by Sara R. Bradley

Created on: August 10, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2010

Most families I know, including my own, live on a budget. Sometimes that budget is a little tight, other times it's so tight that you feel as if you are literally suffocating. Whether your budget is as tight as a corset or a little more forgiving, you can still get out there and have some fun experiences with your family.

We have taken large vacations, which required about a year of scrimping and saving, and we have taken other vacations that did not require nearly as much cash. I have listed a few ideas that our family and other families we know have used in the past to have fun family time with little money.

1. Go to your closest national forest. When you camp at a national forest, the rangers offer several classes that cost little or nothing to attend. My children attended a class regarding wilderness survival and what you can eat in case you are lost in the woods. That was last year and they still talk animatedly about how they ate crickets and grubs worms. Bad conversation when in a restaurant, however, the memories of that day will last forever. We have also gone to classes at national parks on how to cane pole fish, history of the area, lake tours by boat and by hiking, etc. The ranger's have a knack for grabbing your attention and keeping it. Very important for little ones.

2. Go to a local lake. Not only can you swim and picnic, you can also take trails around the lake and look for animal tracks or fossils in the rocks on the shoreline. You may even come across a cave or two.

3. Check in your local area for a Boy's and Girl's club. You can go in and play basketball, rock climb, swim, etc. All Boy's and Girl's clubs vary with the activities that they have and admission charge, however, you and your family will have a great time.

4. Go to a movie. I am not talking about the 7pm movie that could buy a week worth of groceries by the time you pay to get in and buy popcorn. Check if any of the theatres in your area have lowered rates at anytime during the week. There is a theater in our area that has Dollar Movie's. Admission is, you got it, $1.00 per person.

5. Go to the baseball park. Most baseball parks have their gates open during the summer months, due to practices and late season games. Get your family and have an impromptu baseball game. Be certain to check with the park management to ensure that it is okay to play.

6. Go to the library. Yep, the library. Kid's love story time and many libraries now have play areas. The last story time I attended was more like a play. The librarian and assistant were dressed to the max in order to read and act out the story. It was very entertaining. The acting was a bit B movie, but that was part of the entertaining part.

7. Go online to investigate sights and historical locations in your area. You may be surprised. There are caves and old historical homes all over that many people are unaware of. I recently found out about a restored plantation home with slave quarters still intact that is actually not too far from our home. It's historical, educational and very interesting. Get the kid's involved, it's almost like a treasure hunt.

These are just a few ideas for having some family fun on a dime. Use your imagination and come up with some ways to get out there and have some fun with your family, without spending a lot of dough.

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