10 Ways to Save Money While Having Fun

The best way to save money painlessly is to have fun while you’re saving it. When I was growing up, we did a lot of fun things with family and friends that actually saved us money, but we didn’t think much about it at the time. It was just the way people lived. Average people back then were thrifty and conservative by nature because they didn’t have a lot of extra income or credit cards to rely on. In other words, they lived within their means.

Today, people are more inclined to pay for services they could perform themselves but choose not to because they believe these things are time-consuming or cumbersome (i.e. painful). I am guilty of this and have a cleaner but most other things I do myself – like walking our dog! They also choose to buy a lot of items they could make or grow, but don’t feel like they have the time or ability to do that either. And it is so easy to just “charge it.”

As a modern society, we are always searching for more time and ways to make living “easier.” But considering the average family today watches more than 20 hours of TV a week, surfs the Internet for hours on end and spends precious time shopping for things they don’t really need, that “wasted” time could be put to productive use. There are ways to have some good old-fashioned family fun and camaraderie, and save money at the same time.

Here are some great ways you can enjoy more time with your family and friends and increase your financial worth as well:

Make cooking and eating a family affair

Instead of going out to eat or ordering in pizza, have a cookout and ask friends, neighbours and family members to bring a homemade dish. Everyone saves money and you have time to catch up on what’s going on in your extended families’ lives. Your children get to know their relatives and neighbours better. You also can involve your children in cooking daily meals. Bonus: The food will probably be healthier. My parents rarely went out to restaurants but would regularly have friends over for a shared meal.

Look beyond the gym for exercise

Instead of going to the gym and paying a steep membership fee, find family exercise activities you can do together, such as biking, hiking, swimming, or badminton. In the UK we are blessed with so much natural beauty in our landscapes and there are usually plenty of places where you roam for free. Take the kids to the park, visit local beauty spots in Gloucestershire the Forest of Dean and the hidden gems the county has. Bonus: You can spend your membership money on good shoes and equipment (buy secondhand when possible).

Get back to nature (and fire the lawn service)

Gardening with your children can be fun and educational, and gets kids closer to nature. Kids love to learn about the many kinds of bugs and plants in the yard, watch seeds sprout, help choose plants for the garden and even pull weeds. Then it feels like it’s their garden too! Bonus: Kids get more involved with nature, less with computers and TV.

Grow your own food

With the dangers of pesticides and herbicides, worries about salmonella on fruits and vegetables, and the rising cost of produce, growing and harvesting your own food is one sure way to save money. Even if you don’t have a garden, with a little investment, you can grow almost any vegetable in a container. I grew up growing rhubarb, tomatoes and grapes in our garden. Bonus: You know where your food comes from.

Make your own (fill in the blank).

Invest in a good sewing machine and learn how to use it. So many things can be created cheaply and easily with a just a little material and some thread. Curtains, pillow covers, simple clothes and towels to name a few. Learn to knit or crochet. Get creative. Make gifts instead of buying them. Bonus: People will cherish your thoughtfulness and admire your talent. You can also sell your handmade goodies on Ebay, at craft fairs or on Etsy. People also love to have handmade items as it stands them out from the crowd.

Shop at charity shops and car boots

Who doesn’t enjoy finding a good deal? Half the fun of bargain hunting is digging through all the treasures. Kids love that too. Why spend £20 for a brand new flowerpot when you can buy a gently used one at a car boot sale down the street for £1?

Get your entertainment for free.

Have you been to a library lately? This is one important resource many people have abandoned. Want a book? They buy it. Movies? They rent them. Magazines? They get a subscription. The library is a wonderland full of things we can use for free and then return. Bonus: Less clutter in your home.

Borrow instead of buying.

Before you run out to the store to spend money on something you may only use once in a while, such as tools, asked family, friends and neighbours if you can borrow theirs. Just be sure to give it back in the same condition you received it and be willing to loan your possessions too. Bonus: Less clutter in the garage or shed.

Turn car wash time into playtime.

What kid doesn’t love to play in the water, especially on a hot summer’s day? Suit them up, put on some upbeat music and let them help you wash the family vehicles. The kids get to exercise and cool off. The vehicles are clean. Everyone is wet and happy. Bonus: You don’t waste time or petrol going to a car wash.

Stay in for game night.

Once or twice a week, turn off the TV and computer and have a game night. Make homemade pizza (it’s really not that hard) and let the kids choose their own toppings and help prepare it. Play cards, scrabble, backgammon or whatever the kids are in the mood for. Allow them to invite friends over. Bonus: The time will fly so fast they’ll forget about the computers, TV and shopping.

It’s time that we all stopped to think about how we are not only alienating ourselves with the modern way of life, but we are also hurting our children and sacrificing their financial futures. Simplifying your life can in many ways increase its value as well as your net worth. Give it a try for the sake of your family and your future.