Super Saver 4th of July

Get ready IHB, June is almost here! In an ongoing quest to developer a deeper sense of community here in Irvine and on the IHB, I am proposing a new adventurous challenge?



Super Saver Saturdays was a game I created between some friends a few years ago. The challenge was to see who can have the most fun with the least amount of dollars spent. Basically who can get the most bang for their bucks with whatever activities they choose to participate in.



Every Sunday evening after dinner, we would meet for coffee, and share stories of what we?ve done over the weekend. We even actually kept receipts for gas, food, and tickets because the contest would get so heated and close at times. The couples usually spent more money, by going out to dinner and a movie but they usually have more fun and quality time versus the single guy who just spent the weekend alone playing video games. After everyone shared their story, we each voted (can?t vote for yourself) to see who had the most fun on the cheap. The winner got a boba milk tea!



It was a cheesy game where we tried to out do each other. In the end we all were enriched with creative inexpensive activities where fond memories were created. A few times the person who spent the most money won; I remember the friend who went sky diving; or took his girl friend scuba diving off Catalina. Most times however, it was a deep conversation over a long walk; or a misunderstanding resolved over a cup of coffee that won the contest.



Here are the rules and information for the contest:



--The contest starts today and ends Sunday evening June 28th.



--Any body of activities you and your family do over a 1-3 day period from now until the end of June?s contest is fair game; as long as you are willing to write and share it in a form of a story on this thread. USCTrojanMan can share all he wants about his drunken stupor with a cheap 6-pak; but I'm sure not everyone will find that amusing. Be sure to title (summarize) your story and tally the total dollars spent at the end of your story.



--On Sunday evening June 28th; I?ll compile the first 12 names (contestants) on a poll and we all get to vote on who the winner of June?s Super Saver Saturday contest should be (first 12 because the polls can only handle 12 entries).



--You can?t vote for you own story.



--Don?t make me pull receipts ? Anything that was previously purchased before the contest dates is permissible for the contest. Example: Say, PeterUK is allowed to use a bike he purchased last year for a ride he is going to do; however, if he buys a new bike for the ride then it would have to count towards dollars used. The Annual Pass to Disneyland that Graph & Caycifish bought last year won?t count; but if they eat hamburgers at Tomorrow Land then that would count towards total spent.



--The spirit of the contest is to give each other creative ideas for fun, memorable, meaningful, inexpensive activities that we can each easily duplicate on our own. It doesn?t have to be fancy or out of the way; as a matter of fact, the more simple and local the better. The price tag of the activities can be a quick way to determine its merits but if you can show how greater value was added by spending a little more, then that might just be the winning combination.



--The winner will receive a $10 Starbucks Gift card from me! I?m sorry if you don?t drink Starbucks; we?ll try other gift cards next time. I?ll leave the card with the barista at the Woodbury Towncenter; if you don?t live in Irvine; too bad, I?m not going to mail the card unless, maybe, you provide a PO Box.
 
Oooooh, I like it! Great idea, RC. I am going to participate and I already know what I'm going to do.



Zovall has already offered that anyone may become an Event Leader. Just shoot him a PM with a request and after he gets you set up, you will be able to create an event in Adventure Club.
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1243301724]Get ready IHB, June is almost here! In an ongoing quest to developer a deeper sense of community here in Irvine and on the IHB</blockquote>


Alright! Yeah! I am starting to like this RoundCorners guy! OMG! I think RC is starting to use my account... Whoa... that's weird.
 
I just tracked down Willie as my cheap living on a dime consultant. We are now roomates at 217 Memory Lane.



Oh No!! 40% off shoe sale at Christian Laboutin in June. BK and Mrs. BK's favorite shoes with the red bottom.
 
[quote author="PANDA" date=1243403881][quote author="roundcorners" date=1243301724]Get ready IHB, June is almost here! In an ongoing quest to developer a deeper sense of community here in Irvine and on the IHB</blockquote>


Alright! Yeah! I am starting to like this RoundCorners guy! OMG! I think RC is starting to use my account... Whoa... that's weird.</blockquote>


<img src="http://newmedia.funnyjunk.com/pictures/human-apologizes-to-panda1.jpg" alt="" />



Panda and RC
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1243416873][quote author="PANDA" date=1243403881][quote author="roundcorners" date=1243301724]Get ready IHB, June is almost here! In an ongoing quest to developer a deeper sense of community here in Irvine and on the IHB</blockquote>


Alright! Yeah! I am starting to like this RoundCorners guy! OMG! I think RC is starting to use my account... Whoa... that's weird.</blockquote>


<img src="http://newmedia.funnyjunk.com/pictures/human-apologizes-to-panda1.jpg" alt="" />



Panda and RC</blockquote>


BK. Can you please stop recycling old photos? That is an old picture of Graphcakes and me. Graphrix: "I am sorry Panda." Panda: " I am sorry Graphrix" Can we be friends?
 
<img src="http://www.pandamuseum.com/english/news/edit/UploadFile/2009123142511217.jpg" alt="" />



How about this one with the Swine Flu mask Mrs Panda is wearing?



Just in case you left the screen on this is a G rated picture.



She is throwing you out because of your IHB addiction.
 
Alright... I am in. You might be screwed, we just got a magazine on the OC lifestyle, that has a great article on the most bang for your buck in this economy. It still might be a matter of opinion, but I am willing to see what everyone thinks.



Panda can't play until he lives in Irvine, so he needs to chill, and instead post about how China is awesome or gold will go to $2000 or something.
 
<strong>roundcorners ? Life in Community</strong>



Since I started the thread I guess I should start. Well life is not easy right now with a 16-week old. We can plan to do anything we want but it all depends on the baby. Most things go out the window and end up being spontaneous. I hate to tell friends that we?ll have to play it by ear all the time. But what can we do? The baby does come first, well as of now. We could have plan on going out or have someone come over, but at the last minute come to find out that his sleep schedule has been pushed back two hours; or he is still hungry; or he?s completely fussy because he has not slept all day. Again, this is not a post about birth control, he is a blessing from God; but just a warning, and you might not consider our activities interesting or useful. I guess most of you will be the judge of that?



<strong>Thursday</strong>

So, I?ll just pick a random ?weekend?; this body of activities started on Thursday night May 28th. My wife attended a friend?s graduation that morning. That was tough to sooth the baby by myself, but I managed; while trying to make and answer work calls. I managed somehow, had to tell the doctors on the phone sometimes that I was on baby duty and to excuse the crying. As soon as she came home at around 12, I rushed out to work. I had to rush back home before 4:30 because the graduating party was going to use our club house for a BBQ. Luckily I didn?t have to bring anything just make sure the place was available. The BBQ turned out great; Woodbury Court?s club house has an open patio that anyone can use. We lit the outdoor fireplace and fired up the grills. Our friends bought 20 pounds of Korean BBQ and the graduates? family bought the rest of the meat and picnic ware. The wife and I had to take turns giving the baby a bath, nursing and putting the baby to sleep; we ended up calling it a night early while the party continued, but it was really convenient to have a 20+ people BBQ/get together with a last minute notice. I must say IAC does make it easy; and really impressed the guests; we were just glad we could host. The wife spent only ~$6.50 for a graduation picture frame from Party City; and that is not like her, she?s the Tiffany?s type for her close friends, but she knows we are on a budget. We got all the left overs; so there is still five pounds of meat in my fridge. I got to BBQ them this weekend.



<strong>Friday</strong>

Was a typical workday; got a call from the wife about mid-day that a friend of ours wants to give us a sofa! But again, I had to be home early. We have been thinking of moving our bed out to the living room and just making the bedroom the baby?s room. Plus, we can?t sleep the best when he is crying and moving around at night. Without the bed is going to make it hard to nurse, so we got the word out at church that we needed a sofa or love seat the previous Sunday. We didn?t think anything would come out of it; and thought we had to look on craigslist but God sure answered our prayer really quick. I had to be home early to get the house ready for the moves. Our friends showed up on time with the company van with a nice looking full sofa, not the best color but free. I help my friend lug the king size bed out to the living room and the sofa into the bedroom. What can we say, we have the best friends.



<strong>Saturday</strong>

Was fairly relaxing in the morning; I posted on the IHB that I walked with the baby across to Woodbury East. The wife had some lone time with the credit card at the South Coast Plaza. To my surprise when she came home, she only bought two blouses for like $20; and got like $30 store credit at Gymboree for returning gift cloths. I took a nap on our new sofa early afternoon with the baby in the basinet; I awoke half an hour later to find my wife?s two best friends peeking in to see the baby. I never know who is in our small apartment. What if I was sleeping naked or something! Well once, I came out of the bedroom, similar situation in my boxers to find unexpected guests over. Yes, life has never been the same, since the baby. We got the baby up not long after that and the girls went out for some coffee and to talk. I took the baby out by the pool. We were all in the parking lot saying our goodbyes and chatting after the girls came back when all of a sudden an acquaintance from church pulls up. He recognizes the group of people and needed to ask for directions. He was looking for our neighbors unit and didn?t know where to park. Apparently they were supposed to have a meeting/BBQ regarding their summer?s short term mission trip. Our neighbors weren?t home yet so we invited him up to our unit. Oh well, another unexpected guest? He stuck around until our neighbor rushed back, he didn?t mind that we left him alone with the cat while we gave the baby a bath.



<strong>Sunday</strong>

We went to church as usual. I stayed the previous week with the baby in the nursery; but we actually left him alone for the first time and went to church together! That was great; it has been since January the wife and I sat in the sanctuary together in the same service. When came to find out, when we came to get him that he didn?t cry at all. We nursed him and changed him during third service, stuck around church a little; with the baby, our only adult social interactions are quick anecdotes and greetings as families pass by each other in the hallway. After church our prayer ministry was having a casual picnic at the park. We went to In-&-Out on campus (our first time eating out that weekend); and met everybody at Bob the builder (Bill Barber) park. We had a large gathering of about 25-30 people; we took over kiosk #2; that was a great time; the baby took a long nap, and only needed one feeding. I talked to a few new faces and gave the baby a long walk around the park. It was so good to have some genuine adult conversation; one of our friends, another couple who had their daughter two and a half month ago were there; it?s great swapping tips and battle stories. I still think girls are totally easier; when she cries it sounds like a birds chirping; whereas our son sounds like a freight train. We went home and called it a weekend after that?



Graduation Gift: $6.50

Walgreens Photo Prints: $5

Korean BBQ: Free

Sofa: Free

Two Gap Maternity Blouses: $20

Gymboree Credit: -$30

Starbucks: $3

1.5 hour Church Child-Care: Free (I love it)

In-&-Out: $14

Living in community: Free

Total: $18.50 w/ Store Credit; $48.50 without? (rounded to the next dollar)



Edited, the wife noticed a few errors in prices?
 
Contest ends this Sunday, get your stories in, if you are still interested... next time I'll be sure to pick a shorter time frame... Like Super Saver Fathers Day or something...
 
I'm feeling guilty, RC. I had said I would participate in this activity. We've had three weeks of the flu being passed around in our house and has hit us every weekend. I may or may not have time now. I'm sorry about that. I look forward to reading everyone else's stories.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1245921854]I'm feeling guilty, RC. I had said I would participate in this activity. We've had three weeks of the flu being passed around in our house and has hit us every weekend. I may or may not have time now. I'm sorry about that. I look forward to reading everyone else's stories.</blockquote>


Sorry to hear that Socal, I kinda heard about it, I hope you are feeling better... let us know if you need anything!
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1245916950]Contest ends this Sunday, get your stories in, if you are still interested... next time I'll be sure to pick a shorter time frame... Like Super Saver Fathers Day or something...</blockquote>


This past Father's Day was my least expensive ever for food: 2 huge breakfasts at Mimi's cafe for free using free breakfast coupons obtained from Mimi's website, $10 out the door ($4 for 2 coffees plus tax and tip). Lunch consisted of free samples at Costco. Dinner at The Counter with their father's eat free promotion on Father's day, only paid for one entree for wife and fries, plus tax and tip, $15 out the door.



Needless to say, coupons, free offers, and burgers are not acceptable in my house for Mother's Day.
 
Since only one other person gave a partial response; how about we extend the contest just one more week. I kind of gave a bad example; your stories don?t have to be long like mine; heck if you can keep it under 140 characters twitter style, go for it. Same rules with the same parameters; by next Sunday, the 5th tell us what you and your family did over the week and or over the 4th weekend? have fun, use sunscreen!
 
Phew @ twitter style*



Here is my weekend in a few lines: Went to the Peter's canyon trail with kids around 9 am Saturday, and later let them play in the park. Had a sandwich for lunch, with veggie chips (from costco) and chilled chocolate soy milk. They had a lot of fun, while I relaxed with a book and DH got some extra exercise running on the trail. cost- $0 from pocket, but may be around $10 for all the supplies that came from Costco. Kids slept in the afternoon while we watched Rome-Season II. Rented from Blockbuster for free after returning a movie at the store. Probably costs $2/ DVD with our plan. Evening, we went out. To a Thai restaurant in Arcadia. Bill around $30. Walked around old town Pasadena. Sunday the kids and DH went to the Hicks canyon trail, walked around, and came home, blew bubbles. (from Target- $2 approx- and looks like it will last a month at least). I cooked for the whole week, and they tasted everything for lunch. We cleaned up together and they read books. Little one read to older one, and older one to little one- went on and on forever till the little one fell asleep. Oh, the books were from local library. So cost us nothing.



There! I had the most inexpensive weekend:) It's almost evening, dinner will be at home, and after that we will go to Pinkberry. Kids stay up till 9.30 these days since it's summer. So, having fun..



Fourth of July will be probably be in Bay Area.
 
4th of July will be in Palm Springs. Got a hook up for the place to stay. But... with the food and booze... it might be pricey.



This weekend was fairly cheap, until we went to PJ Abbeys for dinner.
 
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