So as I get ready for my first of hopefully many camping trips to come, I thought I’d throw out some ideas for low to no cost entertainment.  I’ll be heading out to the Grand Canyon and tent camping for a few nights, doing some hiking, biking, sight seeing, and drinking (can’t wait to come back and clear out all of the spam comments).

You don’t have to break the piggy bank in order to entertain yourself, so here are some of my favorites:

Public Libraries:

Why pay for books, DVDs, or CDs, when all of that stuff is available for free at your local library.  These are 3 things I have promised myself to never purchase again.  They take up a lot of space and are heavy to lug around when you move.  There is literally a lifetime of entertainment available at your local public library.  I regret, when I was a teenager, wasting a ton of money on DVDs and CDs.  Those Columbia House clubs were not worth the cost.  I’m actually getting rid of my last box of DVD’s pretty soon.  Yeah, less clutter.  Cost for all of this entertainment = $0.

Streaming Services:

Nothing good on TV and you don’t feel like leaving the house.  I personally love Crackle.  Nice selection of movies and TV shows to stream all for free (with the occasional commercial thrown in) and the movies are constantly rotated, so there’s always something to check out.  Make it a fun night in with your better half: make a home made dinner, bottle of wine, and snuggle up on the couch while watching a movie. There’s also the popular options of Hulu and Netflix for a nominal fee.  I also like rentals from RedBox (you can get coupons for super cheap weekend rentals emailed to you as well).  There’s also movies available for Amazon Prime members.  For music lovers, stream Pandora or Spotify while you do chores around the house.  Cost = $0 – $11 per month.

Public Parks/Trails:

Turns out where I moved, there are a ton of nice parks and trails galore everywhere.  I started doing mountain biking, to change up the routine of just road biking all the time.  Started doing some trail hiking as well.  The public parks are great places to bring the dog for walks and there are usually activities on the weekends. Cost = $0

Road Trips:

Having moved to a different part of the states, everything is new to me.  So road trips that can be done in a day are a great way to see new things.  I’ve gotten to check out Tombstone, AZ a couple times, since I really liked it.  I also ventured off around the bigger city of Phoenix to see a cool Safari Zoo (and I’ll be heading back to go zip lining).  It’s just fun to get out and see new and different things. To save a little money, it’s a good idea to pack some food and drinks. Cost = $25-$100 depending on driving distance and activities involved.

Visit State Parks/National Parks:

Some of the coolest sites to see, might already be in your own backyard.  If you haven’t been to a National or State Park, I highly recommend checking them out.  The entrance fees are pretty low for a lot of them and you won’t believe what you’ll see.  I’ve gotten to hike White Sands National Park, see Montezuma Caste, and climb a giant piece of granite at Saguaro National Park.  They all had something cool to see.

This week I’ll be camping at the Grand Canyon.  This will be my second time in my life checking it out, and I know I’ll be in awe looking at it again, just like 2 years ago.  I’m not a morning person, but I can’t wait to catch a sunrise at the canyon.  I’m already planning a camping trip in September to Picacho Peak State Park.  I want to see the sunset from the top of that mountain.  A little fact, there are free entrance days at the national parks, just check out the calendar and plan accordingly.  These places are definitely worth seeing before your time is up.  Cost = $5-$200 (depends if you are just visiting for the day or plan to road trip out there, camp a few days, and do some activities-still way cheaper than a traditional vacation).

Happy Hour:

Hear me out.  I’m not a proponent of eating out every single meal.  One, it’s unhealthy.  B, it’s expensive and your wallet is silently crying in agony in your back pocket.  However, checking out the occasional happy hour at restaurants you wanted to try can save you on the cost of your meal.  If the meal is worth the full price of admission, you can always go back another time during non-happy/sad hours.  Also, don’t go crazy on the drinks.  Just be sure to check out the place’s website for their specials and hours.  It’s okay to splurge on the occasional special dinner, just don’t make it a habit, that’s why it’s special. Cost= $20-$30 for a table of 2.

Games:

I feel like my female readers are leaving right now.  Hey, I like to play the occasional video game, I’m a dude.  To me, it’s relaxing.  That stuff can be expensive though.  Some free stuff to kill time on your computer, check out UPlay, it’s UbiSoft’s game client.  They’ve been giving a few free downloadable games for the last few months, and fun stuff at that.  There’s also EA’s Origin, which has an “On the House” deal that gives you a free game every so often.  It’s hit or miss.  Sometimes they give away something cool, sometimes not so much.  Still worth checking out for free entertainment.  Most computers built in the last few years should be able to run the stuff.  Cost = $0

Go Outside:

Let’s see, I like to bike, run, hike, play with the dog, and work out all outside. Cost = $0 and you can get a little tan while you’re at it.

Go to the Movies:

Personally, I don’t really like going to the movies.  I prefer to watch a movie in the comfort of my own home (I also tend to fall asleep when the lights are out).  Tickets are also expensive!  I have, however, located discount theatres.  In my case, on Tuesdays, I can go check out a movie that’s been out for a few weeks for $1.50.  I don’t mind that price at all.  If I fall asleep, it’s not big loss either.

These are a few of my low to no cost forms of entertainment that I use to pass the time.  What are a few of your favorite cheap forms of entertainment?

 

 

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