Inflation is hitting families hard. Gasoline prices are climbing, food costs are rising, and it’s getting harder to afford family entertainment. The good news is there are several ways to save money while having fun – even with inflation hitting our wallets.
Here are 10 ideas to help you save money and have fun:
- Embrace Free
Start your search for free fun activities by visiting the community calendar. There are several places that offer free events regularly, such as the local Parks and Rec department. And there are often venues that offer days with no admission cost, such as free museum days.
- Visit the Local Library
The local library offers far more than books. Modern libraries offer movies, music, craft kits, and more! Plus, they offer a variety of free events for kids and adults.
- Take Food with You
According to Renolon, “Close to $1200 is spent on fast food by one person in a year.” The cost of food on the go is even higher for busy families. Instead of stopping at fast food restaurants on the way to and from school, pack a cooler with food to eat on the go.
- Carpool with Other Families
Inflation has caused gasoline prices to skyrocket. The daily commute to and from school and extracurricular activities is adding up and hurting parents’ wallets. You want your kids to keep enjoying their dance classes and soccer games, so consider carpooling with other families to cut costs.
With GoKid, you can bring the cost of driving down from $100 to $30 a month by carpooling it with only two families.
- Enjoy a Staycation
Between inflation and the increasing price of theme parks and airline tickets, many American families can’t afford vacations that require travel. Fortunately, we live in America, and there is fun in every state! Stay at home and take day trips to nearby destinations to cut costs on hotel and flights. Stay in town and visit your favorite local spots and explore new ones.
- Almost free food is waiting for you
While food prices have gone up noticeably, on the flip side, there’s still a lot of food going to waste: an estimated 40% of produced food will never land on anyone’s plate. A start-up called Too Good To Go is addressing this global problem. The consumer can set their preferences and can sign up to get bags with food at certain hours. Surprise bags start for as little as $ 4.99.
- Host Potluck Style Events
You are not the only parent looking for ways to save money while having fun, so don’t feel bad asking friends or family to participate in potluck-style events. You can still enjoy your holiday parties, tailgating, and social events, but you don’t have to cover all the costs yourself. Potlucks are very much back in style!
- Get Outdoors
There are so many free things to do in the great outdoors!
- Visit a local park.
- Feed duck or fish in a nearby pond or lake.
- Eat a picnic.
- Go on a hike.
- Take a bike ride.
- Fly a kite.
- Get creative with sidewalk chalk.
- Go on a scavenger hunt.
- Look at the stars.
- Plant a garden
- Invest in Annual Passes
You’ve likely heard someone say you’ve got to spend money to save money and thought the idea was silly. But there is some truth to it – especially when it comes to investing in annual passes or memberships.
If you live close to a museum, zoo, or aquarium, consider purchasing a family membership. Typically, these memberships pay for themselves in two or three visits. Then, you can go as many times as you like for free!
Plus, many memberships offer reciprocal memberships to other facilities across the country, which means you can visit other zoos and museums for free or discounted admission.
- Have Fun While Earning Money
Don’t forget to look for opportunities to earn money, like letting the kids run an old-fashioned lemonade stand.
If your kids love animals, encourage them to use their love for animals as a means to earn money. They can offer to walk and feed their neighbor’s pets.
Not only will the kids learn valuable financial skills, but they will have fun doing it! Plus, you can encourage the kids to use the money they earn to pay for future activity.
