Did you know with $1 -- North Texas Food Bank can purchase 4 Meals?

With the economy sucky -- the North Texas Food Bank has taken a major hit this year. They have a goal of feeding 20 million meals this year.  Trying to find ways to help, we initially were going to host a local food drive. Upon further research we found that by holding a virtual food drive we are able to leverage the power of the web and actually provide more to the food bank.

How do you help? Click the large button below and decide what you would like to donate. The North Texas Food Bank then uses your money to buy food in bulk (think of it as you are helping them BARGAIN shop!).

All donations are made thru North Texas Food Bank’s Virtual Food Drive program.
Your donation is 100% tax deductible (you will receive an email receipt upon donating).
Bargain Mama & Dallas Socials only interest in this is helping those in need. Join us in donating to this great cause.

Tis’ the Season to Give!

Learn more about a virtual food drive:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w3DYqgf9Fs

Thank you for being the change!
Bargain Mama & Dallas Socials

DFW Residents -- keep in the know with all things Dallas -- follow Dallas Socials on Twitter: @dallassocials

Anyone who knows me (or reads this site), OBVIOUSLY knows that I LOVE a good bargain.  I find buying at full price downright silly.

Something hit me this past year. My husband and I both make good incomes. We’ve been incredibly blessed to be where we are with no college diploma. Our kids are healthy.  It’s time for us to find ways to give back.

This post isn’t a “rah, rah -- go us”. I hate when people are like that. It’s more of hoping that this maybe something you consider this season.

There are so many out there that need help.  I’ve found no greater satisfaction than giving.   We give monthly to World Vision and am happy to know that 2 children and their families are supported now.

But what about locally? Our family has taken on an angel tree family this year. We are sponsoring their Christmas. I thought it would be a great thing to do with the kids. Anything I can do to help them understand how fortunate they are and how we can make a difference in someone else’s life with minimal effort.

The family we chose was Spanish speaking. A friend from work translated. I asked her to talk to the mom to get the sizes that all of the family members wear. There are 3 children, a mom and a dad. Also, if the family had needs -- what those were. And what the children were wanting for Christmas.

My friend spoke to the mom for 10 minutes. All the family wanted was warm clothes and coats.

I asked for verification. This can’t be it. I mean with 3 kids and they just want COATS?  My friend said that money was scarce -- but they can find food. Coats and clothes are harder to come by.

OMG. Melt my heart. I am someone who HATES being cold. I stop and buy fuzzy socks if the heater in the car isn’t keeping my toes warm enough. And these people just want coats & warm clothes.

Thru the beauty of bargain shopping, the family will be warm this winter. Coats at Walmart were $8 each. Blankets from Old Navy were $5. Clothes from Target, Walmart and Old Navy off sales racks in the right sizes (and low prices) have seem to just appear. Between Amazon deals and Toys R Us finds -- their kids will have toys.   There is no way we could do this paying full price. Bargain shopping for my family is fun, but bargain shopping knowing that the purchases will be appreciated and NEEDED -- is a whole new high.

This year, my kids will have a few less gifts under the tree. They’ll survive (and the playroom will be cleaner!). Hopefully they’ll come to understand the meaning of giving. This is the giving season (though i am hoping to make this into a year round habit).

What can you do to help? Here are a few simple ideas:

Trade As One:

Half of this world’s population, lives on $2 a day. What if our spending, could save a life? Fair trade transforms communities. Purchase Christmas gifts that can help others. (Plus, the gifts are really cool & totally unique -- prices are good as well!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=32vhX213iDo

Give the Gift of Giving for the Holidays:

Did you know you can give 2 chickens to a family for $25? Better yet -- you can give in someone else’s name.
worldvisiongifts.org

Angel Tree -- Find a Child or Family In Your Area:

There are various Angel Tree programs thru-out the United States. Here is a resource that helps children of prisoners.
angeltree.org

Strapped for Cash? Donate Your Time:

Volunteermatch.com matches you with local non-profits. Donate a few hours and watch your life (and those you help) change.
volunteermatch.org

Participate in a Virtual Canned Food Drive:

Stay tuned! More info on this coming soon.

Hoping that this post inspires a few to consider picking up an extra toy that you find on clearance and donating to a child who now has a Christmas present because of you.

Seasons greetings and HAPPY BARGAINING 4 GOOD!

Bargain Mama

Looking for things to do with the kids this summer?

Check these FREE events – courtesy of Target!

Arizona

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix – Target Kids Corner
Free arts activities with paid garden admission Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1201 North Galvin Parkway
Phoenix AZ, 85008-3437
480-481-8115

California

California African American Museum, Los Angeles – Target Sundays at CAAM
Free First Sundays
600 State Drive
Los Angeles CA, 90037-1267
213-744-7432

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco – Target Tuesdays at Asian Art Museum
Free First Tuesdays
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco CA, 94102-4734

Centro Cultural De La Raza – Sunday Zapateado presented by Target
Free Second Sundays, 2 p.m.
2125 Park Blvd.
Balboa Park
San Diego CA, 92101
619-235-6135

Los Angeles County Museum of Art – Target Free Holiday Mondays
Free Admission, MLK Day 1/21; President’s Day 2/18; Memorial Day 5/26; Labor Day 9/1; Veteran’s Day 9/11; Columbus Day 10/13
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90063
323-857-6000

Children’s Museum of LaHabra – Target Free First Saturdays
301 S. Euclid Street LaHabra, CA 90631
562-905-9793

Target Free Family Saturdays
359 E. First Street Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-625-0414

Colorado

Museo de las Americas, Denver – Target Free Family Days
Free First Saturdays
861 Santa Fe Drive
Denver CO, 80204
303-571-4401

The Children’s Museum of Denver – Target First Tuesday Nights
Free First Tuesdays, 4–8 pm
2121 Children’s Museum Drive
Denver CO, 80211
303-433-7444

District of Columbia

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage
Free performances every day
2700 F Street, NW
Washington D.C., 20566
800-444-1324

Florida

Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville – Target Free Wednesday Nights
Free admission every Wednesday, 5–9 p.m.
333 North Laura Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202 USA
904-366-6911

Young at Art Children’s Museum
Target First Fridays
Free First Fridays, 5:30–8:30 p.m.
11584 West State Road 84
Davie, FL 33325
954-424-0085

KidCity: The Children’s Museum of Tampa – Target Free First Fridays
Free First Fridays, 5–8 p.m.
7550 North Boulevard
Tampa FL, 33604
813-935-8441

Miami Children’s Museum – Target Free Third Fridays
Free Third Fridays, 3–9 p.m.
980 Mac Arthur Causeway
Miami, FL 33132
305-373-5437

Illinois

Chicago Children’s Museum – Target Free First Mondays
Free admission for kids 15 and under. First Monday of every month, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
700 East Grand Avenue, Navy Pier
Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier
Chicago IL, 60611
312-527-1000

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago – Target Free Tuesdays
Free every Tuesday
220 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago IL, 60611
312-280-2660

Congo Square Theatre, Chicago – Target Saturday Matinees
2-for-1 Tickets, Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Various locations
Chicago, IL 60657
312-587-2292

Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago – Target Saturday Matinees
Buy One, Get One Free, Saturday performances at 3 p.m.
821 North Michigan Avenue
Water Tower Water Works
Chicago IL, 60611
312-337-0665

Art Institute of Chicago – Target Free Evenings
Free General Admission every Thursday, 5–9 p.m.
Free General Admission every Friday from Memorial Day until Labor Day, 5–9 p.m.
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago IL, 60603-6110
312-443-3600

The Field Museum – Target Free Second Mondays
Free admission every second Monday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
1400 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2496
312-922-9410

National Museum of Mexican Art – Target Free Admission at the NMMA
Free admission every day during museum hours, 10 a.m–5 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday
1852 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
312-738-1503

Millennium Park Family Fun Festival Presented by Target
June 3–September 1, 2008 Daily, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Summer-long free festival of music, performances and family activities for all ages, seven days a week in the Millennium Park Family Fun Activity Tent and on the Jay Pritzker Pavillion Performance Stage.

Chicago Children’s Choir – Target Free Family Concert in Millennium Park
Thursday, June 12, 6:30 p.m.

Indiana

Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – Target Family Nights
Free First Thursdays, 4–8 p.m.
3000 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317-334-3322

Massachusetts

The Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston – Target Free Thursday Nights
Free every Thursday, 5–9 p.m.
100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
617-478-3100

Boston Children’s Museum- Target $1 Friday Nights
$1 Admission every Friday, 5–9 p.m.
300 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
617-426-8855

Michigan

Flint Institute of Arts – Target Free Saturdays
Free every Saturday
1120 E. Kearsley Street
Flint, MI 48503
810-234-1695

Arab American National Museum, Dearborn – Target Family Free Sundays
13624 Michigan Avenue
Dearborn MI, 48126
313-582-2266

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit – Target Free First Sundays
315 East Warren
Detroit MI, 48201
313-494-5800

Minnesota

Walker Art Center, Minneapolis – Target Free Thursday Nights
Every Thursday night from 5–9 p.m.
1750 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis MN, 55403
612-375-7600

Minnesota Children’s Museum – Target Free 3rd Sundays
10 West Seventh Street
St. Paul MN, 55102
651-225-6001

Missouri

The Magic House – St. Louis Children’s Museum – Target Free Family Nights
Free Third Fridays, 5:30–9 p.m.
516 S. Kirkwood Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63122
314-822-8900

The Coterie Theatre – Kansas City – Target Saturday Matinees
2-for-1 tickets on Saturdays
Crown Center
2450 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
816-474-6552

The Black Repertory Theatre, St. Louis – Target Next Generation Family Matinee Series
2-for-1 Tickets, free admission for ages 8-18 with purchase of one adult ticket – Thursday and Saturday Matinees – Performances at The Grandel Theatre
3610 Grandel Square
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
314-534-3810

New York

Museum of Modern Art – Target Free Friday Nights
Free Fridays, 4–8 p.m.
11 West 53 Street
New York NY, 10019
212-708-9400

Brooklyn Museum – Target First Saturdays
Free First Saturdays, 5–11 p.m.
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn NY, 11238
718-638-5000

Children’s Museum of Manhattan – Target Free First Friday Nights
212 West 83rd Street
New York, NY 10024
212-721-1234

New Museum for Contemporary Art – Target First Saturdays for Families
235 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
212-219-1222

North Carolina

Mint Museum of Art – Target Family Fun Saturdays
Family activities on Second Saturdays, 10:30–12:30 p.m. Free admission for kids 15 and under with adult purchase
2730 Randolph Road
Charlotte NC, 28207
704-337-2000

Ohio

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Community Festivals
Check www.rockhall.com for dates. Free family festival and entertainment.
One Key Plaza
Cincinnati OH, 44114
216-781-ROCK

Pennsylvania

Please Touch Museum – Target First Wednesdays
5–7 p.m.
210 North 21st Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-963-0667

Texas

Amon Carter Museum – Target Family Fun Days
Family Activities on second Sundays, Noon to 5 p.m.
beginning November 11, 2007
Admission is always free!
3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-738-1933

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – Target First Free Sundays
Free First Sundays, 12:15–7 p.m.
1001 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
713-639-7300

Nasher Sculpture Center – Target First Saturdays
Free admission from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on first Saturdays
2001 Flora St.
Dallas, TX 75201
214-242-5100

Victory Media Network Outdoor Digital Art Gallery at Victory Park
Starting March 23, 2007
Free and open to the public daily
Victory Plaza
2500 Victory Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75219

Washington

Seattle Art Museum – First Free Saturdays presented by Target at the Seattle Asian Art Museum
Free First Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
1400 East Prospect Street
Seattle WA, 98112-3303
206-654-3100

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Bargain Mama

Donate to help Heather and MIke via payal: formaddie@hotmomreviews.com

Bargain Mama is my primary outlet for all the great deals I find and share with the web world. But sometimes, things like bargains just aren’t that important. Real life happens. And one of those real life things happened recently…

Heaven has a new angel. Meet Maddie Spohr. Maddie moved to heaven a week ago. Ever since that day, a huge online community has gathered around her and her family to celebrate her life – as short as it was here on Earth.

I didn’t know Maddie personally, nor do I know her parents. What I do know that this little girl was something special. Please take a moment to say a little prayer for Maddie and her family. Tomorrow they lay their little girl to rest, something no parent should ever have to do.

To learn more about Maddie and her family, please visit: http://www.remembermaddie.com/

God bless you little Maddie and Spohr family.
-Bargain Mama

TwitterSheep.com – too fun. This is similar to Wordle – but takes the bio’s from your twitter followers and creates your “twitter flock”