Staying Home on Weekends to Save

[ezlivindreamer]

Saving $$$ is fun, but what are some of your options for fun things to do at home on the weekends instead of going out?

[dragon2008]

Read, embroider, garden (OK, sit out in the garden and watch the neighbors work in their yard), think about cleaning, yell at the cats for playing on the stairs, cook fun stuff (not necessarily expensive stuff), play with the budget spreadsheet . . . so much to do, none of it cleaning the house!

[dancinmama]

Enjoy coffee out on the patio in the morning. Take the dogs for a walk. Watch football on Sunday.

[sarcasticgirl]

DH and I live within a 15 minute drive of the chicago botanic gardens... 300+ acres of gardens. For our anniversary which was in august, we bought a year membership ($80) and we have been at least half a dozen times, had picnics and have taken friends. we have plans to go a few more times this year as well... and can't wait until spring. it will be gorgeous.

Every other week we have "try a new recipe" night. we take turns finding a new recipe for a meal we've never cooked before. it adds a little to our grocery bill... but it's cheaper than going out to dinner and we've found some awesome meals that we've added into our regular rotation.

we do game night and movie night every now and then. when we do see movies, we go during the day and instead of grabbing dinner... we get lunch or brunch. or grab cupcakes and coffee for a treat.

we also live near a ton of forest preserves, so we take our beast (dog) out for nice walks. we've got a HUGE library, but we've only lived in the area a few months and haven't updated our ID from our chicago address (we're in the burbs now) so we haven't been able to utilize it.

lastly... we really want to start doing some volunteer work. i think that's an awesome way to not spend money on the weekends, meet people and give back!

you can always google your area and even if you've lived there for YEARS you might be surprised at things around you didn't know about.

[bluecluessubtlety]

Sex

[teriblue]

sex LOL...........doesnt that go without saying j/k

[Peace77]

Go for walks

Go to the Library

Go to free events such as concerts or free days at museums

Volunteer - could be with an organization or not.
Could be as simple as taking a blind person to the store or helping an elderly neighbor.

[marvholly]

sarcasticgirl

I am also in the Chgo burbs, a bit more from the Botanic Gardens.

Re: Your local library - You should be able to prove residency w/o an updated library card. Generally your lease/mortgage papers and/or a couple of utility bills will do it.

[Peace77]

You can use the library without a library card.
You can go to their programs or go and sit there and read newspapers, magazines, etc.

If you not sure where to volunteer, Contact your local United Way Volunteer Center or the charity of your choice.

[sarcasticgirl]

Oct 28, 2011 6:52:40 GMT -5 marvholly said:

sarcasticgirl

I am also in the Chgo burbs, a bit more from the Botanic Gardens.

Re: Your local library - You should be able to prove residency w/o an updated library card. Generally your lease/mortgage papers and/or a couple of utility bills will do it.

I'm in Glenview, I've contacted the library and was told i cannot get a library card without an updated Drivers License. my license still has my chicago address. I'll give it a try with my lease and some bills. maybe if i go in person they'll budge.

[ohmomto2boys]

My parents live 20 minutes away. I take the boys to visit them every weekend. Or we go to the in-laws and stay overnight (about 1.5 hrs away). Both are very inexpensive and the boys love their grandparents.
My kids love to play with play doh, color, etc. They also like to play in the basement - now that it is colder. It's not hard to entertain a 3 & 5 yr old. I try to get them to take naps - but that is a no go!

[jeep108]

We have friends over for dinner and will rent a movie from the red box for $1.00

[wackyaunt]

We play games (card and board games) with the weekend winner getting custody of a dumb little statue and bragging rights for the following week. That is more family oriented. If it was just me, I would read, cook, and general putz around the house. I have become a very efficient putz-arounder.

[fuzzylumpkins]

Watch Movies at home with Popcorn.
Walk and brush out the dog.
Catch up with household chores.
Clean.
Make OAMC meals (Once a Month Cooking)
Work on budget and pay bills.

[skubikky]

Summer time
- Clean house as early and quickly as possible
- Put laundry on the line, take laundry off the line and fold
- Ride my horse
- Weed the garden, help DH with his hops, cherry, apple and new evergreen trees.
- (After dark)Go through coupons, weed out expired ones, pull out good ones that will be expiring and might be used.
- (late in the day or after dark) cook, bake, make jam and can et al

Winter time
- Clean house...maybe not so early
- Laundry(hang some things around the wood stove), ironing
- Read, books, articles online, Sunday paper.
- Ride my horse outside weather permitting and in the indoor arena when not.
- Work on the annual silent auction that I chair. Write up bid sheets and send out e-mails begging for donations. This actually takes up a lot of time in the winter. While DH is watching football down in the family room, with the wood stove going, I get on the computer down there as it's warmer than upstairs.
- Organize paperwork(most bills are online so have reduced the amount of paper significantly) and throw out what isn't required any longer.
- Find what I have for Christmas cards and see if I can get away without buying any this year(trying to send out more greetings online)
- Go through cross stitch box to see what projects I can continue to work on and what I might like to start.
- Clean horse tack(usually save this for the snowy blizzard weekend days)

[Tiny]

Your Chicago library card may be enough to use the suburban library... I'm not sure though. I know all the Suburban Libraries are 'joined/networked' and work together so a card from one suburb gets you access to the other suburbs libraries. I'm not sure if Chicago is part of that group or not.

FWIW: I've got a Suburban Library card and a Chicago Library card. I've never lived in Chicago... and I can't remember how I got the card. Had it for atleast 20 years. I keep renewing it. I do use the Harrold Washington Library downtown... Library Cards are useful things to have...

[hockeygrl]

Do puzzles
Watch movies and football
Play peekabo/tag/go to the park/read with Wyatt
Feed the fish
Sit on the porch and watch the sun go down over the mountains
Hike in the mountains
Sledding and/or ice skating
Mountain biking
Play cards when family visits
Play hockey with the family

[NastyWoman]

Oct 27, 2011 17:30:16 GMT -5 bluecluessubtlety said:

Sex

As long as you don't skimp on birth control. Otherwise this can get very expensive really fast...