Living in 2018 is not easy, especially if you’re the type of person who always wants to do something exciting but can’t afford to. With Thanksgiving and Christmas break right around the corner, you’re bound to drop some cash on club nights with friends or eating out at trendy restaurants. If you’re looking for some equally fun but cheap things to do with your friends, here are some ideas that you can try without burning a hole in your wallet!
1. Order Food and Watch Movies
A fun hangout idea that doesn’t cost much is inviting friends over and having a movie night. You can order a pizza pie, Chinese food, or any other takeout and binge watch movie series like Harry Potter, the Avengers, or the Scary Movies. A night in and eating is relaxing and fun, and can be a great way to snuggle up and catch up on life!
2. Go to a Free Museum or Art Exhibit
Another cool hangout idea is going to a free museum or art exhibit! There are a ton of museums or art exhibits that are free of charge and only ask for donations. Gather up your friends and find one that’s close to you and check it out. It gives you something fun and interesting to do, as well as maybe sparking a new interest in the arts! If you live close to NYC, you can go to the MoMA or National History Museum which are both free, regardless of MoMA on select days.
3. Go Hiking
Another way to do something fun that doesn’t cost any money is going on a hike! Although it is around the winter time, you can still hike on a nice sunny day! Dress warm and find an easy trail to hike, and you’ll be surprised how fun it is. You can check out a nice view and pack some food to eat at the top or along the trail. It’s a great way to exercise and hangout with your friends.
4. Bowling and Pizza
An underrated and inexpensive idea that you and your friends can take part in is going bowling and getting pizza. Bowling only costs about $10 per person and if you and your friends all order pizza at the alley, you can save even more money. Bowling is a fun activity that a lot of people don’t do anymore even though it can be really exciting and competitive. You can make bets with your friends on who would win and can even play extra rounds when you’re done.
5. Get Coffee and Park Somewhere Nice
A simple idea that you can do with your friends is get coffee, and then drive somewhere nice to park or if it’s nice out, go somewhere and sit outside! Grab your gal pals and drive to a local coffee shop and sit down for a little and chat! Or you guys can drive to a place to park and hangout, such as an open park area or beach. My friends and I love to park in front of the water and we’ll listen to music and hangout and talk. It is a great way to get out of the house and hangout with your friends.
6. Paint or Color
A good and super fun thing to do with your friends is have a painting or coloring night! You can pick up a painting kit or coloring books at the supermarket, CVS or even an art store and invite your friends over for an artistic night. You can all paint each other, something funny, or play a game that you have to guess the drawing. With some food, music and the right friends, this affordable hangout idea can turn into a lot of fun!