please delete.

[mariana7mcc]

On the Illinois side of the river, there is Fast Eddie's Bon Air

ooo yes...fast eddie's is YUM! Alton Brown featured it one year on his summer special food network show Feasting on Asphalt. Another local type place is Imo's pizza, it's pretty good as well.

You all are making me miss STL :sad:

[Domestic Gal]

If you can shave just $5 a week off of your grocery budget per week and put it in a vacation jar or something that would be $250 over a years time.
Can you step daughter do some babysitting or pet sitting and contribute 1/2 of her earnings toward the trip?
Just and example here but if you use paper towels. You could not buy them and contribute so much $ per roll to the jar for every roll you do not buy. Just use wash cloths.
Make your own laundry detergent/fabric softener and put the difference in the jar.
Ask for GC for gas stations for Birthdays and Christmas and put those away for the trip.
Do you belong to Mypoints or quickrewards. These are point sites where they give you points to read emails. You get GC for so many points you could get gas GC from them.
I know you are on a tight budget but you could take a percentage of your coupon savings and contribute it to the vacation fund. If you save $50 a month in coupons and contribute 5% it is $2.50 a month not much but it is the little things that add up.
If you use RX and get GC for new or transferred you could save those and get GC for the trip.
Pick up aluminum cans/bottles for recycling. (Think High School Football Games) if they use cans or bottles. There are lots there.
Head over to frugal village . com they have great ideas on saving in areas you would not even think of.

[XUfan]

WOW!!!! You people are the best!!! I'm copying and pasting all of this to a file, so that we can make our decisions as the time gets closer.

Thanks for the "saving FOR the trip" ideas too!! I had thought of a few of them, but not all. I think this trip wil be do-able. I just have to really focus on it!

Keep the ideas coming!!! I knew I could count on all of you for help!

[lovemy2girls]

the zoo is great! it's free to get in. there is a $10 charge to park inside one of the parking lots, but there is free parking also. we always pack a sandwich lunch and go out to the car to eat. i think that you are also allowed to bring your lunches into certain areas of the zoo.

[veggietalesmom]

St. Louis Zoo - FREE
Arch not much $
Science Center FREE
Magic House about $6
The Muny if in the Summer and could do the FREE seats
Enjoy Union Station
City Museum - not FREE but reasonable

[snafu4me]

did anyone mention grants farm? & bring your q's ~ plenty of doubling places in STL

[forchinadoll]

if u can buy food on road not a road trip..no convience foods or fast foods... pack for trip start by making sandwiches, flip top fruit cups , granola bars, juice ,water, soda, breakfast plastic to go bowl use for oatmeal, ramen noodles, kraft easy mac tuna salad to go kits..jerky snacks cheez snacks ,crackers,

[savedsol]

I personally did NOT like the City Museum. To me it just was not safe.

St. Louis is great on a budget! Free zoo and museums!
The only other place not metioned is the St. Louis Mills Mall (NorthWest part of St. Louis). There is lots to do there.