Make Your Own Fun
You don't need a lot of money to have fun. Every community has its parks and local interests. Get in a habit of packing a lunch and keeping a cooler of cold drinks in the car. Go online to your town's official website for ideas. Your budget will thank you for figuring a way to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank.
Go On A Picnic - This is especially fun with kids but also a great way to spend time with a friend. Take advantage of your local park facilities or just have a picnic in your backyard or on your porch. You can bring along a radio or a cheap bottle of wine. Or you can just enjoy the sounds of nature and snooze in the sun.
Yard Sales - Yard sales can keep you going for hours. And it really is fun to rummage throughboxes of other people's stuff. Check newspapers and bulletin boards for sales in your neighborhood. Church bazaars and estate sales are great when the weather is dreary. Auctions are exciting too even if you don't buy anything. But you never know - you might find the perfect sweater or mystery novel for just pennies on a dollar.
Bingo - It's not just for old people anymore. Playing bingo has many devoted fans for a reason. It's a wonderful way to spend an evening and hang out with other people. Check with your local VFW or other veteran's organizations. You can also participate in trivia nights at a nearby tavern. There's no rule that says you have to drink a lot to be there.
Museums - Many museums and zoos offer several free days a year. You can take advantage of this and bring the whole family. You can also check out antique shops, attend open houses and grand openings where often food and drinks are available. Again your best resource for this information is the newspaper or go online and type in "free activities in 'your town'. You
might discover there's a lot more to do than you thought.
Crafts - Get artistic. If you own a camera, get out there and get creative. You can make a collage using CollageMaker (http://collagemaker.en.softonic.com/) or PhotoMix. Make a birdhouse for your feathered friends or strip and stain an old piece of furniture. Get the kids involved and make a family movie. Paint a picture even though you might not consider yourself an artist. Making things with yor own hands can be very rewarding.
Movies - Renting movies has never been cheaper. RedBox offers them for a dollar a movie, a price that's hard to beat. You can also stream movies to your television with sites like Hulu. The public library is one of the best places to go for free DVDs. For a low-cost source of entertainment, you might consider subscribing to a DVD by mail service like Netflix. Their service is fantastic and you can watch instant play movies as well as the mail-to option.
Classes - You're never too old to learn something new. Universities and colleges often offer free lecture series and sometimes classes. Home Depot and Lowe's sponsor do-it-yourself classes weekly. Information about these are just a click or phone call away. Don't forget to check out your library's special events. You might find storytellers, poetry readings and concerts. Your town may have seasonal tours and learning events as well. Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great resource.
Holidays - Holidays are great times for the frugal woman to find entertainment. From Fourth of July fireworks to Christmas parades, there's much to do. Don't discount the lesser holidays either. Many communities celebrate a variety of special events. You may find a summer solstice candle ceremony or a Veteran's Day show. Here's a link to an interesting site all about the various holidays - http://www.holidayinsights.com/
Go On A Picnic - This is especially fun with kids but also a great way to spend time with a friend. Take advantage of your local park facilities or just have a picnic in your backyard or on your porch. You can bring along a radio or a cheap bottle of wine. Or you can just enjoy the sounds of nature and snooze in the sun.
Yard Sales - Yard sales can keep you going for hours. And it really is fun to rummage throughboxes of other people's stuff. Check newspapers and bulletin boards for sales in your neighborhood. Church bazaars and estate sales are great when the weather is dreary. Auctions are exciting too even if you don't buy anything. But you never know - you might find the perfect sweater or mystery novel for just pennies on a dollar.
Bingo - It's not just for old people anymore. Playing bingo has many devoted fans for a reason. It's a wonderful way to spend an evening and hang out with other people. Check with your local VFW or other veteran's organizations. You can also participate in trivia nights at a nearby tavern. There's no rule that says you have to drink a lot to be there.
Museums - Many museums and zoos offer several free days a year. You can take advantage of this and bring the whole family. You can also check out antique shops, attend open houses and grand openings where often food and drinks are available. Again your best resource for this information is the newspaper or go online and type in "free activities in 'your town'. You
might discover there's a lot more to do than you thought.
Crafts - Get artistic. If you own a camera, get out there and get creative. You can make a collage using CollageMaker (http://collagemaker.en.softonic.com/) or PhotoMix. Make a birdhouse for your feathered friends or strip and stain an old piece of furniture. Get the kids involved and make a family movie. Paint a picture even though you might not consider yourself an artist. Making things with yor own hands can be very rewarding.
Movies - Renting movies has never been cheaper. RedBox offers them for a dollar a movie, a price that's hard to beat. You can also stream movies to your television with sites like Hulu. The public library is one of the best places to go for free DVDs. For a low-cost source of entertainment, you might consider subscribing to a DVD by mail service like Netflix. Their service is fantastic and you can watch instant play movies as well as the mail-to option.
Classes - You're never too old to learn something new. Universities and colleges often offer free lecture series and sometimes classes. Home Depot and Lowe's sponsor do-it-yourself classes weekly. Information about these are just a click or phone call away. Don't forget to check out your library's special events. You might find storytellers, poetry readings and concerts. Your town may have seasonal tours and learning events as well. Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great resource.
Holidays - Holidays are great times for the frugal woman to find entertainment. From Fourth of July fireworks to Christmas parades, there's much to do. Don't discount the lesser holidays either. Many communities celebrate a variety of special events. You may find a summer solstice candle ceremony or a Veteran's Day show. Here's a link to an interesting site all about the various holidays - http://www.holidayinsights.com/