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Managing money during the summer can be difficult. With less school work to focus on, hanging out with friends occurs more often. But, hanging out can become expensive. There are many ways you can spend time with friends while spending little to no money.

Outdoor Activities

One way you can spend time together is by being outside. There are many different parks and trails you can go to where you can walk, jog, rollerblade, or bike. There are also places near Ames where you can go hiking. Spending time outdoors can help you get exercise in, as well as boost your mood!

Another way to spend time outdoors is on campus! As you may see when you walk through campus, many students and families can be seen hanging out on the grass near the campanile. While being there, you can walk, hammock, read, listen to music, make music, have a picnic, or sit and chat with your friends.

Indoor Activities

When there is a rainy day, or you want to hang out indoors, you can spend time with friends by having a movie marathon, doing different types of puzzles, or playing video games. Of course, who doesn’t love Just Dance? These are good ways to have fun and enjoy the day while being inside.

Spending on a Budget

If you are willing to spend a little bit of money when hanging out with friends but are staying on a budget, there are a few things you can do to spend a little money while having fun.

First, to stay within your budget, create a spreadsheet on how much you are willing to spend and how much you have spent. This will help you see if you are overspending or underspending, stay within your budget, and prevent impulse purchases.

One way to spend time together while spending little money is to meal-prep meals with friends for the week. Grocery shop together, pick out what you will eat for the week, and then put it into containers. This way you know what you have to eat and won’t go out and buy other foods.

When you want to go out to eat, make an effort to go when deals are going on, like half-priced appetizers at Applebee’s. If you want to go shopping, try looking at local thrift stores. You can find many neat things for great prices. Another cheap idea is to look up Pinterest ideas and paint canvases together.

You can do many things with your friends during the summer while still saving money and preparing for the upcoming school year!

Written by: Paige M.