With summer around the corner, Hollywood is about to roll out a slew of sequels, blockbusters and indie films sure to satisfy most people's craving for easy entertainment. Before making your summer selections, however, you should consider how best to spend your movie money.

According to TIME Moneyland, ticket prices are expected to increase this year thanks to lackluster sales in 2011 -- and that's not including the exorbitant cost of concessions. Don't let the inflated cost of the cinema deflate your family's desire to catch the season's best flicks on the big screen.

Follow these 11 tips to avoid blowing your movie budget.

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Thanks to steadily increasing cotton and labor costs, fashion manufacturers are cutting back on both quality and extras. Instead, they're using inexpensive tweaks to con shoppers into believing they're actually getting more for their money -- thus the new slang term "con-flation." It looks like parents aren't buying it, however. The National Retail Foundation released a study in late July indicating back-to-school shoppers plan to spend less this year across the board.

According to the study, "Parents are actually taking inventory of last year's items, asking kids to...try on those 'old' jeans, and check if the tennis shoes still fit."

The Labor Department reported clothing prices rose 1.2 percent in July, the third straight increase in the last year. In 12 months, clothing costs rose 3.1 percent, the biggest yearly increase since July 1992.

Shopper pragmatism is one way to beat the system; another is to use cost-saving methods to reduce back-to-school budgets. Here are six recommendations.

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Okay, now before I go any further, I want everyone to know that the whole story of the $250 Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe is completely an urban legend and is not true in the least.  But, several years ago, I had this recipe passed on to me through a well-placed email, delivered while I happened to be in the baking spirit.  The result?  A new holiday tradition in my household!

My entire family loves these cookies and since I only make them around the holidays, they've become a decadent pleasure to look forward to.  (By the way, if you have no idea about the $250 Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe myth and want to learn more, I've attached the story to the bottom of this post!)

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This week I decided to include one of my favorite desserts for special events and holidays.  The great thing about this dessert, is that it is super easy and fast to make and tastes absolutely delicious!  It is always a crowd favorite and based on the ingredients, I don't think it's that terrible on the waistline either.  I found this recipe from an Oreo ad in a magazine several years ago and I'm sure glad I did!  What I'm submitting here is an altered version that I think tastes better.  The original recipe called for using 1/2 cup of hot fudge spread on top of the pie crust, but in my opinion, that is just way too chocolate-y.  I leave that part out and I think the result is much better!  Maybe when you make this, try half of the Oreo pie with the fudge spread on the bottom and the other half without the fudge, and you be the judge as to which tastes the best!

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More children will visit the emergency room this time of year due to near-drownings than any other type of injury.  All of the fun kids have at lakes, parks and pools also brings unfortunate injuries. It’s a time for parents to raise their awareness of the everyday outdoor dangers that can cause tragedies and start practicing a little injury prevention.

What are the biggest dangers in summer and fall? The most common child injuries result from unsafe playgrounds, bicycle accidents, burns from campfires and fireworks, motor vehicles, and water hazards at pools, beaches and lakes.  Almost every kid will be at a park or campground, on a bike trail, or playing in water this season.

It wouldn’t be practical to try to keep your kids safe by restricting them from playing at parks and pools, but you can follow these tips for injury prevention to ensure their personal safety.

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Who says that back-to-school shopping is just for kids? As a mother of two girls under the age of four, I'm here to tell you that moms need some back-to-school supplies, too! Besides a great hat to help battle bad hair days or an amazing bag to tote all your gear, consider the following to help you survive this school year with style and grace.

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