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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you do for fun when you're skint?

117 replies

Jgoe92k39ns9skd · 17/02/2025 19:37

I'm living month to month atm but hoping this will change eventually.
There are only so many free museums, galleries and parks you can do, especially in this weather and they're not open during the evenings.
In terms of eating out as well, I'm not looking to go to fancy restaurants every time and id be happy with a Wetherspoons tbh or just going for a hot chocolate. I don't drink alcohol either.
It gets tedious having to constantly clean dishes, I do a mixture of fresh cooking, frozen ready meals and very basic meals.

Honestly it's hard sometimes. Looking for any suggestions or advice.

OP posts:
username299 · 17/02/2025 23:36

Write letters to political prisoners
Do couch to 5k
Learn to draw with YouTube
Volunteer to plant trees or maintain an area
Join a society
Teach yourself how to make Dahl
Get free magazines at your library
Join a book club
Read the Russians
Busk
Declutter
Plant some vegetables
Learn how to make sourdough
Teach yourself slam poetry and go to poetry evenings
Join a hiking group

ImAChangeling · 17/02/2025 23:50

Meal swap with a friend or family member. Even an average tasting lasagne is nice if it’s home made and you haven’t had to cook it.

Cantkidakidda · 17/02/2025 23:54

Are you a member at the library, ours has started a board game evening once a month that's free, there's games there or you can bring your own if you wanted to play something specific. Actually the libraries in our town have quite a lot of different things going on. Sometimes it's courses/author visits/local new to the scene comedians etc, and generally tea or coffee is free/minimal donations.
There's a community centre not far from us that has an exercise class on Saturday mornings and is only £1, once the class is over you can stay and pay an extra £1 for a brew and soup/sandwich, the same community centre sometimes has free baking or cooking courses too, all the ingredients and packaging to take it home and a print out of the recipe, you have to book but if your following their Facebook page/emails etc you'd see it quite soon after posting.
Do you have a kindle? Amazon has lots of free books available, just type in free kindle books crime/romance etc I love the free kindle books, I take it with me when I have to take the kids to somewhere that's not worth the time driving home and back, especially if it's an evening club as I wouldn't want to read in the car in the dark with an actual book.
Our local council Facebook page often give away tickets for family things to do over holidays, some are free 7 day passes to gyms in the area so not all aimed at children.
Me and my mum also go to a lot of local shows, they are in much smaller venues but are really good and tickets are generally between £10 and £20, if either of our friends fancy it too its also 10% off for 4 tickets together, always have your tickets emailed or you have to pay extra for the postage.

ImAChangeling · 17/02/2025 23:57

Jgoe92k39ns9skd · 17/02/2025 20:51

Don't want to sound rude but does foodcycle get people from all walks of life, I don't want to turn up if it's predominantly people who are reliant on food banks or homeless even. Not because I don't want to associate with them but because I don't want to take away from them if im not as in need.

Maybe you could ask about volunteering.

Cantkidakidda · 17/02/2025 23:58

Forgot one, YouTube also has the cirque du soleil filmings or filmings of concerts if that would be something you would like.

buffyfaithspikeangel · 17/02/2025 23:59

EllaPaella · 17/02/2025 22:12

Do you live near the sea and would consider getting into cold water swimming? Or near anywhere where there's a lake and a swimming community? It's free, very energising and therapeutic- a wonderful way to enjoy being outdoors and the cold water swimming community is very friendly with loads of meet-ups to swim together that don't cost anything.
So many groups nationwide if it's something you fancied. Or even just go alone if you're not bothered about the social side of it.

Second that
I go alone or with a group, some people just come for the walk and social side and sit and drink their coffee (thermos!)
Some of us swim or just paddle

Clueless2024 · 18/02/2025 01:10

Op shopping
Trip to the beach/park (pack own picnic is optional)
Check out walking/hiking trails
Spa day @ home. Paint your nails, give yourself a facial
Movie day at home. Popcorn/snacks optional.
Volunteer somewhere.
Join local library. Borrow free books, attend free events.

litup · 18/02/2025 06:43

Podcasts, every subjunctive under the sun so you'll be able to find interesting ones

If you are in a university town, my local uni holds things like free lunchtime concerts, or evening talks that are open to the public.

Borrow my doggie if you are into walking (& dogs!)

Mentoring a young person in care/leaving care or helping a non-English speaker improve their language. There's a local charity near me that does that.

If there's a language school near you and you have a spare room, you can get paid to host a child/adult for a week. Might have to cook some meals/eat together but you get paid and it can be interesting.

House sit random places? A friend of mine has a flat in a cool place and they get house sitters in to look after their cat (doesn't need much looking after so you're not tied down too much) for the week/weekend. Makes it cheaper to go away for the weekend and even if you can't afford to eat out etc when you are there, being in a different place/house feels like a holiday

Octavia64 · 18/02/2025 06:49

In the summer it is easy.

At this time of year less so.

Personally:

I do wild swimming year round. Cost is a swimming costume. We swim in rivers and the sea. Not a great time to start though as it's probably about as cold as the water gets.

Choir. I sing in a free choir. We do regular concerts and get involved in local stuff. It's great and gets me in free to local events.

I joined a recorder group as well. This does cost but a little recorder is ten quid and the group is twenty quid a year. So it's good value.

I also play in a band which is free but the cost of an instrument was quite high. Many brass bands have training bands for beginners and will lend instruments though so that would be completely free.

IVFmumoftwo · 18/02/2025 06:51

Jgoe92k39ns9skd · 17/02/2025 19:37

I'm living month to month atm but hoping this will change eventually.
There are only so many free museums, galleries and parks you can do, especially in this weather and they're not open during the evenings.
In terms of eating out as well, I'm not looking to go to fancy restaurants every time and id be happy with a Wetherspoons tbh or just going for a hot chocolate. I don't drink alcohol either.
It gets tedious having to constantly clean dishes, I do a mixture of fresh cooking, frozen ready meals and very basic meals.

Honestly it's hard sometimes. Looking for any suggestions or advice.

Wetherspoon refills for hot drinks is only £1.77.

Windsorlady · 18/02/2025 09:10

Try sketching or painting outside or take some arty photos of wildlife by the river or local walks ..check on line socal clubs ..also ramblers ..u3 a type of groups set up yr own group looking for free fun events

hopingforthemillion · 18/02/2025 10:47

writingsonthewall · 17/02/2025 20:10

Is it just me or is £15 for 2 drinks and 2 bits of cake not exactly the bargain of the century

Two drinks per month I meant to include 🙄

shockeditellyou · 18/02/2025 10:48

Ringing church bells is dirt cheap and addictive. Absolutely no need to be religious!

JudgeJ · 20/02/2025 18:20

OMGitsnotgood · 17/02/2025 20:11

When I.bought my first house, I was skint.. I took a couple of shifts at the local pub. It was a little bit extra cash but it was a way of spending a sociable evening talking to people without spending any money. Gave it up as my day job became more demanding but it was fun

Working in a pub is also a good way of getting jobs done in a new house, there are usually people in pubs who can tackle jobs cheaply!

Thisismeme · 20/02/2025 18:34

This is more at home stuff so might not be what you’re after:

  • Treat myself to a new kindle book
  • Rent a movie and get some snacks
  • Nice relaxing bath
  • Bake something yummy
DilemmaDelilah · 20/02/2025 18:40

We didn't eat out. Ever. We didn't go out for coffee. We took the children to the park. We watched television. We occasionally went to the beach. We went to stay with grandparents for the weekend. We made up games and things to do at home. We went to the museum. A treat was when we went for our weekly supermarket shop and we all chose what meat we wanted to eat in our bread roll and chose a bun for lunch.

We had NO money - fun was something we had to do for ourselves, not something we bought.

Farellyo · 20/02/2025 18:45

What do you enjoy doing?

I joined a local netball team (it's more for fun than serious players) and it's changed my life! I love it. We meet once a week for a match, once a week for fitness & we have socials which are always reasonably priced. We don't have to pay subs which is lucky, but a lot of non league clubs are cheap. Any sport/activity/society will probably open doors for socialising and some of it very cheap. I like the outdoors and being active though- canal walks with a thermos, hikes (although initial outlay for decent gear can be savage), pub quizzes (evening of entertainment for the price of a soft drink) etc.

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