It is possible to feed a family of five for a whole month without having to file bankruptcy. Even feeding a family of growing boys doesn’t have to break the bank. You just have to get creative and learn to make use of all that you have and you will be able to get through the whole month for under $500.

Buy meat on sale. When you get home, put enough servings for your family in a freezer bag and then add your favorite marinade (Italian dressing, barbeque sauce or whatever else you have on hand). Freeze for use on another day.

Use what you have in the pantry. It is likely that you already have a month’s worth of meals (or at least a week’s worth) in your panty right now. Take out those cans of beans and make a great pot of chili. Or have a night of veggies with all the cans that are stacked up on your shelves.

Eat more pasta. There are so many different ways to make this wonderful staple (from spaghetti to fettuccini to lasagna). If you stick to pasta, sauce and maybe cheese then you will be able to save on the expense of meat.

Saving money at the grocery store doesn’t just come from cutting coupons. You can save more by buying more and you can do that by using what you have, planning ahead and buying in bulk.

The kids are out of school and now you have to find ways to keep them entertained for the next two months. Money is already tight, so you will have to get creative and inventive.

Head to the movies - it might seem expensive, but many theaters host free movies during the summer. Although you may not get new release movies, it will still be a nice break and probably a real treat for the whole family to catch a movie together on the big screen.

Hang out at the library - almost all libraries have summer programs that help promote reading. Typically there are weekly events, entertainment or other activities for the kids involved in the reading program.

Check out the local museum or botanical gardens - many of these places offer free days (or are always free) and can be a nice way to spend a few hours. Afterwards you can have a picnic or the grounds or in a neighboring park.

You might be surprised at all the events and activities that are available during the summer - for free or at a discount. There is also the option of buying family passes to different attractions so that you can go as often as time permits (but these will be a bit more costly than the activities listed above).

There is so many offers of free financing, but just how free is it? The truth is that you could end up paying more for your mortgage (even with a lower interest rate). You need to read all the fine print and look at the end result (how much you will eventually pay out).

Refinancing could mean a much lower monthly payment, and that is usually a great thing under any circumstances. Lower financial pressures are a complete relief right now for most people because of higher prices at the pumps, at the grocery and about every where else as well. But those same lower monthly payments could mean thousands of dollars in the end. Typically the payments are less because they are spread out over a longer period of time than is left on your current mortgage.

No closing costs usually means that there is nothing that the borrower will be expected to pay at the final closing. Instead of having the customer pay at the time of the loan, those fees are just rolled into the loan. It may mean less out of pocket expense, but after adding on all the interest you may find that having no closing costs is not worth the ultimate price.

There can be a time and a place for refinancing. Here are some tips:

Limit the amount that you borrow to the bare minimum.
Pay any fees out of pocket instead of borrowing them.
Keep your term to that same number of months left on your current mortgage.
Work out a lower interest rate.

If you can stick to these tips then refinancing may be a financially sound decision.

It is just as important to educate children about money - the value, the way to use it and the way to save it - as it is to teach them about any other aspect of life. The truth is that the way a child grows up understanding finances could mean a positive or negative future.

The best way to get your child to follow good financial guidelines is to follow good ones yourself. You can also help them along a strong financial path by giving them encouragement and assistance along the way:

Limit your spending - if you don’t have the cash then wait to make the purchase.

Help children with entrepreneurial attempts (like a lemonade stand) and make sure that they learn to balance what they put in verses what they get out.

Open a savings account together - one for you and one for your child - and then make regular deposits together as well.

Teach them to give - having a charitable heart and learning the art of giving will help your children to grow up desiring to give more than to receive.

Make finances a part of your regular discussions with your children from an early age. The sooner they begin to understand the value of the dollar then the sooner they will be on their way to a financially secure future.

Cigarettes, coffee before bed, and the cheese fries at Outback are already on the list. Here’s another thing to “just say no” to: paying retail. Chances are you could use the extra cash to throw in your gas tank or to stock up your pantry. Here are a few ways to pay less even when there isn’t a big sale.

1. Go on the hunt for codes. Before making an online purchase, Google the store name and the words “coupon code.” If you locate one, copy and paste it into the promotional code or coupon code box. Voila! You’ll save some cash or snag free shipping.

2. Hoard coupons. Clip them out of the Sunday paper. Search for them online. You may even consider keeping the ones that show up in your mailbox that you normally toss in the recycle bin. Even if you don’t think you’ll use them, hold on to them. You might be surprised.

3. Haggle with people you never haggled with before. It may be a practice you save for the car lot or a garage sale. Bring out those bargaining skills at big name retailers as well. They need your money and may be willing to give you a price break.

4. Get picky. Point out fixable or minor flaws in a product. Chances are they’ll knock a percentage off the price. I did this last week when I noticed a shirt had some loose thread. They took off a few bucks.

Financial guru Dave Ramsey is taking his own advice and selling old stuff to make some cash. He set up an online auction on EBay to get rid of some stage props from his live show as well as as the desk he’s used on the set of his Fox News program, “The Dave Ramsey Show.” All of the money raised will go to “Share It,” Dave’s nonprofit organization that is committed to empowering individuals, families and students to become financially self-sufficient by combining accountability with education.

The website says Dave needs a new desk to meet HDTV standards, so this one had to go. As of right now, bidding is up to $1,000. It would be pretty cool to own Dave’s desk- just don’t pay for it with a credit card.

The federal government has made some mistakes in the past - we all have. The GSEs that dominated the secondary mortgage industry (commonly known as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae) have got to be at the top.

These are companies that are backed and secured by the federal government - my tax dollars and yours - and exempt from SEC oversight. It is estimated that their combined outstanding debts now total around 46 billion dollars and it is money that the taxpayers will have to pay if these companies have a financial collapse.

The more that I learn about the mortgage industry the more I know that it’s not any ONE person or group’s fault that there is a problem in the market place. People want what they want and they want it now. Lenders want to be competitive and want to make money and are competing against government backed organizations that have a virtual monopoly on a major sector of the mortgage industry. Lending practices and requirements have suffered from it all.

It’s time to tighten up and straighten up. The federal government needs to get out of the industry completely. People need to hold off on borrowing more than they can repay. And the lending industry needs to tighten up on terms and requirements.

If we will all come together we will come out on the other side in a better financial situation than we began.

Trips to the mall and days at the pool can be fun, but it’s not a very productive way for kids to spend their summer. Why not get your teen or youngster to earn some cash this summer? They’ll learn responsibility and have some money to spend on those trips to the mall. Here are some ideas for summer employment.

1. Babysitting. It’s almost like a rite of passage for teens. Put the word out at your church or with other parents of young children that your teen is looking for some summer babysitting jobs.

2. Pet care. Summer is a busy time for most people. Your neighbors may be looking for a pet-sitter or dog walker. Have your youngster make flyers and pass them out.

3. Landscaping. Grass grows fast in the summer. Friends and family members may want help keeping their yards looking good. Offer a menu of services like mowing, weed pulling and watering.

4. Garage Sale. Let your teen organize, plan and hold a garage sale. Tell them they can keep a percentage of the profits. This will be a fun learning experience for them.

5. Part-time work. Teens can search through the want ads or check with local stores about part-time summer jobs. Swimming pools, retail stores, and grocery stores are good options.

Credit cards are not only convenient, but they can actually make you money if you use them right.

1. Pay off the card every month - without exception. If you are only buying things that you already have money set aside to buy then this will not be a problem.

2. Keep the money you will use to pay the credit card in an interest baring account until you pay off the credit card. Work your payment on the credit card so that it comes after your interest is deposited. The money will be earning interest and making you more money while you wait to make the payment on the credit card.

3. Get the top rewards programs. You can earn money, shopping sprees and much more using the credit cards money.

4. Take advantage of no interest offers - particularly those that offer no interest AND no payments. In house credit cards will run this special fairly often. You can purchase the item, let the money sit in your savings until the offer expires and then pay it off in full - and you have money to show for your efforts.

Learn how to use credit cards instead of always letting the credit card company use you.

Once you get your budget balanced, it’s time to start the savings process. Most people are completely lost when it comes to investing savings. Here are a few tips to get you going.

1. Start simple until you grow. There is no reason to get into the more complex investments until you are able to consistently put money back each month and you have built up a little in a traditional savings account. Do look around for savings accounts that are fee free and that offer the highest interest rate.

2. Expand to CDs (Certificate of Deposit). Once you save up enough money to start rolling over into investments you should start with something that is simple and protected. CDs are good choices for money that you will need in the relatively near future.

3. Go for the long term. Mutual funds are like cooperatives. Financial companies have set up pools of money (that you can purchase share of) that are used to buy more and to diversify in a wide range of investment options. These are long term (10 or more years) investments and should be left untouched once you begin investing.

Once you have built up funds in these different areas then you can branch out on your own. Until then you should just stick to the safe and the simple to ensure that your money will still be around tomorrow.