YES, YOU CAN HAVE FUN ON AT HOME SATURDAY NIGHTS WHEN TRYING TO SAVE MONEY AND STICK TO A BUDGET!
Staying in Saturday nights has sort of become a thing for Mr. E and me. Partly thanks to making it a point to eat healthier, but primarily because we’re in the process of saving money for our lets-try-to-replace-the-flooring-in-6-months fund.
What I enjoy most about our Saturday nights at home is being able to spend quality time together minus the interruptions (and sometime chaos) you might experience with an evening downtown, at a popular restaurant or checking out that surprisingly loud wine bar you thought would be your new chill hangout.
Not to mention, it’s a huge bonus that we can have fun on a Saturday night without dishing out cash left and right to make it happen.
Whether you’re spending your Saturday night at home solo or with your cat, dog, favorite human and / or kiddos, make room for some (or all) of these 13 awesomely fun ideas to add some joy and maybe, just maybe, introduce a new tradition.
1. Play that one, perfect song
I simply can’t stay in on a Saturday night without playing that No. 1 perfect song for the occasion. In our case, it’s best played while preparing dinner and drinks, usually while sipping on tequila to get things rolling.
Drumroll please.
Saturday Night by the Bay City Rollers. Can there be a more perfect start to the Saturday evening? Play it. I know you’ll love it! Pro tip: spontaneously break out in dancing. (Reference this scene from So I Married an Axe Murderer.)
But if this song isn’t your thing, I know you’ll find something more your taste.
2. Fancy it up with a cocktail
Beer, wine, cocktails. I love them all. But what makes Saturday night a pinch more fun is making an awesome Mexican Martini or margarita. At the moment, we’re on a Mexican Martini kick and loving this recipe from Texas Monthly.
Make anything you’d like! The sky’s the limit and it’s a blast to perfect your next favorite recipe.
Plus, it’s MUCH cheaper than ordering a drink out considering the price for an entire bottle of liquor could very well equal the price of 2 or 3 drinks at a bar or restaurant.
3. Use awesome glassware
Drink your beverage in style. If you typically use the same glassware throughout the week, change it up. Bust out the china or that charming vintage glassware you picked up at your local thrift store. (I’m a huge sucker for some 50s vintage glassware.)
4. Add some ambience
Light up a few candles, even if you just cleaned and your house doesn’t have that mysterious odor at the moment. Am I the only one who gets that once in a while?
Scented, unscented, tea lights, pillar candles. Anything goes. They’ll create a cozy atmosphere and invite a little romance (if that’s what you’re going for).
5. Try a new dish
I’ve been known to stick to the same recipes. Over and over. And over again.
Instead, find a recipe you haven’t tried but think you’ll like. Visit Chef John at Food Wishes if you don’t know where to start. You’ll find some awesome dishes (and I love his how-to videos).
6. Watch an old movie
Old can mean a lot of things, so choose what works best for you. Select a movie you watched (and cherished) when you were younger, your go-to 90s film or a classic, like Roman Holiday.
It’ll either bring back fond memories, or in the case of Audrey Hepburn, drive you to ride a Vespa and eat gelato, which aren’t bad ideas either.
7. Check out that new flick
Remember when it took AGES for a movie to come out on film? These days if you miss the latest blockbuster in theaters, you only have to wait two or three months to watch it in the comfort of your home.
This Saturday, hit up Redbox for an inexpensive way (around $2 per movie) or browse Netflix / Hulu / etc. to indulge in a new release.
8. Invite your friends
The more the merrier, right? Invite a few friends over to share in crafting that perfect drink or new recipe. See if they wouldn’t mind bringing over their favorite film, board game, music playlist or dessert.
9. Speaking of board games…
After completely forgetting and suddenly remembering Scrabble was tucked away in our office closet, Mr. E and I divvied up the first round of letters and set to it. The game, surprisingly, took much longer to finish than I remember as a kid. (Surely our vocabularies have developed since then, right?)
Now’s the perfect time to dust off your childhood board games, crack open that shiny deck of playing cards or make this evening an excuse to purchase something new.
10. Get twisty
Gather you kiddos or a couple of friends, push aside your coffee table and twist away!
Though Twister might not be a game adults consider when planning their Saturday evening, it’s the perfect chance to bring out your inner child and get silly—something we (at times) forget to do when adulting.
11. Marshmallows, chocolate + graham crackers
I. Love. S’mores. Oozing, toasty marshmallow colliding with the delicate flavors of chocolate and smothered between crispy, crumbly graham crackers. Drool.
Even though more commonly associated with summer camping and gazing under a blanket of stars, s’mores can be made right at home.
If you have an outdoor fire pit, perfect. Use it. Light it up and roast that ‘mallow. If you don’t have a fire pit, pop that marshmallow on a section of chocolate and honey cracker and warm it up in the microwave (at least that’s how I do it).
For a delightfully colorful version, try this sprinkle dipped s’mores recipe from Oh Joy!
12. Take it outside
A lot of times, we cozy up indoors and forget about how nice a peaceful evening in the elements can be. Move the conversation, drinks and games to your backyard or patio. You’ll be able to enjoy the night air and maybe see a firefly or two.
Bugs, namely mosquitos where I am, can turn your enjoyable evening into a scratch fest. If that’s the case, use your favorite repellant or save this idea for another time.
13. Add some bubbles
Indulge yourself with a bubble bath. Or maybe one of those bath bombs. The point is to RELAX. You owe it to yourself.
It’s important to quiet your body and mind on occasion, so grab your favorite book, glass of wine, candles or incense, whatever. Make it your own and take pleasure in the fact that you have one more glorious day before our lovely friend, Monday, says hello.
Do you have any Saturday night traditions you share with your family? What are your favorite at-home Saturday night activities?
I love these ideas! My husband and I have a list of our favorite old movies and classics that we want to share with our kids that we have been working our way through. It’s so much fun. I love the idea of starting the evening with a special song & I might have to invest in Twister to play with our friends. Thanks for sharing!
Sharing your favorite old movies and classics with your kids is such a great idea! Twister would be a great option for the kiddos, too. Truth be told, I can’t stop thinking about s’mores every time I go into the grocery store now. I so want to make some! Thanks for stopping by and sharing. I’m glad you enjoyed the ideas!