<\/p>\n
According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>, entertainment costs make up about 4% of our spending.<\/p>\n But, it doesn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n There are plenty of things that you can do to save money on entertainment and recreation, without sucking the fun out of your life.<\/p>\n So, take a look at our list, start saving, and keep your budget intact.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with one of our most popular pastimes \u2013 watching TV and listening to music.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s watching your favorite sitcom, going to the movies or listening to music<\/a>, it\u2019s going to cost you.<\/p>\n In this section, we discuss ways that you can save money on cable, visiting the movie theater and of course, listening to music.<\/p>\n One of the easiest ways to save on entertainment is to drop your cable service. I know, we all love watching our favorite shows after a hard day at work, but the cost of cable is sky high.<\/p>\n Now, cutting out the cable bill doesn\u2019t mean that you have to forgo your favorite shows.<\/p>\n As you can see, the services above are so much cheaper. And, they feature so many great shows, and movies.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to\u2026Sling TV offers live shows.<\/p>\n A lot of times, all it takes is asking.<\/p>\n If you really, really don\u2019t want to get rid of your cable, then contact your service provider and ask for a cheaper rate.<\/p>\n Thanks to platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, cable companies are now struggling to keep customers.<\/p>\n So, if you phone them and say you\u2019re thinking about ending your subscription and switching to another provider, but you\u2019d keep your cable if you were offered a better rate, then they might offer you a cheaper price.<\/p>\n Going to the movies is a lot of fun \u2013 but a single ticket costs $8.97 on average. And, if you live in a pricier area, like NYC, then it\u2019s not unusual to pay $20 to see a film.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry, we\u2019re not suggesting that you cut out going to the movies altogether.<\/p>\n No, as we said above, budgeting doesn\u2019t mean that you have to cut out all of the fun stuff that you love to do.<\/p>\n Instead, you can cut down on the cost of a trip to the movie theater.<\/p>\n And, an easy way to do this is to sign up for a subscription-based movie ticketing service.<\/p>\n One of the best out there is MoviePass<\/a>.<\/p>\n With MoviePass, you pay $9.95 a month, and then you can watch a new movie every day.<\/p>\n So, you can watch around 30 movies in a month for that price!<\/p>\n If you visit the movies twice per week, and you pay the average $8.97 price, then it would cost you $71.76 a month.<\/p>\n Now, with this service, since you only pay $9.95 a month, you save $61.81!<\/p>\n Make sure that you check out our MoviePass review<\/a>, where we talk more about how it works and discuss other similar services.<\/p>\n A quick browse of the iTunes store for an album can leave anyone feeling stressed about their budget!<\/p>\n But, you don\u2019t have to pay to listen to great music. There are ways to get music for free, legally<\/a> of course, which are super easy.<\/p>\n Firstly, Spotify is a great option.<\/p>\n Yes, they have a paid service but with the app, you can actually listen to music as well as podcasts and audiobooks for free.<\/p>\n Plus, there are even legal ways to get Spotify premium for free.<\/a><\/p>\n The only downside is that albums play in shuffle mode and you can only skip a certain number of songs, so if you like to listen to songs in order, then this isn\u2019t ideal.<\/p>\n This is only minor though. Spotify features new tracks and classic songs from well-known and up-and-coming artists.<\/p>\n Where to get it:<\/strong><\/p>\n Spotify is not the only service of its kind though. There are other websites where you can get music for free, and free internet radio platforms as well.<\/p>\n You can also find great music on the following websites:<\/p>\n Dining out is another fun activity \u2013 spending time with friends or not having to cook is always fun!<\/p>\n But, whether it\u2019s a coffee on the way to work, or dinner with your family, the cost of eating out can really add up.<\/p>\n Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to reduce the cost.<\/p>\n A really easy way to save money when eating out<\/a> is to check whether any restaurants in your area are offering a special deal. A lot of restaurants offer special deal days.<\/p>\n For example, some might offer a half-price meal deal on a certain night of the week, a set price for three courses or a special on the price of a bottle of wine.<\/p>\n Check nearby restaurants for these deals.<\/p>\n A deal that many restaurants offer is Happy Hour.<\/p>\n During Happy Hour, you can get drinks at low prices, so it\u2019s a great way to save on booze.<\/p>\n And, a lot of bars will serve discounted food as well during happy hour.<\/p>\n Did you know that you can purchase a gift card for less than its worth<\/a>?<\/p>\n Really!<\/p>\n Online, you could get your hands on a $50 gift card, and pay just $30 for it.<\/p>\n And, you won\u2019t just find gift cards to retailers \u2013 you can find tons for restaurants.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at a few examples:<\/p>\n This is a hugely popular site and with good reason. On there, you can get some big discounts at popular restaurants.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n This can save you so much money on eating out and there are gift cards from a huge variety of restaurants to choose from.<\/p>\n CardPool features discounted gift cards for a huge range of eateries, ranging from fast food places to sit-down restaurants.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples of savings available:<\/p>\n Another great platform is Raise.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples of the savings available:<\/p>\n This is a great website if you\u2019re looking to save money at restaurants.<\/p>\n With this website, you get up to 50% off your restaurant bill.<\/p>\n You can get gift certificates<\/a> in denominations ranging from $5 to $100.<\/p>\n Coupons aren\u2019t just for groceries; you can also get them for restaurants.<\/p>\n You could look in your local newspaper to find coupons from local restaurants<\/a>, but, the best place to look is online.<\/p>\n Here are a few places where you can find restaurant coupons:<\/p>\n These websites feature coupons and other special offers from restaurants.<\/p>\n There are coupons available for a wide range of restaurants.<\/p>\n For example, on RetailMeNot (read my RetailMeNot guide<\/a> for insider tips) you can get deals, at the time of writing, such as:<\/p>\n A lot of restaurants send out special discounts and offers via email.<\/p>\n You just need to subscribe to their email list.<\/p>\n There are even restaurants that offer free food on your birthday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here are a few eClubs to check out:<\/p>\n Some of these clubs will even give you a discount or a free menu item just to sign up.<\/p>\n For example:<\/p>\n Visit the website of your favorite eateries and see if they have an email list that you can sign up to.<\/p>\n If you really enjoy eating out and want to save money each and every time that you do, then check out iDine.<\/p>\n You can earn 5 to 10% with it every time that you dine out.<\/p>\n What\u2019s great about it is that you don\u2019t have to pay any membership fees or use coupon codes.<\/p>\n You just need to link your credit or debit card to your iDine account. Then, use iDine.com<\/a> to find a restaurant near you. Then, dine there and pay with the card you attached. Then, review your experience, and you\u2019ll get the cashback.<\/p>\n Once you earn $20 in cashback, you\u2019ll receive an American Express Reward Card.<\/p>\n This program is great, as it means that you can save money regardless of where you dine.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s a sports event, a visit to the museum, a trip to the zoo, or a concert, there are tons of free things to do in your city<\/a>.<\/p>\n What\u2019s better than saving money on an event?<\/p>\n Getting it for free of course!<\/p>\n A lot of communities offer free events or at least very cheap events. These could include sports events, street fairs, concerts in the park, community plays, and art gallery openings.<\/p>\n Here are a few places to look for these types of events:<\/p>\n There are a lot of great museums out there that are totally free. This is a great way to spend a weekend.<\/p>\n Here are a few museums that don\u2019t charge admission:<\/p>\n Also, consider doing a search online for your state or city, and followed, by the term \u201cfree museums,\u201d this will bring up free museums nearby.<\/p>\n A lot places that normally charge admission, such as zoos, aquariums and museums sometimes have a day where it\u2019s free.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be afraid to call them and ask if they offer any free days.<\/p>\n For example, the California Academy of Sciences<\/a> offers free admission on two designated weekends each year to residents of San Francisco.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s face it, attending major league sports events is costly.<\/p>\n According to figures reported by Statista<\/a>, attending an NFL game can set you back anywhere from $61 to $130!<\/p>\n If you love live sports, then go to amateur league games instead. Doing this can save you so much money.<\/p>\n The average Broadway ticket can cost you more than $100!<\/p>\n Attending shows at your community theater is so much cheaper.<\/p>\n Sure, the production quality might not be on par with Broadway, but it\u2019s still a great way to see a live show, without having to pay a fortune for it.<\/p>\n If you like to visit one particular attraction often, like the zoo, for example, then it might be worth paying for a membership.<\/p>\n If you plan to visit an attraction multiple times a year, then the cost of the membership could work out less than the cost of buying a ticket each time.<\/p>\n What\u2019s great about these memberships is that you often get free admission opportunities or discounted admission too.<\/p>\n So, do the math and see if it\u2019s worth getting \u2013 sometimes memberships pay for themselves in just a few visits.<\/p>\n Before buying the membership, make sure that you read the details in full to see what savings you\u2019ll get access to.<\/p>\n When it comes to fun things to do, Six Flags is at the top of many people\u2019s list. Fortunately, it can get expensive quickly.<\/p>\n The good news is that there are a lot of easy ways you can save money at Six Flags.<\/p>\n For example, did you know you can get a discount using a Coke can?<\/p>\n There are many other little hacks and insider tips like that. Read this to learn how to get discounts at Six Flags<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reading is a great way to spend your downtime, but the cost of books, whether that\u2019s hard copies or eBooks, and magazines can add up.<\/p>\n Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to save money on books and magazines or even get them for free.<\/p>\n Watching TV shows and movies is great fun, but sometimes there\u2019s nothing better than curling up with a good book.<\/p>\n If you love to read in your downtime, you don\u2019t have to pay for the privilege. There are tons of places that offer free books<\/a>, and we\u2019re not just talking about your local library.<\/p>\n Of course, many sites give you free eBooks<\/a>, rather than physical copies. However, you still get the book for free.<\/p>\n Here are a few places to check out for free books:<\/p>\n And, don\u2019t forget to check out our list of 100 places to find free books<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you love to read magazines, then you might want to consider getting them online instead.<\/p>\n Online, you can get magazine subscriptions at a much lower rate.<\/p>\n Here are a few to check out:<\/p>\n The sites above are great for saving money on magazines, but what\u2019s better than saving money?<\/p>\n Getting something for free of course!<\/p>\n There are a few websites where you can find free magazines, such as:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Like reading magazines the old fashioned way? Me too! Consider buying a regular subscription instead of purchasing them at the grocery store. Subscriptions are generally at least 50% cheaper than the in-store price.<\/p>\n And if you want FREE subscriptions, find out how we get several free magazines each month<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re an avid reader, then you should definitely check out Kindle Unlimited.<\/p>\n It gives you access to more than one million titles in the Kindle Store, including:<\/p>\n There\u2019s a free 30 day trial available as well. After that, it\u2019s $9.99 a month.<\/p>\n If you buy 3 books a month, priced at $4.99 each, then you\u2019d spend $14.97 a month.<\/p>\n So, if you subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, then you\u2019d save $4.98.<\/p>\n If you read a lot, then it\u2019s definitely worth signing up to.<\/p>\n Above, we\u2019ve covered how to save money on specific things, from watching television to dining out. In this section, we offer tips on how to save on a mix of things.<\/p>\n A lot of places, such as theme parks, museums and restaurants offer discounts to:<\/p>\n So, it\u2019s always worth carrying your ID with you just in case.<\/p>\n Brands, like Disney and Harley Davidson offer military discounts<\/a> for example.<\/p>\n Some places will even offer free admission to members of the military and students.<\/p>\n Dining out with friends or family is a lot of fun, but it can get quite expensive.<\/p>\n A good way to still enjoy time with friends and family is to host a potluck dinner.<\/p>\n Doing so is great fun, and cheaper since you all get to split the cost of dinner between you.<\/p>\n This can be so much fun, but it\u2019s a super inexpensive way to spend time with your friends and family \u2013 much cheaper than going out to dinner!<\/p>\n Invite your friends over for a game night.<\/p>\n Ask everyone to bring a board game, and add some of your own \u2013 you can sometimes find them cheaper online if you buy them secondhand.<\/p>\n And, if your guests aren\u2019t into board games, then consider having an Xbox game tournament.<\/p>\n Or, play a free game, like the post-it game. Each person has to write down the name of a person \u2013 real or fictional.<\/p>\n And, then give it to another person, who sticks the post-it to their forehead, and is unable to see the name.<\/p>\n Then, each person has to guess who they are. This is a really fun game that will have everyone laughing.<\/p>\n Also, ask your friends to all bring snacks or drinks too, and provide your own.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to save money on entertainment, then we\u2019d highly recommend visiting your local library.<\/p>\n It is a great place to find free books, DVDs, music and magazines.<\/p>\n B6, that\u2019s not all.<\/p>\n At your library, you can also find details about local events, and sometimes host classes and events.<\/p>\n For example, there may be:<\/p>\n So, the library really is a great place to find free stuff to do for you and your family.<\/p>\n Going out for date night is great, but it\u2019s also expensive.<\/p>\n A good way to lessen the cost is to have a date night at home, rather than going out.<\/p>\n It\u2019s cozier and a little more relaxed than going out.<\/p>\n Watch a movie together \u2013 leave your smartphones in another room, and just enjoy quality time together.<\/p>\n Home Depot hosts free DIY classes for adults.<\/p>\n What\u2019s great is that they offer free classes for kids<\/a> too. You can earn skills, like painting, and make items too.<\/p>\n We have a review of the Home Depot Workshops, which you can check out here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sometimes people forget that simply going outside can be a great way to spend your time.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s visiting the woods, a lake or a walking trail, getting outside is great fun, and it\u2019s good for you!<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great way to de-stress after work too!<\/p>\n So, consider visiting your local park, woods, lake, etc.<\/p>\n On cashback websites (here\u2019s a list of the best ones)<\/a>, you can find great deals on games for the PlayStation, Xbox and other devices.<\/p>\n You can also get kindle devices, iPads and other mobile devices that you can use to watch movies, read books and listen to music, at a much lower price.<\/p>\n Just visit the cashback website, type in what you want, such as Xbox games, or Kindle, and you\u2019ll see a list of stores where you can buy those items.<\/p>\n Shop at a store, and you\u2019ll receive cashback.<\/p>\n For example, on Ebates, when you enter the term \u201cXbox games\u201d into the search bar, you get a list of stores on the site where you can purchase them.<\/p>\n The top store in the list is GameStop \u2013 you can get 2.5% off.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples of cashback stores you can check out:<\/p>\n On deal websites (find the best ones here<\/a>) you can find great savings on entertainment and recreation.<\/p>\n One of the things you can save on is on local events and attractions.<\/p>\n For example, at the time of writing, you can get 42% off the Chicago History Museum on Groupon<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here are a few places that offer discounts and deals on museums, concerts, zoos, and more:<\/p>\n But, that\u2019s not all\u2026<\/p>\n On deal websites, you can also find great offers and discounts on:<\/p>\n Here are a few to visit for great savings:<\/p>\n We briefly mentioned Prime above, when we talked about streaming services.<\/p>\n But being able to stream movies and videos isn\u2019t the only benefit that Prime has to offer.<\/p>\n With Prime, you also get access to free music and free books through Prime Reading.<\/p>\n With Prime Reading, you get free books and magazines and can listen to audio books.<\/p>\n Plus, Prime gives you access to free shipping \u2013 so this can save you money if you\u2019re buying something like a game or DVD.<\/p>\n Check out our Prime review<\/a> and see how much you can save as a member.<\/p>\n3. Subscribe to a movie ticketing service<\/h3>\n
4. Listen to Music for Free \u2013 really!<\/h3>\n
Jango<\/h4>\n
\n
Deezer<\/h4>\n
SoundCloud<\/h4>\n
Pandora<\/h4>\n
YouTube<\/h4>\n
TuneIn Radio<\/h4>\n
IHeartRadio<\/h4>\n
\n
8tracks<\/h4>\n
Slacker<\/h4>\n
Save Money on Dining Out<\/h2>\n
5. Look for Specials<\/h3>\n
6. Have a Drink During Happy Hour<\/h3>\n
7. Get a Restaurant Gift Card at a Discount<\/h3>\n
Gift Card Granny<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n
CardPool<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n
Raise<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n
Restaurants.com<\/a><\/h4>\n
8. Use Coupons<\/h3>\n
\n
9. Sign up for Newsletters and eClubs<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
10. Join iDine<\/h3>\n
Save Money on Events and Attractions<\/h2>\n
11. Look for Free Events in your Area<\/h3>\n
\n
12. Check out Free Museums<\/h3>\n
13. Take Advantage of Free Days<\/h3>\n
14. Attend Local and Amateur Sporting Events<\/h3>\n
15. Watch Local Theater<\/h3>\n
16. Consider getting a Membership<\/h3>\n
17. Save at Six Flags<\/h3>\n
Save Money on Books and Magazines<\/h2>\n
18. Read Books for Free<\/h3>\n
19. Subscribe to Magazines Online<\/h3>\n
20. Or read them for free online (or get free hard copies at your local library)<\/h3>\n
21. Join Kindle Unlimited<\/h3>\n
\n
Tips for Saving Money on Miscellaneous<\/h2>\n
22. Ask about Discounts<\/h3>\n
\n
23. Host a Potluck Dinner<\/h3>\n
24. Host a Game Night<\/h3>\n
25. Visit your local Library<\/h3>\n
\n
26. Have a Date Night at Home<\/h3>\n
27. Check out the Home Depot Workshop<\/h3>\n
28. Get out in Nature<\/h3>\n
29. Shop on Cashback Websites<\/h3>\n
Ebates<\/h4>\n
Mr. Rebates<\/h4>\n
Pennyful<\/h4>\n
ShopatHome<\/h4>\n
TopCashBack<\/h4>\n
CouponCabin<\/h4>\n
BeFrugal<\/h4>\n
Extrabux<\/h4>\n
30. Check out Deal Websites<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
31. Join Prime<\/h3>\n
32. Shop at Wholesale Clubs<\/h3>\n