Going to the mall for a shopping outing isn’t the best thing to do when you’re on a budget and a trip to the movie theater for 4 can set you back $60 dollars these days. But the weather isn’t great at this time of year for the cheap outside activities like hiking and biking. So what activities can you do this winter that will provide cheap family fun on the weekend? We’ve put together some money saving tips for you that will appeal to all ages of kids.

1. Go visiting. – Visiting has become a thing of the past but most friends and family would love to have a visit with you. The key? Don’t show up empty handed. Bring a dish of food and some drinks and even a game or two.

2. Take in a local high school basketball game. – It’s fun to route for your home school and you’ll probably see some friends you know.

3. Go on a local architecture tour. – Wikipedia is a great source for exploring your city’s architecture. Enter the name of your city with the word “architecture” in their search engine and you’ll be surprised by the great tour information you’ll get.

4. Make some birdhouses for your yard to get ready for springtime. Here’s a link to a plan to make birdhouses with recycled materials.

5. Take a window shopping trip. Visit your favorite electronics or furniture store. Let everyone make a “wish list” of something they’d really like to have. Go home, have some ice cream and make a plan for how you can save money to get your wish.

6. Make some family photo collages. Every family has leftover photos lying around in boxes. Why not make something from them? Here’s a link to help get you started.

I hope this gets you thinking about how to be frugal and still have fun. Cheers!

Darcy Ratner
Co-founder, Rubbingnickels.com

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