Family Time Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

May 25th, 2010 by saving money expert

: Image by Jackal of all trades via Flickr

Just because you spend time together as a family, doesn’t mean it has to cost a fortune. There are loads of ways to spend time together without spending money. Here are just a few:

*Go for a walk together. If you plan to spend a lot of time – for instance, stopping at a park for an hour or so before returning home – take snacks. These don’t have to be indulgent – something like crackers and cheese will suffice.

*Visit your local airport. My local airport is a small one, with airplanes that only accomodate up to around six people. There is also a park on the property, and families can take the children to watch the planes, and also play on the equipment. There is no cost involved, and we often take a picnic lunch and spend an hour or more, even though the airport is only about five minutes away from our home by car.

*Visit a friend. If you have young children, they may have friends who would like a play date. Instead of dropping the children off and going home, plan to stay and visit with the mother or parents while the children play. This is a great time to get to know the parents of your children’s friends.

*Take a bicycle trip. Does your family have bicycles? If the children are old enough to ride their bikes on the street, take a family trip. Load up a backpack with snacks, drinks, and/or lunch, and make it a fun day out.

These are just a small handful of the endless possibilities. Look out for more ideas soon!