There’s a lot of cultural pressure on the average person today to spend compulsively on virtually every occasion. Marketers have obviously done a good job when most of us believe that a weekend isn’t complete unless we’ve ordered takeaway, paid for a bunch of expensive drinks in a club that probably has an entry fee, and gone home to browse Amazon for gadgets we can spend the remainder of our paycheck on.
Whether you’re a semi truck accident lawyer, or a work-from-home affiliate marketer, however, this kind of approach to letting your hair down is clearly not a winning strategy when it comes to carefully managing your finances.
Luckily, it’s not the case that you have to spend a lot of money to have a good or relaxing weekend. Here are some tips for enjoying your weekend on the cheap.
Download some free books from Project Gutenberg
There’s a time and place for a trip to the cinema, or for purchasing a new videogame to enjoy, but that time isn’t necessarily every single weekend.
When it comes to enjoying the well-crafted tales produced by good writers, you’re not likely to easily find a modern work that outdoes the classic authors of the last couple of centuries.
And, because of how copyright laws work, many of the most famous literary works of the English language can now legally be acquired for free.
Project Gutenberg is a website dedicated specifically to offering a database of copyright-free ebooks for you to download and enjoy for a total price of nothing whatsoever.
So, if you’ve never read Moby Dick, or the works of William Shakespeare, or Bram Stoker’s Dracula, or Gone With the Wind — why not visit the site, download one of these classics, and spend a lazy afternoon reading it?
Host a movie night
Often, days (or nights) out with friends can end up becoming pretty expensive in quite a short space of time.
But, of course, you still want to hang out with your friends — even if you’re living a pretty frugal life on a budget. After all, there’s no reason to become a sad, socially isolated hermit just because of the fact that you’re trying to be mindful of how you spend your money.
Inviting your friends over for a movie night at your place can be a great way of dealing with this conundrum. If you have a Netflix account and a TV, projector, or large computer monitor, you’re all set. Ask people to bring their own snacks and let the good times roll.
Go take a walk or sit in a public park
Getting some sun and fresh air is a great way of boosting your mood (and improving your health, as well) in short order.
When you’re looking for a positive way to spend your weekend, going for a good walk outdoors or sitting in a park — maybe with a homemade picnic hamper in tow — is an excellent option for de-stressing and feeling good about the world.
Of course, you could always invite friends or family to join you, and make it a proper day out.
