Frugal doesn’t have to mean boring. There are easy ways to get out of the house and spend quality time with friends and family without cringing every time you bring out your wallet.
If you’re a movie buff, get Netflix (free instant-streaming of some TV shows and movies with one DVD rented at a time including Blu-ray is $11.99 a month, less than the price of two one-time movie theater tickets). Prices go higher and lower depending on your plan. It’s even cheaper than buying off the $5 rack at Wal-Mart.
Take a peek at www.restaurant.com for gift certificates to local restaurants.
Rather than going out to eat, cook in with the kids and/or significant other or a good friend. Try a new recipe and assign different tasks to each person to make it an adventure. Enjoy your creation over a bottle of wine check out http://consumerist.com/2007/05/9-tasty-wines-under-10.html for 9 tasty wines under $10.
Even if you don’t play video games, someone in your family might. Get them to rent video games or buy used video games that have been marked down, instead, and even exchange their old games for newer ones.
If you really want to see newer films, catch the earlier matinees that tend to be cheaper.
Sometimes, you don’t have to pay for a show at all. Check your local college or high school stage production group, ballet, or orchestra and see if they’ll let you watch rehearsals for free (these can be even more entertaining than actual shows).
Local parks often host free concerts, plays, and other forms of live entertainment. Some farmers’ markets even host free cooking classes.
Attend a high school or community college sports game instead of spending money on tickets to professional sports games.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she's been researching different online bsw degrees and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
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