Blogging for Change

8 cheap ways to have fun this spring

by Jesse Campbell on
3/20/2013
in Budgeting and Building Savings

 

In certain parts of the country it might not feel like it, but spring has arrived! In the north that means melting snow and rising temperatures (hopefully sooner rather than later) and in the south that just means rising temperatures (…yay?).

Wherever you are, spring means that you no longer have an excuse for self-imposed house arrest. It’s time to get outside and get active! (Or, if you’re in the northeast, get outside and get back to shoveling.)

Getting out and making the most of spring shouldn’t bust your budget. To help you find your way back into sunlight without lightening your wallet, here are eight cheap ways to get out and have fun this spring.

  1. Get on your bike: The fastest, most enjoyable way to re-familiarize yourself with your surroundings is via bicycle. If you’ve got a bike, grease up the chain and get those tires pumped up. If you don’t have a bike, no worries! Bike rentals are common and easy to navigate. You can take a bike out for a day and in some states like Minnesota they even have a public bike exchange!
  2. Run a marathon – or just watch one: Spring is the beginning of marathon season. Of course running in marathons is great, but it’s also a bit of a big deal and takes a lot of time and dedication to successfully complete. Watching a marathon, however, hardly takes any effort at all! USA Marathon List has a nice guide to all the major upcoming marathons.  You can just show up, cheer on the runners and have a grand day!
  3. Have a yard sale: You need to do some spring cleaning. You also need to unclutter your life. The next logical step is a yard sale! Get rid of some unwanted possessions, make a little money and haggle with your neighbors – what could be better?
  4. Head out to the old ballgame: Okay, so spending an afternoon at Fenway Park or Wrigley Field isn’t anyone’s definition of “cheap.” But that’s the beautiful thing about baseball – you don’t have to go to a major league game to have fun. Minor league, college, high school and heck, even work league games can be fun to watch and cheap to enjoy.
  5. Hit the water: Rent a kayak and start paddling. Make sure you wear your life preserver though. No offense, but you’re probably going to fall out.
  6. Enjoy a free outdoor concert: Now that everyone can finally leave their homes again, it’s time for outdoor concerts to start up. Sunshine and free live music? You can’t beat that combination. Check your local papers (or, you know, just boot up the old Google machine).
  7. Smell some flowers: Arboretums are cheap, fun and beautiful. They’re a great place for a romantic afternoon or some scenic “me time.” Find the one nearest you and you’ve got your next Sunday all booked!
  8. Walk the trails: Lace up your most comfortable walking shoes, toss some water and a granola bar or two in your pack, and take to the trails. There are smaller, more local scenic trails just about everywhere, and enormous national historic trails for the most intrepid of hikers. Get some exercise, some fresh air and a whole lot of nature – at hardly any cost!

Jesse Campbell photo.

Jesse Campbell is the Content Manager at MMI, with over ten years of experience creating valuable educational materials that help families through everyday and extraordinary financial challenges.

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