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Activities For Families on a Budget


If money is tight, you still want to have some family bonding time that doesn’t break the bank. It can be hard to find fun, enjoyable activities for your whole family that are affordable. Keep reading to find a few ideas that could work for your next family fun day! 

Have a Picnic in your Backyard 

Set up a small cookout-style picnic in your backyard with a blanket, burgers, and music. Make a “phones and tablets inside” rule so you can spend quality time together during your picnic. 

Check out a museum near you 

Museums can be extremely exciting and engaging for your children. Any science center, discovery center, and children’s museum can be a great place for family fun. Be sure to check out their websites for when they have discounted days and family events to save some money on admission. 

Game night 

Playing games is a fun way to do an activity together that everyone can enjoy. Whether you want to use a board game that you already have or play a card game with an inexpensive deck of cards, you can play multiple rounds and have a whole night of fun! 

Scavenger Hunt 

Use some household items to create a scavenger hunt around your house or even in the backyard. You could also use different plants and trees as items to find in the scavenger hunt. Make a list of items your kids have to find and get ready for fun! 

Baking 

Baking with your family can be inexpensive, fun, and rewarding with the sweet treats you made. Depending on how old your kids are, they can help with different tasks of the baking process. If you’re wanting a bit of competition, you can do a competition between your family members on who made the best baked goods!

Visit the library 

Instead of spending money on buying books, take the whole family to the library for a reading day. On certain days, libraries have community events that are family-friendly. Some of these events are storytime, puppet shows, and games. Be sure to check your local library’s website for the event schedule. 

Host a Family Olympics 

Come up with several different events for your family, such as an egg race or an obstacle course. If you want some less physically demanding events, you can do who types the fastest or something similar. A family Olympics gets everyone involved and excited. For extra fun, you can add a winning prize! 

Spending time as a family doesn’t have to be expensive. Bonding with your loved ones and getting to spend some quality time with them is what matters most. 

Sources: 

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/articles/cheap-and-fun-family-activities 

 https://moneyminiblog.com/budgeting/budget-friendly-family-activities/