July 27th, 2009
If you’re looking for ways to plan a fun-filled season with your family — without breaking the bank — then this post is for you. With a little planning and forethought, you can create fun ways to enjoy the rest of summer — and to keep the good times rolling all throughout the year.
1. Rethink your idea of “free” and “low-cost”
Unfortunately, many people believe you “get what you pay for” but this isn’t always true. After all, haven’t you had the experience at some point in your life where you’ve paid far more than something was worth? Then surely the opposite must be true — sometimes you really can get more value than cost. Begin by realizing that you really can get great value from something that is either free or low-cost. Shifting your mindset in this way opens you up to find low-cost opportunities for fun that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
2. Do your homework
Hop online and see what’s available in your area. Even if you’ve lived in the same area your whole life, odds are you haven’t “been there, done that” with EVERYTHING of interest. Try these searches on Google (or your favorite web browser) for inspiration and new ideas:
[name of your town] + “day trips”
[name of your town] + “free family fun”
[name of your town] + “discount coupons”
[name of your town] + “events calendar”
[name of a nearby ] + “affordable family fun”
You can also try combining the name of a nearby town with all of the above.
If you prefer to do your research in person (rather than over the web), visit your local tourist information office (even smaller towns tend to have one of these — and rarely do local residents take advantage of it!) Additionally, visit your local chamber of commerce, your local library, and a hotel in town (to check out their “brochure wall” — which many times, offers coupons and other types of discounts).
That should keep you busy between now and part 2 of this post. Enjoy!
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