Living on Less – Entertainment

Kids say it more than *****s, but you know *****s are thinking it as well, “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do.” Of course the biggest roadblock to getting away from the work and having fun is money. But never fear, there are things out there that are free or practically free that would allow you to live on less and still have fun.

• Go to your library – There you can access the internet (some places have free wireless), check out movies, books and magazines. You can see what classes may be offered for free or for a small fee. You may also find free concerts that are coming up or activities for kids to do.
• Volunteer – Contacting the local event planners and you can be an usher at concerts, races, games or community events. Many eons ago, I was an usher for the Billy Joel/Elton John concert – I wasn’t able to see much of the concert because of my location, but I was able to hear it just fine.
• Don’t drink the kool-aid – If you go to a movie theater, bring your own candy, soda and water. Or, just don’t eat. Most movies are less than two hours and even for someone who eats 6 meals a day, two hours won’t cause distress.
• Parks and Recreation – About once a year I get a little booklet in the mail of what classes and activities are available for *****s/children in the community. This is how I learned to swim and a friend of mine took pottery lessons
• Use the University – If you have a college/university in your area, find out if you can audit the class (no credit) but learn along side others. I have heard of some professors that will allow you to sit in on the class, but you have to buy the books, etc yourself. Otherwise, you pay the university the class fee.
• Check the newspaper – Every Friday or Saturday, you will find a list of activities for the weekend/week and many of them are free. Whether it is a free day at the museum or an antique car show going on in a local parking lot.
• Park it – Since you pay taxes to keep your local parks looking good, use them and enjoy them. Have a picnic or family gathering (rent a shelter), hike and explore the area with binoculars and a camera. Of course, I do realize that there are fees to go into parks, but it's still very cheap in leu of what you receive and can do for activities, as well as enjoying the beauty and wildlife around you.
• Take a drive – I like to explore new locations by driving in one direction and seeing what is around. A couple years ago, a friend and I headed east and ran into a llama farm and met some nice llamas (and people), though we haven’t found it since, but we still talk about today.
• Share the fun – Get together in a group of friends and share the expense of the gas for the trip.
• Get exercise – Shoot some hoops, run around the track or play catch for some free, fun exercise in the fresh air.
• Be a part of something bigger - Participate in church activities, volunteer locally to assist with helping to feed others, give of your time to those less fortunate - there is always a need for help.