Reducing Family Entertainment Expenses

When you think about ways to impact your family budget, are you tackling the obvious–entertainment expenses? Yes, it can cost a lot to have kids, but you do have control over how many extracurricular and other activities you do. There are two ways to approach family entertainment:

1) Challenge yourself to spend zero and go for a hike, do a family movie night at home, or play board games. Remember the incredible resource of your public library; they have books, DVDs, and programs for both kids and adults.

2) Budget a little each month for entertainment, then save a lot by planning ahead. Here are some links keep an eye on:

• Target offers FREE museum days at various locations across the country, including many Children’s Museums. One of our favorite museums, the Children’s Museum of Richmond, has a $1 Family Night on the 3rd Friday of the month. The weekend or day varies depending on the museum.
• Bank of America’s Museums on Us program offers FREE visit days all over the country to cardholders (just show your card at the admission window). Some families have reported that only the cardholders (the adults) are free; kids still need to pay admission. Most museums are participating on the first weekend of the month.
• The plethora of Deal-of-the-Day sites can be a boon to large families, as long as you read up on the fine print and actually use the certificate you purchase. Keep an eye on Groupon and LivingSocial for deals on family memberships at museums in your area, half-price tickets for tours and theaters, and even movie ticket deals.

When you look at your budget each month, it’s worth everyone’s sanity to plan for a little FUN, so don’t cut it out completely. Take the time to identify activities you can do for less–or zero–and add those in to your schedule.

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