The weekends seem to be the time when we all start spending. Whether it’s a Friday night takeaway, Saturday shopping or Sunday day-tripping, the costs of entertaining yourself and your family can soon add up.
With another bank holiday to enjoy this weekend, it can end up being an even more expensive time. We all feel like it’s a real treat to have that extra day off and it can be the perfect excuse for a short getaway, slap-up meals or spendy days out. It’s enough to get you thinking: how can I enjoy a frugal weekend at home instead?
However, there are plenty of things you can do to enjoy your time at home, whether that’s on the weekends, during the school half term or over bank holiday…
Cheap evening entertainment
If you’ve got a family to entertain at home, you know that it won’t be long until kids start declaring they’re bored if they’re stuck at home over the weekend or holidays. So, something to entertain the family without resorting to scrolling on screens is a must.
Why not have a kitchen disco, complete with party snacks and dressing up in glitzy outfits? You can use your existing music collection or shop for dancefloor classics compilations at a fraction of the price using the Music Magpie discount voucher codes at Latest Deals.
Likewise, you can create your own at-home cinema experience. Get out the popcorn and blankets, and choose a film that’ll keep everyone entertained for a couple of hours. There’s no need to pay extra to stream the latest releases – think about what classic movies you haven’t seen and give them a try, or snap up DVDs in charity shops to create a movie night for just £1.
If you’re a grown-up household, you can have a hilarious evening of entertainment by watching a comedy show. There are livestreams from comedy clubs such as the Frog & Bucket, Suspiciously Cheap or Angel Comedy that broadcast shows live for just a few pounds. Or you can do the same bargain DVD trick (they’re so cheap nowadays) and buy your favourite comedian’s stand-up special (remember they used to release DVDs before Netflix Specials came along?).
Budget days out
These days, it seems like you start spending money as soon as you leave the house, right? Every activity has a cost involved, even if that’s just a coffee at a cafe or grabbing lunch while you’re out and about. So, the best way to start saving money every weekend is by taking your own food and drink.
Most locations you’ll be visiting will have somewhere to enjoy a picnic – whether that’s on a blanket in the park, a bench on the promenade or a picnic table outside the playground. Even popular paid-for locations will have a space for picnicking outdoors or, let’s be real, if you really want to save money, you could even sit in your car at lunchtime and have a picnic in your vehicle.
The key here is to make sure that you don’t spend any money on food and drink while you’re out, as popular family attractions often equal inflated prices. They have a captive audience after all, don’t they? So, refillable bottles of water, travel cups of coffee or flasks of tea are all essential. Plus, if you pack up a picnic yourself, you can be sure that even the pickiest member of your family has something to eat at lunchtime.
Low-cost and free activities
There are many low-cost things you can do to keep both kids and adults happy and healthy during the weekends, bank holidays and school breaks. I’ve previously written about healthy activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family and there are plenty more sports you could to this list if you family has a favourite sport they love to play.
If you’ve got space outdoors in your garden or local area, use it! Play football, frisbee or rounders – these will all help you to stay active without really feeling like you’re exercising. If you’re at the seaside, add boules or beach volleyball to the list.
Even just kite flying can be super fun and exciting for any age group – we’re all kids when we’re flying a kite, right? I personally loved taking some kites to the beach to enjoy with my nieces and nephews – I think I was the most excited of us all.
What other ideas do you have for saving money on the weekends and during the school holidays? I’d love to hear your thrifty at-home entertainment hacks in the comments below, so please do share your ideas here.
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