Less Money for Family Entertainment Doesn't Mean Less Fun

With the present state of the economy, extra cash for family entertainment may not be a reality.  Even dinner and a movie for a family of four can be upwards of $100.  And when you add that to the cost of the kids’ music lessons, sports activities, and school supplies, suddenly entertainment doesn’t seem so entertaining anymore.

But that doesn’t mean you have to sit at home and stare at the walls.  Instead of moping about how much money you don’t have, use this temporary economic slump to find new and creative ways to have fun with your family and friends, without spending a lot of money.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what you all like to do.  If you ask your kids, they’ll undoubtedly shout, “We like to go to Disneyland!”  Well, who doesn’t?  But since the idea is to save money, Disneyland should be saved for when Grandma and Grandpa come to town and insist on paying for everything during their visit. 

But the next best thing to Disneyland is Disney movies, so consider hosting a neighborhood movie night at your house, complete with real buttered popcorn that comes from your stovetop and not a microwave.  Pick a popular movie that both kids and parents will enjoy (Disney or otherwise) and then make an event out of it.  Let the kids create invitations that look like theatre tickets and then send the little tykes out to hand deliver them to your neighbors.  Ask your guests to bring their favorite movie treat to share, or if you have time, hit up your local Costco to buy snacks in bulk.  If you really want to go all out, serve milkshakes, nachos, or hot dogs to ensure the kids get something other than just sugar in their stomachs.

If your idea of entertainment is more proactive, consider a game night.  Choosing a game that can includes teams works well when there’s a diversity of age groups.  You can always use an old standby like Charades, however, it might be more fun to try something different like the home version of the TV game show Password.  In Password, teams can be the families you invite over, or you can pick teams by pulling names out of a hat.  In fact, just about every game show now comes in a home version, so it’s easy to recreate your favorite in the comfort of your own living room.  If you have a gregarious child who can act as host, even better (you might want to get the video camera out in this case).  Without getting too competitive, it’s also fun to provide small prizes or ribbons to the winners, and parting gifts to the remaining “contestants.”

If it’s summer, or you live in a year-round mild climate, then outdoor games on a Saturday afternoon or a well-lit evening are also fun.  Horseshoes, Bacci Ball, badminton, and croquet all offer ways to not only do something entertaining with your family, but it also gets them out and moving at the same time.

If you have older children who want something really different, offer them Garage Sale Scavenger Hunt on a Saturday morning.  This works really well with multiple families.  Divide everyone into teams, where each team has at least one adult.  Give each team a list of eclectic objects they have to buy at garage sales, a set amount of money with which to do it, and then let them loose.  You’ll be amazed by what they come back with.  The first team to return with all the objects on their list wins. (Afterward, you can donate all unwanted garage sale items to charity.)

Regardless of how you choose to entertain your family and friends, it doesn’t have to break the bank. A little creativity goes a long way when trying to figure what to do on the weekend.  An economic downturn may force us to cut back, but it also reminds us that money shouldn’t prevent us from having fun with the people we love.

Stacy Dymalski is a freelance writer, filmmaker, and stand-up comic. Her screen credits include co-writer (with Zack Van Eyck)/director of the feature film "Jupiter Landing" and writer/director of the web sitcom series "Hagnet."  Stacy learned about being a parent the hard way: she became one. A working mom, Stacy finds the humorous lessons in family life and then writes about them in magazines and books (much to the annoyance of her two sons).  Stacy recently co-authored 'The Vixen Chronicles' with Brandy Pinkerman: