Rhonda Perky’s comment ‘no one wants to miss out all the time’ (via ‘Signs your partner/friend is budget fail’) implies that being frugal, by choice or otherwise, is incompatible with having fun. After all, food costs money and so does alcohol, a Wii Fit, and a ticket to Meredith. So how do we enjoy, enrich, and entertain ourselves with little or no money? I thought I’d start a new category, ‘Thrills without frills’, trying to address this question.

Firstly, basics. No matter where we go or what we end up doing, there are a few questions to be considered:

• Is there a stay-at-home equivalent?

Do you need to go out to a movie, dinner or drinks with the mates or can you invite them over to your place? Arranging a video(games) night or a potluck dinner with BYO goon will usually be cheaper and ensures the evening will not end with middle-aged you in a tarty skirt trying to hustle up a city cab at 3am in the morning. Continue reading →