1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about how to plan a great weekend 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: for free. After the holidays and with the clean slate 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: of the new year, brushing up against tax time, lots 6 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: of people pledge to be smarter about their finances. One 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: common approach is too drastically cut spending. Sometimes people even 8 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: declare a spending freeze. And sometimes that's wise and it 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: can be fun as a talent, but if you're not careful, 10 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: it can also lead to feeling like life is no 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: fun and a no fun life is not sustainable. I 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: think moderation is often wise. But the good news is 13 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: that if you spend some time thinking through options and 14 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: making plans, it is quite possible to dream up really 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: fun free weekends. Here's what you do. First, you need 16 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: to do some research. Many communities have free events going 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 1: on that people don't know about because they don't bother 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: to think ahead or look beyond their own TVs. Carve 19 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: out sometime maybe on a Wednesday, to pick up an 20 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: arts or events newspaper, or scroll through online Facebook groups 21 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: or local news sites. Flag a few events that look 22 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: most promising, when will they be happening. Make yourself a 23 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: game plan now. Think about who might like to spend 24 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: time over the weekend with you. Socializing is one of 25 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: the most fun things people do, and even introverts like 26 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: myself generally like to see one or two close friends 27 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: here and there. By proactively inviting people to your free events, 28 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: you don't put yourself in the position of having to 29 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: say no when other people invite you to more expensive things. 30 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: You might also take the initiative to invite people over 31 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: for cheap get togethers. A pot luck costs almost nothing 32 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: if you pull your contributions together from what already in 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: the house, assign food and drink options to your friends, 34 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: and you'll have a grand party with basically nothing going 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: out the door. As you plan ahead, you might also 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: think of how you can be of service. Volunteering is 37 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: a great way to do something purposeful and socialize, and 38 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: of course, since you're volunteering your time, you're generally not 39 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: paying to do so. Done right, this can even get 40 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: you into things you might normally pay for, such as 41 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: ushering for a community concert that you can then see 42 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: for free. Exercise is a great mood booster and running 43 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: or walking tends to be free. Organize people to go 44 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: for a hike together on a local trail, Bring your 45 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: own snacks and water so you're not tempted to load up, 46 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: or even bring a picnic. To make it a bigger occasion, 47 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: you might also make this the weekend to cash in 48 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: on any coupons, gift certificates, or i O use you 49 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: happen to have. Use that Starbucks gift card you got 50 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: in your stocking, or the coupon for a pedicure you wanted, 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: a sign in auction, call in a favor from the 52 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: neighbor you babysat for last week, and finally think about 53 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: freeways to spend your downtime. If you've got a library card, 54 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: go to the library and satisfy any shopping urge by 55 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: selecting a huge hall of books or DVDs. If there's 56 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: no convenient time to drop by, see if your local 57 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: library is plugged into the libby app so you can 58 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: borrow e books for free. When you've got something really 59 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: interesting to fill your downtime, you're gonna be less likely 60 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: to serve the web, where there's ads for online shopping opportunities. 61 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: Can so easily find you. Then, at the end of 62 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: your free weekend, spend some time reflecting what did you 63 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: like most, what didn't work out. You don't need to 64 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: try a spending freeze every weekend, but with a little 65 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: bit of foresight, you can have a ton of fun 66 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: without spending a lot, and that means more cash stocked 67 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: away for fun in the future too. What's your favorite 68 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: fun weekend activity that you can do for free. You 69 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: can let me know at Before Breakfast podcast at i 70 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. 71 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and here's to making the most of 72 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 73 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 74 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 75 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod that's b E the number four then 76 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 77 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com. 78 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 79 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 80 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 81 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart 82 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you listen to your 83 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: favorite shows. H