Easy on the Wallet Entertainment

Vacations and entertainment are usually the first to go when the time comes to cut household costs. The nice thing about cutting traditional entertainment out of the budget is that it forces you to get creative. Finding entertainment that is beyond the traditional dinner and movie is easier than you may think.

Here are a few options that are easy, creative and cost effective:

• Take a trip to the bookstore. The bookstore offers much more than just books. Before you go make sure everyone knows that there will be no purchases. Explain that you are going to enjoy the experience. Large bookstores such as Borders and Barnes and Noble offer much more than just book sales, it’s a way to spend an afternoon. They offer headsets to listen to music; a coffee house that often times has live music and a play area for kids. The sitting area allows customers to spend hours browsing through the many books and magazines with no pressure to buy a thing.

• Smaller bookstores also offer a great place to spend an afternoon. Unlike the big stores many smaller bookstores may allow you to trade your old books for a few new ones. This can be an incentive to get the kids to box up some of those old books that are collecting dust on the shelf in their bedrooms for that trip to the bookstore.

• Take advantage of free events in your area. Most local papers and local websites offer listings of the many free events in and around the area. These events can range from parades and festivals to plays and even organized hiking events. Taking the time to browse through the local events section in your paper can offer dozens of free or low cost events happening every day of the week.

• Go to the library. The library, much like the bookstore offers more than just books. There are DVD and even VHS rentals, cheap book sales, and racks of books and magazines to browse through. It’s free, easy and accessible to the public. The added bonus is that most local libraries are struggling to stay open. Your trip to the library can help your local branch increase their attendance. Libraries also offer story time for kids, book signings, poetry readings and occasional educational sessions. Libraries also have a bulletin board that announces other up and coming community events in the area. The library could open up many other options for entertainment for the whole family.

• Make your own photo slide show. Most families today own a computer and a digital camera. If you do, take advantage of the technology and make your own family photo show. Spend the evening in front of the computer watching your own family photos rather than the same old television shows. This can offer hours of good memories and quality family time. If you don’t have a digital camera you can make an evening out of going through old photos. Most local department stores have the technology to scan already developed photos and put them on a computer CD. Either option is low cost and a great way to spend time together.