It’s been a little while since I’ve put up a guest post, but today I’ve got a great one from Jessica at Life as MOM. This one spoke to me because while school’s only been out less than a week I’ve already heard “I’ve got nothing to do” once or twice. Enjoy!

Spice up your summer evenings with family fun. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make some memories with your children. The following are suggestions for almost free family fun nights:

1. Pick up a $2 gallon of ice cream (even if it’s the bargain brand) and raid your cupboard for sundae toppings. Think outside the box: crushed cookies, maple syrup, sprinkles, chocolate chips, jam and cinnamon sugar will all make delicious toppings that won’t cost you a cent if you already have them on hand.

2. Browse your library’s online catalog and request newly released movies. You may have to wait a week or two for availability, but you’ll get to watch any number of flicks for absolutely free. Pop some popcorn for an inexpensive snack.

3. Slip on sturdy shoes and grab some water bottles, sunscreen, and a hat, and head for the hills – or the nearest hiking trail. Spend a few hours exploring the great outdoors, pick up sticks, inspect the bugs with your kiddos, breathe deeply. Start in the late afternoon so you’re not out after dark. See a directory of hiking trails by state here.

4. Bust out the board games that are gathering dust in the cupboard. Have a marathon night of playing games, munching on snacks and listening to music. Treat everyone to their favorite beverages of choice.

5. Create a visual scavenger hunt. Write a list for each child of things and places in your city, drawing pictures for non-readers. Hop in the car and tour the town. Players get to check off each item on their list that they see from the car window. End with homemade root beer floats. You just might want to add “root beer float” to the lists, then everyone is a winner.

6. Call a family friend and find out what night she doesn’t have any plans. Warn her that you’re bringing supper and your family for an evening together. Make sure she doesn’t tell her kids. You and your brood pile in the car and surprise the rest with dinner and a fun night together.

Jessica Fisher, aka FishMama, is a mother of six children under 12. She regularly writes about fun, frugality and the pursuit of a clean house at Life as MOM. You can also find her on Twitter at @fishmama.

My latest post is up on All You’s blog, Daily Savings from All You, and this week I share freebies you can snag for your dog, including dog treats, toys, coupons and pet food. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

I’ve got a great guest post for you this week from Carrie at Money Saving Methods. I met her at BlissDom in February and was amazed at how much money she’s been able to make by taking advantage of online surveys, bank offers and mystery shopping. Read on to learn her secrets and let me know what you think!

My name is Carrie and I am the author of Money Saving Methods. And, if you couldn’t tell from the title of my blog, I write about different methods I use to save and earn money from home. I am a stay-at-home (blogging) mom raising 3 kids (4, if you count my husband!).

Erin wanted me to share fun and easy money-making methods you can do from home. Although saving is an essential part of financial well-being for your family (I love coupon shopping, sale shopping, etc.), so is earning extra money from home. If you track both together, you can make a substantial impact on your family finances, and every little bit helps.

So, I would like to share a few of my favorite money-makers.

1) Surveys. These can be money-makers that you do at your own convenience. Not only do you get to give your opinion, but you get paid. At times, you will get items to test at home or be invited to participate in focus groups. Some of the companies even give you a bit of money when you complete your pre-screening questions for each survey.

The key with Surveys is to NOT pay for any of these companies online that promise you will make a living doing this. I am here to tell you that it won’t happen. You will make money, but a realistic amount. Many people save up their earnings and cash out during the holidays to help pay for holiday shopping.

2) Mystery Shopping. Do you like to shop? What about going out to eat at restaurants with your family? If you do, Mystery Shopping is a wonderful way to make some extra money or get free dinners out, etc.

If you apply with legit (never pay) companies, you will begin to receive shop requests daily that you can apply for and, if accepted, complete. One of my readers recently got a $450 Gym membership for free just for filling out a report each month. How fun is that?

My favorite shops are always dinner shops, as I can bring my whole family…kids included. Other times, my husband and I have gone to very nice and expensive restaurants we would not have frequented otherwise. And, my kids favorites? The pizza shops!

3) Bank Offers. Do you see all those advertisements for $100 free to open a new checking account or $50 free to set up a savings account? Most of these have very easy stipulations to meet and before you know it, you have free money in your account. And, as many people don’t realize, they usually do soft pulls on your credit, so they do NOT affect your credit score. Yay!

The other benefit, you will find many banks have wonderful programs that might actually interest you and be beneficial financially. It is worth trying these institutions out and getting a bonus.

4) Online Offers. My all time favorite. I have been doing these for 3 years and have made a very nice income off of them…approx. $20,000. Next time you see a pop-up advertisement online for a free Plasma TV, don’t automatically assume it is a scam. Of course, research to make sure it is a legit company, or check my site, but consider how much extra money you could make for your family with these.

I just received a $500 VISA Gift Card in the mail a few weeks ago. And, to top it off, my readers’ accumulated earnings for March were over $11,000 in free money, 2 Wii’s and 2 Wii Fits. It is the most exciting earning opportunity from home! I can’t speak highly enough about these companies.

These are just a few of the money makers I enjoy and utilize for my own family each year. Don’t forget, there are ways to make money each and every day. Do you have a checking account? Is it a High Interest account? If not, you are losing out on money for something you use every day.

Do you grocery shop? Fill your car up with gas? If so, are you utilizing a credit card that pays maximum out on these services? We have a card that pays 5% and 3% back on these. Of course, we pay them off in full each month!

And, remember, as I said earlier, every little bit helps! When you combine earnings and savings together, the impact to your own family can be amazing!