The 10 Minute Finance Fix series focuses on topics you can learn in ten minutes or less to help improve your personal finances. In this 10 Minute Finance Fix, you will learn free local entertainment activities you can do in your community. There are many fun things you can do and save money while you’re enjoying yourself!
Since I work during the day, our evenings are family time – time to spend doing activities together. Since we’re saving money and paying off debt, we like to look for inexpensive options for entertainment such as visiting a park or reading books at the local bookstore. The important part is being able to spend time together as a family.
We’ve also found if you check your local community, there’s all sort of free entertainment going on: a farmer’s market, a municipal band concert in the park, a play on the town stage, a free concert by a local band in the park, a planning meeting for the town festival, a basketball game at the local high school, a community dinner for the fire department, and so on. These events are all either free or else offer a deep discount (like a freewill donation at the fire department dinner, where $5 in the pot gets dinner and contact with people in the community).
If you want a ton of free entertainment, there’s a ton of it to be found in your local community. The only problem is that it can be difficult to be aware of what is going on. There’s a solution to that: call your city hall and also give a ring to your chamber of commerce and ask for a community calendar. In many cities, a weekly or monthly community calendar is printed and given away freely, which lists community activities of all kinds. Circle some that you like and attend them – you can’t get a bigger savings than having an entertaining evening for free. You can also often find great activities on your town’s website.
1. Request a Community Calendar for Your Local Town
Visit your town hall or call and request a community calendar. You can also find these at your local library or school.
2. Don’t Forget Other Communities Nearby
Check with other towns and villages nearby, you never know what other activities you family might enjoy by just driving a few minutes.
3. Highlight Desired Events
Review the calendar(s) and highlight the events you’re most interested in attending. Talk to people who have attended in the past to find out the best places to park, best time to attend, and what to expect.
Even more important: your local community can be a valuable resource, and this is a great way to get to know them. As you get your personal finances in order, you will be able to use people (such as financial planners or insurance agents) to help get your finances fixed.
