Spending Too Much on Weekends? Here’s How to Have Fun for Free!

Would you love more than anything to get out of the house but don’t have the money in your rainy day fund to cover such an “extravagance”?

The good news is that you can get some week end entertainment for free; it just depends on what area you live in and how creative you’re willing to be.

Check your area for free fun

One option you have is to see what is available in your geographical area. Here are a few different online places you can look into right from the comfort of your couch (which not only won’t cost a dime, but you may even find some loose change in the cushions):

• Local government calendars – Local governments want to draw people to their towns and cities because it helps their economy. This makes these types of websites wonderful places to find all of the events that are planned in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Some of them do have a cost, but you’ll likely also find things to do that are free because they’re hoping that you spend at least some money while you are there.

• Local venue websites – If you have a concert hall, museum, or other venue in your area that frequently has events that are of interest you, it’s worth taking the time to look at their website to see if they offer any upcoming events that are available at no cost. Sometimes they sponsor charity events that request a donation to get in, but if the donation is tax deductible it’s as good as free!

• Organization websites – Some specific groups and organizations hold free events to bring awareness to either their particular group or the topic they represent. Not only is this a great chance for you to do something you enjoy at no cost, but you may even decide to join their group and continue to have fun for weekends to come.

• Meetup.com – This website is loaded with small, local groups that have interest in many different areas. Simply go to their website, enter your location (although most of them are in the U.S., they do have international locations available as well) and see what comes up. You can even narrow your search by interest if you like. They have options that range from arts & culture to paranormal to tech, so they have a little bit for everyone.

DIY free fun

If you can’t find something fun in your area or live so far from civilization that it’s hard enough to find another person let alone a group of like-minded people, that doesn’t mean that you have to spend your two days off work bored to tears. You can still have fun, but it may require a little more creativity on your part.

Can’t think of anything super exciting on your own? You can always try these suggestions until you get your mind on the right path:

• Have a clothes sharing party – Get a group of your girlfriends together and have them bring all of their clothes that they no longer wear. Trying on ‘new’ clothes with a bunch of friends while having drinks and snacks AND getting a whole new wardrobe for free? How can you beat that kind of fun? (Not to mention that you get to clean out your closet and finally get rid of the clothes that are either too big or too small!)

• Hold a creative cooking party – If you’re not into clothes or you and your friends are completely different sizes, you can always have a creative cooking party. Have each person bring a food or ingredient of their choice and once they’re all there, try to figure out a meal that includes them all (plus any ingredients you have in your pantry). You may just come up with a new signature dish!

• Volunteer – Okay, maybe this isn’t exactly what you were thinking of when it comes to fun, but when you are working to benefit someone else, it usually ends up not feeling much like work, not to mention that it is very rewarding. I volunteered to help a child advocacy group paint a home they purchased and had a great time! It didn’t cost me a dime, I felt good for helping such a good cause and I made some great friends at the same time. I’ll spend my weekends volunteering any time!

These are just a few ideas to get you started and having fun, no money necessary. Try one or try them all.

What do you have to lose? It certainly isn’t money…