When you have a family and work and go to school all week, it’s fun to do something that’s not work or school related on the week-end.
These are all fun things you can do that are free or very inexpensive to do. Your whole family will enjoy each activity and not even care if money is not involved.
Go on a Picnic
It’s so expensive to eat out, so why not set up a picnic and take it on the road. Go eat at a picnic table in the park. You can take any food that you’d normally eat at home which is easy to make on a grill, or put together like sandwiches, chips, and fruit. Remember to take fun games like a frisbee for example.
Go on a Walk/Hike or a Bike Ride
Most cities have parks. If yours doesn’t, I’m sure you can take a short drive to a provincial or state park. Walking and hiking are virtually free and are a great activity for all family members, regardless of age or fitness level.
Free Local Museum Days
If you have any museums or tourist attractions in your local area, they usually have free or low-cost days for local people. Find out when those days are so that you can make your plans to visit them on the free days.
Arts and Crafts
Most kids love to get messy, and arts and crafts can do that for you. You may need to buy some supplies for your arts and crafts, but you’ll have something to show for your efforts. Your kids can make things like potholders, rock walkways, and art for the walls too.
Start a Vegetable Garden
If you like spending times in the outdoors, you may want to start a garden. Even if you cannot start one outside due to lack of space, you can grow sprouts and herbs indoors. Kids love taking care of spouts and watching them grow.
You can also become a member of a community garden. Community gardens are cultivated and maintained by several people. You buy a membership to cultivate on a small plot of land.
Visit a Farm
The Greater Vancouver has lots of farms that open their doors to the public. You can pick fresh fruits and vegetables, or buy milk, eggs and meat.
Most farmers are happy to show you and your children the working of their farms.
At-home Movie Night
This is fun to do on bad weather days or even weekly. You can arrange a weekly “pop-corn and movie” night, watching movies from Netflix, Amazon Prime or other channels.
Baking and Cooking
Cooking and baking are always fun for kids because it’s like arts and crafts. They can get messy and get to eat what they created. Plus, when you make things at home, they’re healthier than if they’re store-bought.
Volunteering
There are many ways you can volunteer as a family depending on the ages of your kids. You can adopt a highway and clean up trash, you can volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, or you can help feed people in a soup kitchen. Maybe pets are more your thing – then you can all spend time helping at your local animal shelter feeding, walking, and cleaning up after animals.
Get More Involved in Your Religious Organization
If you attend any religious organization, such as a church, this is another inexpensive way to enjoy family activities. Religious organizations, especially large ones, have plenty of activities besides religious services. Yes, you will have to join and pay your tithes or equivalent, but usually, you only pay what you agree to, which can make the activities inexpensive.
Final Word
Doing fun things with your family without spending a lot of money makes the time together even more enjoyable due to the lack of money-related stress. Remember that no matter what you choose to do, the important factor is spending stress-free time together, fully focused on each other.
The Money Savvy Blog 