Not free, but still great

                                                                   

The 66th annual Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) soars over Lake Ontario Labour Day weekend for another awe-inspiring performance.
The 2015 display will feature: 

• the Breitling Jet Team from France 
• a CF-18 Hornet Demo 
• the F-16 Fighting Falcon (Viper)
• U.S.A.F. Heritage Flight 
• Mike Wiskus & the Lucas Oil Pitts Special 
• John Klatt & the Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco
• the Spitfire which commemorate the 75^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain
• the beloved CF Snowbirds 

This year's show takes place Labour Day Weekend, September 5, 6 & 7, 2015
Date: Sep 5 - Sep 7

Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

http://cias.org/

 

 

Toronto Blue Jays

Baseball Team

The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Blue Jays are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and play their home games at Rogers Centre. Tickets go quick so if you want to go, order today.

*because I love base baseball*

 

Toronto’s Distillery district is home to art galleries, restaurants and beer gardens. The brick-lined streets are reminiscent of Victorian times, but hey, this is the now. You could do a Segway tour in the Distillery neighborhood, or you could pound back some beers. You decide.

http://travelsofadam.digidip.net/visit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedistillerydistrict.com%2F&ppref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ca%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D7%26ved%3D0COYBEBYwBmoVChMIutSi5_zHxwIVRwiSCh1QqAha%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Ftravelsofadam.com%252Fcity-guides%252Ftoronto%252F%26ei%3DjVXeVfrZB8eQyATQ0KLQBQ%26usg%3DAFQjCNEy9u-IvErQSL4YFruCg8Y1D5bvag%26sig2%3D_SStvuno8mT5wwtHG7N8Wg

 

Toronto’s tallest attraction has adventure lovers taking a walk OUTSIDE – around the circumference of the roof! So, do you dare to test your limits and experience the thrill of a lifetime?
    

Give the gift of EdgeWalk
Gift certificates are valid* for one EdgeWalk at the CN Tower. Gift certificates are valid* for one EdgeWalk at the CN Tower. EdgeWalk is Toronto’s tallest urban adventure and the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk.

 

*Value of card includes cost of one EdgeWalk and all applicable taxes

If you’re looking for an awesome photo opportunity, shell out the big bucks and do the EdgeWalk at the CN Tower. It’s the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere (that’s HALF OF THE WORLD). Perhaps because Canadians are just so adventurous (or they have a strong desire to try to cheat death) they’ll let you walk around the tower at 116 floors up…with little more than a rope keeping you attached to the building.

 

Toronto duo Persia & Rosa have an exciting twist for foodies and drinkers alike. 

 

See why Shotberry has the entire city buzzing! What is a Shotberry? Well, imagine a HUGE chocolate covered strawberry that's customized with your favourite toppings and decorations and then paired with a shot of your favourite alcohol (or non alcoholic beverage).

 

Can't imagine what this could possibly look like or taste like? Take a look at our gallery and see for yourself! Order some today and be the life of the party!

 

Shotberry: The coolest take on chocolate dipped strawberries!

 

 

647-866-2463

OrderShotBerries@Gmail.com

Between the rides, games, lecture series, casino, talent shows, musical concerts, air show and animal events, a day at the Canadian National Exhibition can fill up pretty quickly.  But even the most packed schedule would be incomplete without some time spent in the Toronto Star Food Building sampling the culinary creations on offer to fair-goers.
Not only will it provide a much-needed energy boost, but some of the most interesting menu items will likely provide a thrill that rivals the new Parkour Demonstrations. So here are our picks for the 2015 CNE’s must-try foods.

What’s Hot this Summer on Toronto.com

• Must See Events at the CNE
• Kid Friendly Activities at the CNE
• Unique Carnival Inspired Food in Toronto
• Cool Summer Treats in Toronto

Back to the CNE Guide

Fried Chicken and Waffles on a Stick
Fried chicken and waffles are all the rage on the Toronto food scene, and the CNE has made it super easy to eat this summer. The chicken is coated in waffle batter, and fried a second time for the perfect combination of waffle and chicken. Dip it in maple syrup or hot sauce and you’re good to go!

Bacon-Wrapped Grilled CheeseHead to the Midway for the king of all grilled cheese sandwiches. Not surprisingly from the kitchens of Bacon Nation, this grilled cheese is made with six strips of bacon weaved around the sandwich. Inside you’ll find the gooey aged cheddar and mozzarella. The crispy and delicious sandwich is served with spicy sweet chili ketchup.

Bloomin’ AppleA new take on the fair classic, the bloomin’ onion, this new dessert hybrid is made from Billbrooke Concession’s signature caramel apples that are sliced and dipped in Nutella. Easy to eat and super tasty, Bloomin’ Apples are sure to be a hit at this year’s CNE.

Deep Fried CheesecakeAnother new dessert at this year’s CNE includes a deep fried cheesecake. From Pickle Pete, the traditional cheesecake is covered in its secret batter, then deep-fried, making a delicious creamy centre, coated in crispy deep-fried goodness!

Garlic Snow Crab FriesFor something savoury, Jake’s Lobster serves up a  huge helping of their Garlic Snow Crab Fries. The hand-cut fries are topped with house-made garlic aioli, fresh snow crab, parsley and dill.

Bub’s Bad Boy BurgerThe mother of all burgers, the Bad Boy Burger is a spicy cheeseburger and honey garlic fried chicken sandwiched between a Jamaican beefy patty. The burger is topped with pepper jack cheese, wasabi cucumber, crispy hickory sticks, sriracha mayonnaise and buttermilk coleslaw.


Boanana SplitFar East Taco is back at the CNE this year with a new dessert bao. This year they went the banana split route with hazelnut chocolate, sliced fresh bananas, whipped cream, chocolate and strawberry syrup, and of course, no banana split would be complete without a Maraschino cherry.  All of this is on the traditional fluffy Asian bao bun, giving the CNE an East meets West flair.

Coffee & Donut Milkshakes
Fran’s offers up the classic duo of coffee and donuts in milkshake form this year. The combination of a freshly brewed cup of coffee and vanilla donut is a must-try! Try it as a refreshing drink to cool down, or as a new way to have coffee and donuts on the go.

Poutine Balls
Vienna dishes out its spin on a classic Canadian dish, in the form of poutine balls! Made with buttery mashed potato balls, they are stuffed with cheese curds and rolled in bread crumbs. Deep fried until golden brown, they get the Bavarian treatment with a generous helping of Bavarian-style gravy and even more cheese curds. Crispy on the outside and super fluffy on the inside, don’t miss this new take on a Canadian classic.

Frosted Flake Battered Chicken on a StickIt wouldn’t be a fair without fried food on a stick, and that’s why the powers that be at Iron Skillet Sirloin Tips have created one mother of a deep fried chicken! The chicken is rolled in Frosted Flakes and deep fried to crunchy tenderness.

Cold Brew Coffee TonicHula Girl Espresso is innovating yet again this year, with a special cold brew coffee drink. The coffee concoction is made with its signature espresso and tonic water over ice, for the perfect refreshing drink!


S&M BurgerCorrado’s Authentic Italian has married the classic Italian dish of spaghetti and meatballs with the all-American burger. The S&M Burger is made with a meatball patty, topped with spaghetti, parmesan cheese and their famous marina sauce. For CNE-goers who like it hot, there are also spicy chilli toppings available.

Deep Fried Red Velvet OreoA dessert hybrid made in heaven, Oreo’s have never tasted so good. Coated in red velvet cake batter and deep fried, the combination of Oreo and red velvet cake is divine! For the finishing touch, the cookie is topped with cream cheese icing.

Food TrucksWhen the crowds pile up in the Food Building or in the Midway, there’s always food truck options. Participants include Bacon Nation, Burgatory, Fidel Gastro’s, Hogtown Smoke, I Love Churros, Food Dudes, The Meatball Shoppe and more. This year’s food-truck frenzy takes place August 28 to 30

Craft BeerFor the first time this year, there will be a Craft Beer Fest at the CNE! Taking place in the heart of Food Truck Frenzy, those of age, can get samples from 11 master brewers. Participating breweries include Beaus All Natural Brewing Company,  Wellington Brewing Company, Mill Street Brewery, Creemore Springs, and more. The inaugural festival takes place August 28 to 30

50 Amazing Free Things To Do in Canada With the Kids

    

Sports and Fitness

1 Visit the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in Halifax to learn about Nova Scotia's sporting greats – including a special exhibit on Sidney Crosby.
2. At Ontario's Blue Mountain ski resort, a 90-minute drive from Toronto, pack your skates for five acres of free skating on the village's Mill Pond.
3. Take a bird-watching tour in Montreal's Mont Royal Park (pictured on left) and follow it up with ice skating.
4. On the third Saturday of every month in Vancouver, join the Pacific Spirit Regional Park Nature Walk, which helps kids aged four to 10 learn to appreciate nature. Each month's walk has a different theme.

Art

5. In Montreal, head to the Museum of Fine Arts for free access to all but a few special collections – all the time. So if the kids get cranky after half an hour, you can leave and come back without wasting any money.
6. With only the odd exception, Regina's MacKenzie Art Gallery offers free admission to its 3,000 square feet of exhibition space. Sundays from 2 to 4 pm, drop by for Studio Sundays and family-friendly art activities.
7. On the last Thursday of each month from 6 to 9 pm and on Family Day, get free admission to the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton. Free kids' programs – such as Wednesday-morning Tours for Tots, aimed at children aged 3 to 5 – are also available with the price of admission.
8. Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 pm, enjoy free admission to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax. And once a month on Sunday afternoons, take part in Family Sundays: With the regular admission fee enjoy a free three-hour session of art activities themed around an exhibit.
9. The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa (pictured on left) offers free admission to its exhibits of Canadian and international art Thursdays after 5 pm.
10. Tuesdays after 5 pm, the Vancouver Art Gallery offers admission by donation, giving you four hours of access to both special exhibits and the permanent collection, with a focus on art from British Columbia, including the world's largest group of works from Emily Carr.

    

Outdoors

11. Outdoor activities are offered year-round at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal; this winter, free offerings include human-scale foosball and an introduction to downhill skiing for young children.
12. In Victoria, head to Mount Work Regional Park for its 11 km of forested trails, including an accessible 630-m loop and a "sometimes challenging" hike to the 449 m summit. Just next door visit the mountain-biking trails on the western slope of the mountain at Hartland. The South Island Mountain Bike Society offers guided introductory rides every second Sunday.
13. Take a self-guided Cultural Walking Tour of Point Pleasant Park in Halifax for a peek into Canadian history and local ecology, including a demonstration site where things were left as-is after the devastation of Hurricane Juan in 2003, which blew down about 70 percent of the park's trees.
14. Wascana Centre in Regina offers free ice skating and cross-country ski trails in winter. Kids aged 9 to 13 can sign up for the Junior Naturalist program to learn about wildlife and the environment.

Music

15. Enjoy the music at Montreal's Christ Church Cathedral  (pictured on left) either during services (Sundays at 10 am and 4 pm) or at scheduled concerts, with admission by donation.
16. UBC's School of Music offers a series of free and ticketed musical performances; on Friday, February 17, for instance, hear the University Singers and UBC Choral Union perform "My Heart Sings," with music from Debussy, Purcell and more.
17. Drop by Toronto's Four Seasons Centre most Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon to enjoy one of a series of free concerts put on by the Canadian Opera Company.
18. Calgary's award-winning Knox United Church Choir presents a series of concerts throughout the year – or you can hear them leading the congregation for mass each Sunday.
19. Drop by Winnipeg's Millennium Library for Folk for Families, a Saturday of singing and dancing presented by the Winnipeg Folk Festival

Animals

20. From November 1 to March 31, admission to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo is by donation. Programs for Young Naturalists are available for free or a modest charge.
21. Drop by Riverdale Farm in downtown Toronto (pictured on left) for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and a chance for kids to get to know farm animals and even meet the farmer.
22. Visit the RCMP Musical Ride Centre in Ottawa for free tours of the stables and to meet the Mounties' horses.
23. In Stouffville, Ont., just north of Toronto, Lionel's Farm Petting Zoo is open to the public by donation. Bring the kids to see and interact with animals including ponies, donkies, llamas, turkeys and rabbits (appointment required during winter).
24. It's free to visit Pinto Valley Ranch in Ottawa and get to know the horses, ponies, bunnies and other animals – but don't be surprised if the kids start begging for riding lessons.

Exploration

25. While many Anne of Green Gables-related activities  in P.E.I. charge admission (albeit often only a token fee), it's free to drive to Green Gables Shore and reenact your favourite scenes from the books on the walking trails and picnic grounds.
26. Take advantage of early winter sunsets: Grab a hot chocolate and go on an after-dark self-guided walking tour of Old Montreal  (click Official Map and Evening Tour for a pdf you can print) to enjoy the light effects on historical buildings.
27. Get to know more about the Loyalist history of Saint John with a walking tour such as Prince William's Walk, which takes about an hour and a half and presents the core of the city and its fantastic, well-preserved architecture.
28. Take one of several self-guided tours of Quebec City, downloadable from the tourism website – start by getting to know the Old Town and its fortifications, then venture to the city's western suburbs for a Heritage Estates tour to discover old villas and historic houses.
29. Visit Vancouver's Granville Market (pictured above) to browse the shops and food stalls, view performances and enjoy the multi-level indoor play area at the Kids Market.

Food

30. Discover where flour comes from (or at least where it used to come from) at Watson's Mill in Manotick, Ont., with admission by donation. Built in 1860, the working mill even sells flour and fresh loaves of bread every weekend.
31. Take a self-guided tour at Planet Bee in Vernon, B.C. to learn where honey comes from, check out the bees and take part in a free honey tasting (plus mead for the over-19 set).
32. Learn about the history and culture of maple syrup in Quebec City's Les Délices de l'Érable (pictured on left) maple syrup museum – the only one of its kind in North America – and enjoy free samples along with video presentations.
33. Enjoy samples of Quebec cheeses and other tasty products while you shop for a picnic lunch at Montreal's Jean-Talon Market.

Science

34. The Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa offers free monthly stargazing nights from the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory. They're 90 minutes long and outdoors – make sure to dress warmly.
35. Come to a public viewing session Friday and Saturday evenings at Vancouver's Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory to explore the starry skies with their half-metre Cassegrain telescope.
36. The Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa (pictured on left) offers free admission every day from 4 to 5 pm. Visit to explore the history of Canadian aviation and view about 130 different planes.
37. Collections at the Redpath Museum at Montreal's McGill University cover ancient and modern organisms and minerals; Sundays, join a free bilingual tour for kids of the dinosaur collection.
38. Visit the Regina Public Library for a series of regular programs for kids including Wii Gaming and Penguins on Parade (with a take-home penguin craft).
39. Saskatoon's Museum of Natural Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan offers exhibits on the process of evolution through geological time, from the Age of Fish and Age of Plants through to the Age of Mammals.

 

 

Nature

40. Spend some time in the tropics, at least for a little while, at Allan Gardens in Toronto, which includes 16,000 square feet of space in six greenhouses planted with rare tropical plants, plus a playground and two off-leash dog areas.
41. Visit the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary in Victoria to enjoy hiking trails, bird watching and the Nature House, with interpretive displays, a reading room and a live bee "house."
42. Winnipeg's 12-hectare Living Prairie Museum is a reserve inside the city limits set aside in 1968 to promote awareness and conservation. Visit from dawn till dusk for a self-guided tour of the more than 160 plant species and multiple kinds of wildlife.
43. In North Vancouver, the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre teaches visitors about local ecosystems and local and global environmental issues. Don't miss the hiking trails and suspension bridge nearby.
44. Thursdays from 5 to 8 pm and on Earth Day (April 22), International Museum Day (May 18) and Canada Day, admission to the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa is free. Current exhibitions cover topics including whales, the Awesome Arctic and Nature Unleashed, which explores cataclysmic natural events such as earthquakes and hurricanes.
45. Visit Saint John's Irving Nature Park (pictured on left) to enjoy the trails and view some of the local wildlife, including more than 200 bird species, seals, deer, porcupines and squirrels. Free activities include stargazing, moonlight snowshoeing and a search for seals during the annual Walk for Wildlife.

 

 

History

46. Peek into 19th-century life on the prairies at Winnipeg's Historical Museum of St. James - Assiniboia. Look through a two-story Red River frame house built in 1856, a Municipal Hall building from 1911 and exhibits on blacksmithing, farming and transportation.
47. Visit Father Pandosy Mission in Kelowna, B.C., site of the first white settlement in the Okanagan. Four restored original buildings – the Chapel, the Root House, the Barn and the Brothers House – give a glimpse into the lives of the first non-native settlers in the region.
48. Make your way to Peggy's Cove (pictured on left), just outside of Halifax, and learn about the history of the Nova Scotian fishing village.
49. View documents and other items that "bring 19th-century banking to life" from Canada's oldest bank at the Bank of Montreal Museum.
50. In Ottawa, brush up on Canadian government by taking a free tour of Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court of Canada.
     

 

 

 

 

Free Things To Do In YOUR State!

When you’re trying to live a frugal life, holidays and the expectation of creating special family memories can be a strain on the budget.  However, several years ago I stumbled across a website for Arkansas, my home state, that had free activities for the whole state.  My husband and I have used the list repeatedly to find entertaining activities for the cost of gas and a picnic!  I thought since we enjoy the list so much, I would see what I could find for all states and put the listing in one place.  You can use this list to help fill out a vacation, for a day trip, or a weekend away!  I hope you enjoy it!


Alabama- I couldn’t find a comprehensive link, but here is a guide to their tourism website  that has activities and events.  There are also numerous State Parks for your enjoyment!
Alaska- Anchorage and Juneau have free activities and of course there are State Parks there as well!
Arizonia- Phoenix made the list!
Arkansas- My home state has a list of over 100 free things to do in Arkansas. Some of my favorites are The Old Mill , which was featured in opening scenes of Gone With the Wind and hiking in our numerous State Parks. There are 52 state parks in Arkansas and we plan on visiting them all!
California- Southern California, San Diego, Santa Monica and Los Angeles  all have free things to do!
Colorado- This state has a monthly calendar of free activities!
Connecticut- This state has some AMAZING free things to do! There are tons of museums covering wide ranges of topics!
Delaware- Has tax-free shopping, and while not everything on this list is free, there is certainly a lot to keep you busy!
Florida- You can tell this state loves tourists!  This list of free stuff will keep you busy, but if you want to have some extra activities in Kissimmee or Orlando, you can add more to a vacation!
Georgia- Atlanta rises to the challenge and Athens makes the list too.  Athens even has a section on pet friendly accommodations!
Hawaii- The islands of Hawaii, Oahu, and Maui all have free activities from local culture to history.
Idaho- How about a scenic drive or a visit the Nez Perce National Park and learn about a culture that is over 11,000 years old!
Illinois- Chicago has free museums and film festivals! Or, you can visit Metropolis and see Superman’s hometown!
Indiana- Indianapolis will keep you busy with a children’s museum for the kids and a winery tour for the adults!
Iowa- Has a great listing by city of free activities!
Kansas- Kansas City  , Manhattan, and Topeka Round out the list for this state!
Kentucky- From horse racing to bourbon, this state will keep you busy with free activities!
Louisiana- Has a listing by city  and New Orleans has at least 50 free things to do!
Maine- Fun and kid friendly activities are available in this state!
Maryland- Baltimore has 50 free things to do Howard County has a B & O Railroad museum!  How fun!
Massachusetts- With all of the history in this state, you knew Boston would show up on this listing! Cambridge will keep your weekend busy too!
Michigan- Whew!  This list has things to do throughout the state!
Minnesota- Minneapolis and St. Paul have over 100 free things to do!
Mississippi- The Gulf Coast  has free activities ranging from the beach to memorials.
Missouri- Whether you want to spend a little money or not, this site has a listing of free things to do and discounts on tickets!
Montana-  Has its listing by city as well.  Visit a wildlife refuge or learn about Sioux Indians!
Nebraska-  Omaha and Lincoln make this list!
Nevada- I bet you never would have guessed Las Vegas tops this list! Reno happens to make an appearance as well.  You would think they are trying to get you to gamble!!!
New Hampshire- You can check our breweries and birds from this link!
New Jersey- Sea life museums, lighthouses and Atlantic City will keep you entertained here!
New Mexico- Albuquerque and Taos have plenty to keep you busy!  But, oh how I LOVE Santa Fe!!!
New York- The link to New York City will keep you busy enough!  The New York Public Library!  I bet I could spend all day in there!
North Carolina- Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham all have free attractions.
North Dakota- The tourism office has broken up free activities by region!
Ohio- Museums galore including the history of aviation
Oklahoma- There are over 75 free things to do in this state!
Oregon- Portland has some serious thrift shopping and amazing State Parks!
Pennsylvania- Here is a listing by city and history buffs will love Philadelphia!
Rhode Island- Take a cliff walk by the sea or enjoy many other free activities!
South Carolina- Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach all have great activities! 60 miles of beaches sounds like a lot of fun to me!
South Dakota- Storybook Island, Dinosaur Parks, and the Black Hill National Forest are just some of the attractions in this area!
Tennessee- Memphis, Nashville, and Gatlinburg all have free activities!  You could go see Dave Ramsey do his show live while in Nashville as well!
Texas- Dallas, Houston, and Austin give you the best round-up in Texas.
Utah- Lists out its freebies by month!
Vermont-I could only find State Parks for Vermont, so if you have anything to add, let me know!
Virginia- History buffs will love this state and all of its free historical attractions.
Washington- This state has all of its freebies listed out by city as well, so find something in your area and enjoy!
West Virginia- Dog parks and wine tasting?  Sounds like a good time to me! Don’t forget about the beautiful scenery!
Wisconsin- You had me at Jelly Belly tours and public beaches.
Wyoming- Yellowstone anyone?  There are another 49 free things to do in this state!
Washington D.C.- Free and almost free things to do in our Nation’s Capital.

102 Things to Do on a Money-Free Weekend

1. Check out the community calendar.

Look at your town’s website (as well as those of cities and towns nearby) or stop by city hall to find a list of events going on in the community, many of which are free. You’ll often be surprised at how many interesting (and free) activities are going on right now in your area.

2. Visit your local library.

Not only is a library a warehouse of books, most libraries also have extensive CD and DVD collections you can check out. Many libraries also have “story time” for young children, film nights, book clubs, concerts, author readings or lectures, and many other events that you may be unaware of – completely for free. Stop in and check out what they have to offer.

3. Get involved in community sports.

Many towns have community sports fields where both youth and adult sports leagues and activities are regularly going on throughout the weekend. Stop by, watch a game or two, and if something intrigues you, look into joining either as a participant or as a volunteer.

4. Check out some podcasts.

Podcasts are wonderful: top-notch audio programs available to you for free. Give them a shot – it’s easy to do using iTunes. Just visit the “Podcast” section of the iTunes Store and sample a few (here’s a guide to enjoying podcasts to get you started).
My favorite podcasts include The Splendid Table (on food topics), Marketplace (on economics and business), RadioLab (scientific and philosophical ideas), Fresh Air (interviews of general interest), This American Life (quirky general interest stuff), and This Week in Tech (technology news), among many others.

5. Play board games.

We have a pile of board games, mostly received as gifts, that we often pull out and play; our closest friend has a few choice ones as well. Classic games like Monopoly and Pictionary can be great fun, but our favorites are Settlers of Catan, Cartagena, Puerto Rico, and especially Ticket to Ride. (Here are some more board games that are great for groups.) Just dig through the recesses of your closet, find an old board game you haven’t played in ages, and bust it open!

6. Bake a loaf of homemade bread.

You probably have everything you need to make a loaf of bread in your kitchen right now (except for maybe the yeast). Anyone can do it, and the fresh-baked bread comes out delicious. Here’s a detailed visual guide for making a simple loaf with minimal ingredients or complexity.

7. Teach yourself how to juggle.

All you really need is three balls and a video showing you how to do it. Not only is it a fun activity to learn, it’s something that’s fun to bust out as a party trick on occasion (trust me, you can always get people to smile if you juggle three fruits in the kitchen while preparing something).

Once you know how to juggle, you can always win a smile. Photo: Elvert Barnes

8. Learn how to change your car’s oil.

If your car’s due for an oil change, just bring home the oil and oil filter you need and teach yourself how to do it on your own. All you really need is an old pan to catch the used oil and a funnel to refill the oil tank and pour the old oil back into the canisters for later disposal. (Make sure you dispose of the old oil according to local laws; most gas and service stations will accept your used motor oil.)
Use your car manual as a guide for the procedure and you might just find it’s both a lot easier than you thought and a useful skill to have — plus it’s cheaper than taking your car to Jiffy-Lube (or wherever you go for oil changes).

 

 9. Meet your neighbors.

Make an effort to introduce yourself to your neighbors if you don’t know them very well. If you meet any interesting people in your neighborhood, invite them over for a cup of coffee and a chat, just to get to know each other better.

Your neighbors could not only become your friends, they could also be a valuable resource – a friendly pair of eyes on your property when you’re away or a helpful set of hands when you’re trying to complete a challenging task.

10. Clear out your media collection – books, DVDs, CDs, etc.

Go through your collection, determine which items you’d actually like to keep, and get rid of the rest. You can either sell them at a used media shop or swap them online using services like PaperBackSwap and SwapADVD. In either case, you’ll get rid of stuff you don’t watch or read or listen to any more in exchange for either some money or new media to enjoy.

11. Have a ‘cupboard potluck.’

Go through your cupboards and find any items that might have slipped to the back over time. Invite some friends to do the same, then get together for a potluck dinner prepared from only these ingredients and whatever else you have on hand. Besides making for a “free” meal, it generates what I call creative success through constraint and a lot of fun for everyone involved.

12. Make a ‘101 Goals in 1,001 Days’ list – then start on some of them.

A 101 Goals in 1001 Days list is an effective way to codify all the things you’d like to do in one place, so that when you have spare time, you can just turn to the list and do what’s next on it.
On your money-free weekend, spend some time thinking about what belongs on this list: your biggest short- and near-term goals, both personally and professionally. When it’s finished, you’ll be ready to get started turning your goals into reality.

13. Make decisions about and write out your will.

This is a thought process that many people put off, but it makes you feel quite relieved when it’s done, adding to your peace of mind and relaxation. Spend some time thinking about what you want to happen to your personal assets when you die, particularly in terms of the personal mementos that you want others to have and where you want the value of your estate to go.
Do you want it all to stay with family members? Do you want to remember a charity? Then, when you’ve figured it out, sketch out the basics of a will. Later, you’ll likely have to hire a lawyer to prepare it for you or use a site like LegalZoom, but just having those decisions made doesn’t cost a thing and is a big mental relief.

14. Do a household maintenance walk-through.

Go through your home and look for any little maintenance tasks that need to be done. Do filters need to be replaced? Are there any burnt-out light bulbs?
Here’s a maintenance checklist that can give you some ideas as to what to look for. It might not be the most fun activity you can think of, but it’ll add subtly to your enjoyment of your home when it’s done: cleaner air, light bulbs in place, and peace of mind.

15. Start or join a fantasy sports league.

With baseball season just getting underway, you can go to Yahoo! Sports, CBS Sports, or ESPN and easily start a free fantasy sports league for you and your friends. Even when you’re just playing for bragging rights, a fantasy league can spur competitive banter and endless discussion between your friends as the season unfolds.

16. Organize a self-guided walking tour.

Research the interesting historic and cultural sites in your town, then go on a walking tour of them. Pack a lunch in your backpack and have a picnic on the village green or in the park. You can easily turn this into a full day if you live in a compelling area.

17. Teach yourself how to knit.

Learning to knit requires two needles (a dollar, or probably free if your closet looks anything like ours), some yarn (extremely cheap and also likely laying in the closet if your home is like ours), a lot of patience, and an instructional video or two.
Try making a scarf for a friend or a small blanket for a new baby in the home of a friend or a family member. While it’s not quite free, you’ll learn a useful new skill — and if you stick with it, you’ll make things much more valuable than the input cost of a bit of yarn. Before long, you might even be able to sell your knitwear on Etsy.

18. Take some digital photographs.

Take your digital camera out with you and take pictures of anything you find interesting. Take lots of them, then go home later and see if you’ve taken anything beautiful and compelling. Great images can lay the groundwork for homemade greeting cards (yep, keep going downwards for more on this), nice desktop wallpaper, screensavers, personalized gifts, or other interesting uses.

19. Share those digital photographs with others.

Sign up for a free Flickr account, then upload some of your most interesting pictures to share with others. Spend the time to title them appropriately, add interesting captions, and allow them to be used under a Creative Commons Attribution license so your images can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

20. Start a blog on a topic that interests you.

You can get a free blog using WordPress or Blogger. Join such a service and start a blog on a topic that interests you. Not only can it be a ton of fun, it also helps you improve your communication skills, reach out to others, and perhaps earn a bit of income down the road as well.

21. Organize a potluck block party.

Get permission from the city to do this before you try it – ask if you can block off a street for a block party on a certain date. Then throw yourself into organizing it. Go door to door, telling people about the block party, and inviting them to bring something. Ask if they have tables and/or chairs that can be used for it. Then, on the day of the party, set out the tables and chairs you borrowed and dig in. Since you’re the host, just contribute one of the “cupboard potluck” dishes you made from idea #11.

22. Visit a free museum or a zoo (or find out when you might be able to get in for free).

Many cities and colleges have free educational attractions, such as museums or zoos. Make an effort to enjoy these free attractions.
If your community doesn’t have free zoos or museums, call them and ask about opportunities for “free to the public” exhibits or “free days” — many museums open their doors for free or charge “pay what you can” admission one day a week. You can even ask whether they issue free passes upon request. Local libraries sometimes loan out museum passes for the day as well. You’ll often find there are many opportunities to enjoy museums, zoos, and science centers without any cost at all.

The Smithsonian Museum in Washington is free to the public. Photo: Don DeBold

23. Learn the basics of a new topic.

Just go to MIT’s OpenCourseWare, find a topic you’re interested in, download a bunch of MP3s of lectures on the topic, and listen to them while you’re doing household chores. Some great suggested starting points: microeconomics, basics of philosophy, western philosophy, and introductory physics.
Another great option: Fire up iTunes, then click on the “iTunes U” option on the left hand side. You’ll find tons of material there to teach you the basics of countless topics. In fact, you can get a college-level education on virtually hundreds of topics for free online. Great options include Coursera, Khan Academy, and edX, a partnership between Harvard and MIT.

24. Cook some meals in advance.

If you already have a bunch of basic food staples on hand, spend some time cooking some meals in advance to store in the freezer. It’s easy to prepare casseroles, soups, pasta meals, breakfast burritos, and many other items all at once, then store them in portion-sized containers in the freezer for quick and easy reheating on a busy weekday.
Not only is this way cheaper than eating out or buying convenience foods, it’s also healthier — and it can be more social, too. Missing some ingredients but have an abundance of others? Team up with friends and make it a social event – share ingredients so that you can all take some casseroles or other dishes home for the freezer.

25. Build a basic net-worth calculator for yourself.

One great way to ensure that you’re consistently making financial progress is to build your own net worth calculator. Once you have it set up, updating it is easy, and it can provide a great snapshot of your financial situation as well as show off your progress. Here’s a detailed guide to making one with any basic spreadsheet program.

26. Have a quilting bee.

All you need is a bunch of spare cloth (old shirts will even work, as will old curtains, old sheets, and so forth), some needles, thread, scissors, and some friends. Just get together, cut out squares of interesting cloth, and start sewing. You can stuff the inside with soft excess cloth, like t-shirts and such, instead of buying batting, and you’ll create a warm and interesting quilt over time.

Photo: Japanexperterna

27. Practice origami.

All you need is some scrap paper and a bit of time. Start with the simple things, like cranes and frogs, then you can try harder stuff like an origami iris. A well-made origami piece constructed from interesting paper can be a beautiful decoration.

28. Make a how-to video for YouTube.

Share your knowledge! All you need is a digital camera that captures video or a smartphone and (optionally) some video editing software. Just create a video to demonstrate how to accomplish something interesting and useful.
Start off by writing a script for yourself, then turn on the camera and follow your script. When you’ve got a take you’re happy with, upload it to YouTube and let others enjoy it. If it’s useful and entertaining, the viewers will come.

29. Do a ‘bill reduction.’

Spend a few hours trimming your monthly expenses. How? Find ways to lower your regular bills. Ask for credit card rate reductions. Think about what monthly bills you can completely eliminate, then do the footwork to get rid of them.
This might be a boring task now, but if you can invest some time and trim $50 from your monthly bills for free, your future self will be very happy.

30. Play football/soccer.

All you need is a ball, some open space, and some friends. Designate whatever is available as goals, then kick the ball around.
Don’t worry about being terrible at the game – as long as everyone’s just having fun, it really doesn’t matter how bad you are. Trust me – I’ve played football with Europeans who spent their entire lives playing while I’d played perhaps an hour of serious football in my life, yet I had a lot of fun (albeit with a lot of falling down and jumping out of the way).

31. Make a time capsule.

Find a small box, and then walk around your house gathering items that represent the reality of your present-day life: A newspaper or magazine, photographs, recent receipts, last week’s grocery store list, letters or greeting cards, and so on. You could even include a digital flash drive with photos or a video you and your family make for your “future selves” to watch.
Put it all in the box, tape it up securely, and write a date on the outside saying when you’re allowed to open it — say, 10 or 15 years from now. You’ll probably have fun compiling a slice of your daily life, and you’ll enjoy reflecting on those items in the future even more, when your lives and the world have changed.

32. Open up a ‘time capsule.’

You may not have set out to make an official time capsule 10 or more years ago, but chances are you have some old photos, high school notebooks, or other mementos stuffed in a box somewhere, whether in a closet, under the bed, or in the attic. Pull them out and grant yourself the time to revel in those old memories or share them with your kids.

33. Scan your old pictures.

If you have a digital scanner at home, put it to use and scan that pile of old prints you just dug out. Don’t have a scanner? Taking a photo of a photo with your smartphone is a viable substitute (make sure there’s ample natural light). Digitizing these memories is a good way to safeguard them, since photos left in an attic or basement can deteriorate or get stuck together after a while.
If you have a rotating screensaver of pictures, scanning in old prints and adding them to the rotation will make your screensaver all the more amazing. Plus, it becomes easy to just attach them to emails and send them to friends and family — or post them on social media on “Throwback Thursdays.”

34. Have a film festival.

Invite some friends over and ask them each to bring one of their favorite DVDs. Then just settle in with some snacks (whatever you have on hand) and burn a lazy afternoon and evening just watching movies together. It’s a ton of fun and it doesn’t cost anything at all.

35. Seduce your partner.

Really, is there any way to have more fun than that for free? It’s fun, romantic, great exercise, and it can help heal any relationship problems you might be having. An afternoon in your partner’s arms will make both of you feel better, and it won’t cost a penny.

36. Do some networking.

Spend an afternoon drafting emails to professional contacts, just to see what they’re up to and to let them know what you’re up to. Set them up to send en masse on Monday morning. While it might sound boring, it can open up countless doors for your career if you do it consistently, and help you build new relationships and friendships — and all it takes is a little bit of spare time.

37. Practice yoga – or try it for the first time.

All you need is some floor space and a blanket to do most yoga poses. Try out a basic yoga session to see if you like it. It increases flexibility, improves concentration, and holding some of those positions for long periods can be a powerful workout.

38. Try Geocaching.

Part outdoor adventure, part treasure hunt, Geocaching — hiking in search of hidden “caches” you can track by their GPS coordinates — is one of our family’s favorite frugal activities. If you have a GPS device or a smartphone, you don’t need to buy anything else to get started.
Just visit Geocaching.com and type in your home address (or the address where you plan to be walking or hiking), and you’ll likely find a few geocaches stashed in the area. Pick one, add the coordinates to your GPS (or just use the app on your smartphone), and head out the door, letting your device serve as a treasure map.

Geocaching is part outdoor adventure, part treasure hunt.

39. Do a neighborhood cleanup.

No need to organize a formal activity. Just walk through the shared spaces in your neighborhood (parks, sidewalks, etc.) with a trash bag and a pair of gloves, and pick up the litter.
Not only is it a pleasant way to get your blood going, it also beautifies your neighborhood and the surrounding area, not just for your own enjoyment, but for everyone. If you want to really get into it, invite people that live near you to get involved as well and make an event out of it.

40. Build some paper airplanes.

Design and build a bunch of different paper airplanes, then have a competition in the back yard to see which one flies the best. This is a great way to use up some scrap paper, particularly old newspapers. You can easily turn it into a contest – the winner gets to pick what activity to engage in next, or gets to choose what you’re having for supper.

41. Rearrange the furniture in a room.

It’s amazing how much you can refresh a room just by moving the furniture into new positions. Try moving the couch to a different wall, then moving the entertainment center elsewhere. Take your bed and turn it 90 degrees, then move the dressers to match the new configuration. It can completely refresh the look of the room and give you a good workout to boot.

42. Read an entertaining book.

Look around your house for a fun book to read, perhaps something loaned to you by a friend or something you received as a gift, and curl up and let yourself be sucked into the story. I’m a sucker for Stephen King novels – I can just pick up any one and quickly be sucked straight into the plot for a fun afternoon’s read.

43. Build a giant blanket fort.

If you have kids, there are few things more fun than an afternoon spent building and playing in a gigantic fort in the living room. Use chairs, blankets, and tables to make an enormous hidden structure, then hide in there and play games and read books.
If they’re a bit older, build two forts (on opposite sides of the room) and have “fort wars” – toss small beanbags and pillows back and forth. No cost, but an afternoon that’s a ton of fun.

44. Call a family member or a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Not only is this a chance to catch up with another person who’s important to you and firm up your relationship, it can also be a very entertaining and enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.

45. Start a natural collection or an observation notebook.

In other words, spend some time in nature collecting items of interest (like particular rocks) or making observations of things. Perhaps you’ll want to look for birds, or maybe your passion is rocks or feathers. Whatever it is, get your hiking boots on, get out there, and see what you can find. Here’s some advice on how to get started.

46. Start a compost bin.

All you need is a barrel or a large bucket (or, if you live in the country, some open space). Put your vegetable waste, coffee grounds, and eggshells in that bucket; you can add some yard waste such as grass clippings and leaves, too. (Don’t put meat, fish, or dairy products in your compost pile.) On occasion, scoop in a bit of dirt from the ground.
Move the contents around regularly and keep it a bit moist. Over time, the compost will turn almost black. At that point, you can let it dry out and you’ll have powerful, perfectly natural fertilizer for your lawn or garden.

47. Have a yard sale.

Hosting a yard sale or garage sale is a great way to spend a money-free weekend — and a potentially lucrative one at that. Not only does it give you an excuse to clean out unwanted clutter from your home, it’s something the whole family can participate in, offering an entire weekend’s worth of entertainment and activity (and a nice little wad of money at the end to boot). Yard sales are a great way to turn excess clutter into extra cash, and that’s a win for everyone involved.

Hosting a yard sale can turn your money-free weekend into a money-making one. Photo: Sierra Tierra

48. Learn a foreign language.

Doubt this can be free? There are a lot of ways to learn a foreign language online, from podcasts that teach language skills, to apps like DuoLingo, to YouTube videos and many other free language learning opportunities. You can often find popular self-taught foreign language courses like Rosetta Stone at your local library, too. Search around for resources for any language that you might want to learn – you’ll find tons of materials to help you.

49. Deep-clean the room in your house you spend the most time in.

One great afternoon project that will provide aesthetic value for years is deep cleaning a single room in your house, ideally the room you’re in most often. Getting that room pristine will subtly add to your enjoyment of that room for quite a while. This means going the whole nine yards – moving everything out, scrubbing the walls, thoroughly cleaning the floor, cleaning all of the items in it, and so forth. When you’re done, the room will feel fresh and new in a very subtle way.

50. Make some homemade greeting cards.

Whether you want to make homemade birthday cards, thank-you cards, or Christmas cards, all you really need is some card stock or some cheap blank cards from your local dollar store, plus some photographs (or a desktop printer). You might also want to have some other creative printed materials on hand – I like to keep old New Yorker covers for purposes like these.
Use your pictures and other elements to create unique greeting and holiday cards, then save them for the appropriate occasion. Here are some tips on what to write on the inside.

51. Take a nap.

Seriously. Most people do not get adequate sleep during the week. Why not just kick back and take a snooze for an hour or two? It’s the ultimate free energy refresher.

52. Get things done.

Almost everyone has a long list of things to do “when they have time.” Use the fact that you’re intentionally spending a money-free weekend to in fact get some of those things done.
Clean up the house. Dust the front room. Sweep the basement floor. Fix that old toaster. Go through the stuff that’s accumulated in the garage. At the end of the weekend, you’ll have accomplished something useful that you can feel good about, plus your wallet will be fully intact.

53. Dig up your family tree. 

Take a peek at Genealogy.com or Ancestry.com and see what you can find out about your ancestors. If your family has been in the area for a long time, your local library can help you track down centuries-old birth certificates and other records. And don’t forget to ask your oldest living family members what they remember about their own parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
Try to assemble a family tree, and see if you can link to any distant cousins or long-lost family members. Doing this can give you a much clearer picture of your heritage and help you get in touch with your family roots.

54. Sit down with your partner for an afternoon and talk about your goals.

Spending some time with your partner discussing goals can go a long way towards getting you both on the same page in your relationship. Find out what your partner wants out of life and what you can do to support it, then share your own desires. Find areas where you’re working in concert toward something bigger. Doing this can only lead to more clarity in your relationship. Here are some tips for getting started.

55. Play ‘Calvinball.’

To play the wonderfully disorderly sport often portrayed in “Calvin and Hobbes,” all you need is a ball (or a few balls), some number of children, some open space, and a good imagination. Just kick the ball around (or throw it) and make up rules as you go along. With three or more kids, a game of Calvinball can go on for a good hour with everyone having a great time.

56. Do some puzzles.

I enjoy doing both sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles. You can find a huge number of these puzzles online for free, and they’re a great way to stretch your mind a bit at the kitchen table.

57. Volunteer your time.

There are countless volunteer projects out there that need nothing more than your time. A Saturday working for a volunteer cause is a Saturday well spent: You can meet other people in your community while making a positive contribution to society and working your body and your mind for the benefit of others. You may even pick up a new skill, and either way, it will leave you at the end of the day knowing you used your gifts to help out others.

58. Get your financial papers in order.

This may not sound like a fun activity up front, but the peace of mind it gives you will make your life a lot more relaxing. Spend an hour or two organizing all of your statements and other financial documents. This is a perfect time to start your own filing system. If you’re more adventurous, try initiating an electronic filing system, as it will save you significant space and make information retrieval easier (though it requires a bigger time investment up front).

Everyone loves a sprinkler on a hot day. Photo: Rain0975

59. Turn on the water sprinkler.

This is another great way to have family fun with kids. Just run out a hose in the backyard, attach a sprinkler to the end, and turn it on, shooting the water up into the air. Darting back and forth through the cold water on a hot day is a ton of fun for kids — and for parents, too.

60. Try a basic meditation technique.

Meditation is a spectacular way to push stress out of your life and calm yourself. Knowing how to meditate effectively and doing it regularly can be a major part of your stress management, and it costs nothing. Here’s a wonderful basic meditation technique to get you started – there are countless others out there. Try a few and see which ones work well for you.

61. Get involved in an open source programming project.

If you’re a computer programmer, there are few more intellectually stimulating ways to get involved in your passion than to be involved in an open source programming project. One role that almost every project can use is a person who’s willing to fix mundane, boring bugs – finding that one line of code that’s causing a minor issue and fixing it. Look for a project that’s compelling to you and dig in.

62. Teach yourself a card trick.

Card tricks are a fun way to entertain people in almost any situation. Many tricks rely on knowing a specific pattern, some basic sleight of hand, or a combination of the two. Learning a clever card trick and mastering how it’s done can be a great way to spend an afternoon, especially since you can use the skill again and again as a party trick. Here’s a great one to learn – it’s really clever and can utterly baffle people.

63. Attend a religious service.

Even if you’re not a believer, attending a religious service can be a worthwhile educational experience. I really enjoy attending services of different faiths, as the varieties of religious experience are quite fascinating and incredibly insightful. Plus, most religious services – if you pay careful attention – offer a ton of intellectual food for thought no matter what your beliefs are. A religious service is always a worthwhile experience.

64. Start a workout routine.

Most basic exercises – push-ups, sit-ups, jogging, and so forth – require no extra equipment at all. Spend some time doing research into fitness and figuring out a basic workout routine that will work for you, then do the basic “stress tests” you’ll need to do to figure out where you’re at.
For example, the one hundred push-ups routine is very useful, but you need to couple it with other exercises, such as leg lifts, prone lifts, and jogging. You can also try this 10-minute cardio workout that gets progressively more intense, incorporating jumping jacks, push-ups, burpies, and other free exercises.

65. Read a ‘Great’ book.

By this, I mean a book that genuinely challenges both your beliefs and ideas as well as your language skills. Reading a great book is always a good mental workout.
I recommend trying out any of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels or any essential work of philosophy to get started. Try hitting the library and checking out A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer, Sophie’s Choice by William Styron, or Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison – all of which deeply challenged and moved me. These books are deep, challenging reading – read them slowly and you’ll grow as a person.

66. Go swimming.

Almost every town has a community swimming pool, public pond, or some sort of area where residents can swim – lacking that, go to a state park with a public swimming area. Swimming is wonderfully invigorating and often makes me feel very peaceful – best of all, it’s something you can often do for free.

67. Get involved with public access television.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the process of producing a television show, most communities offer the resources for you to do just that. Stop by your local public access station and see what opportunities are available there. You can usually get involved for free in an ongoing program as an extra hand and learn a great deal about the whole process.

68. Blow bubbles.

Just mix one part liquid dish soap with 15 parts water to make a homemade bubble solution. One quick way to do this is to just mix 1/4 cup dish soap with 3-3/4 cups of water. Use filtered and fairly soft water if you can.
Then, take a wire coat hanger, bend and twist it into a small loop or two, and you’re ready to go. Another idea: Take a tin can or coffee can, remove the top and bottom and hammer down any sharp metal edges, then dip the end in the solution and wave it in the air. Blowing bubbles is even more fun if you have small children who love to chase them or are just learning to blow them.

69. Start a journal.

Let’s face it, we start to forget some things — especially the little details — as we get older. A journal can be a powerful way to recall the events that happened in your life that made you who you are. Getting in the habit of writing down the events of your day each night is a great way to remember the specifics. Entries on what you’re thinking about now can be the basis of powerful memories and reflections in the future. Plus, it can offer a release from the tensions of the day.
All of that for just a pen and an old notebook? It’s a great free way to spend some time.

70. Write a letter to your future children or grandchildren.

All of us have some advice or some stories inside of us that we want to someday share with our children, grandchildren, or other loved ones. Take some time to write these things down with the intent of giving them to that person some day. In the event that you pass on, you can be sure that they’ll still receive the story or advice you wanted to tell them. This can be a very powerful way to consider your feelings and memories as you format them in a way that they can be shared with the ones you care about the most.

71. Make Christmas gifts in advance.

If you know already that some people will be on your Christmas list, why not spend some time now making them interesting and thoughtful gifts and saving yourself some money over the long haul? Make them some homemade soap, some homemade hot chocolate mix, and maybe a bottle of homemade beer as a gift. Prepare all of these items, then go ahead and box and wrap them, since they’ll stay good for months.
Not only is the gift less expensive than what you’d spend at your local department store, it’s also more thoughtful, and it’ll save you time during the harried Christmas season.

72. Go ‘coupon scavenging.’

If you get the Sunday paper, scavenge the coupons out of it, see if there are any for products you normally buy, and chuck the rest. If you find several coupons, then it might be worthwhile to scavenge. Stop by any friends or neighbors who also get the paper and ask if you can have their flyers when they’re done with them, then clean out the useful coupons in those, too.
For example, if you buy V8 Fusion as the default fruit juice for your kids (it’s far healthier than almost anything else like it that you could give them) and you spy a $1-off coupon for a bottle, every coupon you scavenge is like finding a dollar bill, and it costs you nothing.

73. Pick up a musical instrument and learn it.

Yes, you can find an instrument for free — and learn how to play it for free as well. Just hit Craigslist and Freecycle looking for freebies, then utilize YouTube and other resources for tutorials. Here’s a detailed guide to learning an instrument for free. With a bit of diligence and effort, you can start from nowhere and learn to play a song on your own instrument for no cost.

74. Plan next year’s summer vacation.

Think about some options for your next trip and what you want to do in general, then start researching the specifics online. Do some detailed comparison shopping for airfare, lodging, or vacation packages, and even set up alerts for cheap deals and tickets. Gather up all of this research, then have a family meeting about the trip to make any final decisions.
Not only will all this advanced planning save you a ton of money, it can actually be a lot of fun researching a potential trip and it gives you more time to get excited about it. In fact, studies show the anticipation of a fun experience typically brings more enjoyment than the event itself.

75. Pick up (and read) a copy of the town’s free newspaper.

Many cities have a free newspaper that you can snag at the grocery store – some cities have quite a few of them. I love them – they’re free reading that keeps me informed about the local area and also lets me know about free upcoming events.
Around here, we have several free newspaper options – Toons and Cityview are both well worth reading. Try looking in the front lobby of your local library for your free newspaper, or in the front of your local grocery store.

76. Play with a pet – it doesn’t have to be your own.

An hour spent playing fetch or Frisbee with a dog or rubbing its belly is an hour well spent, and the same can be said for time spent curled up petting a cat. Spend some quality time with your pet or with the pet of a neighbor or a friend; animal shelters are sometimes in need of volunteers to walk or play with their rescue pets as well. Every pet loves attention and a bit of exercise and interaction, and petting an animal can lower your blood pressure and reduce stress hormones.

Most pets long for human attention, and they’ll return the favor by lowering your blood pressure. Photo: Mitchell Jones

77. Go on a wandering walk.

Step out your front door and go in whichever direction looks the most interesting. As long as you have some basic navigational skills, you won’t get lost, and you can turn around or backtrack whenever you get bored or hit a dead end.
All too often, we tune out our immediate surroundings during our rushed commute to work or school. Who knows what kind of interesting stuff you might notice in your neighborhood if you take your time meandering?

78. Hold a baby.

To me, there are few things more enjoyable than holding a very young baby. They smell wonderful, are usually warm and soft, and often drift off to sleep right in your arms. I don’t even mind the crying ones, as some whispering in their ear can usually calm them down.
There’s nothing better than sitting all relaxed in a chair with a soft, sweet-smelling newborn in your arms. If there’s a new parent in your circle of friends or family, why not offer to relieve them with a couple of hours of free babysitting?

79. Exchange massages with your partner.

A great massage is incredibly relaxing and enjoyable, but they can also be really expensive. Instead of shelling out the cash, just stay at home and exchange massages for free with your partner. Agree to spend 15 minutes or a half an hour massaging each other deeply and you’ll find that you’re both quite relaxed and happy afterward – and perhaps ready to try other free and fun activities.

80. Help out an elderly or disabled friend or neighbor.

There’s always a person or two in your life that could use a helping hand, but often are too proud to ask. One great way to bridge this gap is to just stop in and visit and pay attention – if they need something, you’ll usually find out. Then just volunteer to do it and get started on the task.
Quite often, you’ll find that it’s the simple things that really help – reaching something on a high shelf or managing a simple household task. And that little effort can make all the difference. Few things can make you feel more fulfilled than helping someone you care about in their moment of need.

81. Start a book club – or find one to join.

If you like reading and know other friends that enjoy it, too, consider starting a book club with them where you all read the same book for a week then meet to talk about it. It can transform reading from a solitary activity into a more socially oriented one, and with a library at your disposal, it can be a free activity as well.

82. Play a card game.

A deck of cards and a few friends are all you need for a fun afternoon. Games like bridge, canasta, pinochle, pitch, euchre, hearts, spades, and 500 are not only intellectually challenging, but are intensely social activities as well, drawing you out to interact with others around you.
This is a perfect activity for an afternoon with friends and relatives, and it costs basically nothing at all. And you don’t have to stop with cards. Here are 20 great games you can play with stuff you probably have lying around the house already.

83. Have an ‘entertainment swap’ with a friend.

This one’s pretty easy. Just have a friend bring over a pile of their own DVDs, CDs, books, and video games that they think you’d like. When they arrive, exchange an item for an item as a temporary swap. This will not only refresh your media collection for a while, but can provide a great opportunity for you to talk about your interests with a friend.

84. Take a child to a playground – and actually play with the child.

Take your child, or a child of a family member or a friend, to the local park. But instead of just watching the child play, dive in and participate, too.
Go down the slide. Swing in the swings. Climb across the monkey bars. Not only will the child adore you for it, you’ll find playing like that is simply exhilarating – a little taste of childhood all over again.

85. Explore a blog you like.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably at least a casual reader of at least one blog. What you might have forgotten, though, is that most worthwhile blogs have tons of useful and entertaining stuff in their archives.
Dig deep in the archives of one of your favorite blogs. You can start with The Simple Dollar by visiting my author page – a listing of all of the articles I’ve ever posted – and clicking through to the ones you find interesting or browsing some of the categories those posts fall into. Many popular blogs also have “best-of” indexes or similar features.

86. Explore Wikipedia.

You can also allow yourself some time to get lost down a Wikipedia rabbit hole — when you look up a tidbit of history, then start clicking deeper and deeper to learn more about related events and interesting historical subplots. Since each entry cross-links to so much other information, you could go on forever. Wikipedia, despite its imperfections, is like candy to the curious mind.

87. Work for a political campaign.

Really interested in politics? There are a lot of ways you can work for a campaign from your own home whenever you have the spare time (like during a money-free weekend).
One great way is to get involved with a phone bank. Basically, you call up people to provide information about your candidate of choice. You can do this using the free weekend minutes on your cell phone or by using software provided by the campaign. Other volunteers are often needed to go door to door handing out flyers or collecting signatures. Just contact the campaign you support, and ask how you can help out.

88. Clean out a closet.

We’ve all got spaces in our living areas that accumulate junk, and it’s often a small psychological burden – we dread going in there and digging for something we need. Well, why not get rid of one of those burdens? Clean out a closet in your home.
Find out what’s actually buried in there and get rid of the unimportant items. You might even find some interesting things you’d forgotten about, and you’ll feel a lot better about your organization when you’re done.

89. Play Frisbee at the park.

Get a friend (or a pet) and dig out that old Frisbee from your closet, then head out to an open field and toss it around. It’s a lot of fun, a great excuse to run around and stretch and jump, and it doesn’t cost a dime.

90. Take a long, soaking bath.

You’ll notice many of these suggestions don’t cost money — they simply cost time that you may not otherwise grant yourself. When was the last time you treated yourself to a long, relaxing bath? Fill up a tub with warm water, strip down, get in, and relax. I like to do this with a bottle of wine, and I’ve even read a book while in the tub. Just stretch out and soak for a while and your stress will melt away.

91. Binge-watch a great TV series.

A cold or rainy weekend is perfect for plowing through episode after episode of an addictive or amusing show. If you already have a Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription, you have unlimited access to thousands of movies and commercial-free TV shows — including some critically acclaimed TV series perfect for “binge-watching” if you’ve never seen them before. Many libraries also loan out complete seasons of TV series on DVD.
Popular series available for streaming on Netflix include “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” “Arrested Development,” “30 Rock,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “House of Cards,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Sherlock,” “Lost,” and even old favorites like “Cheers” and “The Wonder Years.” (While we’re on the subject, here are 75 things worth watching on Netflix.)
With Amazon Prime you have access to “The Wire,” “The Sopranos,” “Downton Abbey,” “24,” “The Americans,” “Broad City,” “Veronica Mars,” and many others. And many series, like “Louie,” “How I Met Your Mother,” Ken Burns’s “The Civil War,” “The X-Files,” and “Parks and Recreation,” are available on both sites.

92. Attend a dress rehearsal.

Many performance groups hold dress rehearsals before opening night that are free and open to the public if you call in advance, particularly if you have young children. Give the theater a ring and ask if there are open dress rehearsals for a particular show, and then enjoy the show for free! It’s a great way to give your kids a taste of theater at no cost.

93. Attend a free community class.

Many institutions and stores offer free classes on the weekends on all sorts of topics. Stop by a local food store and catch a free cooking class, or a hardware store to learn about a home repair topic.
Got kids? Try something like the Home Depot Kids Workshop, where they offer free how-to clinics, crafts, and projects for kids ages five to 12. I’ve seen these going on while stopping by Home Depot on a Saturday morning, and they look like a lot of fun!

94. Donate some unwanted things to charity.

If you’ve sorted through your stuff to clear out the clutter, but don’t want to have a yard sale, consider giving the stuff you don’t want to charity. Not only will you have a cleaner house, you’ll have the good feeling of knowing your items are going to be used by someone who actually needs them. Get receipts for your donations, and you’ll have some extra tax deductions next April, too.

95. Discover new music that you like.

Try out free music services like Pandora or Spotify. Pandora allows you to enter a musical “seed” — your favorite band, song, or album, for instance — and generates a radio station based on that information, playing songs with similar “musical DNA.” Give it a whirl – you’ll be surprised at the amount of good music you’ve yet to discover that you’re able to listen to for free.

96. Revisit a favorite book or favorite movie. 

Most of us have some works of writing or film that simply resonate with us on a very deep level. If a certain book brought you to tears, restored your faith, or shook your core years ago, it might be worth reading again.
It can be a reinvigorating exercise, and you’ll be amazed at the little details you’d forgotten or even missed the first time. I like to re-read “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and continually draw new inspiration from it.

97. Build a cardboard castle.

This is a great one if you have kids. Stop by an appliance store and ask if they have any extra appliance boxes you can take home, then flatten them and load up your vehicle.
When you get home, use them to build a giant cardboard castle in your living room or in your backyard. Cut out doors and windows, and attach multiple boxes together to make rooms. This can be a great afternoon of fun for free!

98. Dig an old video game console out of the closet and play some of your favorites.

A lot of families have old video game consoles in the closet – an ancient PlayStation or Super Nintendo, long forgotten about, with a controller and a few games. Dig out that old console and hook it up to a television, then relive some of the memories of the games you used to play for hours. I did this not too long ago and found myself replaying a good chunk of Final Fantasy IX.

99. Do some amateur stargazing.

Go outside on a clear evening, preferably away from city lights, and look up at the sky. Use some handy star maps or an app such as SkyView Free to know what you’re looking at. Spread out some blankets on the ground, lay flat on your back, stare upwards, and realize how magnificent the universe is around you.

100. Go on a hike or a long walk.

Look up some local hiking or walking trails, and just take off. Let yourself get absorbed into nature and simply enjoy the journey. Go at your own speed – this is for your own personal enjoyment, after all.

101. Take a stab at writing poetry (or other forms of creative writing).

The basics of poetry are easier than you might think – just try writing down what’s on your mind. Whatever you’re thinking about, just write it down. That can provide the basics of any poem.
Then, just read through the stuff you’ve written down, choose the words that seem beautiful to you, and assemble them until the whole work means something. This can be a deeply enlightening and personal experience, actually, and one that really stirs the creative juices.

102. Go on a bike ride.

If you’ve got a bicycle and a helmet in your garage or closet, you already have everything you need for some good exercise and some good fun. Head outside and bike away. Almost every town and every state park around here has an extensive array of bike trails, so you can almost always find somewhere new and interesting to ride. Plus it’ll help get you into shape really quickly.
Hopefully, this list will provide for a ton of fun money-free weekends. Want some more tips? Here are 100 additional tips for saving money.