What you can do when you want to hang out with your friends without spending a penny
When you wish to see your buddies, what do you usually do? Do you spend money on "gourmet meals" and go to watch a movie? They sound like fun but aren't exactly budget-friendly. Your wallet will thank you for not spending money when hanging out with friends. You may believe that it will become tedious without spending any money, but maybe we can prove you wrong.
There are several things you can do for free. We've compiled a list of roughly 40 free activities that will get you excited about going out with your pals instead of worrying about your wallet.
Free activities for you and your pals
This list of free activities is a great way to become closer to your friends, whether it's a quiet evening or a day fuelled by adrenaline. So grab your pals and have a blast with them for free! "Money can't buy everything," as the saying goes, and in this instance, it's an incredible experience with many memories.
1. A park visit
Take a trip to your neighborhood park with your friends. Use all the sporting equipment that you had or all of the toys you forgot you have stored in your attic, and maybe a first aid kit too, just in case. And, just like in the old days, have a great time!
Check the weather forecast before leaving, and bring along whatever you might need- water to stay hydrated and munchies to relax on the grass. Have a comfortable and relaxing day out without having to spend any money.
Parks are usually an excellent place to meet up with friends for free!
2. Riding bicycles around town
If you're on a diet, a day out with your friends can be the worst thing because of all the food and temptation and your friends being the literal devil incarnate. Riding around town on your motorcycle is the perfect way to escape that. You have fun, but you also burn those calories you want to lose daily!
Take those cute candid pictures with your friends while also exploring the city; it will be an unforgettable day. Make your best friends your gym buddies, and have a blast!
3. Attend free events
Free events are always going somewhere; inquire about the next event sponsored by your local library or park. If it sounds interesting to you, bring your friends along and have a good time. Keep an eye out for these upcoming events!
4. Museums:
Museums don't usually charge an admission fee, but even those will almost certainly offer free days. So keep an eye out on their calendars for free days and plan your day accordingly.
Your artistic and history-loving friends will undoubtedly love it, so be prepared to be awestruck by the rich history surrounding you.
5. Night of games
We've got your back if you're unsure about what to do the next time you hang out with your friends. Call your friends over for a game night and tell them to bring their favorite food and board games. You'll have the perfect evening and a great time, right from the comfort of your home.
7. Binge watch a show
Whether you're in the mood for a sad or a happy night, bingeing on your favorite shows is always a good idea. The Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which one would win? Or you could just watch both and decide.
8. Trivia competition
Bring your "nerdy" side to trivia night! Create distinct categories for each round, such as films, books, entertainment, politics, etc. Bring together a large group to create the ideal competition, and ensure the winner receives a fantastic prize!
9. Sled downhill
As the snow begins to fall, going to a hill with whatever type of board you have and sledding would be the perfect day-out idea. You can also use a baking tray as an option. Sledding is an excellent form of exercise! Just make sure to stay safe and warm while sledding.
10. Running or training for a marathon with a buddy
The best way to get in shape and hang out with your friends! You can meet up at a suitable time with your partner and just run. The only thing it costs is time.
11. Potluck
Instead of having dinner at expensive restaurants that will stretch your budget, have your friends bring a dish and have a potluck at a house! You can easily adjust your expenses by adding the items for the dishes on your weekly grocery run.
12. An espresso or coffee making contest
We cannot
espresso with enough words about how cool this is! All the coffee-holics in your group can make a drink as creative as possible for all the “judges.” They can each bring their equipment like a french press or their espresso makers and show their creative sides! It will be a
beautiful night indeed!
13. Thrifting each other’s closets
On any weekend, plan and go to a friend's house, and you can either borrow some of their clothes or trade ones for one. It is a great way to save money, instead of splurging on some clothes you probably won’t be wearing. There are so many pros to it, it’ll be like a whole new wardrobe and it’s also great for all the fashionistas out there on a budget.
14. Book and wine club
This is perfect for all the readers out there and wine enthusiasts.
Take out that wine bottle you have been saving forever and that book on your never-ending TBR(to-be-read) list and set up a date with your mate!
It’s a great end to a weekend, relaxing and entertaining.
15. Dinner hopping
A very unique potluck. Each of your friends may host a particular part of your dinner. Someone can host the entrees/appetizer. Another may keep the main course, and finally, another for dessert!
It will be extremely fun to have everyone host different themes for their course,
It’ll be budget-friendly & a great way to save time instead of slaving in the kitchen while your friends are all having fun.
16. Exploring new locations
You probably still haven’t thoroughly explored your city, and this is a great way to dive more into your city’s culture and history with your friend! Explore all the nooks and corners you have probably missed before, window shop, look around for some scenic places and maybe click an aesthetic picture or two for your gram!
17. Memory book
Have a nostalgic evening with your friends while creating a cute photo album. It’s a great time to reminisce and a trip down memory lane. Tell everyone to get their favorite pictures.
A great memoir for all your future generations to see and experience your happy times through that album.
18. Poker night without money
Instead of worrying over how much you can bet in every round, just use poker chips instead of cash. This way, no one will hesitate to get competitive and it will be the perfect poker night. And also have the perfect poker face instead of the anxious one.
19. Learn a language with someone
We’ve all dreamt about learning a new language and settling in a completely different country. So this is the time to pick up some books from your local library to start learning and practicing.
Meet once or twice a week to brush over everything you have learned, try to have a conversation, and maybe watch some content in that particular language. It’s a great way to motivate each other to unlock a new skill!
20. Enroll in some free online courses
No amount of knowledge is too much. So many people often offer to educate for free(youtube). This is your chance to start learning about something completely new with your friends.
21. Scrapbooking
Freeze your memories with your friends. Gather mementos of your favorite times spent with each other and added them to a scrapbook. It could be movie or concert tickets, carnival tags, cute, funny notes you may have written to each other, and anything which represents your friendship.
22. Make jewelry or some crafts together
Bring out your creative side and start making jewelry that you can make for your friends or exchange with them. You can use beads, threads, glitter, and so much more. And who knows, you can even start selling your work and make money from it!
23. Closet cleanse
Get your buddies to help you out with that closet that you have intended to clean since forever. You can also set up an organized system, and having extra hands always helps. Exchange your extra clothes which you don’t need with your friends or donate them.
24. Volunteering
Volunteer work is an amazing option to experience with your friends. It would also be a great deed! Pick a cause that everyone cares about and wants to get involved in. You can try going together and helping the cause you picked once or twice a month. It’s a great way of giving back to society and spending time with your loved ones.
25. Hiking
Getting some exercise and fresh air is never a bad idea. Take a friend or two along who are up for a challenge. Go for a hike in your town.
Get in tune with your mind, body, and nature, and you could also make this a weekly outing with your friends!
26. Bonfire night
Bonding with your friends over a bonfire? Yes, please! It’s simple, classy, and everyone loves a great bonfire night with some gooey marshmallows, some hot chocolate or maybe both! The eerie and cozy vibe and sharing of haunted stories, trying to spook everyone, are a recipe for a memorable night.
27. Exploring a new town
Make a plan with your buddies ready to explore a completely new town.
You can go sightseeing, visit their local museums and art galleries, and take some great photos. An experience like this would be great to have with your friends.
28. Rollerblading
Dig out your old roller skates from your attic and go to the skating rink or park. It may seem very retro-ish, but it’s a great way to spend time. Especially if you gather a ton of people, the more the merrier!
29. Skateboarding
Elevate your skater-girl/boy aesthetic to the next level by learning how to skateboard! Take your friend who is a gifted skateboard to a skate park and have them teach you the ropes and some cool tricks.
30. Baking competition
Not just on TV anymore, you can host your competition by getting 3 or 4 people to bake together, and each of them can add their creative streak to it and bring in a lot of judges. To make it even more fun, give them special ingredients of your choice to incorporate into their dish! And at the end of the day, everyone will be a winner anyway. Dessert for everyone!
31. Stargazing
Head up to your terrace or backyard on a clear night and stargaze with your friends. You can look for constellations and learn more about them too.
Bring some snacks and beverages along and share fun facts about each of the stars and constellations you spot.
32. Manicures
Have a glamorous day with your friends by being each other’s nail techs.
Give nail makeovers to each other. You probably already have all the tools you need. Create a relaxing environment with some music and scented candles.
You deserve to treat yourself and each other.
33. Camping
Going camping is the ultimate adventure! Decide upon a safe spot and won’t charge you money to set up your tents, and as for the equipment, you can ask for stuff that you do not have from your mutuals or your buddies who frequently camp. Distribute tasks and equipment amongst yourself, get games and food, and it’ll be a grand time!
34. Picnic
A classic way to spend time with your friends for free! Just grab a basket and fill it with food and beverages and grab that classic checkered blanket and go to your nearest park. It’ll be the perfect summer day out.
35. Reading contest
Binge-reading a new/old series with a friend and seeing who finishes it first is a great idea. Ask some of your friends and see who is interested. You can bond over a whole new thing! You can either borrow books from each other or a library.
Winner gets? The satisfaction of winning!
- Catching up over coffee
Meeting your friends over at someone’s house with just coffee is bliss!
Just simplicity and no over-the-top adventures and the only thing you have to do is catch up and spend time with each other.
- Trade art/show pieces
If your room needs a makeover, instead of spending, ask your friends if they would like to trade some of their decor pieces with yours. A great way to save money and a precious way of having a piece of each other in your homes.
- Have a party
Host a party for absolutely no reason! Just get together because you want to.
Cook dinner or make some appetizers, get drinks, play some music, dance your heart out, play drinking games and just have a memorable time and enjoy being surrounded by your found family and remember to use only what you have in your cabinets.
- Make a time capsule
Grab a box and tell everyone to bring their favorite memory with each other, it could be a video cd, pictures, mementos, etc.
It should have some meaning to it and you could lock it and decide to open it up in say 50 years or something.
It’ll be like a gift to yourself and your friends in the future.
- Learn a new sport
Ask your athletic friend to help you learn a new sport, it will be a great way to spend time with them and playing is
always fun.
It’s also great for your mind and body to just have fun and play around.
Benefits of hanging out without spending money
Oftentimes we forget the simplicity of just being with your friends, yeah going out is definitely fun but being creative on how you spend your time without spending can show how intimate your relationship runs with them. Sometimes just spending time and bonding is more than enough. The main focus should be on spending time and not money.
Let your friends know their value in your life by being creative about how you want to spend time with them.
The plus side is always the cash you’re saving by not splurging on unnecessary things.
You can save quite a bit of cash by occasionally not indulging in places where you need to spend.
This does not mean that you absolutely cannot spend money, but you should always spend it wisely and always think about saving.
Spend on experiences that are meaningful to you and make your friends become even more significant in your life by sharing such experiences and spending more time with them.
This way you plan how you should be ideally saving your money and spend it where you actually want to.
Endless Variety of things to explore for free with your friends
Hanging out with your friends need not always be boring and mundane. There’s an infinite number of things and adventures to experience. From reading contests to trading clothes to having potluck dinners and so much more, a thought and the want to spend time with your friends to create unique memories is all it takes to come up with something creative.
