This post is part of a blog swap. It is written by Rich over at Money Wise Pastor. You should head over there and read the post I wrote on this topic and then stick around to check out the rest of his site.

How do you save money without giving up your social life?  That’s the topic of a blog swap I’m participating in today with other bloggers in the Yakezie.com challenge.  I’m glad for the opportunity to share this post with the readers of The Dog Ate My Wallet. And excited about hosting a post by Erin over at my blog, Money Wise Pastor.

 

When we decide we need to cut back on our expenses in order to save money or pay off debt, one of the first places we are told to look to cut is in the “entertainment” category – things like eating out, going to movies, going to clubs, and attending plays, concerts, shows, etc.

 

From a strictly financial perspective, it might make sense to cut back significantly in these areas because these are often considered “extras” and certainly aren’t as vital as paying the rent or mortgage, keeping the lights on, and keeping gas in the car.

 

But cutting back on entertainment can have a negative impact on another important aspect of our lives:  our social life and our connections with friends and family.

 

These decisions are especially difficult for me.

 

My kids call me “the fun one” because I’d eat out all the time if I could, and would find something fun to do every night of the week if my wife would let me.

 

She won’t.

 

Which is why they call her “the real one.”

 

Social and entertainment costs can add up very quickly for our family with five kids ages 6-14.

 

Over the years, we’ve discovered some great ways to save money on entertainment costs while still maintaining an active social life and having lots of fun.  Here are a few tips from our experience.

 

8 ways to save money without giving up your social life

 

1. Plan in home get-togethers with friends. We have a standing “dinner date” with five other families from our church every other Sunday evening. We rotate homes so each family takes turns hosting. Everyone brings a dish to share, so we enjoy a meal together and lots of great conversation.  Most times we take 20 minutes to share a Bible lesson and to pray for one another too.
2. Watch for free events in your community. I keep my fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in our community, and am the go-to guy when my friends are looking for something free to do.  Later this month, our city, Grand Rapids, Michigan, hosts one of the largest art competitions in the world – Art Prize. For three weeks, approximately 1,500 works of art will be displayed within a three-mile radius of downtown. This is one of our favorite times to get together with friends and family to go see the art and vote for our favorites.
3. Make the most of your club memberships.  Some of our friends and neighbors are members at the same health club as we are, so we plan times to go there together to swim as a family or play games in the gym or rock climbing wall.
4. Volunteer for concerts or events you want to attend.  Two weeks ago our entire family volunteered for the Grand Rapids Mud Run, where over 5,500 people ran a 5-K race through a mud course.  We had a blast volunteering together for about 6 hours.  We received a free t-shirt, enjoyed a free lunch, got to run the course with other volunteers after the official race was over, and saved $175 because we didn’t have to pay the $25 per person entry fee.
5. Buy a few appetizers instead of expensive entrees.  When you just HAVE to go out for dinner with friends, you can enjoy the experience and save money by buying a few appetizers instead of expensive entrees.  Or, sometimes my wife and I will choose one or two appetizers plus one entrée to share. And of course, you can save on beverages by drinking only water, or limiting yourself to one purchased drink.
6. Max out your museum membership.  We buy family memberships to several museums in our community and we frequent them a lot. In fact, we go to the art museum at least once a month because of the weekly kids art workshops, which are free to members. Museum memberships are often tax deductible, which is an added bonus, and the money goes to support a good cause in your community. Plus, a couple of times a year, they offer special members-only receptions, parties, and exhibits, which are great if you enjoy getting dressed up and watching or meeting people.  Our $60-$100 a year membership (on average) gets us into these events just the same as the people who donated millions of dollars.
7. Check out cultural attractions from your library.  Many public libraries loan out passes that are good for free admission to sporting events, museums, theaters, zoos, and other cultural activities. These are usually in limited supply and are first come first serve, so ask your librarian for tips on what days or times are best for you to try to get one.
8. Participate in clubs that give prizes.  Each summer, our kids sign up for our local library’s reading club and commit to reading a certain number of books over the summer.  When they complete their commitment, they receive a prize pack which includes tickets to minor league baseball and hockey games, vouchers for free meals at several restaurants, and more.

 

Saving money doesn’t mean you have to give up your social life.  It does mean you’ll need to get creative to find ways to do the things you enjoy doing without it costing you as much money as before.

 

What else would you add to my list?