Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of the Community
Most cities are overflowing with community events that are cheap or free for your enjoyment.
- Check out your library schedule for family-friendly book readings, educational seminars, and more.
- Go to a downtown art festival and admire how crafty your fellow citizens are.
- Bust a move at a downtown concert series.
- Ask your local grocery store if they offer cooking classes.
- Enjoy (or even participate in) holiday parades with your kids.
- Scream and shout on exhilarating rides at your county fair.
- Visit a student art gallery at your local college.
- Get your knowledge on at a local museum (hint: check their schedule for discounts).
- Volunteer your efforts to a community cause you care about.
- Compete in a local 5K or obstacle race.
Enjoy the Beauty of Nature
Nature is an easily-accessible gift that is free-of-charge 24/7. The only limit to enjoying nature is your own imagination, but here are some ideas to get your wheels turning. 11. Go camping under-the-stars, start a fire, and tell ghost stories. 12. Print off a sky map and look for planets and constellations. Feeling romantic? Take your love out to a secluded area with a blanket, a bottle of champagne, and a telescope. 13. Walk on a beautiful trail and enjoy the changing colors. 14. Take your partner on a picnic with a home-cooked dish or take-out. 15. Find a hiking trail suitable for your fitness level and admire a waterfall or mountaintop. 16. Take your puppy to a local dog-park so it can make some new friends. 17. Curl up with a good book next to a lake or river. 18. Looking for a new hobby? Bird-watching is tons of fun! 19. Wander through a corn maze (make it a haunted one if you have the guts for it). 20. Check the schedules of your area parks and go to a star-gazing event at a planetarium or plant and animal life presentation by a local park ranger.
Are You Not Entertained?
Whether you want to laugh to your heart’s content or dance the night away, I’ve got you covered. 21. Laugh away at a stand-up comedy routine by aspiring comedians in your hometown. 22. Belt out a tune at a karaoke night in a local restaurant or bar. 23. Feel classy while enjoying the sound of a local symphony or orchestra. 24. Grab some coffee and dessert and enjoy community talent at an open-mic night at a nearby coffee house. 25. Take your kids to a children’s play performed by a local community theater, high school, or college. 26. Get a sitter and take your partner to a more risque theatrical production (or if you’re feeling daring, audition for a community play yourself!). 27. Enjoy a matinee movie to get the same Hollywood experience at a steep discount (if you really want to save dough, eat a home-cooked lunch before you go and go out for a simple dessert after the show). 28. Shake it like a Polaroid picture at a local dance club. 29. Play the video games you loved as a child at an area arcade. You could even challenge your partner to a game of ski-ball, air hockey, or pool. 30. Sip on some booze at a local wine-tasting event (and if that doesn’t quite do the trick, go enjoy Happy Hour at your favorite restaurant immediately after).
Be Sporty (as Viewer or Participant)
If you’re a sports fanatic, you have tons of fun things you could be doing! You could also move your body to let off some steam, burn some calories, and have fun with your friends. 31. Go outside for a few minutes after work and teach your children to properly toss a baseball, football, or Frisbee. 32. Watch local high-school football games and cheer on the home team. 33. Challenge your friends to a game of bowling. 34. Take your love out for a fun game of miniature golf. 35. Admire the changing leaves at your park during a game of Frisbee golf. 36. Invite your friends to a local sports bar on game day. 37. Play Hide-and-Go-Seek, Tag, Red Rover, or Mother May I outside with your kids. 38. Take your date to a tennis court, batting cage or driving range and let out some aggression together. 39. Join a local basketball league at your area gym or YMCA. 40. Get rowdy at a minor-league hockey game.
Get Your Nom Nom On
Eating out doesn’t have to eat up your budget. Here are some creative ways to dine-out on a budget. 41. Go out to a local hole-in-the-wall diner. 42. Chow down at a fundraising dinner sponsored by an area charity, civic club, or church. 43. Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert at an ice cream parlor or pastry shop. 44. Research area restaurants to find out which ones offer free meals for kids to save some dough. 45. Throw a party, invite some friends, and ask everyone to bring a single dish or bottle of wine. 46. Invite your partner to that super classy restaurant but split a dish (because portions are out of control anyway!). 47. Enjoy a tasty cappuccino or espresso at a local coffee bar and bring a deck of cards. 48. Take a stroll downtown and grab a bite at a food cart or hot-dog stand. 49. Surprise your kids with a delicious treat at a candy shop. 50. Prepare some home-made fudge, stuff it in your purse or jacket pocket, and sneak it into a movie (take that, outrageous concessions prices!).
