The best frugal entertainment ideas

Pinching pennies doesn't mean you have collect dust in front of the TV every weekend. We have some ideas to avoid being bored stiff while trying to save or stick to your budget. 

While you're saving, wouldn't it be great to make money as well? Work at concerts and other performances and you get to make money while being entertained! When international acts come to the country the organizers need a temporary team to man food stalls or usher, so this can be a fun source of income if you live in a big city. 

If you're a family or a group of people you can entertain everyone without spending a dime by taking advantage of factories, farms or local business that make tours available to the public. This is great for kids as these trips can be very educational. Depending on your children's interests, they might enjoy airplane hangers, radio stations, toy factories or animal rescue organizations. Some farms offer wine tours if there aren't kids to entertain or opt for a farm that do pick-you-own and pick berries with the kids. 

If the weather allows it, visit local parks or nature reserves for picnics, kicking a ball around, walking the dogs or hiking. You can get season passes to most nature reserves that are very affordable if you're going to make a regular outing of this. And why shouldn't you? If you have a bicycle, go for a ride along a scenic route suitable for bikes and have a picnic along the way. 

Community events can be fun and super affordable. Check the local paper or your area's website for what's happening on the community calender. These events are aimed at any or all ages, so ignore the country singers on stilts and just keep looking until you find something you're interested in.

Camping can be very affordable if you already have the gear. Setting up tent in nature is a great way to relax on a budget. Look for campsites close-by that charge the most affordable rates and rough it for the weekend. Still too expensive? Camp in someone's backyard. But ask them permission first! 

Host a movie night for friends and rent movies from the budget section. There are usually classic gems hidden in there! Be sure to compare different DVD rental place's prices as some don't have a budget section at all. Ask everyone to bring a snack and share. If your friends are too lairy to sit still and watch movies together you can host a swap party: read how in Party your way out of debt.

If you have any more ideas, feel free to share them in the comments section and we'll add them to our list and credit you. We hope your next weekend is amazing.