Thursday, July 5, 2012

Cheap Get-Aways and Nights Out

Currently I am on a strict budget where much of my money goes towards paying debt.  It has been really hard at times to say no to some fun concerts and most recently to a mini-vacation with friends.  I just remember that my main goal is to be debt free by the end of the year and save up for a healthy emergency fund, which will make life so much better in the long run.  Sometimes you have to say "no" to do what you know is right in the end.  Finally, I have learned to use that word when necessary.

Since my fiance and I are both working towards being debt free and saving for the wedding/honeymoon, expensive vacationing is simply out of the question this year.  Life can become monotonous however, so we are finding ways to get out of the house on a tight budget.

Camping


First, we have discovered the fun of camping.  I realize camping is not for everyone with the dirt, bugs and lack of electricity, but it is nice to connect with the environment and turn off all the electrical noise to just exist.




One thing I never thought about before was the price of a camp site versus a hotel.  We realized that we could travel to various places and stay at a camp site for super cheap, versus spending about one hundred bucks on a hotel for a night. 

Bike Adventure


We took a trail that covers a large distance in North East Ohio and discovered places, towns and cities we didn't know existed.  We only rode for a couple hours, but you can cover a vast distance on a bike if you have good stamina.  Not only do you get exercise which is good for your health, taking a bike adventure is free.

We took a trail called the Towpath, then walked around a town called Canal Fulton.  My fiance picked up the map for the trail from a local bike shop. 







Free Shows/Concerts


Where we live there are free shows at local bars, such as the ones our local radio station does for up and coming country stars.  I actually got to meet Thompson Square at one of these shows before they got huge!  Check your local paper or city website for free events.

I got to meet the Jane Dear Girls and many other up and coming stars as well!