Any Ideas for CHEAP Cable TV??

[3beeboys]

There are so many factors (and I don't expect you to answer them in a public forum), but things to consider before placing a dollar amount on that category:

Income
Debt
Overall budget
Savings

Personally, I wouldn't have an entertainment budget beyond $100/month if I had debt on anything other than a mortgage. From there, I wouldn't increase it until I had 6 months living expenses in the bank. Then I would look at our overall budget...in and out the same? Or is there overage? Am I able to save for known upcoming expenses (like a new roof, another car, school bills)? Then I'd see if we were preparing for our kids' college tuitions (if you are planning to pay for college). Then I'd look at our income and make a decision if everything else was funded.

I know. I'm no fun

[434Teresa]

For some reason I am thinking you want to make the entertainment budget on what you think it will cost you to do things reather than what your money says you can do for entertainment. Like the other person said you need to see what you have after everything is said and done that needs to be done then take a % of whats left each week and put it in a envie to do entertainment with. I know here a movie will run us a family of 6 $55 to just get in and another $50 for snacks if we get them. I know in most cases live music can run into much more than that and so can live sports unless its say your high school games but then your still looking at about $30/$40 to get into that. So at least you need $55 a week if you are looking to do a weekly entertainment thing. But the thing is you have to leave all other money at HOME so you dont spend more than the $55 if a kid wants a extra coke,ect. This is on place that money can really get away from you if you dont hold on really tight to it. We just stay home most of the time and use Redbox its cheaper but every now and then we do things like the waterpark or something and that runs us about $40 in gas. $120 to get in(cheap park) and any food drinks we buy so that runs us about $200 but we dont go out much for entertainment..

its really a personal part of your budget for we dotn know what you have to pay and ect as another poster said.

[MamaBird06]

well first i would try to find some free things to do around town, there are often free concerts and even free movies at the library in my area. With a large family I would definitely opt out of going to the movies regularly and get a netflix account. If you really enjoy going out to movies, maybe go oncce a month or just you and your dh maybe. We have a big tv and home theatre system so netflix is a no brainer for us, we pay under 25$ a month for it and get 3 movies mailed plus the instant streaming. We only go the movies occasionally, if there is a movie we all really want to see or for bdays etc. Do you include eating out in the budget or is it just non-eating fun? I think that would change how much you may spend.

[motherofmolly]

netflix is great...we love the instant streaming

as far as games go, try to get in on a local game by looking for the early bird or bogo or donate a can get a free ticket. go to the local park and watch the college games or the high school games. you can make a game out of it and try and pick a team you like and cheer it on even if you dont know them.

we go to schnucks for a free cookie (little kids love it)

library for books

park for exercise. we also have a nature preserve that we can walk and look

free zoo days

dh's grandpa has a little property with a lake..we go there to fish or just walk around and look

eating out when we can with a coupon or a giftcard ...we try to use what giftcards i can get for this. makes a fun game out of it. leftovers come home from next day lunches.

family entertainment can be fun with the unknown. thinking up new things. having a game night, or a movie night (complete with popcorn and soda and a candy choice) will provide great memories for everyone.

[tiger_fan3]

In my city right now there is one movie theatre that is doing free kids movies. So each week is a different movie (right now it is Despicable Me). Free for kids and only $3.50 for adults. There is another theatre in town that does the free kids movies on the weekends.

This summer we tried to visit a different park each time we wanted to go to one. We went to parks we had never been to before and were amazed by how much we liked the new ones.

This time of year it seems like there are always free festivals to go to or free trick or treating events (malls, churches, schools, etc.).

We are lucky to have 2 free museums in our town. But you could always look into family memberships at museums or zoos. Once you go about 2 times, it pays for itself.