Ideas For No Spend Weekends

I feel like every time I leave the house, I spend money.  This goes especially for anything to entertain the kids, eating out, or attending an event.

Sometimes I need to have some zero-spending days, and that is where a no-spend weekend comes into play!  Whether you are looking to save extra money, or get ahead with finances, no-spend weekends are a good opportunity to work on budgeting.

Here are some tips and suggestions.

Enjoy the great outdoors

Unless the weather is terrible, you can find a way to enjoy the outdoors. There are lots of options, from hiking to camping. Visit a nature center, or do some bird watching or fishing. Even consider going on a long walk through the local neighborhoods. Consider trying some new things, such as snowshoeing in the winter or going on a beginner hike.

Have a picnic

Plan an outdoor meal at a park or somewhere else scenic.  You can incorporate this into an outdoor adventure, such as going on a hike and enjoying a picnic from a beautiful vista.

Cooking & baking

Make some recipes using what you have at home.  This is a great time to use up things that are sitting around in the pantry not getting used.  You can also do some meal prepping, and make extra foods to freeze or eat during the week.

Game or movie night

A game night is a great way to dust off some games and get off your electronics.  If you don’t have a game, borrow one from a friend, or you can usually find one at a library or buy nothing forum.

Movie night is also cheap or inexpensive option.  There are lots of movies or show you can stream for free. Check your pantry for snacks or candies that have been overlooked for an economical snack option.

Library and reading

A no spend weekend is a great time to read a book.  It can be tough to carve out time to read a book, so take advantage of some downtime to read or take advantage of what the library has to offer.  Libraries have plenty of free resources from books to magazines to music, and there are usually programs and events to choose from as well.

Visit a museum or nature center

Museums and nature centers are a good inexpensive activity.

It also gives you an opportunity to learn about your local environment, history, art, and more.

House projects, cleaning, decluttering

While doing work around the house is not necessarily fun, you can get ahead on some projects and can enjoy the fruits of your labor, such as a cleaner, more refreshed space.  A good deep cleaning can mean a following weekend with less to do.

Volunteer, donate, random acts of kindness

Your time can be spent by helping others. Clean out a closet or have your kids work on cleaning their rooms.  Everyone can put items towards donating to a good cause.  You can also do random acts of kindness to spread goodwill.