Cheap Entertaining Ideas and Alternatives to the High Priced Versions

1. Invite all of your friends over to your place for a pot luck where everyone brings a dish to save money. No tips or gratuity payments, and I'm guessing it's cheaper than whatever you get at a restaurant.

2. Try limiting your movie nights to twice a month and go during the matinee hours or wait until it ends up in the cheap theater. Don't buy anything at the concession stand and stop by the Dollar Tree store and stack up on candy there. Sneak it in with a backpack.

3. When you go out to eat, split a meal with a friend and try going during lunch hour when it's cheaper, rather than dinner.

4. Before you go out to eat, have a snack to fill you up, so you don't eat as much. A small salad or some trail mix can do the trick.

5. Don't order beverages at restaurants to save money. Order a free glass of water. If you live in an area with really bad water quality like I do, just bring your own water bottle.

6. Rather than going to a bar for drinks, create your own bar at home. Drinks are outrageously overpriced, not even including tips, for drinks that can easily be made at home. What drinks to stock will discussed in another entry.

7. Come up with cheaper or free entertaining ideas. Go online, and ask all of your friends for suggestion. If you go out every weekend, substitute one weekend out of the month to do this cheaper activity. IDEAS: Hiking, bookstore, coffee house with close friends, movie night at home, festivals, parades, botanical gardens during free admission, attend a lecture,

The Sale Approach

The key to saving money is to buy enough items when they're on sale to hold you over until the next sale. This method works well, and once you develop a system, it's quite successful. But in order for this to work, you have to have money reserved. It saves money in the long run, but if you don't have the money to save money, it won't work. There are many reasons to save, and this is one of them. This approach works especially well for things with a long shelf life such as school supplies, cleaning products, personal care items, household supplies, some dry goods and frozen foods. Sit down one day and really jot down what you need and want. Review it and see if there are cheaper alternatives or other products that can be substituted for a more versatile use. It's always best to formulate a plan, understand exactly what you want and why. It keeps your priorities in focus and reduces your likeliness of going on a careless splurging spree. It's also useful when something's out of stock because you can more easily find a suitable replacement. Remember, it's not necessarily a good deal simply because it's on sale. I wouldn't suggest buying 5 dozen eggs because they're a steal. If you can't finish them or it goes bad before you can eat them all, then it's a waste. Ask yourself if you would buy that if it weren't on sale. If you wouldn't, then it's probably not a responsible purchase. If you overspend because of a sale, you're not necessarily saving money. The key is to spend less money in the long run so that you can live a comfortable life. If you're over exerting your budget over the sale, then it's self-defeating. Sales come and go. You don't have to get everything that's on sale right now. Sales aren't the only way to save money. If a 12 pack of toilet paper is on sale, it's cheaper than the regular price for that 12 pack, but the same brand's 24 pack of toilet paper for the regular price may be a bigger bargain. It's also possible that another brand of 12 pack toilet paper's regular price is cheaper. Always look around for what else is out there.

Live Your Budget

The idea of living on a budget may sound depressing, but it's not as bad as you'd think. More importantly, approach it like you don't have a choice. You may not like it. You just have to do it. Eventually you'll get used to it. Whatever your budget is, live it. Don't exceed it. It's not that having money is the way to go. Just as long as you live within your means, you'll be fine. Don't over stress yourself by spending more than you can afford. You can start by eliminating or reducing unnecessary expenses such as entertainment. How often do you go to the movies, eat out, go clubbing, drinking, etc.? Try limiting your movie outings to twice a month and only go when they're having a matinee. You can also always wait until those movies hit the cheap theater or make it a Blockbuster night. What I like doing is inviting a bunch of my friends over and asking them to bring a couple movies over and enjoying my time that way. Most of us have a bunch of movies at home anyways. I highly suggest staying in to eat more often. But when you do go out to eat, try going during the daytime. You can also have a snack or a salad at home to fill your stomach before going out. If money's really tight, ask to split something with a friend. If you go clubbing enough, you should have enough connections to get by without paying. If not, find them or don't go out as much. Instead of going out for drinks, you can make them at home for a lot cheaper. If you do decide to go out, steer clear of mixed drinks and any of the pricier stuff. Or just get a pitcher of a mixed drink and share it with everyone.