Posted on date 2022-02-14

10 Ways To Save Money On Entertainment

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Do you work too hard? Do you spend too much time doing for others? Do you need the escape so you can let your brain stop and your body relax? Do you need entertainment but don’t want to spend your entire paycheck to get it?

Great news! You don’t have to give up being entertained and having fun. Keep reading, and I’ll introduce you to ten ways you can have fun and save money on entertainment.

Why Save Money?

There are many good reasons to save money. All of us have different reasons to save, but what we all have in common is that what we keep allows us to take care of something, whether for a future emergency or wanting something that requires savings. Here are just a few good reasons to save:

Increasing your emergency fund for a rainy day - the car breaks, the kids need bigger shoes, you’re anticipating medical bills, etc.
Building up your retirement fund – saving for the day when you’ll no longer earn income from work.
Wanting to buy a big-ticket item – a car, a house, a vacation - ahhh
College education for your children

The following are ten excellent ways to save money by spending less on entertainment:

1. Cut Cable

Cable TV packages can range from $20 to $200 per month. This amount will depend on the company you choose, the equipment, and the channels you select. If you’re like me, you’ve spent up to $225 per month because you haven’t thought about getting rid of cable TV and going to streaming services. Once you do it and your bill drops, you’ll wish you’d done it sooner!

Here are some prices for streaming services that don’t require a TV or digital service provider:

Sling - $10 for your first month and up to $79/mo. depending on what channels you want.
Netflix – Starts at $8.99 up to $17.99 for premium.
Hulu – Starting at $5.99 with ads, to $11.99 without ads, up to $64.00 including live TV.
HBO - $15.00 per month
Disney - $7.00 per month and up to $13.00 per month for Disney Bundle if you want it bundled with Hulu and ESPN. The bundle option is excellent if you’re a sports fan and have children.

Any way you look at it, cutting cable and adding any one of the above services or more than one, you’re looking at savings!

2. Listen to Free Music and Podcasts

There is no need to stress out about your budget when you look at the cost of music and podcasts. They sure can add up! There are ways to get free music and podcasts legally.

Check out these options for music:

Check out these options for podcasts:

gPodder - Variety of platforms. Freeware for downloading podcasts. It lets you transfer, download, and search on various devices.
iTunes - iOS - This is a free podcast downloader and media player. You can easily download it on your computer.
Media Go - Windows. Free software to download podcasts easily.
MediaMonkey - Windows. A free podcast downloader for your computer lets you download and organize podcasts.

3. Eating Out

Look for specials - Half-price deals? Special Deal Days such as Taco Tuesdays?
Enjoy Happy Hours - Get drinks at low prices, fill up on appetizers.
Restaurant Gift Cards - You can go online and find all kinds of gift cards, including those for restaurants. You can even purchase gift cards for less than their value.
Use coupons - The best place to find coupons, besides local newspapers, is online. Here are a few sites to find coupons for restaurant specials:
Coupons.com
Valpak
Groupon
BeFrugal
Join Neighborhood Nosh - Here’s how it works: Link your debit or credit card to neighborhoodnoshrewwards.com and find a restaurant near you. Go to the restaurant for a meal, pay with the card that’s attached, turn in a review, and you’ll get cashback. Earn 5% - 10% back for every $1 you spend.
Sign up for eClubs and Newsletters - Start looking for the special discounts and offers that show up via email. Restaurants regularly send them out, and all you have to do is subscribe to their email list.

FOCUSGROUPS.ORG

Become a member and shape the products of the future

Here are a few eClubs you can check out:

4. Cost-Effective Reading - Books!

When looking for peace and quiet or going on an adventure, consider spending some time reading. You can save money and get books for free. Look for places that offer free books (other than your local library).

Here are some sites to download free books:

5. Look for Free Admission Days

You can find free days at zoos, museums, aquariums, and national parks.

6. Look for great deals by subscribing to magazines online

Like to save money and help the planet by consuming less paper? Consider subscribing to magazines online at a much lower rate.

Check these out!

7. Have A Game Night

Consider inviting friends over to play games. You can use board games, card games, tabletop games, adult drinking games, and much more. Game night can be a great way to reconnect with friends and neighbors who you just haven’t seen enough of recently.

8. Host a Potluck Dinner with Friends and Neighbors

What a great way to save money! Invite people to come to your house and bring a dish to share. You can hold it inside or outside, and you can even have a theme - seasonal, holidays throughout the year, birthdays, or just “good to see you.”

9. Go Out Into Nature

Nature has so much to offer - beauty, creatures, fresh air, and exercise. Consider taking a hike at a nearby nature preserve, go for a bicycle ride - you can rent them, play basketball at a local park, pick up a racket for tennis, or put up a net in your yard for volleyball or badminton.

Getting into nature isn’t only an excellent way to save money, but it’s good for the body and soul.

10. Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to contribute to your immediate community or the world. You can do it in BIG ways or more minor ways; it doesn’t matter. You can volunteer from home, at a local venue, or online. Volunteering can be entertaining - it engages your mind, allows you to spend time on something that interests you, i.e., gardening, animals, children, etc. You can learn something at the same time!

Saving money on entertainment is a great way to continue to have fun and reduce your stress while enabling yourself to take care of the sometimes not-so-fun things. One of my favorite quotes, “Life’s too short to skip the whipped cream,” so get out there and enjoy some whipped cream!

Jeanne Bellew

Jeanne is a content writer and customer service advocate. Through her 25+ years of writing for entrepreneurial companies, she developed the skills and expertise to support business goals. She reflects on the company’s mission, ideals, and voice and provides content that engages and influences a reader. In addition, Jeanne’s operational expertise in running businesses and satisfying customers enables her to understand a company’s vision and take direction to contribute to the outcomes desired, both increasing public identity and financially.