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Last month’s article was about cutting our grocery costs down. This month I thought we could focus on our entertainment dollars. With the economy the way it is are you still able to go out and have fun? Or has that been deleted from your budget in order to pay necessary bills? It’s really too bad, that as we are under more and more stress, we cannot afford to relieve that stress. Now is the time, probably more then ever that we need to add some fun to our lives. But how do we do it without breaking the bank?
We “cut” down on our fun last summer when gas prices were hovering around $4.00 a gallon. Not only could we not afford to go out a do a fun activity, but also we couldn’t afford to drive there! So again this month I will share the things that I do and hope that you will send me your ideas to so I can share them in a future article for all to read.
1. When we go to a movie, we try to get there for a matinee. It’s amazing how much cheaper a matinee is. We buy a large popcorn, and 1 large pop. Many theaters offer free refills on large sizes. So we just go and refill the large pop if needed, instead of purchasing two or more drinks.
2. We have a movie night at home. Renting a video from the movie store is much cheaper then taking the whole family out to a movie. The public library will check out DVD’s for free. Many times we will get one of the “expensive” gourmet frozen pizzas, and have a pizza picnic in the living room while watching the movie. My son gets a kick out of doing that
3. When we do go out for dinner, we go to a restaurant where we can utilize a coupon.
4. Search for free activities in your area. For example in the community we live in there are concerts in the park. I know the Mall of America offers free movies once a month. The newspaper lists family friendly activities that are available and the costs that are associated with each activity.
5. Utilize your community parks. In the spring and summer we pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. In the winter some of our parks have great hills for sledding, spend a few hours sledding with your children and you will feel like a kid again yourself! That first trip down the hill is exhilarating if you have been sledding in awhile!
6. We haven’t been able to take a real vacation for a few years; instead we will rent a hotel room in a nearby local hotel for a night. There are many water park hotels to choose from now, and if you can arrange your schedule so you can stay during the week the rates are usually much cheaper.
Another tip is to purchase a Happenings book. The book is filled with coupons and special deals that may give you even more ideas on how to have fun with your family on the cheap!
Make sure to check online for any coupons or special deals for any of theses ideas!
Please take a moment and email me at ka_anderson7@yahoo.com to share your money saving ideas for entertaining your family for less. I will then publish all the ideas that are sent in a future article. This way we can all help each other still have fun and save some money at the same time.
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