For many people, the days are gone when they could afford to eat out several times a week, go to the movies and spend a large amount of money on recreation. Some folks are not even contemplating a vacation this year, because there is no money to spend. The good news is that you can still have fun, take a vacation and spend very little money at the same time. Here are some ways to save money on entertainment.
Outdoor Activities
*Go swimming in a lake or a river instead of paying to swim at the community pool.
*Go camping in a national forest or campground for your vacation. If you just take your tent and the food items you need, you can camp free of charge in a national forest. You will not spend anymore than you would staying at home and eating three meals a day. In fact, if you fish for some of your meals, you might even be able to spend less than you would at home.
*Take up biking or hiking with your family. Every state and national park has wonderful hiking trails that you can follow.
*Instead of eating out in a restaurant, pack a picnic and go to a city or county park. Most of them are free of charge if you are just going to picnic.
Indoor Activities
*Do a search on internet for free activities that you can do in your area.
*Visit the free museums that are within a short distance of where you live. Invite a friend to go with you.
*Stop going to the movies, and stop renting DVDs. Borrow a movie from your local library, from family or from a friend. Invite your friends to watch it with you, and serve buttered popcorn.
*Invite family and/or friends over for a game night and serve a snack instead of inviting them for a meal. This works well with a house full of guests or with just two or three.
*When you want to have friends over for a meal, make it a potluck meal, and ask everyone to bring a dish or two.
There are many things that you can do for entertainment that will cost you nothing at all or very little. When you plan your activities, include the entire family and save the money you would spend on a babysitter. With just a little bit of research and some imagination, you will be able to enjoy yourself and find ways to save money on entertainment at the same time.