The long Memorial Day weekend is around the corner which means Summer is almost here!! Memorial Day is the unofficial start of Summer, even though it doesn't actually start until June 21st.

Here in the Los Angeles area, the weather forecast says the high will be in the low 80's. A welcome change from the 100 degree weather we've been having.

If you are looking for fun and free things to do this holiday weekend (actually on any weekend), I've come up with at least 10 fun (mostly) outdoor activities that require little to no money at all.

1. Head To The Beach - pack up a cooler with food and drinks and head to the nearest beach. Leave early so you can get good parking for free.

2. Visit Farmers Markets - check out a few farmers market within your neighborhood. Sample a taste or two of some of the fresh fruits or drinks the vendors are offering. 

3. Pack A Picnic - Go to your nearby park with picnic basket in tow filled with yummy food, drinks & treats. Enjoy a leisurely day under a shady tree while listening to cool music.

4. Play Sports Outdoors - whether it's a game of basketball, tennis, tag football or frisbee ... the important thing is that you are amongst friends and having fun!

5. Stroll Art Festivals & Street Fairs - make a day out of of browsing through local artist's arts and crafts as well as other interesting vendor wares.

6. Check Out Flea Markets - explore local swap meets or flea markets and discover truly one-of-a-kind treasures.

7. Host A Potluck - instead of going out to a restaurant, get together with your favorite people and have a potluck at someone's house. You can rotate who will host the party next time amongst everyone.

8.  Tour Open Houses - pick a neighborhood that you might want to move to someday. Pick up a few ideas on how you might decorate your own home. 

9. Go For A Walk - whether it's a walk along the beach or the park, enjoy every sight along the way.

10. Plan Your Next Trip - it's never too early to start planning your next vacation. You not only save time, but money too! Plus, it gives you something to look forward to.

Mothers are special every single day of the week, but there's one day every year that celebrates how much she is loved and appreciated. 

This year, it's on Sunday, May 11th - Mother's Day!

Let mom know how special she is without breaking the (piggy) bank. Here are 10 favorite frugal gift ideas any mom would love:



Homemade Jewelry - find inexpensive beads, chains, jewels, etc.. at a craft or hobby store to create unique bracelets or necklaces. You can also customize the jewelry with letters that spell out her name. A really inexpensive option is look through some old jewelry and create a whole new piece!

Breakfast in Bed - greet mom in the morning with a tray of her favorite breakfast goodies. Include a homemade card, her favorite drink and some flowers too. 

Organize Her Closet - you can give this gift as a "coupon" that's included in her homemade Mother's Day card. This could be really fun and functional... have mom participate in which item in her closet goes in the Keep, Throw Away or Donate pile. 

Framed Photos - make copies of mom's favorite and special photos. Select a theme, such as a particular vacation, party, event, etc.. Choose various sized photo frames and group them in a gift basket.

Wine and Cheese - buy a couple of her favorite bottles of wine (there's some great ones at Trader Joe's) and a few delicious cheese wedges for a sophisticated gift basket that she can indulge in right away!

Movie Marathon - rent a few of mom's favorite DVD movies from Redbox or the library and spend a night with her watching movies while munching on buttered popcorn.

Picnic at the Park - prepare a picnic basket with mom's favorite stuff, including yummy desserts and head over to a nearby park under a shaded tree for a nice, leisurely picnic. 

Plant Arrangement - create a special and unique arrangement from your garden (or a friend's garden). Find a container, such as a pot, bowl, cup, pitcher, etc.. fill with dirt halfway, pick pieces of succulents (they work the best) taller ones in the center and shorter ones cascading off the sides. Top off with more dirt to pack them in and your unique homemade card.

Books and Magazines - encourage mom to take a breather and catch up on her reading. Give her a series of books she's been meaning to read and/or a few of her favorite magazines in a gift basket.

Special Classes - give mom the chance to try something new... whether it's yoga, belly dancing, pilates, cooking, a new language or any other special interest class she might have talked about. These classes are usually offered at community colleges. You can purchase a one class session or a series of classes.

This post was featured in CouponsDaily.com - Couponer Q&A last week. Click here to access the article on their website, or read it below...

Marissa Winfrey has been living a frugal existence ever since she can remember. Like a lot of people, she works from home, so saving money is key.

She has always looked for great bargains and getting the best value for her money without compromising style and quality. Her website and blog, TheFrugalLifestyle.com, offers readers money-saving tips on just about everything, from housing and shopping, to technology and travel.

1. Why did you create TheFrugalLifestyle.com?
After some friends asked me how I've saved money on this or that, I decided to compile everything I have done to save money into one website. From there, I also decided to incorporate a blog within the website.

2. What is the main goal of your blog?
The main mission of my blog is to empower others to adopt a frugal lifestyle without giving up what they are accustomed to. By being smart in their choices, prioritizing and taking control of what's truly important, everyone can truly enjoy a "richer" life.

3. What kind of deals does the blog focus on?
My blog specializes on spending less on almost everything. I also offer ideas and tips on how decorate on a budget.

4. How long have you been couponing?
I have been using coupons for a long time. The first time was probably about 15 years ago. I would get a variety of coupons in the mail from local merchants in my neighborhood. There was a coupon for a restaurant I wanted to try, so I took advantage of their mailer coupon and have been going back ever since.

5. Any particular books or speakers that helped you learn?
I read a book a while back I really liked called "The Everything Couponing Book: Clip Your Way to Incredible Savings." I'm also inspired by frugal celebrities like Kristin Bell and Zooey Deschanel. Although they have plenty of money, they like to get a deal just like the rest of us.

6. Are there any tips and tricks you can give to new couponers?
My best advice to new couponers is to only clip and save coupons you will actually use. They also should keep these coupons handy in their wallet so it's always accessible when they are out and about.

7. What's the best part about saving money through couponing?
I feel a sense of victory when I've found a way to save money on something I was already going to buy. Freebies are the best (besides being free, of course). Freebies expose potential customers to new businesses they might have otherwise not known about.

8. Does your family enjoy your couponing habits?
Everyone knows I'm the go-to frugal girl. When it comes to finding a way to save money, they ask me first.

9. Make the haters believe - is couponing worth the time?
Absolutely! People will be amazed by how much money they can save by just taking the time to find deals and offers. The savings can add up if one has the mentality that there's the potential to save money on almost everything.

10. What's an exciting thing you've done with money you saved?
One of my other passions (besides saving money) is travel, so the money I've saved goes into my travel budget. Last year I was able to use most of that money toward a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for Christmas.

11. How can people save on everyday purchases?
My recommendation is to sign up with their favorite grocery store's member rewards program. This is the most efficient and convenient way to save money on food and groceries because often the discounts are already programmed into their membership card.

12. What are your future plans for the blog?
I plan to continue to offer relevant frugal tips and ideas. In addition, my goal is to write more about investment tips and ways to make more money with little effort.