I remember being younger and always complaining to my mom that I had nothing to do. She always met my chorus of “I’m booorrrreedddd” with pretty unique ideas for things to do without much money, since I didn’t exactly have much of an income. Some of these things are still pretty relevant today (except now I complain to my husband instead of my mom). There are a ton of things to do without spending much, if any, money. Check out these 25 suggestions for free or nearly-free ways to entertain yourself! Some ideas are more fun than others, but all are easy on your budget.
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Summer Savings
Memorial Day weekend has always marked the start of summer for me. There are so many things to do and enjoy once the weather warms up outside! Sticking to your budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Here are some tips for saving this summer while still taking advantage of all it has to offer:
Talking to Your Kids About Finances
We all know now that it’s important to budget your finances to plan for the future and manage expenses, but some of us don’t learn that lesson until later in life. We also all want the best for our children, so wouldn’t it be a great idea to teach them this while they’re young? Too many parents don’t discuss finances and how to handle money with their kids, and they send them off into the world unprepared and a bit naive when it comes to saving and managing their money. Start (and maintain) a conversation with your kids to help them understand how important it is to be money-savvy.
Wedding Bells and Budgets
Wedding season is upon us! We’re getting ready to attend our first one of the year in a few weeks. This year’s agenda is considerably smaller than last year’s – we only have two as of now, but last year we attended NINE (in addition to our own), a majority of which were out of town. I really love going to weddings… free food & drinks, dancing, and family & friends, what’s not to like?
Budgeting For The Both Of Us
Until I was in my early 20’s, the only person I really had to worry about taking care of was myself. Even growing up as a child, I never really had to share anything that belonged to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this to sound selfish, but when I moved in with my boyfriend husband, I had to learn to work as a team instead of a one-woman-wonder, which wasn’t really a bad thing.
What Are You Saving For?
Budget and save, save and budget – two very common goals that come up frequently here. We talk about why it’s important and some ways to get there, but what are these things we’re actually saving for? Here’s a list of 5 common things that you should be thinking about setting aside some money for:
Secondhand Savings
While shopping can be fun, buying brand new isn’t always cost-effective or budget-friendly. The next time you’re looking to make a purchase, consider buying used items to save some cash, or think about renting or borrowing when you can. Check out some of the most common items that are bought secondhand:
Saving Money – How Much and Where to Start
Every budgeting website will tell you over and over again to save money for emergencies, and this post will be no different. Having a savings account is crucial for your future, to say the least. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I regret not learning to manage my money until I was in my 20s, and how I wish I would have put more effort into saving more of what I was making when I was in high school and college.
The 52-Week Money Saving Challenge
I live on a pretty tight budget, so I’m always looking for creative new ways to save money without much to spare. This could be a great plan to follow for those who are new to saving, or for others, like me, that don’t have a huge income to work with. I’ve been setting aside larger portions of my usual monthly savings for special events I have coming up, but I was thinking this could be the perfect way to save just a little bit extra strictly for our new house, which we’re hoping to purchase next spring.
To Coupon or Not To Coupon – Are You Really Saving Money?
“Extreme Couponing” has been a fairly popular craze over the past few years, but I can’t say I’ve ever bought into it. It just seemed so time-consuming and tedious. It made me wonder if it was worth it, if there was some trick to it that I didn’t know about that would magically result in tons of savings on every trip to the store. I’ve given it a shot, and while I may have saved a buck or two, I felt my time was worth more than I was saving. Consider the following before you jump on the coupon-clipping bandwagon:
