I don’t know about you, but when I really buckle down and try my frugal best to save extra money, it can get pretty lonely. Lots of times friends and family don’t really understand or agree with your new goals and think things like going to see matinee for $9 instead of a Friday night feature for $12 is what you mean (and, of course, there’s nothing wrong with hitting up either of those shows if it fits in your budget). Sometimes, they don’t even want to concede to that.
But maybe you’re lucky and you’ve got a super supportive set of friends and family but you just feel overwhelmed trying to sort out what to do. It’s all very well and good to have a no-spend night, but I know that for me that usually meant TV shows on the couch or eating weird canned soups that were in the back of my cupboard. Not exactly the type of evening you want to force on a friend.
Fear not! There are lots of great ways to hang with your buds without spending a dime. First and foremost, time together should be about being together. A good friend will make an effort to understand a no-spend night and give one a go, even if it’s not their thing. If your friend refuses, you might want to think twice about the friendship in general. Here are some specific suggestions:
Game night: There are two ways to create a memorable game night. The first is really easy. Just invite a few friends over and tell everyone to bring a game. Don’t worry about providing snacks and drinks, or make do with whatever you’ve got lying in the cupboard. The second is to check out the attic or basement next time you’re at your parents and unearth some classics like Mall Madness, Mouse Trap or Dream Phone (can you guess what decade I grew up in?). Bonus points if you binge watch “Saved by the Bell” during the game night.
Ladies’ night in: Speaking of binge watching, cue up the girliest chick flicks you can find and have the gals over for a night of manicures and home made face scrubs. You can do a lot with a little bit of sugar. There are plenty of DIY recipes online that you can use, just find one that you already have all the ingredients for. Have each girl bring a few shade of nail polish with them.
Get your fitness on: There are so many free workout videos on the Internet, it’s ridiculous. YouTube alone has more than you could ever actually do and they feature pretty much every type of exercise that exists. Channel your inner Billy Blanks to be a Tao Bo goddess or find some cool yoga videos and give them a spin. You save money and do something great for your body at the same time. Make it a weekly thing and pick a different style of work out each time.
Leftover potluck: If you’d rather do the exact of opposite of exercising, have everyone bring some leftovers from something they cooked during the week and turn your gathering into a smorgasbord. Have each person decide whether they’re bringing a main dish, side dish or dessert and you’ll have a complete dinner and get to sample each other’s cooking.
Start a book club: Using your local libraries, you can take out books to read and gather to talk about them. You get to enjoy an exciting story or learn something new and then discuss it with friends. If the party grows in popularity you can meet at places like the library, which might allow you to use their meeting rooms for free, too.
Invite them over for a “cuppa” tea: I don’t know about you, but I have so many boxes of tea just sitting in my cabinet. If you’re the same, why not prioritize them for an afternoon and invite a few ladies over for the tea time? Give the afternoon a travel theme and talk about any times you’ve been to high tea, past trips to England or other exotic locales and future travel dreams.
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How to Save on a Girls’ Night In originally appeared on usnews.com
