Ever forget your child's allowance?

MoneyTrail automatically keeps track of allowances and keeps you organized.

Every Dollar Counts!

Teach your child to keep track of their money. It reduces impulse spending.

Finances shouldn't cause headaches!

Practicing money skills when young can lead to stress-free, responsible finances as an adult.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

More Free Books for Kids and Teens

Reading a book at the beach
From Simon's photos on Flickr
I love books and I love a bargain!  It's a marvelous day when I find great kids' ebooks that are free.  Here are the latest free ebooks for your Kindle or your Nook.

Important:  The books were free when I published this blog post.  The prices may have changed.  Please double check the cost before you download!


Barnes and Noble Nook:

Young Children:

Teens:
A Matter of Profit by Hilari Bell
Earth Forbidden by Amelia Grace


Amazon's Kindle:

Young Children:
Tongue Twisters for Kids by Riley Weber
When Cows Fly by Tom Watson

Teens:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Guardians Inc.:  The Cipher by Julian Rosado-Machain

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Book Review: "Someday Is Not a Plan" By Dave Straube

Someday Is Not a Plan, by Dave Straube, is a basic personal finance book for young adults.  However, it reads like a novel and introduces financial concepts in an easy to read, personal manner.  There are no charts, spreadsheets or complicated financial terms.  Someday Is Not a Plan is a wonderful first finance book for any young adult who is just starting out their career.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Indoor Kids Activities on a Budget


Looking for fun indoor activities that won't break the family budget but will keep your kids entertained?  Here are 20 cheap, indoor family activities to get you through the darkest of winter days.

Puzzled
From Bruce Guenter's photos on flickr.com
  1. Put together a puzzle.  We recently started a 1000 piece puzzle.  I hope we have it finished before Spring arrives.
  2. Play card games like Go Fish, Slap Jack, Rummy or Crazy Eights.  A simple google search for the rules and a deck of cards can lead to hours of entertainment.
  3. Indoor balloon volleyball
  4. Stack up plastic cups and knock them down with a remote control car.
  5. Marshmallow Olympics.  This might get a bit sticky so I would suggest holding the Olympics in room with a hard (mop friendly) floor.  Who has the best distance for throwing a marshmallow, kicking a marshmallow and, yes, spitting a marshmallow?
  6. Family talent show.  True story:  several years ago, we took our family to Disney.  One of the most talked about memories from that trip is the family talent show that we did one night after dinner.  The highlights of the show --- one son burped the ABCs and another son hit himself in the head with a pot lid.  Absolutely, 100% pure silliness…but it didn’t cost a thing.
  7. Play speed stack with plastic cups.  Who is the fastest in your family?
  8. Build a small catapult out of craft sticks, rubber bands and a plastic spoon.  Have contests to see who can fling a paper ball or marshmallow the farthest.  Here's a great set of directions from a Cub Scout dad, Devin Collier.