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How to Have Fun With the Family on a Small Budget

May 24, 2018 by jlpenner 5 Comments

In this struggling economy, it can be hard to have a good time. So many things take money to do and when you are feeling the pinch in the pocketbook, you might not have much.

But, with a little creativity you don’t have to stay home all the time, either! You can still go out, have a good time and have Fun on a Budget, even if you don’t have a lot of money. There are many of activities to enjoy that are either super cheap or free for the whole family.

The key is to change your perspective and find the beauty and joy in the little things.

What Do You Like to Do? When you’re looking for things to do on a budget, you are going to need to consider what kinds of activities each member of your family is interested in. Some people love to spend hours at a museum, while others love movies, the outdoors, sports, or reading. Sit down with your whole family and make a list, you could surprised what they come up with.

After that pick the top ones and come to a consensus on the best ones so that everyone is happy with the chosen activity. Agreeing on what to do is important.

But if you can’t agree, let each person choose the one activity they are most interested in, as long as all of the suggestions are free or inexpensive. Then put all the suggestions into a jar and draw one out. This way, it’s fair to everyone. The next time, draw another one. Each person will eventually get what he or she suggested.

Finding Free and Inexpensive Things to Do. Free and inexpensive Fun on a Budget activities are easier to find than you think. The local newspaper will be your friend when you’re looking for things to enjoy.

In nearly every paper there are listings of upcoming community events and activities. Nearly every day there will be some kind of street festival, movie night, parade, or other free activities for the kids in your surrounding neighborhood. Take advantage of these events. Not only are they fun they can expand your exposure to different music and cultures. You can also pick up local magazines (especially kid centered ones) and do searches on Google, such as “Free Things to do in ____________________ (fill in your city)”.

One thing to remember: food at these types of events can be expensive so make sure to bring your own brown bag lunches, as long as it’s allowed.

And don’t forget picnics in local parks and walks along the beach to hunt for shells aren’t advertised and are often forgotten forms of entertainment. So are quiet strolls around hiking trails or a day at a nature preserve or animal sanctuary.

All of these kinds of activities can be very rewarding for just about everyone in your family, and they can get you thinking about other activities you’d like to try. You could even wrap up your adventure by planning the next one.

Now you might live in a small or rural area, but don’t give up on finding fun things to do on a budget. You can camp out in your backyard or have a movie night where you rent some movies (or watch on Netflix) and make popcorn with some fancy new toppings. Plus, there are always family get-togethers, day-trips, board games, and other fun activities to keep you busy.

Truly, the most important thing is that you spend some time having fun with the people you love. It won’t matter how little money you spend, but the memories  and relationship building will be cherished your whole life.

Fun on a Budget

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Filed Under: Series on Frugal Living Tagged With: Summer with Kids

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Comments

  1. Suzanne says

    November 1, 2013 at 10:57 am

    In rural areas, we go out for a walk, look for different kinds of leaves then bring them home and make an arrangement with them. You can do a craft with the kids, like make a kite and then go fly it in the park.
    Reply
  2. Norma Reynoso says

    September 14, 2014 at 9:21 am

    put the air mattress in the living room and build a camp with blankets and flashlights and watch fun movie together, my kids look forward to doing that
    Reply
  3. Meagan says

    October 2, 2014 at 11:08 am

    Our local reserve has many free offerings for families. We will head out there for a hike or a nature lesson whenever we can.
    Reply
  4. Mandy says

    October 7, 2014 at 7:09 am

    We live in an area with a great park system! People come to our city from all over. We try to get out an enjoy the river and area. Most times all it costs is the ice cream we are almost guaranteed to buy.
    Reply
  5. Michelle Hurlbut says

    April 15, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    When I was a single mom of two boys, we used to go on tons of picnics and fishing. Also, check out cheap parks/museums/festivals for day trips. (I would call them "vacations" and the boys loved them!)
    Reply

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