If you are looking to find a way to enjoy yourself without spending a lot of cash, I have the endgame for fun. And it’s pretty simple.
Avenging My Wallet
Last weekend I went to the movies with my girlfriend and my two sons that still live at home. It was a great movie and we had lots of fun. Although we had a great time, it wasn’t cheap.
For just the four of us, between the lack of matinee pricing for new movies and a fee for online ticket purchases (like we’d be able to get them in the theater on opening weekend), it cost nearly twenty dollars per person! That’s for general seating before snacks.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s worth the money, but only as a rare expense. $100 every weekend is simply not wise spending for most people. It’s smart as a special occasion, but in general, most of us need to find ways to have fun for a lot less cash.
And that’s why I’ve come up with the endgame for fun: a simple way to have a great time with friends and family without breaking the bank.
Fun Money
It’s easy to spend a lot of cash and have fun. What’s not fun is figuring out how to make what’s left stretch after the fun is over.
A better way is to make the most of the money you have without breaking the bank. Here are three stepping stones to spending money on fun that make it easy to have fun without regretting it when the end of the month comes around:
- Plan Ahead: Budget the money you spend and stick to it. This will let you have fun without unintended consequences later.
- Enjoy What’s Free: Why go go out to eat when you can have a picnic lunch in the park? Why not find some exciting books at the library? Maybe there’s a special event like a comic book convention in town? When you don’t have to spend money, find fun free or low cost alternatives.
- It’s Okay to Spend: If you’ve planned ahead and you have the money, you don’t have to feel guilty about spending it. Sometimes splurges are just what you need. I loved our trip to the movie. We don’t do it everyday, but it was worth it as often as it happens.
Not only is it okay to spend on splurges when they are planned and infrequent, but sometimes there are things that are just more cost effective. For instance, instead of wasting a few hours watching a movie no one cares about just to pass time, you could find alternatives that are less expensive like a fun game of mini-golf on a warm day or a great afternoon AweVenture. You don’t have to break the bank to have fun.
The Endgame for Fun
If you want to have a great time, follow these three stepping stones for adventure:
- Have Fun: Find things that allow you to get out and have fun. What things get you motivated? What things make you laugh and enjoy yourself?
- A Better Life: The things you do should make life better. If you had a fun trip but spent so much money, you feel miserable for months, that’s not going to help you. But a great afternoon with the family laughing and playing together will energize you for days.
- Play it Smart: Look for ways to make better choices. For instance, sitting around playing video games is fun, but why not get out and build something? You can watch a show together or you can hit the road and go out on an adventure. The more you focus on active or self-improvement choices, the more options you’ll have as time goes on.
The endgame for fun is simple: have fun and be smart about it. That way, no matter where your adventure will take you, you can enjoy special events and everyday adventures and make the most of each one.
