“Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy a boat and that is pretty close.” - Bill Hicks, I think
While it is true that fun is easier had with money it is not impossible to enjoy one’s self without going broke. This week on Tales from the Blog Cabin I will explore and advise on cost efficient methods of recreation. With kids out of school eating all your food and breaking your furniture it is not only desirable but important to minimize the amount of time spent indoors during these warmer months so I have put my considerable intellect to the task of compiling a short list of summertime diversions that are not only fun, but cheap as well. You’re welcome.
Washington State Discover Pass (Annual)
Head on over to http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/133/Where-to-Buy to purchase an Annual Discover Pass. For $30-$35 the Discover Pass allows you to enjoy millions of acres of Washington state-managed recreation lands – including state parks, water-access points, heritage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads for the entire year! That will give the little monsters a place to run wild and you a chance to sit down. By the water. With a fishing pole.
Get outside and enjoy it before they all get sold off.
Drink at Home!
It’s only lame if you are. Instead of going out with friends to a bar, buying food and drinks, calling an Uber, etc. why not just buy booze and mixer at the store, invite your friends by and have an old school soiree in the yard? Shall we do a comparison? At the bar you can spend too much money for bottom-shelf, watered-down drinks while getting jostled by frat boys who don’t know how hats work or you can have a classy evening engagement with your finest friends while getting trashed in your own yard! See!? I told you it was a good idea.
These bros want to buy you a Jaeger and show you their frat house.
Play Video Games
I know you are thinking I am crazy and video games aren’t cheap but you are wrong and I am right and I will explain why. You either already have a video game system or you don’t. If you have one you only need to buy a few games which, if carefully chosen, will give you MANY hours of entertainment from the safety and comfort of your own home. If you do not NOT own a system already then you certainly don’t need to buy the newest thing on the market. You probably have 30 years’ worth of catching up to do. Go buy a used Xbox for $50 bucks and a fistful of games and you will have endless hours of fun. By the time you have played all those the newest systems will be old and cheap. Boom.
Good Weather = Fun
This is a classic poor person trick from my childhood and I have spent many a fine summer hour in the halcyon days of my bucolic Idaho childhood enjoying this relaxing activity. All you need to know is that when the weather is nice, sitting outside is considered an acceptable activity. That’s it. Just take a chair outside and then sit in it. Try not to stare directly at the sun.
This is the basest and one the most satisfying forms of entertainment.
I hope you have a lot of fun with this and are able to pay your rent on time with all the money I just saved you. Like I said before, you’re welcome.