Free Fun

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A family playing Scrabble on the floor.What mom doesn’t have the goal of saving more money? Sometimes, I want to save for a vacation or special something for all of us, and other times, I want to tighten the family belt after overspending during the holidays.

There are plenty of ways to save money that we all know and love—turn the heat down two degrees and put on a sweater for gods-sake, stop dining out or do it less, use coupons or one of the many awesome rebate apps out there, and skip that $6 latte.

But one of my favorite ways to save money is by engaging in what a friend of mine used to call “free fun.” In Westchester County, where we have to pay for parking just to go to Target, saving money can take some doing, but if you’re committed, it can be done.

Here is a list of some free or low-cost ways to spend that copious free time that you, as a mother, undoubtedly have, in no particular order of preference.

1. Play a Game

The kids can join the fun for Uno, Charades, Pictionary, Go Fish, and Bingo with a family game night. My husband and I also recently enjoyed crushing my parents at Gin Rummy, and I look forward to defending my Trivial Pursuit title this weekend. If weather permits, get outside and kick that soccer ball around.

2. Puzzles

Clear off the dining room table and get to work. Sudoku—numbers puzzles feel too much like math to me, so I steer clear of this one, but people seem to like them. I like words, though, so I love a good crossword puzzle. I can usually get through the NY Times until about Thursday or Friday; Sunday is an all-day affair, and I don’t have that kind of time.

3. Naps

It’s probably my favorite pastime, but let’s face it: you’re a mom, and this one is just a joke.

4. Watch a Classic Movie

Don’t go to your grave without seeing Citizen Kane, Casablanca, or Annie Hall. I wouldn’t say I like to encourage a ton of TV or movie-watching since it’s the go-to for many of us already. But if you are going to watch something, make it something worthwhile. If you don’t have cable or Netflix, your local library has tons of DVDs available.

5. Go for a Walk, Run, or Hike

When the weather is warmer, get outside. Explore your neighborhood, local park, or one of the many walking trails in the area.

6. Spa Day

Grab all those mask samples from Sephora and those nail polish bottles. Steam up the bathroom and get beautiful. My daughter loves to paint each nail a different color, and even the hubs enjoys a good exfoliating scrub now and again.

7. Sex

Hey, it’s free and, when properly executed, can be fun. After the kids are asleep, of course. Or at Grandma’s.

8. Cooking and Baking

I wouldn’t say I like to cook, but my husband is great at it, so this one’s a win-win for me. We play a game called “Make Dinner Using Only The Ingredients We Already Have,” otherwise this can be very un-free fun. It’s sort of like a domestic Iron Chef, and if you or someone in your house is culinarily inclined, this can reap delicious rewards!

I like to bake, and it seems like most kids do, too. Break out those cookie cutters and the powdered sugar you don’t use for anything else, and get to work. You’ll have dessert for days and feel good knowing that while your kids are eating sugar, at least they’re not eating all the other junk that comes in store-bought treats.

9. Color

Those adult coloring books are all the rage for a reason. You and your kids can sit at the kitchen table for ages, filling in the lines — them in theirs and you in yours.

10. Read a Book

This is actually my second favorite activity after napping. Dust something off of that shelf you’ve been meaning to read forever. Or, Amazon has tons of books in their lending library, good deals from publishers (I’ve scored many $1.00 and $2.00 books from them), and there is, of course, the actual library. Borrowing a book won’t cost you a thing.

This is, of course, just a smattering of the fun things you can do for free or close to free.

What are your favorite low or no-cost ways to pass the time?