Find Low-Cost (and NO-Cost) Fun

When it comes to spending discretionary income, entertainment can take a big bite out of your budget. Whether you enjoy movies, books, events, or going out to restaurants – learning to manage find free or low-cost alternatives will give you a huge financial advantage.

The good news is that most of us can come up with tons of free or low-cost ways to not only entertain ourselves and our family, but pursue our dreams and goals in the process. Even if your dreams are seemingly expensive, there are free and low-cost things that will bring you closer to achieving them. Here are just a few ideas:

• Bookmark your library’s website to stay informed of free speakers, puppet shows, etc.
• Peruse the section of your newspaper that mentions free community events
• Have friends over for a potluck dinner
• Invite another mom over for coffee
• Write a letter to a relative
• If you enjoy decorating, try remixing what you have instead of buying new décor
• Learn a new skill by checking out a book about it at the library
• Check out travel DVDs about places you’d like to go
• Set your DVR to program shows about things you’d like to learn
• Find instructional videos online (YouTube is a great place to start)

Assignment: What are the things on your dreams list that are free to pursue? What are free ways to get closer to your dreams? What do you enjoy doing that doesn’t cost anything, or at least not much? What does YOUR list look like?

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Not that its on my dream list. But one of my big things is community involvement. I am in more groups then I know what to do with. Still it means that everynight of the week I know where a bunch of gals get together to knit. Or durring the day I know what park a bunch of moms are meeting at for either play time or a walk. In the winter we get invited to a few playdates everyweek. The big thing is that most of the events I do with my groups are free or low cost.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006 &

Organizer of the Coupon Clippers of Tacoma

The girls and I do enjoy visiting our library. We do have a group of friends that we have potluck dinners together; although with the increase in gasoline (we don't live that close together), our times together are occurring less frequently. We also enjoy some of the local free events that happen in our community.

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Michele

I recently visited the library with my 2 daughters age 5 and 10 and was so delited. They each picked out a few books that we were able to keep for 3 weeks and then they picked out movies that we could keep for 1 week. It was great!! and saved me a bundle. I went the week before and spent 13.33 on 3 movies that I had to return the next day... Do what you can and when you can at the library its, great with free internet access.