Latest posts by Kumiko Ehrmantraut (see all)
- How to Budget Moving Out for the First Time - February 25, 2020
With winter right around the corner, it's time to get outside and enjoy the last remaining days of beautiful weather. I love watching all the leaves turn colors and the decorations that start to appear on people's front porches. Recently, my family and I had our very first no-spend weekend and to be honest; it wasn't that hard. Fall offers a ton of free activities for families and it's a great way to save a little money during the month.
Today, I wanted to share with you 20 things you can do this Fall on a no-spend weekend. Before you attempt a no-spend weekend, here are some things you should do first.
Sit down with your family and brainstorm some ideas on what you would like to do. Lay out a plan for your weekend filled with activities and meal ideas. Having a list of activities already planned really helps. Planning your meals also helps you prepare for a no-spend weekend. Check your pantry and fridge and make sure you have everything you need to get by for the weekend. It's only two days, so this part is easy.
Get creative. Try to do things you haven't done before or things that you haven't done together in a long time. This makes the no-send weekend memorable and special. We started by looking at our community calendar. This is a great place to come up with some free activities that you might not have thought about.
If you have never tried a no-spend weekend, I challenge you to try it. This weekend, I challenge you to spend no money at all. Sit down with your family and map out your weekend. You might enjoy it more than you think. Here are 20 things you and your family can do on a no-spend weekend this Fall.
20 THINGS TO DO ON A NO-SPEND WEEKEND THIS FALL
1. VISIT YOUR LOCAL PUMPKIN PATCH
You don't have to spend money while visiting your favorite pumpkin patch. It's a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of Fall. Play games like, who can find the biggest pumpkin or who can find the weirdest colored pumpkin. It's also an excellent time to take photos and capture Fall's pumpkin harvest.
2. COLLECT LEAVES
This was one of my favorite activities we did on our no-spend weekend. If you have kids, take them outside and pick up all of your favorite leaves. My son is only 4, so he picked up all of the orange ones he could find. Don't stop there. Take them inside and turn them into a free craft. We painted our leaves and outlined the shapes on a black piece of paper. My son loved this, and it was completely free.
3. GO HIKING
Fall is a great time to get outside and go hiking. The weather is perfect for a day hike, and it's also a great time to get outside and explore. Look for areas that you have never visited, and it's OK if it's not too far from home.
4. WATCH A MOVIE
After a long day outside, take some time to relax inside. Snuggling up on the couch with some warm cider is a perfect way to end your day. My son and I built a fort out of the sofa cushions and watched “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” If you haven't had a chance to watch it with your kids, I highly recommend it.
5. CHECK YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Check online for free events that are happening in your community. We found out that our local library was having a weekend book reading. It also gave me an opportunity to read some other books with my son.
6. GO ON A NATURE HUNT
When we were brainstorming our no-spend weekend, I came across this cute nature hunt printable from Scribd.com. Print it out, get outside, and start identifying things on the printable. You can find the printable HERE.
7. GO ON A PICNIC
Find your favorite local park and have a Fall picnic. Keep it simple by packing some turkey sandwiches and juice boxes.
8. GO ON A BIKE RIDE
Take your bike and out and explore your neighborhood.
9. MAKE A PINE CONE BIRD FEEDER
This is an excellent free craft that kids of all ages can enjoy. All you need is a pine cone from the backyard, some peanut butter, birdseed, string or yarn, and a plastic bag. We had all of this stuff at home, so it worked out really well. I used this tutorial on my no-spend weekend.
10. WINTERIZE YOUR HOME
Now is the time to start preparing for winter. For us, that meant picking up the yard, putting away the lawn furniture and preparing our raised garden beds. Make a list of some things you want to carry out and set aside a couple of hours to get them done.
11. RAKE LEAVES
Do you remember how fun it was to jump in a huge pile of leaves when you were a kid? We have seven trees in our yard, so it was a great way to do some cleaning up and have some fun at the same time.
12. READ A BOOK
Sit down and read a book with your child. My son's favorite book at the moment is “Too Many Pumpkins” by Linda White. The illustrations are fantastic, and we are currently still reading it every day. You can see the book HERE. Head to your local library for some quiet time and see if they have this book available. Your child will love it.
13. GO STAR-GAZING
Days are getting darker sooner, so this is a great opportunity to look at the stars. Can you find the biggest one?
14. VISIT YOUR LOCAL PLAYGROUND
We are very blessed that we have two parks within walking distance of our home. I wouldn't know what to do without them. Most kids are busy with school-related activities, so if you have younger children, this is the perfect time to go.
15. PLAY YOUR FAVORITE SPORT
My son loves soccer, and we had the best time kicking the ball around on our no-spend weekend. Soccer, baseball, and football are all good Fall sports that let you get outside to enjoy the cooler weather.
16. LOOK FOR FREE PUMPKIN FESTIVITIES
I did find one great resource during our no-spend weekend. Check out Bucks Happening's Calendar to see if there are any pumpkin festivals near you. These are great because most activities for kids are free. These things include hay rides, cornstalk mazes, and free games.
17. CHECK OUT LOWE'S FREE CLINICS
I LOVE Lowe's free Build and Grow children clinics. Head over to their website and register your child for any of their free clinics. Their next free clinic is Christmas Ornaments on Saturday, December 3rd at 10:00 am. Registration opens on November 21st.
18. CHECK OUT LOCAL CRAFT STORES
Michaels is one of my favorite places in the world. They offer some amazing free kid's classes for all sorts of crafts. Check out their website, where they update their free clinics. The next free is clinic is on October 29th-30th. It's called Monster Bash where kids can make a treat bag, get their face painted, and take part in a parade absolutely FREE.
19. GO APPLE PICKING
Check to see if any of your local orchards are offering free apple picking.
20. MAKE SOME HOT CHOCOLATE
Nothing beats some warm hot chocolate and little fluffy marshmallows.
The best way to enjoy a no-spend weekend in Fall is by doing it with people you love most. Unplug, relax, and have some fun!
CLICK THE PICTURE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE
Are you ready to save some money this weekend?
Love all of these suggestions Kumiko 🙂 I’ve not heard of that film before, I will check it out! My daughter loves The Nightmare Before Christmas!
Thank you Francesca! It’s a cute film. Your daughter will love it 🙂
These are actually fun ideas. One of my favorite things is pumpkin carving in the fall. ^_^