Free Fun Activities: Your Guide to Zero-Cost Entertainment

If you are on a budget, sometimes the weekends can be boring. But they don’t have to be, in fact they can pretty much be FREE if you think simple and/or outside of the box.

We asked around with some of our friends and family and here’s what we came up with for basically free things to do on the weekend.

Go to the Library

Your local library is likely to have lots to offer beyond the stacks of books you remember. These days you can check out movies (DVDs) and music (CDs), peruse magazines and even use the Internet. Check the library’s event calendar for some free activities. You are likely to find things like children’s story time, book clubs and author readings. You might just be surprised with all it has to offer.

Go to the Park

If it’s a nice day outside, the park is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. Take your entire family or go with some friends. I mean when was the last time you were on a swing or a jungle gym? Feel like a kid again and just have fun! Take a picnic lunch with you and just soak up the sun and atmosphere.

Watch the Sunset

When was the last time you took about an hour out of your day just to chill? Find a great place where you live to catch the sunset. You might be amazed at the painting in the sky and what view you get to enjoy. Go by the lake, up on the tallest hill or maybe down by the beach if you are lucky enough to have something like that in your community. The good news is that no matter where you go, you’ll likely to see something spectacular.

Play Board Games

Try a game night with family or friends. It’s a great way to have and be silly as you bring out the old favorites to play. Board games can often be found piled up in closets and if you don’t have any there, try your local thrift store. Or try having everyone invited to bring a game to share and play with everyone.

Pack a Picnic Lunch

Instead of going out for fast food or to a sit down restaurant, try packing a picnic lunch to enjoy with someone special. Find a shady spot at a park or by the lake and breath in the nature and less of the hustle and bustle that we have become accustomed to living. You can make this simple or elegant – it’s all about what’s already in the pantry and some quality time with those you care about.

Play Card Games

Staying home doesn’t have to be boring. Why not invite some friends over to play cards for a fun evening that cost basically nothing at all? There are many games you can play such as canasta, hearts, spades, bridge, pinochle, poker and the all popular with the kids…Go Fish! Don’t know how to play them? Search on YouTube for tutorials and everyone can easily learn.

Try Geocaching

If you are up for a good treasure hunt of sorts then this can provide hours of fun and not in just one weekend – this is ongoing for as much as you want to try and do. Visit Geocaching.com and fill out where you are going to be located for the weekend – you can start with your home address. You are looking for geocashes in the area to go find. The only thing you will need is a GPS device or smartphone (which you likely already have) and a sense of adventure. Use your device to guide you to the coordinates and begin your treasure hunt right outside your front door.

Visit a Local Nursing Home

This is something that the act of giving may end up being something you received more than you ever expected. Call up a local nursing home (can be assisted living as well) as see if they have a time or an organization that allows volunteers into the facility for visitation. Lots of their residents have no one to come visit on a regular basis and this can make it quite lonely for them. Just going to sit and talk with many of these older people not only makes their day but the stories they can tell about their lives may open a whole new world of knowledge for you.

Create a Family Tree

With the help of the Internet you can find all kinds of information on your family history. With sites like Genealogy.com, Ancestry.com and FindAGrave.com, along with some names and dates of family members, you might discover you are related to someone famous with a little effort and time. You can track down birth certificates and marriage licenses to help piece the puzzle of the past together. You might even locate where your great- great- great-grandmother is buried and go visit her grave. Just beware that you might uncover some family secrets along the way!

Take a Walk or Hike

As long as you are able to put one foot in front of the other then you are ready to get started on a local (or area) adventure. We suggest taking a look at local walking and hiking trails on the Internet so that you remain safe and don’t get lost. But the adventure among nature can let you discover some beautiful scenery and new areas to explore.

Watch the Stars

You will need to find an area with the least amount of street and city light. Country fields and mountain tops are some of the best spots but your backyard may be just as good or maybe even a local park. In order to go star-gazing you just need a nice clear sky and a blanket so you can lay back and scope out the sky. Interested in finding out what’s available to look at? Check out the American Meteor Society or download Sky Guide from your app store for more understanding on what you are looking for in the sky.

Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter or Food Kitchen

Organizations are always on the lookout for volunteers, so what better way than to help out in your community with those in need? Don’t know where to start? Try Volunteer Match – this organization will help you find opportunities in your area that are in need.

So the next time you think that there is nothing to do look back at this list to inspire that bit of fun you need. There really is no need to spend money you don’t have just to be entertained. It’s all about learning to appreciate the little things in life and enjoy the moments as they happen.