9 Ways To Enjoy The Weekend Without Spending Money

If you’ve been following through with some of our Finance Friday ideas, you may be looking for new ways to save money and spend what you have wisely. One of the easiest ways to accomplish both is to have a no-spend weekend.

It’s as simple as it sounds - between now and Sunday night, don’t spend money. Use up what you have. Find an alternative. Make something new. Be content. Whatever way you look at it, being a good steward of your money may mean not using it at all.

Here are just a few ideas to jump start your weekend. How many more can you think up?

1. Challenge the family to use up everything already in the kitchen. Thaw some meat from the freezer. Empty the pantry. Clean out the refrigerator. Make six meals and a few snacks without a trip to the grocery store. You can also use this as a time to check expiration dates and get rid of anything inedible.

2. Host your own movie night. Why go to the theater when you can have a marathon in your own home? You’ve already made up some snacks if you did idea #1, so you won’t even have to get food delivered. Pull out some old favorites and enjoy time together.

3. Invite friends over for a puppy play date. You’ll get some exercise, have tons of fun and wear everyone out, especially your four-legged friends. I’m sure that you have plenty of treats and toys on hand, so fill up the water bowls and enjoy.

4. Check out your city’s tourism website and find some free activities for the whole family. There are many organizations hosting events every single weekend, so try something different, learn a new skill and spend time together out on the town.

5. Is it too cold outside this weekend? Do all the things you would have done outside, inside. Build a blanket fort, have a picnic on the floor and make s’mores in the microwave. Watch the birds from the window with binoculars and have an indoor scavenger hunt.

6. Explore the library. You’ll find stacks of books, months worth of magazines, shelves of videos and fun projects to do. Many libraries also have weekend classes and events, so plan to spend the day.

7. Once you get those books home, dig into them. Snuggle into the couch under blankets and spend time together reading. Then pass them around and read somebody else’s favorite. You’ll have fun just being in the same room together, and you can discuss what you’ve read and what you enjoyed.

8. Do you have partially completed projects all over the house? Get the family to help you tackle them. Everyone will get a sense of accomplish when they’ve worked hard as a team and can see their finished product. Then you can reward them with a fun treat to say thank you.

9. Fill a box with things to donate to charity. The clean up itself might not be too enjoyable, but teaching the kids (and reminding yourself) about being a blessing to those in need will make up for it. One box filled might even lead to more, making your home more enjoyable in the process.

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