In this article, I discuss a few ideas for cheap nights out with your friends! Sometimes it can be hard to think of ideas on what to do, so hopefully this helps. I think it can also be good to focus on things which do not involve clubbing or drinking too much (as drinking usually means spending too much money!)
Board night
One thing I have enjoyed whilst being at university is board nights, where everyone can pick a theme for the board. For example, when I have done this in the past I did a beige board, which incorporated foods such as sausages and chicken. However, we did have more variety than ‘beige’, as others did boards such as sushi and salads. I found this idea fun and inventive, being in charge of one board didn’t involve spending too much money, and as everyone else was also doing a board, it meant we ended up having a lot of food to choose from. Additionally, it meant there was an opportunity to eat things you wouldn’t usually, do or even try completely new things.
I have also seen people do similar themes- cocktails with themes. For example, colours. I haven’t tried this idea yet, but it could be more expensive due to the alcohol you may be buying, so bare this in mind!
Another way of doing this, which my house has done, is through a Friday night dinner. In the past when doing this, we have set particular themes, such as an Italian night, and it ends up being like a buffet. I find this fun, as the outcome is always really nice, and it means we can all spend time with one another without going out.
Pub quiz
Another thing which I did a couple of weeks ago was a pub quiz. I went with my friends to The Sir John Borlase Warren. The pub quiz here is on a Tuesday. However, there are other pubs which do it on different days if this doesn’t suit you; the Rose and Crown host a pub quiz every Friday. At The Sir John Borlase Warren, it was £1 per person to join the quiz, which was really affordable. Additionally, your team get entered into a game of higher and lower, in which each team gets called up at the end and you need to guess 16 cards in a row, which proves very difficult. However, the jackpot is about £300-£500. This proved to be a really fun evening if you want to do something chill, but also be in a different environment than usual. The one thing I will admit is the questions were really hard! In the end, we got about 25/60 correct!
Find a TV show/movie to watch
One of the best options for when you fancy a chill night is to find a movie or TV show to watch. Recently, something I always watched with friends was the new Love Island, which meant we sat and watched it most nights. However, now that’s finished, it’s been The Apprentice, which is every Thursday, and a lot of the time some friends and I will watch that. I find this a good option for when you want to be accompanied by others but have also had a long and tiring day. It’s also quite a nice idea to all buy some snacks and share them around.
Thank you for reading, I hope that one of these ideas has inspired you to do something like have a board night or try out a pub quiz!