurs who are also running a business among the chaos. 

This experience has fueled my drive to help even more moms take advantage of the freedom that the life of an entrepreneur brings.  

I can’t imagine how I would have kept my sanity if, throughout that week, I wasn’t able to push out meetings and rearrange my schedule to give my sister’s family what it needed.  

On that snowy morning – which I’ll now never forget – I was reminded that running my own business allowed me to succeed at not only surviving the eight days, but to be present and actually successful as a Substitute Mom. 

I walked out of that house on the last night, feeling as if my heart grew a little bit over the week and satisfied that my patience and stamina held fast, for the most part, through it all.  In addition to the insight of my clients’ lives, I also have an extra special closeness to my nieces and nephews now – and even Summit, the pup, too – with lots of funny stories and great memories to share for years to come.

So, whew!  Mission completed, and lesson learned.  Now that it’s November, I can honestly say that my life’s “normalcy” is my happy place.  

What does your “happy place” look like?  Drop a comment below – I would love to hear from you!

Do you have little kids, a crazy hectic routine, and a desire to have the freedom of running your own business?  Click here to grab a copy of my Side Hustle Planner to get started making the transition right away!

The post Finding Clarity During the Storm appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

Figuring out what mindset you have is the first step toward success. If you’re afraid to fail, chances are that’s what will happen because you won’t want to take any risks so you won’t take any action. However, it IS possible to shift this mindset; so instead of being afraid, you become determined to make your business work.

Here are some common mindsets that may negatively affect your business:

1. A negative mindset can affect your confidence. How do you react if a boss or client says you made a mistake or they’re not happy with your final product? Does it rock your world for days at a time or can you regroup, make the correction, and move on? If your brain is telling you to reach for perfection, then of course you’ll be extremely disappointed when you make a mistake or misunderstand your client’s needs. Accept the fact that you’re human and find a way to make the client happy. Then jot down that lesson in a journal or implement a new process so that type of mistake doesn’t happen again.

If you’re an employee dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, this lack of confidence may prevent you from taking that jump toward that dream career to begin with. The question is do you want to remain stuck working in a cubicle for other people or would you like the freedom to set your own hours, accept the clients you want, and to answer only to yourself?

2. A poverty mindset can affect how you set prices. “Money blocks” is a popular buzz phrase lately but I still hear story after story of solo-entrepreneurs who consistently underprice their services. If you’re underpricing just to get the job, then you run the risk of not earning enough to pay your bills and you’re telling prospects subliminally that you don’t value yourself enough. If clients baulk at paying your prices, then those aren’t the right clients for you.

3. An imposter mindset can affect how you present yourself to others. Another common theme among solo-entrepreneurs is feeling like an imposter, especially if their skills are self-taught or their market has thousands of competitors already. Feeling like an imposter also feeds into these other situations above, where you lack confidence and don’t charge your worth because you feel like you’re not good enough. Portraying this image to prospects will likely cause them to reconsider hiring you, simply because they want to be fully confident that you are competent to do the job.

Knowing and understanding your mindset about different aspects of your business is important for your personal growth as well as your business growth. But don’t despair: Mindset shifts are certainly possible with some steady practice. Very often it involves changing that negative self-talk into positive self-talk, or adopting the opposite thought. So if you don’t feel confident about a situation, think about all the good work you have done for your clients instead and read their testimonials. Done frequently enough, your confidence will grow.

Need help shifting those mindsets to achieve success as a “Mompreneur?”

Taking that jump into owning a business of your own may seem easier said than done but I have the perfect tool to help you make your journey a successful one. My new planner, “How to Create Your Side Hustle Income in a Weekend” will give you actionable tips for shifting your mindset so you’re ready to start your business and find success. All I ask of you is to do the work – a little bit every day – and to trust the process. Click here to grab your free Side Hustle Planner, plan a little bit of quiet time, and open your mind to the awesome possibilities ahead of you.

The post 3 Ways Your Mindset Affects Your Life appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

Planning and research is important when it comes to using social media effectively for marketing your side gig business.

Here are some ideas for discovering what your fans want:

1. Ask them. Plain and simple; there’s no sense in guessing what they want, so ask them directly. Use SurveyMonkey to create a formal survey and share the link via social media and to your email list. Or simply ask them directly in a post. Using a survey allows more anonymity, so that may be a better option if you normally get little to no responses on your other social media posts.
2. Checkout your social media insights. What posts have gotten the most Likes, Shares, and Comments? Use that subject matter to plan out more posts. Don’t repost the same exact thing; change it up or delve into a different perspective of the same subject. Take that subject matter and create an infographic; or create a graphic with just a quote; or write a brand new blog post and create a graphic to promote that post.
3. Pay attention to other conversations in groups or on competitors’ posts. For instance, if you see a host of questions (or complaints) regarding customer service, you can take these concerns and address them in new social media posts or blog posts; or simply refine your own customer service processes using this info. Even if they aren’t complaining about something, pay attention to what they say they need or can’t find in the market. Take that idea, develop it, and turn it into a new service, product, or series of posts offering detailed information your market needs.

Most importantly, be present on social media every day and really take notice of what’s happening in conversations. Automating social media can be a great time saver but social media is supposed to be SOCIAL so no amount of automation can make up for a lack of interaction from you. People don’t want to follow a robot; they want a real person, that person who knows so much and can help them find the solutions to their problems.

Also, experiment a little by mixing up the topics of your posts: Try video or infographics instead of text, or inserting more of your personal life. Building a tracking system to watch these changes will yield a ton of information and you’ll know fairly quickly if you’ve hit the mark or if that method/topic should be left alone. Sharing a bit about your personal life also helps break down that barrier between you, the expert, and your followers. It makes you more accessible and more real instead of just the face and name of a business.  

Are You Ready to Create Your Side Hustle Income in a Weekend?

If you’re ready to switch your social media from casual to business-oriented, check out my newest planner. In just one weekend you’ll know if your side hustle is viable. You’ll explore the inner thoughts of your Dream Client as well as tackle how to market your side gig. With some deep thought and a little quiet time, you’ll discover if you should jump in full force to a brand new business or keep it as a side gig. Click here to grab your free Side Hustle planner – no strings attached.

The post 3 Ways to Discover What Your Fans Want to See From You on Social Media appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

To determine whether making healthy lunches at home is cheaper than buying school lunch for your child, you’ll need to answer a few questions:

Will Your Child Eat the School Lunch?

One of the first questions you should ask is whether your child will even eat the school lunch or not. There is no point paying for it if they’re not going to eat it. The teachers don’t make them eat it, and you can’t be there to watch. If your child doesn’t like it, they’re not going to eat it.

Does the School Lunch Offer Nutrition?

Some school lunches aren’t even close to matching a child’s nutritional needs. It depends on the school district, but some schools serve instant food and even Burger King to their kids. It’s very important for a child to have a lot of nutrition during the day, so if your child’s school doesn’t cut it, you’ll need to.

Will Your Child Get to Choose Their Lunch?

Some schools have more than one type of lunch. They’ll have the basic meal, and then the specialty. They may call it something else. But one meal will seem like the traditional school lunch: meatloaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy. The other lunch will be something like pizza and french fries. If you cannot trust your child to choose their food based on nutrition, you may want to have them bring their lunch.

How Much Money Does the Lunch Cost?

Some school districts offer every single person a free lunch. If that’s the case, you can feed your child cheaper by going with the school lunch, but that doesn’t always mean healthier. In general, if it’s five dollars a day or more, you can do it cheaper, making school lunches at home.

Realistically, Can You Commit to Lunch Planning?

The other factor to look at is yourself. Are you really going to stick to helping your child (and eventually letting them do it) prepare a school lunch every single day before bed and help them remember to take it?

It’s essential to check with your child’s school to find out the rules about bringing a sack lunch. Some schools don’t even allow it to happen in the first place and prefer the children only eat the school made meals. Others don’t allow things like peanut butter to be included in the sack lunch. If your child has unique food and nutrition requirements, you may also want to speak to the dietician to find out if they can accommodate you easier.

For more back to school budget tips, check out my free Back to School Budgeting Made Easy ebook and worksheet.

Looking for cheap and healthy lunch box ideas? Check out this awesome article for a week’s worth of Cheap School Lunch Ideas for Less than $1.

The post Make Healthy Lunches at Home Cheaper Than Buying School Lunch appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

Kids Want to Know Why

When you have to say no to a child due to not having enough money, your best bet is to explain why. Talk to them about how much you make, how much you have going out to pay for the house, food, and so forth. More than likely, your child will want to help find a way to make more money to be able to obtain that needed or wanted item themselves. Be proud of that but help them prioritize.

Budgeting is Adulting 101

The only way to learn how to budget is to be involved in budgeting. They don’t have their own money right now, so the only way to do that is with your money. By being open with how you come to your budget based on your income, needs, and wants as well as your goals, they will learn how to do it for themselves when they’re adults.

Puts Life into Perspective for The Child

Most kids have no idea how much rent costs, or water, or anything. They don’t even have a clue how much their parents make at their job. This is a problem because it’s hard to plan for their future if they don’t really know what it takes to achieve whatever their parents achieved. When you know how much it takes to earn a carton of milk, your perspective changes.

Your Budget Represents Your Family Values

The way that you budget for your family shows what you value. If you place a high value on eating organic food, for example, more than likely, your kids will carry on that trend. Understanding this fact might help you create an even better, more workable, and value-focused budget.

The more your child understands about money, earning it, and spending it responsibly, the more successful they’ll be when they become adults. Kids need to know about how to shop to save money and how not to be taken advantage of. They also need to know where a typical household spends their money. When they have that information, combined with what they know, their own goals in life are, might work together to forge an entirely new career option.

Still have back-to-school shopping to do?  Or maybe you spent too much and don’t want to make the same mistake next year (or next semester)?  Click here to grab the Back to School Budgeting Made Simple e-book and worksheet for free!

The post Why You Should Be Transparent with Your Kids About Your Back to School Budget appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

My first advice: Skip all those promises that are too good to be true. Now look at all the companies that you admire and take note of how long they’ve been in business. Are they successful? Do you dream of reaching that level of success? Do you have the skills and determination to be that successful?

Of course, we also hear stories of businesses closing their doors; some after just a few years and others after much longer runs. But if you spend your time NOW mapping out your business idea and setting a firm foundation on which to grow, you’ll set yourself up for success instead of failure. Let’s explore just a few questions to get you thinking in the right direction.

1. Do you have a viable business idea? Basically, have you done your market research to determine if there’s a need for your services? If you have skills and natural talent, you can find your niche and be successful. Businesses based on trends or fad products have a harder time sustaining themselves because fads disappear and trends change, which can leave you closing up shop rather quickly.
2. Do you have start-up money or need investors? Opening a service-based business is rather simple and doesn’t require much upfront investment but you also need to think about the “big picture” or your long term goals. Will you need to upgrade your equipment? Will you need state-of-the-art equipment or a simple computer upgrade? Do you plan to employ locals or will you outsource tasks to independent contractors? Do you have all your business paperwork filed correctly?
3. Do you have a professional online presence? What does your website look like? Look at all your social media profiles. Do they look similar and have consistent branding, with current headshot photo and brand colors? Do your posts talk about your business and field of expertise or are you chatting with your college buddies? Look objectively at your social media and do an overhaul so your posts and images all convey a professional, expert image.
4. Do you have a marketing plan? Yes, planning is a vital part of running a successful business. You shouldn’t look at your computer screen and wonder what to do next. You shouldn’t have to depend on the kindness of your friends and family to continuously send you business. YOU need a plan for finding those prospects and knowing what will attract them to you.

If you have the desire to succeed, you can certainly make it happen. Focus on creating a stable foundation for your business and continuously tweak your marketing plan to attract prospects.

Not a fan of planning? My quick and easy planner is just what you need…

If you keep thinking about starting your own business but don’t know where to start, my latest planner is just the tool you need. “Create Your Side Hustle Income in a Weekend” is designed to help you sort out what you want to do and discover if it’s a sustainable idea, all within one weekend. I’ll even walk you through how to plan prices, how to discover your Dream Client, and how to set up a marketing/social media plan you can use every day. Get started on the right foot with some research and soul-searching exercises. Click here to grab your copy for free!

The post Give Up on the Get Rich Schemes…Build a Sturdy Business Foundation Instead appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

Well, shooting it to you straight, it’s true. You are a loser. But here’s the thing:  there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, losing is required to win.

I highly recommend taking two minutes out of your day to watch this awesome animated music video, Such a Loser by Garfunkel and Oates. It’s honestly contains one of the most inspiring, wise, and truly uplifting songs I’ve ever heard. How can a song calling you a loser be uplifting? Because the duo point out some very important aspects of life when it comes to losing.

Something really important to take away from this song is that you should “throw your heart at it, so what if you break it? You know now that you’re strong enough to take it!” As single moms and mompreneurs we do know that we are strong enough to take the heartbreak and setbacks that failure brings. Just because we’ve failed once doesn’t mean we should be shy to get back out there, in fact it means the exact opposite! Facing failure simply means you’re gaining experience and building confidence that you need to handle a similar challenge in the future. Don’t be afraid of failure, it builds character.

It may not seem like it, but failing and losing not only build character, they also build competence through experience. The amazing thing about building competence is that it feeds you right into the competence-confidence loop whether you know it or not. As a psychology major, the competence-confidence loop was one of the most fascinating things I learned in college that applies to my life today.  In summary, it basically describes the fact that when you are confident in a task, you become more competent in that task. Then the loop part of it all is that once you are more competent in a task, your confidence grows, and so on and so on. It’s really quite fascinating, huh?

Getting back to the Such a Loser song, the predominant theme is that it’s “better to be a loser than a spectator.” I am 100% a proponent of this mindset. It’s always going to be so much better to be someone who tried and failed than someone who didn’t try at all. I make an effort never to live my life in a way that I might say, “I wish I had attempted that dream,” or “I wish I had gone for that goal.” If I had been a spectator, I would still be working a dead end job in a corporate system that didn’t care about my ideas, my kids, or my dreams.

There are so many great quotes about failure – from Benjamin Franklin, Bill Gates, to Winston Churchill to name a few – but to keep things super short and simple, the easiest to remember is the famous Chinese proverb:  Failure is not falling down, it is refusing to get up. 

As an entrepreneur, you must get comfortable with taking risks in order to reach your goals and become successful. You also have to get really good at losing. It helps to remember that you’re not alone in the journey and you’re certainly not the only loser in the group, so be proud of how far you’ve come.  Don’t beat yourself up for gaining the experience necessary to win the race!!

Have you signed up for the Mompreneur Sunday Newspaper yet? Click here and grab your free weekly copy. You’ll find awesome articles and a freebie in every issue, delivered right to your inbox.

Some of the links in this and other posts generate a commission. I never recommend products that I don’t truly believe in. Seriously – I get asked to write about stuff all the time and turn down hard cash if I’m not feeling it.

The post You Have to Risk Losing to Win appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

It’s probably safe to assume we all want the same basic things.  We want them to be kind, responsible, hard-working, compassionate, well-rounded, and confident.  Every parent wants them to be someone others like to be around. We want them to be leaders, not followers.

So how do we get there?  What can we teach them now to help them fulfill their potential?  This list of 5 things to teach your kids before they grow up will put you well on your way to raising children who will become adults you are proud to have raised.

1. 1. Teach them how to put others first.  In a world that is all about “ME”…self promotion, even self obsession, is the norm.  One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is teaching them how to consider others before themselves.  This is the mark of a true leader. The little known secret is that by serving others and helping them succeed, you are actually setting yourself up for greater success.  
   2. Teach them how to properly introduce themselves.  Think about the number of times in your life, both professionally and in general social settings, when you have had to introduce yourself.  It is something we do all the time, but few do it very well. Teach your kids about things like eye contact, a firm handshake, posture, and speaking confidently.  This will be incredibly valuable to them as they grow up and when they reach adulthood as well.
   3. Teach them to be responsible for their things. Yes, this means they have to keep their rooms picked up and not have their toys and socks and notebooks strewn all over the house, but it also means things like…doing their own laundry, putting their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, parking their bike where it goes, etc.  Resist the urge to pick up after them and enforce consequences for irresponsibility.
   4. Teach them how to cook simple meals. They need to know how to make staple things like mac n cheese and ramen noodles to get them through college.  And they also should know how to make a few family meals too. One, this means they can help you with cooking.  And two, someday they will tire of mac n cheese and ramen noodles and you won’t be there to make meatloaf or chicken alfredo.  So teach them now.
   5. Teach them how to manage their own calendar and budget. In addition to being responsible for their material things, they also need to be mindful of their time and finances.  Teach them the importance of saving, charitable giving, and investing.  Show them how to plan a daily, weekly, and monthly calendar so that they are organized.  If n m they get practice now, it will be second nature to them at the time most of their peers are learning these things for the first time.  

The behaviors that are being forged now will inevitably become their habits, their personalities, and even their character.  Without question, parenting during the early years is critical in determining who they will be when they grow up. If you teach your kids these 5 things now, they will most assuredly thank you when they are grown and they have these skills as second nature.  

Have you signed up for the Mompreneur Sunday Newspaper yet? Click here and grab your free weekly copy. You’ll find awesome articles and a freebie in every issue, delivered right to your inbox.

Some of the links in this and other posts generate a commission. I never recommend products that I don’t truly believe in. Seriously – I get asked to write about stuff all the time and turn down hard cash if I’m not feeling it.

The post 5 Things to Teach Your Kids Before They Grow Up appeared first on The Single Mompreneur.

Not feeling too creative? That’s okay. We have compiled a list of incredibly fun and free family fun ideas you can do this summer.

Inside/ Rainy day Ideas

Not every summer day will be spent poolside soaking up the rays. Try one of these ideas on a rainy day, or just when you need a break from the great outdoors!

• Bake cupcakes and decorate.  
• Write letters to family members who live far away.
• Build paper airplanes and have a flying contest.
• Make play dough from scratch.
• Make homemade mini pizzas.
• Play board games (This is my family’s absolutely favorite thing to do, rain or shine!).

On the go!

When cabin fever hits and you need to hit the road, these are suggestions you will want to remember. Not only are they fun, they also don’t cost a dime!

• Go to a public place, people watch, and make up imaginary stories about them.
• Visit the library.
• Volunteer somewhere local, or serve one of your neighbors.
• Declutter and donate your unwanted items to charity.
• Explore your city – go on a new hike or explore areas of the city you haven’t visited yet.

Family Bonding

These activities are sure to help you connect your kids in meaningful ways that they will remember long after the summer passes. They may require a bit more effort, but your time will be well worth it and rewarded by happy kids and happy memories.

• Pitch a tent and sleep outside (throw in a bonfire & s’mores for extra fun!).
• Build a fort, inside or out!
• Create a family book with information and pictures about each family member.
• Get up early, pack some fruit and pastries, and have a sunrise breakfast.
• Have a sunset picnic at a park or beach.

Get creative!

These fun ideas will require you to put on your thinking caps, and are guaranteed to include more fun and more laughs for all!

• Create a treasure hunt for your kids (leaving clues around the house or yard).
• Write and produce a play (to perform before other family members).
• Create an abstract art piece from things you gather around your house or yard.
• Make an obstacle course in your backyard (like this!).
• Play fishbowl.

Wear them out!

When they are needing to burn off energy and you are needing a break, you can send them outside to do one of these fun activities! Or, if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you could join in the fun with them!

• Play freeze tag.
• Fly kites.
• Challenge them to a pillow fight.
• Play loud music and have a dance party.
• Have a water balloon fight (or play water balloon baseball).

As a single mom, staying on a budget is crucial.  But being on a budget does not mean we have to summer has to be boring! Spend quality time with your kids and make lasting memories. Your kids ultimately won’t care how much money you spent on a round of goofy golf vs. a free game of freeze tag in the backyard. What they will remember is that you spent time with them.  So put away your purse, and just have some free family fun!

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