this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

Glblguy at Gather Little by Little is asking for money saving tips.  Here's my contribution:

With the days getting warmer, I keep thinking it's about time for a trip to the zoo.  And then I remember that first I need to renew my zoo membership that expired at the end of last month! 

It may seem a bit counter-productive to spend a chunk of money in an effort to save some, but I think that in the long run purchasing a membership to a local zoo or museum can be a great money saver.  Assuming your family likes to go out and visit such places of course.

Chances are that after just a few visits, your membership will be paid for.  The remaining visits can be considered freebies.  Or, think of it this way, if you go once a month, you'll probably be paying about $2 per person per visit - that's a pretty inexpensive outing!  I love that I never feel like we have to get our money's worth out of each visit.  Having young kids who are fickle about how long they want to spend somewhere, I'd hate to pay full price and then have them be bored after 30 minutes. 

The Tall One and I had a zoo membership when we were first married and before we had kids.  When we were bored and needed something to do, a visit to the zoo was much cheaper than dinner out or a trip to the mall.  Because I'm sure if we hadn't bought the membership those zoo trips would have been replaced with excursions that would have involved spending a lot more than the initial $40 or so that our couple membership cost.

Another fun perk is the reciprocal program that often goes along with a membership.  This means you get free or discounted admission to other zoos or museums. 

If you aren't already, I encourage you to look into becoming a member at your local zoo, aquarium, or museum.