No Spend Weekend: 75 Fun, Free, and Entertaining Activities for You!

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Have you ever heard of a No Spend Weekend?

The concept is just like it sounds; you fill your entire weekend with activities, but you don’t spend any money doing them.

A friend of mine mentioned she took the no spend weekend challenge with her family a few weekends ago and said she had a blast doing it.

Intrigued, I thought I would give the challenge a try, too!

I'm Busy Being Awesome" inspirational quote image.

Admittedly, I thought this sounded like a pretty steep obstacle at first. Is it REALLY possible to have an entire weekend filled with outings and not spend a dime?

Spoiler alert; it is! And it’s actually quite easy to do when you plan ahead.

I thought I’d include the list of fun and free no spend weekend activities that I came up with, just in case you want to take the challenge as well!

Pick one (or many!), grab a friend, partner, or your entire family, and enjoy!

Question:

What are your plans for the weekend? Do you have any favorite activities for a no spend weekend? Let me know below!

75 ideas for a no-spend weekend

  1. Go for a picnic
  2. Take a walk
  3. Go to the beach
  4. Go backyard camping
  5. Play board games
  6. Read a book
  7. Have a friend over for coffee
  8. Visit a free museum
  9. Have a family movie night – bring out the popcorn!
  10. Head to the park
  11. DIY projects
  12. Host a potluck
  13. Take a nap
  14. Plan your upcoming week 
  15. Wander your library
  16. Volunteer
  17. Create a scavenger hunt for your kids
  18. Declutter your house and donate your stuff
  19. Have a bonfire
  20. Try a new recipe
  21. Have a Wii tournament
  22. Stargaze and look for constellations
  23. Find cloud shapes
  24. Watch the sunrise
  25. Make a fort
  26. Cook dinner together
  27. Play night games
  28. Make cookies
  29. Wash your car
  30. Build card castles
  31. Start learning a new language
  32. Play hide and seek
  33. Go on a brewery tour
  34. Do yoga
  35. Visit a nature center
  36. Go for a run
  37. Plan your menu for the week
  38. Do some landscaping/gardening/yard work
  39. Run through the sprinkler
  40. Go hiking in the woods
  41. Clean out your closet
  42. Go for a bike ride
  43. Fix things around the house
  44. Fly a kite (yes, really!)
  45. Do a puzzle
  46. Play cards
  47. Go birdwatching
  48. Play charades
  49. Visit a farm
  50. Go Frisbee golfing
  51. Visit a farmer’s market
  52. Spend a guiltless day of Netflix binging
  53. Visit a street fair
  54. Be a tourist in your own city
  55. Paint your nails
  56. Try a new hobby
  57. Wander your neighborhood and take pictures of beautiful things
  58. Review your bills and set a budget
  59. Give yourself a mini spa-day
  60. Call a friend
  61. Do one of the 1,000 Pinterest projects you have saved
  62. Listen to a podcast
  63. Plan a staycation
  64. Play 20 questions
  65. Prepare freezer meals
  66. Find some new favorite blogs
  67. Go through old photo albums (digital or paper)
  68. Crochet or knit
  69. Go window shopping (and leave your wallet at home;-))
  70. Find free “Movies in the Park” or “Concerts in the Park”
  71. People watch
  72. Set goals with your partner
  73. Have a yard sale
  74. Attend a free class at your local hardware or craft store (Home Depot, Lowes, Michaels etc.)
  75. Plan an entire no-spend weekend
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