Some Ideas for Inexpensive Summer Fun


Make plans that don't involve a lot of money such as inexpensive dinners, potlucks, watching a movie, a game and dessert, a nice walk or hike someplace in town, a free concert in the park, etc. Continue to rotate through the list. You will probably get reciprocal invitations, which will also help your budget!

Check your library for movies. I know this suggestion comes up frequently, but I can't say enough for the value we have received from this one idea alone. Our library can access 25 other branches, and we have checked out at least 50 videos in the last two months.

Make a list of favorite foods that you would normally eat dining out. Make those dinners at home, at least once a week instead of going out. Pizzas and hamburgers are a cinch, and the more gourmet meals can be created at home.

Check your local paper and/or Chamber of Commerce for events in town. You will find many free activities or events that don't cost very much. Call your Chamber of Commerce to ask if they can drop a calendar of events in the mail to you.

Swap movies with friends if they are agreeable. Ask your friends about a favorite movie in their collection. Invite them to bring it over to watch together. Make a bowl of popcorn and you're set for a great evening.

Keep track of your friend's birthdays. When a birthday rolls around, invite them over for pizza or some other easy and low cost dinner. It's fun to celebrate together and it will mean the world to them.

Ask everybody you meet in town where's his/her favorite nearby place to visit. I did this when we first moved to town and came away with a list of 20 neat drives to take. It was a fun way to discover places we wouldn't have otherwise found. You have to be comfortable breaking the ice and asking the question, but the payoff is worth it!

Check the local colleges and high schools for concerts, plays, games, etc. You can enjoy some great talent for a very low cost.

Go to the local park or school playground and play a sport you used to enjoy, such as basketball, badminton, softball, kickball, soccer, etc. You can find equipment for low prices at garage sales or thrift stores.

Feed the ducks at a nearby pond or lake. Save end pieces of bread and go in the early morning or evening, as they seem to be most responsive at those times.

If you're a dog lover, go to the local doggie park. You don't even have to have a dog to enjoy this one. They are so much fun to watch while they are playing and getting to know each other.

Find all the best spots in your area to view beautiful sunsets. Pack a nice picnic supper, take along some favorite music, and stop letting the sunsets pass you by.

Force yourself to do something that might be considered "child's play." Blow bubbles, run through a daisy field, dip your toes in a stream. I mention this one because we tried this on a recent vacation. I was lamenting the fact that I didn't have the energy or desire to romp through a field of flowers. This begged the question, "Do we sing because we are happy, or happy because we sing?" I forced myself to romp through the field, along with my husband and our grown daughter. After five minutes, some of our inner child came out in all of us!