Living Life on a Shoestring Budget

Morning everyone! It is a gloomy one here in CNY. Today I want to talk a little about living life when you don't have any money. This post was inspired but the fact that today is pay day, and every. single. cent of my paycheck is going to school loans and rent. Damn you 1st of the Month!! Needless to say I am feeling broke-de-broke right now.

Living life on a shoestring budget is something that I really struggle with. I have a self admitted shopping problem first of all, I love hanging out with my friends (which often involves spending money) and then there are important things like gas & groceries.

It makes me feel a little bit better that this e-card actually existed

I must say that I am very lucky to have someone that helps out with some of these things. There's no way I would be able to afford rent, groceries, life, etc. if I had to pay it all by myself. 

Alas, I was inspired to think of ways to still have a life without going broke in the process. So I give you:

One of the biggest areas I struggle, and one of my biggest expenditures, is hanging out with friends. So instead of going out to eat or to a concert or the like, here are some ideas for spending time with friends:

Movie Night In - Grab a bottle of wine and watch a RedBox or something On Demand! So much cheaper than going to a movie, where tickets are $20 a piece and popcorn is an arm and a leg. Plus you can have wine. Wine makes everything better. Cost: <$10 for wine and $1 movie rental Tip: make sure to bring that RedBox back the next day! It's not quite as cheap when you keep it for 2 weeks at $1/day people.

Exercise - My Bestie and I are doing this one tonight! Grabbing Ruby and heading to a local park. This one is easy on the wallet and good for you too. Bonus: It will wear your dog out so she sleeps later and isn't annoying. Not that that ever happens.... Cost: free!

Check out a Local Festival - Here in CNY there is one almost every weekend in the summer. Greek fest, Italian fest, Oktoberfest, you name it. Not only is it fun to experience another culture for the night, but there is usually free entertainment, and you can try out another cultures food for cheaper that eating out would cost you. Cost: Free for the event, less than $10 each for food 

This guy knows whats up. Leather shorts are so in right now.

Germans: making lederhosen sexy since the 16th century

Craft Day! - My friends and I love doing crafts! For my next project I want to make some kind of a rag rug for our kitchen using fabric scraps. Can we say fun & cheap! Cost: Only that of supplies, which you might already have.

Yeah because that B just made a huge effing mess! -_-

Visit a Local Park - This one is especially fun if you or your friends have kids, but it's still fun even if you don't! Swings are fun for all ages don't even try to say otherwise. And the best part: Cost: f-f-f-FREE!

Come now, wouldn't you rather be doing this??

So there are a few ideas to get you started. (These would all be really fun, cheap date ideas too!) And if anyone is interested, I am accepting donations.