Let’s be honest. Entertainment is an area of our budgets where we can simply go off the rails. We can easily justify an expensive dinner, concert tickets, a night out, or a new toy. And if we don’t buy those things on credit we are better off. But there are ways around entertainment which we can benefit from. Let’s start with the low-cost and free options.

Free or Low-Cost Options:

• Hiking: Spend some time exploring a nature trail and seeing your area off the beaten path.

• Nature watching: Watching birds or other animals can be a relaxing pastime.

• Concerts in the park: Some municipalities offer free concert series in the spring and summer. Check your local news website for events.

• Libraries can offer community speakers, book clubs, and game nights. These are generally free and could spark a new interest you didn’t know you had.

• Family/friends game nights: Share a game with friends. Games can also be purchased at thrift stores for low prices. Video games can be borrowed from the library.

• People watching at the mall or even your local Walmart

• Beaches: In my area an annual beach pass is only $30 a year. That’s a great deal assuming the weather cooperates.

• Movie night: Grab a movie from the library and pop some popcorn.

• Local municipal swimming pool instead of maintaining your own.

• Your own home: Duh. You can eat here inexpensively and create a themed meal or themed night at home.

• YouTube instead of a paid streaming service. There is a ton of great free content on YouTube from documentaries to series, to feature films. There are even ways to download YouTube content and avoid commercials.

Middle of the Road Expense:

• Vendors and restaurants that offer birthday deals.

• Restaurants with “kids eat free” deals.

• Clubs with membership discounts: Clubs such as AAA or AARP often offer discounts to their members. Before you step out for some fun, consult their member benefits.

• Circulars and mailers: Before you throw away that junk mail, consider the mailers may just have a deal that you would consider shortly.

• Daily deal websites: Sites like Groupon.com and others offer discounts on the regular.

• Check out local schools and university theater clubs for upcoming performances.

• Camping instead of motels when traveling.

Higher Expense (but still cheaper):

• Check out museums and zoos for their memberships. While the upfront cost can seem significant, the ability to attend on the regular and bring guests can be a huge win even if you only go 3-4 times in a year.

• Motels instead of hotels when traveling.

• Drive when traveling instead of plane or train.

Plan Your Entertainment

When you have had a hard week of work and you just want to let loose on the weekend, it is easy to go for broke, literally. Perhaps it’s the big meal with friends and all the drinks you can enjoy. But that gets costly. When you plan your entertainment you can save a lot of money by knowing what is coming up and not spending on the fly. Planning your entertainment also gives you something to look forward to.

Board Game Night

A game night with family or friends is fairly simple, fun, and can be maximized when all contribute.

• A game night is a gathering, but not a party. Invite enough people for most games. A total of 4-8 people.

• Remember you can have more than one game going at a time. Perhaps you have two tables or rooms where two groups can play different games simultaneously.

• BYOB. Encourage people to bring their own favorite beverages for themselves or to share (sharing is caring). This reduces anyone’s spend on drinks for all.

• Encourage your guests to bring a game in addition to the games you plan to offer.

• Make pizza dough ahead of time and cook your own pizzas at a fraction of the cost. Once the dough is made, it is really easy. If you don;t have time to make the dough, often bakeries and grocery stores will sell fresh pizza dough.

• Make a custom playlist. This can be really fun as there suggested tracks that pair well with certain games. See if you can find some theme music for your game.

Puzzle Afternoon

It may sound boring, but spending an afternoon putting a puzzle together can be very relaxing.

• Buy or borrow puzzle beforehand.

• Make a playlist of music, podcasts, or old time radio programs to listen to while you build. Or just chat with those you are building with.

• Enjoy your favorite beverage and snacks. Nothing too greasy as to not damage the puzzle.

This is an inexpensive and relaxing way to pass the time. It does not require much brain power. It is perfect for introverts. Plus it may take more than one afternoon to complete.

Video Game Night

Back in the day video games were played on the same console in the same room with friends you could actually touch. Let’s bring that back! No matter the console, playing games together in the same room can be a ton of fun. Just as a board game night, encourage others to bring something to share. Select video games that are sports, fighting, and board game related.

New game consoles can be expensive. If you do not already have one, we suggest buying a used console and games. The video games do not have to be brand new to enjoy them. Ebay, GameStop, and Craig’s List are all great places to look for used consoles and games. The prices will be cheap, and many older games still have a high reply value.

Entertainment does not need to be expensive to be enjoyable. Big experiences are great but smaller planned experiences with the right people can be greater.