Frugal families don’t scrimp on fun

Melanie Brawley may have grown up in a thrifty household and come to teach classes on saving money, but she hasn’t always been a model bargain hunter. Brawley, a 29-year-old mother from Vancouver, took a four-year “coupon vacation” during college and racked up debt.

“I’ve been there,” she tells people struggling with finances today. “I’ve been to the point where I’ve had only 40 cents in my checking account.”

Brawley credits her husband, Matt, a senior financial analyst for Papa Murphy’s International, with helping her get her spending back on track. Now she thinks of saving money as a part-time job. Mother to 6-year-old Benz and 18-month-old Boston, Brawley is especially interested in finding fun, inexpensive activities for local families. It’s a topic she tackles on brilliantbargains.com, the Web site she started in November.

Brawley has also written a book, self-published as an e-book through the company Lulu.com, on coupon clipping. “From Coupons to Cash: Creative Ways to Cut Your Costs” is the basis of a class she’s teaching through Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation. She recently completed a similar offering at Clark College.

Brawley is working on a second electronic book, “Discovering Dramatic Deals and Discounts: In Clark County, WA and Beyond,” which she hopes will be out March 1. The book will be the framework for another class she’ll give at Clark College and Luepke Senior Center in March.

With her book, her classes and her Web site, Brawley hopes to show people that enjoying life doesn’t have to cost a lot.

“Let’s save a little here and there, and that way we’ll have money left over for the fun things in life,” she says of her philosophy on spending.

To that end, Brawley’s new book will include her list of the top 25 things to see and do in Clark County on a budget. She offered an advanced glimpse at five suggestions, all family-friendly and good for a rainy winter weekend.

Movie nights at Café Sip-n-Play

Café Sip-n-Play offers free movie nights every Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. The movies are always G-rated. For Feb. 5 and 6, the featured film is “Cars.” Café Sip-n-Play is at 3000 S.E. 164th Ave., Suite 107, Vancouver. To learn more, go to http://www.cafesipnplay.com or call 360-896-4446.

Soar with Books at Pearson Air Museum

The Pearson Air Museum has aviation-themed toddler story time under the wing of a vintage plane the first Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon. The next Soar with Books is Feb. 6. The event also includes crafts and a kid-friendly museum tour. It’s free for children less than 6 years old. Others pay museum admission ($7, $5 for seniors and youths ages 6-17). Pearson Air Museum is at 1115 E. 5th St., Vancouver. To learn more, go to http://www.pearsonairmuseum.org or call 360-694-7026.

Second Saturday @ the Water Center

On the second Saturday of every month, the Water Resources Education Center invites kids and their families to explore a different topic through free hands-on activities, games and stories. These range from creating bird-feeders to learning about bubbles to making art from recycled materials. This month’s event is Feb. 13 and focuses on finding ways to conserve water and energy at home. Second Saturday runs from 1 to 3 p.m. The Water Resources Education Center is at 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver. To learn more, go to http://www.cityofvancouver.us/watercenter.asp or call 360-487-7111.

Sunday Fun Day at Marshall Community Center

Marshall Community Center has free Sunday Fun Days typically on the first Sunday of every month from 2 to 5 p.m. This month, however, Sunday Fun Day will be Feb. 14 so as not to compete with the Super Bowl. The event includes crafts, games and swimming. Bracelets for swimming are given out beginning at 1 p.m. Swimming is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. If demand exceeds the pool’s 160-person cap, then swim time is split into two hour-long sessions. Marshall Community Center is at 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd., Vancouver. To learn more, go to http://www.vanclarkparks-rec.org or call 360-487-7100.

Story time and other library activities

Each branch of the library has story time at least once a week. Branches sometimes offer one-time activities as well, ranging from a visit from an Oregon Symphony percussionist to a robots event. All are free. Locations vary. To learn more, go to http://www.fvrl.org/events or call your local branch.