Scouting for Thrifty Fun

I'm revisiting this topic, so it might sound familiar. Periodically I feel a need to review where we are spending both our money and time and decide if  either are worth the investment. While we are trying to both save and replenish savings, and our time is at a premium, it feels like now is a good time to revisit the topic of thrift and fun. We have months where we spend way to much on going out for dinner. If we are meeting friends or for a special occasion it's fun, but it otherwise eats up too much of the budget. Besides the money, it really puts us in a rut as far as our entertainment. Even if meeting friends, there seems like there should be better places to have a catch up conversation and enjoy their company. I want a better use of both my time and our entertainment dollars. I'm also trying to develop a wider range of hobby's or activities now that I won't have any school/activity parent duties. Little by little, I'm adding social fun to the calendar that doesn't have anything to do with parenting.

The impromptu team that came out of a Facebook post about Trivia at the local brewery two Wednesday's ago was a lot of fun. The pace is slow enough that a lot of chatting happens in between questions and rounds, yet, not too expensive since you can bring your own snacks along. It's also something DH and I can both do and something I can do with my older daughter. It expands our circle of friends and if we end up with too many people joining for a team as eight is the max, we can just split into two teams. I played again last week, though DD1 was out of town, and DH came late so wasn't technically on the team. A few old guy friends joined as well. While we got third place on night one, we were, let's say, participants in week two! I won't blame the men joining, but I will confess that we needed the younger minds of our millennial children. For the price of a couple beers, we have a fun few hours, are supporting a local business to thrive, owned in part by DD2's assistant  show choir director and her brother, a school teacher and part of our church's worship band. 

The book club has had a fits and starts beginning, but we are on track for our third book meet-up mid month. I think we just will need to pick a steady  date and who can come comes, and who can't can read the book for fun. Regardless, I've read three books since December, more than I read all of 2018. 

I'll continue to look for impromptu opportunities to participate in social outings. In the last six months my daughter and I attended the Bachman's Blogger Bash evening and the Facebook sponsored She Means Business event. For both, I was in the right place, right time to see the invites and get us registered. I went to a film screening and panel discussion back in January with my boss held at the public radio event center. While work focused, cocktails and appetizers were provided, and it was an enjoyable evening regardless of the topic being work related. If these kind of outings are of interest, check out.Eventbrite. You can search for activities by city and by topic. There is a mix of free, low cost, and regular events. I've found out about Grand Opening events and tastings, author events, and musical performances. 

If you have ideas to share on how you stretch your entertainment dollar, please join in the conversation. If you are an empty nester or an experienced self activity director, what are some of your regular activities that you look forward to each week or month?