Economical Vacation Suggestions - With gas prices out the kazoo, many individuals are not only parking their vacation and holiday plans, they are literally parking their vehicles.

It's absolutely ridiculous - and if the politicians & media has given you the impression that we should be thankful because our fuel prices aren't anywhere near the high prices being experienced in some parts of the world, let's get real! What they aren't saying is that these high-paying countries are receiving exceptional benefits - perks if you will, that are part of the total fuel prices, important benefits such as free health care and free education. We get ditto.

Nonetheless, if you're feeling the price at the pumps in more ways than one, we have a few suggestions that might double as a  vacation. Believe it or not, an individual doesn't have to travel half-way around the globe - or half-way across the states to experience a vacation of a lifetime. Here are just a few vacation and recreational suggestions that we hope you'll enjoy:

State Parks & Natural Areas: Most contain hiking trails, swimming & fishing holes and wildlife viewing areas - not to mention camping spots. When is the last time that you and your family went camping? Imagine....hot dogs in the wild and hot cakes for breakfast. Nothing can quite compare to getting back with nature.

Local Miniature Golf: Go in the cool of the evening, particularly during summer months.

Family Picnic: Pack the fried chicken, tator salad, potato chips and bean dip - and don't forget the dog and your frisbee. Horseshoes also make a fun activity at family picnics. And if relatives live close, consider a family reunion. This will allow your kids to meet relatives that they may not knew existed while giving you a chance to catch up on the lives of the people that helped mold your current life.

Local Swimming Pool OR Health Spa/Club: A lot cheaper than gas and usually packed with fun amenities.

Dining Out: Make it a point to visit a restaurant that you've been dying to go to since you can't remember when. Go for the adventure!

Sky Viewing: Time to watch the stars. If you live in the city lights, drive to a park just outside the city if possible - and don't forget to take your lawn chairs.

Drive-In Movie: If there is one in your area, go for it! Be sure to pop your own corn and pack your snacks and you'll save even more money.

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If you're finding it harder and harder to make ends meet amid this sluggish economy, Help Zone has money-saving tips that will help stretch your budget and your dying dollar. From delicious, economical recipes for your family, to activity suggestions - we hope that you'll enjoy and find something useful at the Help Zone.

Fabulous Inexpensive Recipes - Feeding your full nest is getting more and more difficult these days. We have some tasty free recipes that are budget friendly as well as delicious! Just click the links below:

Taking the Humble Sandwich from Pauper to Prince - If you're the a-typical American, we'd be willing to bet that your kitchen pantry isn't stocked with exotic ingredients such as goat cheese, stuffed Greek olives, lobster and so forth. Ingredients such as sugar, flour, shortening, eggs and bread are resting these instead - and lovely ingredients they are!

Another common staple that may reside in your kitchen is perhaps the humble sandwich consisting of a hunk of meat, a smear of dressing, a wad of green, and a dash of red tomato. Although highly tasty, you can create Sandwich Masterpieces with a bit of effort - from common ingredients which are likely to be living in your kitchen.

On that note, here are a few of our favorite inexpensive recipes that can take your humble sandwich from pauper to prince. continue

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