When you want to put a little magic into your Halloween, you will find that you simply cannot go wrong with Harry Potter costumes. Whether you are shopping for your own kids or you are looking for something fun yourself, decide which Harry Potter costumes will suit you the best.

The nice thing about choosing to play one of the students is that the robes can suit either boys or girls. Harry Potter himself and his best friend Ron Weasely are perfect for anyone who loves to play hero, and if you would rather play someone a little darker, there’s always Draco Malfoy and his henchmen Crabbe and Goyle.

If that’s not their style, then maybe Draco Malfoy, Crabbe or Goyle will be more to their liking. Specifically for a girl, there are Harry Potter costumes for both Hermone Granger and Luna Lovegood, and adding a wig with a basic costume is a quick and easy finishing touch.

Don’t forget that there are adult Harry Potter costumes as well. If you like strict and stern, consider Snape’s signature black cassock-cut robes, and if you want to get a little wilder, look for Sirius Black’s prison uniform.

For the men, you can choose to be edgy with a prison uniform for Sirius Black or you can play it down with a black robe outfit with Snape.

Who says you have to be limited to just the human characters either? A Harry Potter Halloween can include all of the other creatures and characters with the right addition of masks and makeup.For example, a werewolf mask and some accessories will be great for Remus Lupin when he’s transformed. Or you can embrace the spooky side of Halloween and scare people while dressed up as Dementor.

Clearly there are lots of options to choose between when it comes to Harry Potter costumes. Find something that matches your personality or preferences and you’ll be all set.

If you want to make a splash this October 31st, you want to make sure that you are taking the time to look for a great pirates costume.

Maybe you have always had a thing for sailors or you feel in love with Johnny Depp’s character, Captain Jack Sparrow, you can make this Halloween a Halloween you will always cherish.

For a quick glimpse into the fantasy world, many people automatically think back to the time of the seventeenth and the eighteenth century for their pirate costumes ideas. You want to look for a poet’s shirt, full frock coats, black slacks and tall boats. If you are dressing as a lady pirate, go for the corset or bodice that will enhance your figure and make the jaws of the men around you drop.

When you are thinking about purchasing a mens pirates Halloween costume, make sure that you get it from a quality dealer. Look for the ones that use good cloth and that have costumes that will stay together. A little bit of wear and tear is fine, but you don’t want it to fall apart before midnight!

One nice thing about the pirates costume is that while a lot of people will be attempting to put the same thing together, not everyone will do it very well. This means you have a chance to stand out. You want details in your costume such as matted, twisted hair so that it looks sea-logged.

Similarly, take some time to really dirty your clothes and to make it look as if you have been fighting off of the Spanish Main for the past few months! Details are everything! You will be the best dressed pirate at your door or party.

If you have wondered if it were possible to get cheap and safe babysitting in this economy crisis, the answer is a resounding “yes”! It’s true that for many families, childcare costs can exceed even their mortgage or rent payment, making it their most expensive household expenditure. But, during this economy crisis, many families are looking for ways to reduce all of those high cost budget busters, which includes childcare, so that they can make ends meet.

Here are 2 ways to reduce the overall expense of childcare and still ensure that your child is safe and happy:

1. Work out your own babysitting “program” with 2 or 3 families. Your family is not the only one that needs a little help during this economy crisis. Develop a babysitting swapping program with a few close families that you know and you will almost immediately see a family financial saving. Cost-conscious families can team up and share the babysitting load. The saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child. well, a few families may not be a village, but you probably have a lot that you can each offer the other children and families in the babysitting group that you develop.

You can keep it simple by first planning on a quarterly basis. Consider all of the times that you may need additional childcare help such as afterschool, early school release days, for a date night with your partner, or for a whole weekend at some point. Stay flexible and consider everyone’s contribution. Take full advantage of each other’s skills and abilities by encouraging each other to plan activities with the children that are your personal strong suit or something that you are exceptionally passionate about. This will help to keep everyone engaged, and the saving, cost reduction, and safety that you all feel will make the co-op even more valuable.

2. Find a family member to live in. If you have the space and a family member that needs a place to stay and a few dollars, this option may work for you. Many families benefit from “live-in” childcare or nannies, especially when it is a relative that you can trust and feel comfortable with. Many times, the relative will babysit your children in exchange for a free place to live. You may pay the relative a few dollars if you feel it necessary, but for many, just having a place to stay, especially if they are college students or trying to save money for their own home or a move, this arrange could work out well.

The cost of weekly childcare at a professional day care center can run a family upwards of $300-400 per child. Just by having a live-in childcare arrangement in place, a family realizes a huge saving. Cost-reduction for live-in childcare could be as much as 75% or about $200 savings per week. It’s definitely worth it for everyone involved. The children get the attention and love of a family member, you get peace of mind that your child is safe, and the relative gets to save a few dollars which could really help them to manage their own costs of living.

Your family will appreciate the saving, cost reduction, and opportunity to try a new way of getting your childcare taken care of with these two easy methods. During this economy crisis, everyone is looking for alternatives that will work for their families. Reducing your child care expense could be just the break that your family budget needs!

Toys are an integral part of a child’s life. They play with them, they build with them, and their little minds are constantly coming up with new and inventive ways to use them to express themselves. Toys are great. But, during an economy crisis, those high retail prices can cost a family a pretty penny. As long as people don’t try to get their kids the biggest, most expensive toys on the market, they have a chance as getting lots of fun play things without breaking the bank.

It is absolutely possible for any frugal fashionista to get her kids great toys during this economy crisis if she follows these three easy tips:

Try having a toy trade party. Families will love the opportunity to swap toys while saving. Cost-conscious parents know that buying toys in retail stores can be pretty bad for a budget, but with the toy trade, kids can get “new” toys in a flash and for free!

Toy exchanges are easy to set up. Simply find a space, such as a church basement or community center that you can rent for free, and invite everyone to bring their used toys. Group the toys according to type or age. Give the kids a bag or basket and let them rummage through picking what they like best. That way, they get what they want and there’s no “guesswork” for parents.

Buy for cheap! Make a commitment not to spend over a certain amount for toys. That doesn’t mean that you should buy all of your children’s toys from the dollar store, as sometimes, those toys are not even WORTH a dollar. However, if you set your toy budget in advance, then you can seek out sales and other opportunities to buy for cheap.

Grab those after-holiday deals. Right after Christmas and Easter, lots of stores try to clear their shelves of all of those left over toys. Any frugal fashionista can, of course, expect to be able to buy for cheap with discounts totaling as much as 60% off of the regular price. But, they can also expect to get tons of toys they can use later in the year for birthdays or other “gifting” events.

Of course, you should never forget about the thrift stores and garage sales. They are great places to buy for cheap lots of toys that your kids will love. Buying at a thrift store or garage sale could net you a savings of up to 90%!

Try to get them completely FREE. Consignment shops are fantastic places where you can take your gently used things and get cash or store credit for them. You and your family were most likely done with using those things anyway. So, why not get money for them? Once you get the money or store credit, then you can either get some more toys using that credit at the consignment shop or take your free cash and shop somewhere else where you can get a bargain on the toys that your kids want!

Gone are the days when families can readily afford taking in a movie at the theatre every weekend, or even patronizing the local pizzeria. Most of us have scratched such activities from the family budget, just in order to make ends meet. However, this doesn’t mean that family outings are out of the question. We just need to find activities that are affordable.

Getting the whole family involved in a get together keeps family ties close and affords opportunities for communication that we may no longer have at the dinner table, due to schedules that don’t match up at the same time. Here are five ideas for cheap family fun that every member of the family will enjoy, despite budgetary constraints.

1.When was the last time your family went on a picnic? No matter where you live, there are plenty of public parks where you can have a picnic in beautiful surroundings. Pack up your lunch and a couple of blankets or beach chairs and get out in the fresh air. You’ll be eating lunch anyway, so this is indeed cheap family fun. Bring toys for younger kids to play with, a ball for older kids to play a game of catch and you’re in business. Board games provide more fun, so everyone has a good time.

2.Nature walks are virtually free, but for the gas it takes to get there. Now that gas prices are reasonable, this activity is cheap family fun at its finest. If you have a set of binoculars, bring them to spy out birds and forest critters. Go to the library and check out a field guide for your area. Kids and adults alike enjoy being able to identify plants, rocks, seashells or tide pool residents.

3.If you live in a metropolitan area, you’ve got a kid’s museum somewhere close by. Typically, there’s no admission fee. At worst, the entrance fee is nominal. Combine a picnic with the remainder of the afternoon spent checking out the kid’s museum. More cheap family fun on the hoof.

4.Biking is another great idea for a cheap family outing. If the kids all have their own bikes, but you and Dad don’t, you can rent bikes cheaply from your local bike shop. Almost every town in America has biking trails, some of which are quite picturesque. You discover new scenery and get some exercise as well.

5.Many community parks have swimming pools, volleyball courts, playgrounds, skateboarding areas and other kid friendly activities. Again, there’s no charge for making use of these city and county parks and there’s something for everyone to do. It gives the kids opportunities to make new friends, while parents can supervise while having a little quiet time to chat.

Cheap family fun ideas are everywhere. Once you put a little thought into finding these activities, you’ll see that you have tons of free, or next to free activities to fill months of weekends.

Now a Kansas Vacation can be one that is filled with history, beautiful lands, great museums, good sports, festivals, cultural events and attraction and great people! You can choose to spend you Kansas vacation in a large city like Kansas City or you can go to the many small towns in the state and get a taste of what makes Kansas special. Primarily, it’s the great people.

When I tell you that you can visit the small towns it’s no joke. Kansas has a large number of towns under 1000 people. Take Selden for example. Here, according to the July 2007 report there is a population of 177. Even though there are small towns there is huge pride and friendliness so stop in and say hello. There is land enough to give you some space, views that go on for “ever” and history that will keep you interested for hours on end. Try your luck hunting the pheasants at one of the ranches or farms that take you out during the season.

If you like haunted places then you really want to go to Atchison where there is a Haunted Atchison Trolley Tour that will take you through the “Most Haunted Town in Kansas.” The trolley runs in September and October. The 1 hour ghost tour takes you to a number of homes in the community such as the McInteer Villa where lights go on and off in areas where there is no electricity, ghostly appearances have shown in the tower of the house and also in family photographs. There are footsteps where no one is and doors slamming in rooms that are empty. This is just one of the many houses that you will visit while riding the 1880 AT&SF trolley.

Near Augusta there is Henry’s Sculpture Hill with its wide array of unique outdoor sculptures, primarily made from steel and/or found objects. Now, this being a private hill the owner has stopped tours for now due to “maintenance, insurance, old age, and attitude, [but] serious buyers who are looking for original steel sculptures are welcome by appointment.” Now doesn’t that just sound like an artist? How neat and fun. If you are looking for something totally different you may want to visit the hill as a “buyer”.

Want to visit the Garden of Eden? Just think of your Kansas vacation as an opportunity to do just that in Lucas at the “log house” built by a retired school teacher following the Civil War. Dinsmoor took “logs” made of limestone, laid them in the same pattern as timber logs would be placed and created his home. None of the windows or doors are the same size, he wanted the house to have character and attract attention. The construction took 31 years before he was completely done with the house and the gardens where he used 113 lbs of concrete and limestone to create his vision. The 11 room house was shown in tours to those that wanted to see it in his time and still today. To visit the house has a fee of $6 for adults and $1 for kids.

If you are in the Manhattan or Junction City area you may want to stop in at Fort Riley. There are some truly unique things at the Fort like the Stable Tour where you can see the building that was home to the horses of the last cavalry training stables with its original cobblestone flooring. This building was built in 1889 and originally housed 76 horses; today the building is home to the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard and houses 20 horses. Of course there are new and technological training programs that take place at the Fort but there is so much history to study while there that it could be a more than one day experience.

Now let’s go back to the comments about flat land. If you want to see something really pretty you want to visit Gypsum Hills. This is an area of rolling hills, mesas, canyons and buttes in central Kansas. There are red cedar trees and with the ground being filled with iorn oxide the land is actually red! Most of the area is open range so keep your eyes open for livestock strolling along, particularly if you get off the paved roads and go along the dirt roads in the area. This 42 mile drive, from Coldwater to Medicine Lodge, has been designated the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway by the state of Kansas.

Hot and Cold water towers dot the skyline of Canton. Here the townspeople used their sense of humor to make them stand out among the usual settings of towers. Just think of how funny they think it is when “city folk” ask if they really do hold hot and cold water!

Ok, so you are now entering the state of Kansas and you are dreading the long, flat boring drive where there is nothing to see or do. Well, wake up and look around! Kansas travel has an extremely interesting history, beautiful prairielands, fantastic museums, cultural events and atrractions and the most wonderful people in the midwest! Going from the large cities like Kansas City to the litty bitty towns of Garnett you will find great people and interesting things to do and see.

Small town Kansas is not a joke. There are a large number of very small towns (under 1000 people) in the state. Just look at Selden with a population of 177 as of July 2007. Now, they may be small but these communities have pride! What the smaller towns mean is that there is more open space to be enjoyed. Here people appreciate the land and all that comes with it, from the fabulous farms to the wheat fields and great hunting. There are farms and hunting clubs available in the state for you to try your luck with the pheasants during hunting season. You’ll enjoy the experience.

If you like haunted places then you really want to go to Atchison where there is a Haunted Atchison Trolley Tour that will take you through the “Most Haunted Town in Kansas.” The trolley runs in September and October. The 1 hour ghost tour takes you to a number of homes in the community such as the McInteer Villa where lights go on and off in areas where there is no electricity, ghostly appearances have shown in the tower of the house and also in family photographs. There are footsteps where no one is and doors slamming in rooms that are empty. This is just one of the many houses that you will visit while riding the 1880 AT&SF trolley.

Take the time to enjoy Henry’s Sculpture Hill near Augusta. Here are sculptures created from steel and/or found objects will have you enjoying the creativity of this wonderful artist. The display is privately owned and the artist has stopped tours, at least for now. He said because of “maintenance, insurance, old age, and attitude, [but] serious buyers who are looking for original steel sculptures are welcome by appointment.” Take a little time and see this delightful site.

There are times in our lives when being in the Garden of Eden seems like it would be a fabulous way to live. Obviously Dinsmoor of Lucas, Kansas thought so too. Following the Civil War this retired school teacher spent his final 31 years building his Garden of Eden. The “log cabin” was built with limestone logs up to 27 ft long and put together just like a log house would be constructed. None of the windows or doors are the same size to give the house a unique appearance. He then went on to build his garden which contains 113 tons of concrete adn with limestone and tells the history of the world starting with its creation. He gave tours of his 11 room house for years and now, you can see it and enjoy the history even though he has been gone for years! The cost for the tour is just $6 for adults and $1 for children so it is an inexpensive break from traditional sites.

Manhattan and Junction City are the home of Fort Riley. Here you can experience the history of the past and see the current military strategies. You can tour the last cavalry training stables with its original cobblestone flooring which used to house 76 horses. Today it still houses horses for the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard where 20 head are ready for parade all the time. This facility was built in 1889. When you are through with this tour there are a number of others that will be just as interesting for you to see and enjoy.

Now let’s go back to the comments about flat land. If you want to see something really pretty you want to visit Gypsum Hills. This is an area of rolling hills, mesas, canyons and buttes in central Kansas. There are red cedar trees and with the ground being filled with iorn oxide the land is actually red! Most of the area is open range so keep your eyes open for livestock strolling along, particularly if you get off the paved roads and go along the dirt roads in the area. This 42 mile drive, from Coldwater to Medicine Lodge, has been designated the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway by the state of Kansas.

Hot and Cold water towers dot the skyline of Canton. Here the townspeople used their sense of humor to make them stand out among the usual settings of towers. Just think of how funny they think it is when “city folk” ask if they really do hold hot and cold water!

Many people think of Kansas tourism as this flat wasteland in the center of the United States. How wrong they are! Kansas is filled with interesting history, beautiful prairielands, museums, cultural events and attractions and the nicest people anywhere. You can travel in Kansas going from the large city of Kansas City to the little bitty town of Garnett where hospitality is shown in abundance.

Kansas has a number of very small towns such as Selden with a population of 177 as of July 2007. What this means is that there is a lot of open space for people that want to visit someplace they can actually breath without running into someone else in exactly the same spot! Here people appreciate the land and the hunting available. The pheasants are plentiful as well as the hunting farms and ranches that play host to the visitors.

When you visit Atchison you may want to take a ride on the Haunted Atchison Trolley. Atchison has been dubbed the “Most Haunted Town in Kansas” so in conjunction with this the chamber has offered the trolley tours in September and October. These 1 hour ghost tours leave from the Visitor Information Center in the 1880 AT&SF freight depot. One of the homes on the tour is the McInteer Villa which is said to have numerous ghostly appearances from lights going on in the tower where there is no power to figures appearing in the tower windows and in family photographs or footsteps and other noises on occasion as well as slamming doors. There are quite a number of “haunted” houses on the tour and each has a story of its own to tell.

Take the time to enjoy Henry’s Sculpture Hill near Augusta. Here are sculptures created from steel and/or found objects will have you enjoying the creativity of this wonderful artist. The display is privately owned and the artist has stopped tours, at least for now. He said because of “maintenance, insurance, old age, and attitude, [but] serious buyers who are looking for original steel sculptures are welcome by appointment.” Take a little time and see this delightful site.

There are times in our lives when being in the Garden of Eden seems like it would be a fabulous way to live. Obviously Dinsmoor of Lucas, Kansas thought so too. Following the Civil War this retired school teacher spent his final 31 years building his Garden of Eden. The “log cabin” was built with limestone logs up to 27 ft long and put together just like a log house would be constructed. None of the windows or doors are the same size to give the house a unique appearance. He then went on to build his garden which contains 113 tons of concrete adn with limestone and tells the history of the world starting with its creation. He gave tours of his 11 room house for years and now, you can see it and enjoy the history even though he has been gone for years! The cost for the tour is just $6 for adults and $1 for children so it is an inexpensive break from traditional sites.

Manhattan and Junction City are the home of Fort Riley. Here you can experience the history of the past and see the current military strategies. You can tour the last cavalry training stables with its original cobblestone flooring which used to house 76 horses. Today it still houses horses for the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard where 20 head are ready for parade all the time. This facility was built in 1889. When you are through with this tour there are a number of others that will be just as interesting for you to see and enjoy.

Now let’s go back to the comments about flat land. If you want to see something really pretty you want to visit Gypsum Hills. This is an area of rolling hills, mesas, canyons and buttes in central Kansas. There are red cedar trees and with the ground being filled with iorn oxide the land is actually red! Most of the area is open range so keep your eyes open for livestock strolling along, particularly if you get off the paved roads and go along the dirt roads in the area. This 42 mile drive, from Coldwater to Medicine Lodge, has been designated the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway by the state of Kansas.

Hot and Cold water towers dot the skyline of Canton. Here the townspeople used their sense of humor to make them stand out among the usual settings of towers. Just think of how funny they think it is when “city folk” ask if they really do hold hot and cold water!

Do you go through the leftover dilemma several times a year? You’ve been cooking some big meals lately and now have a refrigerator full of leftovers. I know the look you’ll get from your family if you attempt to put another plate of the same food in front of them for a third day. I suspect you’ll end up scraping the leftovers into the compost bin if you don’t think up something unique real soon.

You want to invent new dishes from the same old leftovers, but how? When you look at your leftover dish, make a mental list of what you used in that recipe and think about what other recipes you might have or can find that use similar ingredients.

1) Creamy Potato Soup

When you have leftover mashed potatoes, you have the makings for a wonderfully creamy potato soup. Start with a big soup pot. Throw in 3 or 4 slices of bacon, diced, and cook until the pieces are crispy, then remove from pot. In the same pot, cook up some diced celery and carrots. Then add some diced onion and cook until soft. Then put in about 1 Tablespoon of oil, 1 Tablespoon of flour, and 1 1/2 cups of milk, and thicken. Stir in your potatoes and bacon and simmer very slowly. This is a very satisfying creamy potato soup.

2) Turkey And Gravy Sloppy Joe’s

Take white and dark turkey meat and dice into small pieces or shred up. In a big, heavy skillet, saute some bacon pieces until soft. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, simmering until just fragrant. Now put the cut up turkey in the skillet, and pour over enough leftover gravy to make the turkey a little soupy. Then just flavor the gravy with a little bit of barbeque sauce or dry grilling rub spice, using only enough to make the gravy taste tangy. Cook slowly until nice and hot and pungent. Serve on crusty bread or any bun.

3) Creamy Cauliflower Curry Soup

Take your leftover cooked cauliflower and put it in your food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy, adding a little milk as you go to make it soup-like. Sprinkle in about 2 teaspoons of curry, a little more or less depending on how strong you like it. Then, in a soup pot, cook some chopped carrots and onion, in a little oil, until soft . Pour the blended cauliflower into the pot and add some chopped leftover turkey. Simmer the soup until it’s nice and creamy and hot.

4) Green Bean Tomato Cheese Soup

Green bean casserole already makes a great start to a creamy and cheesy soup. Tomatoes help brighten this cheesy soup just a touch. Begin by cooking some big pieces of celery in a soup pot, adding coarse diced onions and some minced garlic, cooking until just fragrant. Add a can of diced tomatoes, either fire roasted or regular. Add a little grill seasoning for extra flavor. Now put your leftover green bean casserole in the pot, stirring until it looks like soup. You might add a bit of turkey or chicken broth if you want the soup thinner. Cook slowly together until the soup is all hot and bubbly.

5) Egg And Stuffing Breakfast

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or brush with butter or oil. Spoon enough stuffing in each muffin cup to form a little cup with room for one egg. Break one egg into each cup and top with enough shredded cheese to cover egg. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg is done and cheese is melted. Let stand a few minutes before removing egg and stuffing from muffin tin.

Using up leftovers is always a challenge. No one wants to look at the same dishes being served time and time again. If you give some thought to the ingredients that went in to creating the dish in the first place, you’ll no doubt be able to add complimentary food items to build a whole new dish out of the old one.