When I first started living by a strict budget, I wondered if that meant “fun” things were never going to be on the table again. Luckily, that is not the case! Ok course, living by a strict budget does mean thinking more about things before spending money. You should build some funds into your budget for “fun” things otherwise you likely won’t have a reasonable budget. And if your budget fails it will be hard to try to stick to it and make it work.
To avoid a failing budget make sure you have a good budget tracking system in place. I use these super awesome budget tracking worksheets to keep my household on track!)
So, if you are looking for a little fun, you may need to find some cheap things to do. Just because we are talking about cheap things to do, that doesn’t mean they won’t be fun. They may, however, take a little more thinking or creativity at first.
Here are 15 of my all-time favorite cheap things to do when I am looking for a little fun or relaxation.
1.Go for a hike. Most times hiking will be absolutely free. Hiking is so much fun, it is great exercise and it also allows you to explore and see awesome new things.
2. Take a drive. Driving is one of my most favorite cheap things to do. Obviously, it will cost whatever you use in gas, but overall it is pretty cheap. Driving can take you on a new adventure or you can just go sight seeing.
3. Go to a park. Going to a park can be a fun way to spend some time. Parks are typically free which is awesome. Sometimes there may be a small entrance fee (particularly if it is a specialized park).
4. Go on a picnic. Picnics are one of the cheap things to do which I don’t do as much as I’d like. They take a little planning – making food, packing it and finding a place to go. Not really too much work at all and definitely worth the fun. I have been trying to do this more often, myself.
5. Read a book. Reading books can be for just a great story, to learn history or to learn about a new subject. The awesome thing about books, is you can get access to ALL KINDS of books for free or cheap. I personally use both the local Library as well as Kindle.
6. Watch a movie at home. Going to the movies at a theater is super expensive. Tickets alone are usually $10 or more then add in drinks and snack. So, I like to get my own (cheaper snacks) at home and watch movies at home. I love Amazon Movies (most are free with amazon prime) and Netflix.
7. Play cards. Cards are a simple way to have some fun. You can play cards by yourself or with friends. You do have to pay for the deck of cards up front (minimal cost), but then they last practically forever – unless your puppy eats them all, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.
8. Play a board game. Board games are obviously a lot like cards. Although, you probably need at least one buddy to play board games. Again, this is a cheap way to have fun and you can use it over and over again.
9. Find a free game app on your phone to play. I will admit, I myself, am not a huge game player on my phone. However, my husband really gets into games on his phone sometimes. Some cost, but a lot are free!
10. Play fetch with your dogs. So, I am an animal lover. We actually have 6 dogs. Needless to say, there is a lot of fetch that gets played in this house! Playing fetch with your dogs is a totally free way to have a great time.
11. Listen to music for free on a streaming service like Spotify. This is one of the cheap things to do that I do pretty much everyday. It’s so easy to stream pretty much any song or type of music you want to listen to for free.
12. Have a potluck. Potlucks are a great way to get together with friends without breaking the bank. Whoever is attending brings one dish (so it is not nearly as expensive as having to buy all of the food for the party) and there is plenty of food and fun for everyone! We like to do our get-togethers for things like the Super Bowl this way.
13. Volunteer with an organization you like. Volunteering with an organization you like and support allows you to be around something you enjoy and give back at the same time.
14. Go to a museum (or zoo). You can sometimes find free museums or zoos. If you can’t find a free one, there is likely a cheap museum or zoo near you. I love to go to the zoo for the day to see all of the awesome animals.
15. Get creative, learn something new! This is a super fun thing to do. There are so many ways to learn awesome, new things for free or cheap especially online. Some ideas to get you started: podcasts, free online courses (on sites like Udemy) and tutorials on YouTube.
These 15 ideas for cheap things to do should get you started on your way to have some cheap or free fun! What are your favorite frugal things to do for fun?
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