Is there something new you have tried or are going to try to cut down on the entertainment budget?

Having my DD automatically cut down our entertainment budget for us. Before DD, we used to eat out at restaurants all the time, go to the movies every weekend, etc...

Now that DD is a fiesty 1-year old, it is so much easier to just stay home. Really, a restaurant meal is so unenjoyable with her, so why should we go pay $50 for a stressful meal?

We do have a date night about once a month, and DH does go out with his buddies every now and then, but overall we are spening WAY LESS on entertainment.

I am wondering what is the first thing to go when the economy (and gas) goes south?

Robyn


Edited by mod to delete reference and link.

I am going to finally cancel our Blockbuster Online account (we NEVER used it, yet pay 16 bucks a month).

I also downsized our cable package.

We are going to the free kids movies this summer, hitting the library and Barnes and Noble for story time, doing crafts at home and swimming in the inflatable pool this summer.

I am going to try to stay away from eating out. This is my weakness since I hate cooking. But I am allowing myself 6 times a month right now, and will wean myself down to 2 times a month.

I am not going grocery shopping in the evenings anymore. If I do, dh and kids go w/ and we end up eating out (fast food) cause it gets too late for supper at home. Our super walmart, fareway, aldi's, bread store are at least 30 min. away and I do my groc. shopping on Fridays. That'll save at least $20 a month on the entertainment or dining out budget. I'd rather eat at a sit down place or go out w/ friends a couple times a month than eat a cheeseburger in the car. lol

we no longer have an entertainment budget...i get movies from the library so they are free or we trade movies with my sister...and we no longer go out to eat. if we do day trips then they will be few and far between.

Not really a new thing but we are going to do "Movies in the Park" at our church, we are also trying not to go to too many places and spend more time doing active family activities (nature walks/hikes, badmitton games, tag and etc.)- nothing better than families spending qualitiy time together being active!

We definately pared back on our Entertainment Budget to make allowances for other things, but I have to spend something each month on those bonus trips. For instances -- We go and play in the fountains for free at the park and pack a lunch, but we stop for Italian Ice.

Our local library also stopped with DVDs because too many were not being returned or returned damaged. They will continue to offer what they have, but are not getting anything new. What I do is purchase new releases the week they are out to save $5 -- it is cheaper for me to buy the DVD than take my 3 kids to the movies. Also I will go to the Used DVD store and always seem to find a new movie or two. I can also trade in the DVDs we no longer watch. (Bye Bye Barney and Elmo!!)

We have also started to have dinner with friends in our homes as opposed to going to a resturant. I can spend the same preparing a meal for all of us once every other month than I did for one night out at a resturant.

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Grace

Wife to Stoney

Mommy of Sarah (9), Hannah (7.5), and John(5)

We don't have an entertainment budget. I got rid of cable years ago and canceled Netflix. We don't eat out at all or go to/rent movies. I'll use the library if I want to get a new movie for the kids for awhile.

We are using the library alot more than we used to. The only down side to this is you can only check them out for a week so you have to remember to get them on errand day.

We are also planning alot of play dates and our church is doing kid time for 1 1/2 hours two Mondays out of the month so the kids can play with their friends more often.

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A Family of 5's quest to forget the Joneses.