Fun Don’t Cost a Thing

January 17th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under • by Debbie Dragon

Just because you’re trying to watch your spending and keep an eye on your cash flow picnic doesn’t mean you have to cut out all sources of entertainment that costs you money. One of the main reasons budgets fail is because people attempt to be too strict with themselves and do not allow for an “entertainment” category within their budget. All work and no play is not the answer to saving money!

The trick is to find sources of entertainment that you enjoy but that do not break the bank. Going to see a movie these days is expensive- with tickets around the $9 mark per person, and outrageous prices on snacks, you could easily drop $50 on a date to a two hour movie! If you love watching movies, why not consider Netflix or Blockbuster’s movie-in-the-mail plans? For about $20 a month, you can watch several movies, and you won’t pay late fees if you aren’t able to watch the movies right away. (Keep in mind though, the longer you have the movies, the less movies you’ll be able to watch in the month because of mail-times). Very soon, you’ll be able to rent movies online and watch them on your computer, as well, according to Apple Computers.

If you’re trying to take control of your unnecessary spending and your friends are going out for a night on the town- you shouldn’t stay home to avoid spending money! This is the fastest way to give up on a budget. Just take a few dollars with you so you aren’t tempted to spend more, and instead of ordering a full dinner- get an inexpensive appetizer and a glass of water. You still get to enjoy socializing time with your friends and at the same time you’re keeping your expenses to a minimum to keep your financial commitments as well.

Finally- not all good times have to cost money. You can get creative with your entertainment; why not take your date on a romantic walk around the park, and end with a picnic for two that you’ve packed from home on a blanket overlooking a scenic area? If you enjoy dancing, there is no rule that says to go to a club to dance with your friends you have to buy $5 drinks all night to enjoy a good time! Go for the dancing and the socializing, drink water to stay hydrated and skip the expensive drinks from the bar!