Category: Kind to Your Wallet

Scarecrows in the Dothan Botanical Gardens

Debbie Roney Smith on

Currently, the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens is having their 16th annual October event: Scarecrows in the Gardens!

During this event, community-created scarecrows take over the 46-acres that make up the Dothan Gardens for the month of October. This year, 2020, the scarecrow theme is Heroes & Villians. Open from 9 AM to 6 PM, admission to the gardens and the special scarecrow exhibit costs only $5 for adults over 16yrs old and FREE for those 15yrs old and younger (as well as Garden members). Masks are required to enter the building, visit the gift shop, and use the restroom: however, while walking the garden grounds, masks are encouraged but not mandatory. Please be sure to keep 6ft between yourself and other parties/people!

Want more information? Visit the Dothan Botanical Garden Facebook event site HERE! Or visit the Dothan Botanical Garden official website HERE!

Pirates Of The High Seas Fest

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Panama City Beach Pirates of the High Seas Fest is setting sail virtually from October 5 to October 11, 2020!

The annual event celebrates the legacy of the pirates who once roamed the Gulf of Mexico and pillaged the Emerald Coast, telling the tale of Dominique Youx and his krewe of loyal buccaneers through staged pirate battles and storytelling.

Events include a virtual treasure hunt, sweepstakes, costume contest, prizes, get a chance to win a free vacation to a real beach, watch a magic show, see live music performances, download pirate crafts, and even see a pirate battle streamed live online!

Visit the official website to enjoy the virtual festivities: official website of the PCB pirates fest

Weekend Concert in Marianna, FL

Debbie Roney Smith on

This Saturday, head to Citizens Lodge Park in Marianna for a free night of music in the park!

Photo @ Citizens’ Lodge Park taken by @noahs.notions

Beginning at 6 PM, various Marianna natives will perform a variety of selections from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Performers include Lenny Jennings and Latitude 29, a band built for dance and party music that’s been all over North Florida and Alabama since 1986! Social distancing and masks are encouraged but not mandatory. So bring some snacks, drinks, and the people you love to spend an evening enjoying live music in chairs, on blankets, or in the grass. 

 

Check out the Facebook event page here! 

Learn more about Latitude 29 here!

Citizens’ Lodge Park Address:

4574 Lodge Drive
Marianna, FL 32446

Jackson County Pumpkin Patch

Debbie Roney Smith on

Happy October everyone, fall is officially here! Are you looking for something fun and easy on the wallet to do now that the weather is cooling down? Check out a new Jackson County seasonal special – the Spanish Trail Farms’ pumpkin patch!

-photos submitted by a local photographer & friend of the blog-

PUMPKIN PATCH DETAILS

  • Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s
  • On certain days, $3 educational hayrides will be offered that offer an inside look at farm operations and the growing process
    • If you have kids 2yrs-old or under, they ride for free!
    • Specific timeslots are available on their Facebook
    • Scheduled to take 15-25mins
-photos submitted by a local photographer & friend of the blog-
  • On certain days, they offer additional goods such as free boiled peanuts, produce for sale, and Halloween/fall decorations for sale
  • A great place to take the family for some cute pictures
  • Pumpkins are for sale; $3 for small and $5 for large 

Spanish Trails Farm is located at 7202 Old Spanish Trail Grand Ridge, FL 32442
Call them at 850-557-3123 or visit their Facebook page to keep up-to-date on their hours and future events. 

Tomorrow is National Love People Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

Tomorrow is National Love People Day, an annual event meant to spread kindness and love.​ As an official holiday, it gained traction in 2017 when a Chicago-based church took on the task of making this national holiday more impactful and well-known. Lifeline Church undertook this campaign in honor of their founders, Pastors Reggie and London Royal. National Love People Day is meant to bring communities, families, and the world together in the spirit of unconditional love. This is a day dedicated to inspiring and supporting others with the power of unconditional love.

How to Celebrate: 

Help someone else → random acts of kindness epitomizes the spirit behind National Love People Day. Hold open a door, send a card to a long-distance friend, call an elderly relative, donate money to charity – the possibilities are endless!

Express love through the arts → spread the message of National Love People Day by writing a poem, participating in a poetry slam, dance, take photos of the things you love, paint a picture; art is an amazing outlet in these trying times.

Be nice → like random acts of kindness, being nice is often priceless while being hugely impactful. Offer words of support or show empathy to friends/family going through hard times, share a hug, a cup of coffee, a listening ear to someone you do or don’t know; sometimes the stranger wishing you a good day after holding the door open makes all the difference in the world.

The “Phantom of Electricity”: The Silent Sucker Stealing 9 Percent Of Your Utility Bill!

Debbie Roney Smith on

Want to save money and reduce the heat indoors this scorching hot summer? According to new research conducted by Alliant Energy, you can reduce electric use in your home by up to 9%, which saves you money, by checking everything plugged in and selectively shutting down unused, always-on devices. All electronics put off heat even when idling, so turning off unused electronics will also help lower the temperature indoors. 

John Beard of Focus on Energy says Alliant did a pilot study on ‘phantom electricity’. Phantom electricity is the energy that is used by your electronics as they draw power even though they are turned off or in standby mode. “These people can save up to 9 percent on their energy use by taking an inventory of everything that is plugged in and making sure things they’re not using are turned off. These ‘always on’ devices like your DVD player or remote top box that you have for your streaming service or your television or PC…”

Beard says there are a few free ways to save up to 9% on your electric bill. While the most obvious is turning devices off when not in use, there is an easier wat: advanced power strips. 

Includes premium-quality, fireproof surge protection; reduces standby power waste; features an adjustable threshold switch; improves connected electronics’ performance through EMI/RFI noise filtering.

They are just like the ones you might already have in your home, only they have circuitry that senses when your device is not being used or is in standby mode. It automatically shuts off the power at no effort to you! With the average Florida home spending around $130 a month, that 9% is $11.70 a month in savings (Source). A 7 outlet advanced strip with a standard 3ft cord like the one pictured below is $25-$30 (online vs in-store), and would pay itself off within only three months!