Living cheap doesn't have to take the joy out of life.
Find cheap or free alternatives to favorite indulgences. Here are some of my favorite happy things, and their budgetized substitutions.
Lunch at a cafe with a friend ---------> Packed lunch at a park in nice weather, or in a beautiful public building in bad weather (Universities, large main libraries, museums and legislative buildings are all possibilities, which may provide both designated sitting/eating areas and pleasant surroundings).
Movie rental --------> Borrow a movie from the library (more and more libraries are getting large DVD collections) or discover watch episodes of a favorite old or new TV show on www.hulu.com The trick is to go at it with the attitude of choosing something interesting from the free selections available, instead of having a specific movie in mind.
Buy a new book -------> Become a patron of your local library and borrow all the books you want! Remember that many libraries now have district wide online reservation systems. These allow you to order any book in your entire county to be delivered to your branch.
Buy a new outfit at the mall-------> Hit up Goodwill on the first Saturday of every month for half price treasures, ranging from an average of 99 cents to $3. Ironically, the clothes I get the most compliments on generally come from Goodwill.
Night out on the town -------> Google your town and the words "places to dance" and you will likely find plenty of free or inexpensive social dance venues. Just skip the expensive dinner out by eating before you leave.
Night at the theater -----> Check out local universities for lower priced versions of popular plays and musicals. If you're a student, ask the higher priced theatrical venues if they give discounts for your specific university. This could really pay off! Thanks to a totally unadvertised "group saver" deal between the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and my university, I was able to get $105 tickets to the farewell performance of Riverdance for $15.
Create a fabulous sewing or craft project -------> Let's face it. Sewing and crafting hobbies rarely actually save money. All those supplies can cost a fortune! Search your local library and the internet for recycled craft projects, using everyday discarded things. Refashion an old outfit into a new one, or find new fabric in old sheets or curtains. Soon I'll be doing a blog entry on my latest obsession: refashioning T-shirts into fabulous skirts.
Go shopping with a friend --------> When it boils down to it, you really just wanted to spend some time chatting and doing something fun with your buddy, right? So skip the wallet abusing habit of recreational shopping, and find something new to do together. Find local greenways and walking trails to hike together. Start an exercise program together. Do home mani/pedis. http://www.ehow.com/how_2553_give-yourself-manicuregive-yourself-manicure.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2554_give-yourself-pedicure.html
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