100+ No-Spend Weekend Activities For Everyone To Enjoy
We all know the excitement that comes with the prospect of the weekend, but let’s face it – sometimes our wallets need a little break, too. If you’re anything like me, then you probably also have a goal to stop spending money every time you leave your house. And if you have kids, you know that gets in even harder to do! That’s where the no-spend weekend comes in.
A no-spend weekend is precisely what it sounds like – a conscious decision to navigate your weekend without spending a single penny. In a world where expenses seem to multiply effortlessly, a no-spend weekend is a deliberate pause, a chance to reclaim control over your budget, and a refreshing break from the consumer-driven norm. Some people might be saving up for a big goal or tackling debt head-on. Others relish the challenge of finding joy in life’s simple pleasures without a price tag. Whatever your reasons, I’m sure you can benefit from limiting your spending.
That’s why I’ve crafted the ultimate guide to help you make the most of your downtime without spending a dime! This blog post is a treasure trove of over 100 free activities tailored for every situation. Whether you’re hanging out with friends, bonding with family, enjoying some solo time, or basking in the glow of romance with your partner, I’ve got you covered. With this many free things to do you’ll be busy the entire weekend!
So, get ready to say goodbye to the budget blues and hello to a weekend filled with fun, laughter, and unforgettable moments. The weekend is about to get a whole lot more fun without burning a hole in your pocket. Let’s dive into the endless possibilities of a spend-free weekend and create memories that will last a lifetime!
Fun No-Spend Weekend Activities
From cozy movie nights to outdoor adventures, creative endeavors, and beyond, these activities are cost-effective and guaranteed to make your weekend memorable. Feel free to mix and match activities based on your preferences and enjoy a variety of experiences without spending money!
No-Spend Weekend Activities To Do With Friends
1. Picnic In The Park
What better way is there to have a good time and get some fresh air then by inviting your friends on an afternoon picnic at the park. Everyone can pack some homemade snacks and enjoy a day spent outdoors.
2. Board Game Night
Dust off those board games and host a game night with your close friends. Get ready for a night of friendly competition and lots of laughter.
3. Movie Marathon
Sometimes, the weekend calls for staying on the couch. Make homemade popcorn, call your BFF, and watch your favorite movies or binge on a new series together.
4. Go For A Hike
A weekend hike is one of my favorite things to do with my friends. Pack some snacks, find a local trail, and explore nature together.
5. Start A Book Club
Choose a book to read and have a weekly get-together to enjoy a cup of tea and discuss it with friends.
6. Photography Excursion
This is a great way to explore your city and capture fun, interesting shots. It’s always nice to have photos of fun memories with your friends to look back on.
7. Have A Garage Sale
Have a group garage sale with friends. It’s so much more fun than doing it solo. Plus, the bigger the sale, the more people it will attract.
8. Sports In The Park
Get a group of friends together to play soccer, frisbee, basketball, or volleyball in a nearby park or at the beach.
9. Volunteer Together
Do good deeds by helping at a local charity or community event.
10. DIY Craft Night
Create crafts using materials you have at home.
11. Attend Free Local Events
Check community calendars for hundreds of fun, free events like concerts, shows, or festivals in your area.
12. Host a Potluck
Host a themed dinner night and let each friend bring a different dish.
13. Outdoor Workout Session
Do group exercises in a park or open space (hill sprints are always fun).
14. Art Day
Express creativity together through a group drawing or painting project.
15. Visit a Farmer’s Market
Spend the morning wandering through the local farmers market and enjoy the sites.
16. Have A Bonfire
If you live in a place where you can have a bonfire or small fire pit, invite your friends over for a cozy hangout around the fire.
17. Nature Scavenger Hunt
A fun way to spend the day is to make a list and explore nature with a scavenger hunt.
18. Game Tournament
Compete in video game or card game tournaments.
19. Attend a Free Workshop
Look for local workshops or classes happening for free.
20. Explore a New Neighborhood
Take a walk and discover a new area together. You may end up finding the next place you’d like to move to.
21. Have A Photo Booth Session
Create a makeshift photo booth with props. Bring your silly faces.
22. DIY Trivia Night
Create your own trivia questions and challenge each other.
23. Community Clean-Up
Make a positive impact by cleaning up a local park or beach.
24. Go Window Shopping
Enjoy the company of friends while strolling through the stores without buying anything.
25. Paint Your Nails
If you struggle with doing your own nails, get together with your friends and take turns painting each other. For other self-care ideas you can guys do together, read The Weekend Beauty Routine You Need For Glowing Skin
Free Weekend Activities To Do With Your Family
1. Family Game Night
Break out the kid’s board games or card games and have a fun night of play with the family.
2. Go For A Bike Ride
Go on a bike ride together to explore your neighborhood. Everyone will get some sunshine and exercise while enjoying the day.
3. Storytime
Share and listen to family stories, or let each person create their own short story . Kids get to practice their storytelling skills and use their imagination.
4. Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of items and have a scavenger hunt at home or in the neighborhood.
5. Nature Crafts
Collect leaves, twigs, grass, rocks, flowers, and pinecones, and make crafts together.
6. Family Photo Shoot
Take turns being the photographer and capture precious family moments.
7. Bake Cookies
This is an activity that almost any child will love! Spend a few hours baking and decorating cookies with family members.
8. Stargazing
Lay out some blankets and pillows and observe the night sky together. Challenge the kids to spot some constellations.
9. Home Garden Project
Do some landscaping, plan out a small garden, or dig up some flowerbeds.
10. DIY Home Movie
Create a family video with interviews and funny moments. This memory will be fun to watch once the kids are grown.
11. Spend The Afternoon At The Library
Head to your local library for a great time reading and learning. Most libraries have children’s story time, or you can just let the kids spend hours browsing books on their own in the kid’s section.
12. Visit the Animal Shelter
Spend some time with the animals at your local animal shelter. They can always use some extra love. You won’t have to bring one home either…unless you want to of course.
13. Build A Blanket And Pillow Fort
Use couch cushions, pillows, and blankets to build an indoor fort.
14. Play Charades
Have a lively game of charades with the whole family.
15. Family Talent Show
From singing and dancing to spinning in circles, showcase each family member’s talents, no matter how small.
16. Go camping
Go camping in your backyard or even on your balcony for a fun nighttime adventure.
17. Write a Book
Craft your own family book by letting everyone in the family participate in creating a story and drawing the pictures to go along with it.
18. Visit The Local Playground
Let the kids run around and play with other kids in a safe environment at your local park.
19. Play Hide And Seek
Everyone loves a good game of hide and seek. You can play inside or out in the yard.
20. Go Swimming
Is there a better way to spend a hot sunny afternoon than at the beach or your local swim spot?
21. Color Some Pictures
Break out the crayons, markers, colored pencils, and coloring books and get to coloring.
22. Have Storytime
Sit together as a family and take turns reading out loud from an exciting novel.
23. Fly A Kite
Taking the kids to fly a kite is the perfect thing to do on a windy day!
24. Play An Instrument
If you have a musical instrument someone is learning to play, take this time to practice.
25. Have A Dance Party
Use the songs added to the family playlist and have a dance party. We use this colorful disco ball strobe light to set the mood for dance parties at our house. They are always our favorite no-spend weekend activity we look forward to.
26. Sidewalk Chalk
Have fun doodling outside with chalk or drawing a game of hopscotch on the sidewalk.
27. Jump Rope
Practice skipping rope or learn how to double dutch.
28. Create a Family Playlist
Each family member adds their favorite songs to a shared playlist.
29. Blow Bubbles
Blow bubbles outside and let the kids run around and pop them.
Solo No-Spend Weekend Activities
1. Read a Book
A no spend weekend is the perfect time to spend some time relaxing and dive into that book you’ve been meaning to read.
2. Journaling
Give yourself time to reflect on your thoughts and write them down.
3. Meditation
Practice mindfulness or try guided meditation.YouTube has great videos on guided meditation and breathwork.
4. DIY Home Spa Day
Treat yourself to a relaxing day of self-care. Read Easy Ideas For An Overnight Glow Up for lots of self-care ideas.
5. Learn a New Skill
Use online resources to pick up a new hobby or skill.
6. Art or Craft Projects
Get creative with drawing, painting, or crafting.
7. Explore Local Libraries or Museums
Enjoy free resources in your community. Your city website should list which days museums have free entry.
8. Photography Walk
Take a camera or smartphone and capture interesting scenes. Your photography could even become a side hustle by selling stock photos to sites like Alamy and Shutterstock.
9. Do A Yoga Class
Practice yoga in a local park, your backyard, or your living room. Youtube has loads of classes you can follow along with.
10. Podcast Listening
Discover new podcasts or catch up on favorites. A few of my favorite podcasts are The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett and The Dream Bigger Podcast.
11. Do A Puzzle
Make a pot of tea and settle in for an afternoon with a challenging puzzle.
12. Meal Prep
Spending a few hours on the weekend planning out your meals for the week ahead can save you so much time and money.
13. Clean Out Your Closet
Organize your closet and drawers so it’s easier to find the clothes you actually want to wear. Any clothes you no longer want can be added to your garage sale pile, or you can sell them on Poshmark, The Real Real, or other resale sites.
15. Attend a Free Online Course
Many platforms offer free courses on various subjects. YouTube also has so many videos that can teach you just about anything.
16. Create a Vision Board
Visualize your goals and dreams through a vision board. You can cut out images from a magazine or create a digital collage on Canva for free.
17. Write Poetry or Short Stories
Let your creativity flow through writing. You can share them with friends or save them for yourself.
18. Plan a Future Trip
Research and plan your dream vacation. Figure out how much it will cost to take this trip and make a plan to start saving for it. A no-spend weekend a month could help you reach your goal faster!
19. Nature Sketching
Bring a sketchbook to your favorite park and capture the beauty of the outdoors.
20. Virtual Museum Tour
Did you know you can explore museums online from the comfort of your home?
21. Watch a Documentary
Learn something new by watching an interesting documentary or docu-series.
22. Plan Out Your Budget For The Month
Write down your income and all of your monthly expenses to help you keep track of your spending. You may even find some areas you can cut back on to save money.
23. Start A Youtube Channel
If you have a passion for a subject, consider starting a YouTube channel and sharing your knowledge with an audience.
24. Plan Your Dream Home
Sketch or plan your ideal living space. You can look online or in magazines for inspiration.
25. Write Out A List Of Top Goals For The Month
You are much more likely to reach your goals if you write them down. Pick the top three things you’d like to accomplish this month and write them down. You can tape the list somewhere you will see it often.
26. Create a Pinterest Account
When you create inspiration boards for every life category on Pinterest, hours can easily slip by.
27. Start a Side Hustle
YouTube has videos that can teach you all about drop shipping, print-on-demand, or opening an Etsy shop.
Free Weekend Activities To Do With Your Partner
1. Home Movie Night
Create a cozy movie night at home with your favorite films and soft blankets.
2. Cook Together
Choose a meal that you can plan and prepare together as a couple.
3. Starlit Walk
A warm evening is perfect for taking a romantic stroll under the stars.
4. Board Games for Two
Play games designed for couples. You can make the games more interesting by deciding your own prizes.
5. Couples Massage
Light some candles and exchange massages at home so you can both relax.
6. Dance Night
Put on some chill music and slow dance together in the living room.
7. Sunset Picnic
Pack a picnic dinner to enjoy while watching the sunset. Bring some throw blankets and pillows for extra comfort.
8. Plan Future Adventures
Dream and plan future trips or experiences together.
9. Stargazing
Lay out a blanket and gaze at the night sky. You can even bring a portable speaker to listen to music.
10. Write Love Letters
Express your feelings through handwritten notes. You can exchange them right away or put them away to read at a later date.
11. Create a Scrapbook Together
Compile photos and memories of your relationship in a shared scrapbook.
12. Visit a Botanical Garden
Get some exercise and sunshine while you explore the beauty of nature.
13. Have a Picnic in Your Living Room
Spread out a blanket and pillows and enjoy a cozy indoor picnic for two.
14. Plan a Future Date Night
Brainstorm ideas for your next date night together.
15. Share Childhood Memories
Take a trip down memory lane and share fun stories of your childhood.
16. Candlelit Dinner at Home
Surprise your partner and set up a romantic dinner with candles at home.
17. Play 21 Questions
Ask each other questions to get to know each other better and deepen your connection.
18. Attend a Virtual Event Together
Join an online event or webinar as a couple.
19. Create a Playlist for Each Other
Exchange music playlists that reflect your feelings for each other.
20. Write a Love Poem
Express your love through poetry and then share it with your partner.
21. Visit a Local Art Gallery
Enjoy a few hours soaking up some culture and exploring local art exhibits together.
22. Have a Technology-Free Day
Combine your no-spend weekend with a tech-free day and disconnect and enjoy quality time without the constant distraction of phones and screens.
23. Visit a Free Community Concert
Check out local events for free music performances in your area.
24. Take a Bubble Bath Together
Light some candles, play soft music, and enjoy a glass of wine while you both relax and unwind with a shared bubble bath.
25. Plan a Dream Home Together
Discuss and sketch out your ideal living space. Or make a ‘dream home’ Pinterest Board to which you can add photos.
Things Money Can’t Buy
The laughter shared with friends during a board game night, the warmth of a homemade meal prepared with love, or the thrill of exploring the great outdoors are the treasures money can’t buy. If you decide to embark on your own no-spend weekend adventures, remember that it’s not just about tightening the purse strings but finding joy in the simplest of activities and discovering that true contentment and happiness lie in the moments we share with the people we love. And if you want more
Xx Monti
