Summer Fun without Spending a Ton
No money, no worries you can still do fun summer activities with your family this summer. A limited amount of cash should not prevent you from spending quality time with your loved ones – be creative, there are a multitude of things to do that won’t force you to pull out your wallet. Unfortunately 68% of parents polled recently disagree and said money was the biggest obstacle to spending time with their children and partners. These ideas should change their minds and make them feel better.
Okay, let’s start off enjoying the great summer weather by visiting a local park. You can pack a picnic lunch, bring board games, a Frisbee, a pack of cards and enjoy the day. It’s simple and it costs nothing to soak up the sun or cool off in the shade.
If you’d rather stay inside for the day, visit the local library. They often hold free events such as reading activities and sometimes show movies. Contact your local library and pick up their summer schedule of events.
Why not break out your creative side? Make crafts out of things that you already have in the house, or dream of a favorite place, like the beach or mountains and then you and your children could make wonderful drawings – get inspired!
If you’re in the mood for a movie then you’re in luck. Cinemark has a frugal summer movie program going on this summer. There will be 10 weeks of fun films for kids. A different movie is shown each week. If you purchase your tickets in advance you can get 10 shows for $5. This is the same price for adults and kids. Or you can purchase tickets the day of the show at the box office for $1 each. All films are rated G or PG. For details click here.
When you’re not enjoying a movie how about joining a reading club? Barnes and Noble are offering free books just for reading. You can also get a free gift by joining the folks at Pottery Barn. They hold a story time event every Tuesday. Check the local stores for details and start reading.
Another resourceful method of finding free local events and programs is to scour the pages of your local newspapers, neighborhood news magazines and County website. You’d be surprised to see how many free or cheap things there are to enjoy – from outdoor plays acted in the park to festivals, concerts, art shows, recreational events, nature trails, fishing and more.
So don’t be down about summer 2011 because you’re a bit short on cash. Gather your family and have some fun with these frugal summer activities. You don’t need a bunch of money; you just need a little imagination and each other.