Times are tough, and trying to still have fun family time without emptying your wallet can be even harder. It would be nice to just whisk away in the car with family in tow, and go hit the movies, get some popcorn, and have a good evening. However, a family of four will spend well over $100 for this one night. If you throw in going out for dinner and possibly dessert after the movie, you could have racked up somewhere around $250 for your night. So, how do you still have fun, but keep it financially logical? Here are some helpful hints that may help you save, and still allow you to have that great time with your family.
1. A New Kind of Movie Night
Look for local clubs and children’s youth groups that run movie nights monthly or bi-weekly. Most of these clubs run newer movies and are usually free. This setting is usually outside. So grab a blanket, pop some popcorn at home, and cuddle up together for a movie. If your kids HAVE to see the latest movie, see if they can hold off a few weeks after the movie comes out. Then, hit the matinee viewing during the day. This saves you half the money you would usually spend if you had gone to a later movie, or when it first came out.
If you can really hold out for that must see movie, renting a DVD from your local movie rental place, can save you a bundle on gas, and price per head. This way you can be in the comfort of your own home, and still get to see what everyone has been talking about.
2. Eat In
If you love grabbing those pizzas on Friday nights, or getting a seat at your favorite restaurant, you may be pushing your budget to its limits. A way to save is to look for coupons and deals. See if one of your local pizza places are having any specials, or buy a take-home-and-bake pizza. This can save you up at least $10! You could even get creative and make a pizza yourself. With so many recipes online, finding a great one for you should not be that hard. Doing this can save your more then half of what you would usually spend. Try to limit eating at your favorite restaurant to once a month, instead of every week. Or, you could look for other restaurants in your area that offer the same kinds of foods you like, but at a lower price. Trying a new place may give you a new favorite restaurant and not hurt your wallet.
3. Kids vs Electronics
Kids nowadays must have their computers, games, and phones to even survive. I am sure you have one of your kids clamoring at you for that new game coming out. How do you still get them what they want, but save money doing it? Game-stop is a great place to start. Trading in their old games for newer ones is the best way to go. They give you in-store credit and allow you to use it toward any item in the store. Another way is to check online auction sites. Sometimes you can get a great deal on the latest technology, and only have to spend up to half or 3/4 of what you would pay for brand new.
Jan Feldon saves money for her family by visiting healthinsurancequotes.org.
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