Sure, it ain't pretty, but it's pretty easy to amuse yourself... especially if you have a digital camera and aren't afraid to use it

In today’s economic climate, people need to find ways to entertain themselves on the cheap.  Frugal entertainment largely involves staying at home and being creative.  Here are just a few suggestions:

1. 1.       Invite people for dinner. You don’t have to make anything fancy.  It’s about enjoying the company of others.  Using a slow cooker would allow you to prepare the meal ahead of time.
2. 2.       Play games.  Invest in some board games that you like to play.  Scrabble and Sorry! are popular in our house. Just be warned, you might spend a lot of time with rematches.
3. 3.       Learn to play cards.  A quick, internet search with yield the rules to almost any card game.  Just print out the game you wish to play and get started.  I recommend Rummy as a starting point for beginners.
4. 4.       Watch movies at home.  Instead of going to the movie theater and spending a small fortune, make popcorn and watch a movie.  You can get movies for free from the library or just watch a movie you already own.  Forgoing cable, my husband and I spend $10 a month for Netflix, watching movies that aren’t available at the library.
5. 5.       Take up a hobby.  If you don’t already have a hobby, I suggest getting one. Be careful, though, because hobbies can become expensive.  Fishing is something we enjoy, but all the accoutrements can get out of hand, if you’re not careful. Hobbies which produce something, like quilting, knitting, or woodworking, can be a better investment of time, since they will result in a product that can be used for gifts or for making your home beautiful.
6. 6.       Read. I know it’s out of fashion, but learn to enjoy reading.  Through interlibrary loan, you can borrow about any book you’d like.  If you don’t care for fiction, choose to read about a topic that interests you.
7. 7.       Cook.   If you have the time, testing new recipes can be fun and a good use of time.  You could try to make sourdough bread or even mozzarella cheese.
8. 8.       Take a walk.  Walking around your neighborhood is a free activity that can offer a lot of entertainment.  Plus, you can get exercise while having good conversation.  Our dogs love going for walks, even if it’s just down the street.

While this is hardly a comprehensive list, I hope that these suggestions will stimulate your creativity.  The best advice I can give you is to quit expecting to be entertained.  All the entertainment you need can generally be found near or within your own home.  Use your time to enjoy your loved ones instead of to distract yourself from them.

Do you have any suggestions for entertainment for cheap?