It doesn’t
matter what year you pick, a dollar today will never go as far as it ten years
ago. That is, unless you’re buying computer parts. Nevertheless, it’s a fairly
universal goal of everyone to use the money you have as effectively as
possible.
So for your
benefit, I put together a list of cheap activities that you can do with your
friends and family that you may actually like. Go ahead, give a few of them a
try. Even if it doesn’t work out for you, at least it won’t put you back a lot.
1. Have a Picnic: When’s the last time you pack up
some food and headed off to a park? This is probably one of the most commonly
suggested cheap activity yet it’s one people rarely do. This is both fun and
surprisingly relaxing, provided you don’t select a location surrounded by ravenous
creatures or the base of an active volcano.
2. Go for a Run or Walk: These activities may seem torturous
to some, but their health benefits are obvious, they’re great stress relievers,
and best of all they’re cheap! Your main expense is a good pair of shoes. And
being a runner, I have some advice for this: Always check the bargain/clearance
bins at sporting goods stores. They may not be the hottest “style”, but who
cares? You’ll only use them to walk or run and they don’t go bad sitting in the
store. So give it a shot, you might like it.
3. Play an Addictive Video
Game: Sure, this one
borders on dangerous. And some may argue that video games aren’t cheap. But
look at it this way; if you take the number of hours you spend playing the game
and divide that by the cost this is actually one of the cheapest forms of
entertainment, especially if it’s a really good game. The dangerous part comes
if you let it consume your life. So as long as you ration yourself, video games
are a very good option.
4. Play a Good Card/Board Game: This is certainly a step up from
video games when it comes to actually connecting with other people. The good
news is, despite all the video games out there, the card/board game market
certainly isn’t dead. There are plenty out there to choose from. And help you
to decide, many of them have the type of game, number of players, and the
average game duration on the box.
5. Host a Cookie Swap: Who doesn’t like cookies? Hosting a
little get together with friends where a verity of cookies is the focus, how
can you go wrong? Be warned that you may encounter some poorly made cookies or
you may discover that you’re not exactly on the same playing field as your
friends’ taste buds, but chances are you’ll find something that’ll make your
mouth happy.
6. Read a Book: Another obvious one here. Yet it’s one
that many people put off and put off and put off. How many times have you told
yourself that you’ve been wanting to read more? Just do it. There are plenty of
fairly “easy reads” out there that are quite enjoyable. If you haven’t read a
book cover to cover in a while, I’d recommend a book intended for teens or
preteens. They tend to have faster plots and don’t get too bogged down in
details, just enough to get your taste back for more reading.
7. Volunteer: It really doesn’t matter what you
volunteer for, just pick something, especially if it’s just a one-time
commitment. This is undoubtedly a cheap activity, if not free, and often
volunteers get certain benefits like free food or a spiffy T-shirt. Plus,
depending on what you pick, you may pick up a new skill.
8. Have a Garage Sale: This is another possible dangerous
one. Not because you’d likely get hooked, but because this can quickly turn
into real work. My advice for this one is: keep it simple. You’re not a Target
or Walmart. You’re goal should be simple. Just round up a few things around the
house that you no longer use and been meaning to get rid of, pick a Saturday
morning, and open shop. Don’t stress over haggling or trying to make a good
deal. Just sell it for a couple bucks and move on. Keep in mind that the people
buying are doing you a favor by taking away your old junk. So just relax.
9. Host a Bad Movie Night: The word “Bad” could easily be
replaced with “Good” if you’d rather watch a decent movie. But I often find
when you have friends over to watch a movie, picking a bad one is far more
entertaining. You can almost make a game out of hurling sarcastic remarks at
the screen and laughing at the terrible dialog and spotty acting. Just think
Mystery Science Theater 3000 and go with it.
10. Write a Blog: Just like this one, there’s plenty
of thoughts and nonsense that you rattle out and unload from your brain. Some
folks pick topics that they’re very passionate about and focus on that. And
then there’s other’s like me who’s all over the map. Whatever your taste, go at
it. You can easily spend way too much time on it and it’s quite cheap.
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