Spending Too Much on Entertainment? Free Options to Protect Your Budget

• Author: Kelly Cooke
• Posted: 2024-08-28

People often offset negative experiences with entertainment because it gives them a reprieve from their worries. Yet, that relief lasts only a short time. On one hand, when various forms of entertainment don't interfere with responsibilities or finances, people do receive mental and physical health benefits. On the other hand, even without a pandemic raising anxiety and stress to historic levels, a lot of people regularly spend money they don't have on things they don't need and then their checking and savings balances suffer.

Many people can effortlessly save $100 or more every month by just making a few small changes to how they approach and enjoy entertainment. If you're feeling a pinch financially while also trying to cope with any negative forces in your life, then it's time to rethink how you find relief and end or decrease one-time purchases and subscriptions related to books, music, television, movies or video games:

Check Out a Library's Collection

Libraries provide their patrons with access to more than books, music, television shows and movies. They also often offer book and film clubs, coffee and breakfast socializing events and art and educational classes and contests. All of these services are typically free to the public, offline and online, except in locations where they charge a low-cost fee or ask for a donation. Non-local card holders also typically must pay a small annual or one-time fee. Some libraries even have thrift shops that offer inexpensive, gently used children's toys, board games and puzzles. If you don't find what you need or want at your local library, then check out the non-profit online library known as the Internet Archive that offers billions of entertainment options. It even offers free access to many classic arcade and PC games.

Sign Up for Ad-Based Streaming

Most people who love fully immersive viewing experiences would agree that television ads are intrusive. In an interesting twist, advertisers who want people to watch their ads produce ads for paid cable and streaming clients that try to sell viewers on the value of "ad-free" services. Although ad-support streaming services aren't as immersive as paid ones, their catalogs usually contain tens of thousands of diverse shows and movies. Some services even offer the same ones playing on network and basic cable at any given time or that recently cycled off a basic or premium channel from the previous month. You can also find general video sites that offer this type of entertainment and free educational programs, including fitness, art, music, dance and other classes. Best yet, these services can't stop you from silencing ads using the mute function on a television, laptop, tablet or phone.

Create Themed Weekly Family Nights

Before the internet of things, a large portion of people set aside time each week to hang out with family to relieve stress and improve relationships between parents and children, siblings and other members of their family. Family nights typically include a meal followed by social activities, such as playing board games, making crafts, putting on a talent show or play, setting up a backyard campsite or using a telescope to stargaze. With the increase of pandemic-related home interactions, some people might consider family night a bad idea because they want more space and not interaction. Weekly themed family nights can actually alleviate this stress. For example, your children are more likely to understand your need for space and give it to you during work or break hours if you offer them reassurance of your love and schedule stability by focusing your full attention on them on family nights.

Take Advantage of No Risk Offers

With all of the free entertainment options available offline and online, it's easy to understand how someone who doesn't live with the convenience and speed of digital social technologies might think that people who pay premium fees for entertainment waste a lot of money. After all, many basic television networks offer marathons of previous television show seasons prior to the airing of a new one. Paid networks and services offer free trials that make it possible for viewers to binge old seasons and then a new one after it finishes airing without paying subscription fees. Even if you can't live without week-to-week viewing social discussions about a particular show, many networks permit password sharing, which means only one person out of a group of friends has to pay for the subscription. If you use games to relax, you can also find thousands of free, ad-supported games online and via apps beyond library offerings.

Things to Keep in Mind

These examples barely touch upon the many types of free and low-cost entertainment options available that can help you and your loved ones cope with daily stresses. A lot of people find entertainment and relaxation, for example, by becoming a hiker or amateur photographer or joining a no-fee hobby or sports club. To find the right solution for you, make a list of your current entertainment expenses and then brainstorm a separate list of alternatives. Prepare yourself to feel surprised when you realize how just how much money you can save.