Want to do a Fun Activity, But Think You Can’t Afford It?
Finance a Fun Activity on Spare Change
Think having fun always involves a dent in your pocketbook? Think again! Your next fun activity can be as cheap as collecting all the spare change accumulating in your cushions.
A Little Here, A Little There…
We all look for enjoyable, leisurely activities that we can do on our days off. Now, thanks to creative financing, affording a fun activity doesn’t have to break the piggy bank. By itself, spare change doesn’t seem like a lot, and it will eventually get spent on wasteful purchases. Added together, though, spare change can finance a fun activity for your whole family.
Sofa to the Rescue
Get digging. Take a look in between your sofa cushions for any long forgotten change. Check the cup holder areas in all your vehicles (a popular spot where change collects). Take a look inside your purse too. You might be surprised at how much spare change you have. It’s not uncommon for all that spare change to total close to $100. In fact, I once had over $400 in change. I actually thought it was around $50 because it can be so hard to tell, and I was quite surprised when I discovered just how much I had.
Counting all your spare change can be fun too. Make it a fun activity by involving the entire family -- you’ll have fun watching the change add up and it will be educational for the little ones.
Plan Your Reward
Once you have counted all that spare change, it’s finally time to decide what you can do with it. Brainstorm a list of possible ideas. Get everyone’s input. You can rent videos for a fun activity that the whole family will enjoy. You can enjoy a game of miniature golf or even a visit to the local amusement park depending on how much change you’ve collected.
If you’re a family of one, you can splurge on something that you have put off purchasing due to a lack of funds. Buy that cashmere sweater or put your extra money towards a weekend getaway.
Look Forward to the Future
Now that you’ve determined what to do with your spare change, change your habits as well. Designate an old water cooler bottle or container to hold all your spare change. Encourage family members to add to it. You can even make people pay into it when they accidentally use a cuss word or leave a light on. Every year, sort the change and count it. Reward yourself and your family with a fun activity for your efforts each and every year.