Frugal Fun: Family Outings

There's quite a few things (this is certainly not an exhaustive list) you can do as a family that cost little or no money.

We like going to Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops. LMS likes looking at the fish and all the stuffed animals- there's always lots to look at. I think both places have scheduled fish feeding that people can watch, and sometimes help with (LMS got to once and thought it was great). They also have an inexpensive shooting gallery (Mr. S likes these). This Christmas we took LMS to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa. We got a free photo of her with Santa (not a great quality photo, but it was free), and there was a bunch of different games and such that the kids could play for free. If we'd gone on the weekend, there would have been free crafts and cookie decorating, too.

We also like hiking, and have found that LMS can often walk a good portion of the hike. This is usually free, unless there's a fee to get into the park.

Another activity to do as a family is going for bike rides. We bought a trailer on sale at REI about two years ago and have gotten a lot of use out of it, and will continue to do so. These can be found on craigslist, ebay, and so on, so they don't have to cost a lot. When LMS gets a bit older, we'll get a trail-a-bike (it's basically a kid's bike minus the front tire and fork, that attaches to the rear of an adult bike) so she can keep up with us on longer rides. We won't be paying full price- we'll find one on craigslist or ebay.

We also like to go for walks and runs together. I have the most practice at it, so I usually push LMS in the BOB jogging stroller that we found for a steal on craigslist. We've gotten lots of miles out of that stroller, and there's still many left. We like exercising together- it sets a good example for LMS, and though she rides in the stroller for most of the way, we have started having her walk the last bit home, and will continue to extend the distance.