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Let’s be real, we all need a little ‘GNO’ every now and again. When you get together with a group of friends you’re sure to have a good time, and just because you’re on a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out.
Check out these cheap girl’s night out ideas!
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Have a game night
I never knew how much fun a game night could be until I met my recent group of friends. If the club scene is not really your style or you’re not up for hanging out at a public place, have a game night instead!
Out of your group of gal pals, designate someone to be the host. The rest of the gang can volunteer to bring something like food, wine, or a game.
To keep it frugal, I’ll often opt to bring a dessert or a box of pizza.
Chick flick anyone?
It seems like every time I go to the movie theater the price of tickets and food is on the rise. To keep your night out budget-friendly, ditch the theater and have a movie night at home. This way, you don’t have to worry about spending extra money you don’t have.
Us girls love a good chick flick and can watch a TV series for hours so it shouldn’t be too difficult to decide on whether the night will be filled with laughter or tears. To make it even more fun, have everyone come dressed in their pajamas and assign snacks/treats for everyone to bring.
To really boost your savings, use a cashback site like Rakuten to get money back on the items you purchase for your movie night. Whether you’re shopping in the store or online, you can still double up on cash back! Here’s $40 you can use when you sign up and spend at least $40. Stick to this $40 limit and your purchase will basically be refunded!
Spill the tea over coffee
There’s something about that smell of freshly brewed coffee that livens the mood. If you’re anything like me, you LOVE your coffee and a little girl talk so why not combine the two?
Meet your friends at a local coffee shop and chat over drinks. Consider sharing a venti, or take advantage of BOGO specials or happy hour deals.
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Get in a workout
Yes, I know, this is not one of those ideas that would pop up when thinking of a cheap girl’s night out. Working out is something that many of us dread, but we do it anyways to stay healthy and of course, look good! And when you’re surrounded by friends it can be a lot of fun.
You know when you try something alone and it sucks but when you’re with a group the experience is 10x better? Exactly, and you get the best of both worlds because it’s free and you’ll be whipping yourself into shape.
Consider walking a nearby bridge, or renting bikes to ride around town. With all of the laughing and great conversation, you probably won’t even feel as though you’re working out! Probably…
Meet at a restaurant on a full stomach
How many of you skip over lunch or a mid-afternoon snack when you know you’re meeting your girls at a restaurant later? Yea, me too.
When you’re on a budget and need to keep it cheap, browsing through the menu on an empty stomach is asking for a disaster. How? No one thinks logically when they’re hangry. Everything looks the bomb-dot-com and you’re more likely to blow off the price of a meal.
To avoid nearly asking the waiter if you can wash dishes when you look at your check, try eating at home before your outing. This way, you can nibble on an appetizer or a dessert versus ordering a whole meal.
Put those leggings to use with yoga
Yoga may be the perfect GNO for your group of friends. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, juggling school and life, or whatever, you can get in your girl time and de-stress.
I remember trying yoga for the first time with my friends and laughing so hard (don’t be us, please be quiet!) at our failed attempts to keep our balance. It was a free class and turned out to be a lot of fun.
You can find cheap yoga classes locally, or take the free route and host your own. If none of you know what the heck you’re doing, follow along with a YouTube tutorial.
Hit up the bowling alley
The average cost per game is only around $2, so opting to go bowling will be a cheap outing with lots of perks.
I love that there’s always a lively atmosphere filled with music, laughing, and pins crashing down. Let’s not forget the food!
Sip and paint
This list of cheap girl’s night out ideas would be incomplete without one that included a little wine!
If you haven’t attended a painting class then you’re missing out! I’m not talking about just any painting class, but one I like to call sip-n-paint.
Many art studios now allow you to ‘BYOB’ or serve alcohol. When my friend suggested this a few years back I wasn’t too sold on the whole idea, but it turned out to be one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had.
To save even more money, you can go half on a bottle of wine or whatever you prefer (hello Moscato). Find coupons on Groupon or browse through other local deals.
In total, I wound up spending less than $30 for the whole night.
Meet at an arcade
Kids don’t always get to have all the fun. Contrary to belief, arcades are also for adults. Many offer a sports bar type setting where you can eat, drink, and play.
I have a local Dave and Busters, and although I was a little annoyed about spending my night playing games it turned out to be a lot better than expected (maybe it was the drinks?).
During this outing, you can let your inner child run wild without the fear of looking like an immature weirdo.
Set a specific dollar amount to spend on games and food, and once that’s gone you can watch others play or just soak up the atmosphere.
Take on a DIY project
Pinterest is an addicting app filled with DIY projects and jaw-dropping home décor. Instead of simply saving a pin to one of your boards and never revisiting it, get creative, and have a DIY party.
This is one of my favorite cheap girl’s night ideas and would be perfect for anyone else who loves to get crafty. You can spruce up a cheap flower pot or finally take on the challenge of learning how to crochet.
Bottles of paint are dirt cheap and you can find items to decorate from your local craft store.
Resources I’m loving!
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Break Up With Debt Course. In this free online course, I’m giving you the strategies I used to pay off over $30K in debt as a single mom!
Money. Boss. Mindset eBook. This eBook was created to help you attract more money and opportunities by healing your relationship with money. I’m giving you the tools to shift your money mindset from a place of scarcity to abundance so that you can stop chasing your money away and have the confidence to go after your goals.
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