Everybody's Working for the FREEKEND

Welcome to part 2 of our budget series (missed part 1? check it out now: The "B" Word: Budget)!

Drumroll please . . . We're happy to announce that along with cutting back on our unbridled spending (on dinners out, clothes, and other un-necessities), we’re challenging ourselves to one weekend per month of no-cost activities. A FREEKEND, if you will. But we don’t want to do it all alone. So that’s why we’re posting about it . . .

The idea behind a FREEKEND really isn't new. It's just a way of enjoying time off without depleting your bank account in the process. And the savings can certainly add up. For example . . . say you go out to dinner & drinks for two on a Friday night for $45 (and that's conservative). Stop to see a movie too? $18 (and that’s without the $10 popcorn)! Saturday gets boring, so you trek to Target or the mall or wherever else and pick up $50 worth of goodies. Then you’re hungry and want to grab a quick lunch. There goes another $20. It adds up quickly to almost $135 dollars.

Now imagine if you cut that out for one weekend, just once a month, for an entire year. That’s an extra $1,600 in your pocket! A fun vacation. A new washer and dryer set. A fluffy couch. Or—if you’re being extra well behaved—a chunk of extra savings in the bank.

But what to do for free? That's the ultimate question. Why not delve into those cookbooks that are collecting dust and make a tasty at-home feast! Invite some friends over for a game night (old school Scrabble or new Mario Party—it's up to you). Go for a hike (like Stephen in the photo above). Host a clothing-swap. Find that tangled mess of yarn you still have left from years ago and knit a scarf. Use some leftover paint to spiff up an old piece of furniture.

Bottom line: get creative, have fun, and spend zero dollars.

How can you join in on the fun?

Follow these easy steps . . .

1.) Once a month, enjoy a crazy fun FREEKEND. Time period is defined as Friday night through Sunday.

2.) Then blog about it . . . and be sure to let us know. Or post a photo of something you did on Flickr with a little write-up. Don't have a blog? Just email us the info at [neverhomemaker@gmail.com]. If you don't tell us what you did and where we can find more about it, we can't tell the world.

3.) Link to us. Be sure if you blog or post to include the FREEKEND logo (download it by right-clicking the image above) with a link back to us [neverhomemaker.blogspot.com] so that your readers can see what others are doing too. Note: submissions that don't display logo will not be included in our posting.

4.) Then it's our turn. We'll post what you send us at some point during the FIRST weekend of every month. So, please send us your submissions by the 30th of each month for consideration.

5.) Have Questions? Feel free to leave a comment or email us.

To give you some extra time around the holidays, the first FREEKEND fest will be in early January. So put on your thinking caps, go have some good times, and let us know about it by December 30th!

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