October 1st Is Frugal Fun Day. Here Are 10 Super Cheap Adventures to Do With Friends and Family

This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.

Fun doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Try these ideas for some frugal family fun. 

The price of everything has gotten more expensive, and our bank accounts are definitely feeling it. But your finances aren’t in charge of your fun — you are!

Oct. 1 is Frugal Fun Day, a day dedicated to finding ways to have fun that don’t cost a fortune. And yes, contrary to all that expensive marketing, you absolutely can have fun with friends and family while keeping things frugal. Here are just a few ideas to help kickstart your adventures!

1. Geocaching

Geocaching is a modern take on treasure hunting, albeit a bit scaled back. You can use your phone’s GPS to track down hidden caches. Inside you’ll find a trinket left by the previous explorer. Trade for your own trinket to leave a surprise for the next adventurer.

2. Picnic

You can plan a lovely picnic just about anywhere, with just about anything. Forget a fancy spread; just pack whatever’s handy and head out the door! Find a neighborhood park, local lake, or just set up in the backyard — a great picnic is as much about the company as the scenery.

3. Build a fort

This is a great activity to do indoors or out, with anything you have: that collection of Amazon boxes in the garage, a few spare throw blankets, sturdy couch cushions — the sky’s the limit. You don’t need to be a kid to enjoy it, either; engineering is fun at any age!

4. Game night

We’re not talking about expensive video games. Break out the old-school board games, a cheap deck of cards, or even a dollar store checkers set. Have a group? Play in teams or set up a tournament to keep things interesting. Want to take it to go? Find a nearby bingo game or see if the local senior center has an all-ages card night.

5. Camp out

A couple of inexpensive camp chairs and a bag of marshmallows can turn a regular evening hangout sesh into an early autumn camp out. If you like to sleep outdoors, bring a tent and make it an overnight adventure. More of a bed person? Watch the sun set, then head home to hit the memory foam.

6. Act like a tourist

Many of us take our hometowns for granted. Spend the day exploring historic or tourist destinations surrounding your local area. (You can find a lot of this info online.)

7. Thrift store (or closet) cosplay

You don’t need to go full-throttle to put together a fun outfit based on your favorite characters. Hit a local thrift store — or just your own closets — to see what you can put together. Bonus points if you and your friends put together your own cosplay contest.

8. Volunteer

Not only is volunteering free for you, but it can really make a difference to others, too. (It’s also a great way to combat loneliness!) Check with local nonprofits for opportunities in your area.

9. Go on a scavenger hunt

The internet is awash with free scavenger hunts you can perform around your town. You can even find birthday or holiday themed adventures.

10. Hit a local sporting event

Many of us get priced out of professional sports, but that’s hardly the only way to catch a game. Local high school and college sports can be just as entertaining — if not more so — as pro-level games, and they’re far more affordable.

Other ways to save on entertainment

Even if the activity you want to do is on the pricier side, there are ways to make it a bit more frugal:

Share the cost: Many places offer discounted per-person rates for larger groups, so it can pay to call ahead.Look for coupons, specials, or trials: Some places may offer free trials, weeknight specials, or first-time promotions.Rewards credit cards: There are a bunch of cards that earn bonus rewards on entertainment purchases. And look in your card issuer’s discount portal for special deals.

So much of having fun is about your attitude. If you go into the experience with an open mind, you’ll be surprised where you can find the frugal fun!

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2025

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More