In this day and age, when many adults can barely afford to take care of themselves, providing a comfortable life for children can seem overwhelming. And most parents don’t want to simply provide for their little ones; they want to ensure they have countless, precious memories from childhood that they can look back on for the rest of their lives.
So if you’re a parent who wants to bring your kiddos magical experiences without breaking the bank, we’ve got the perfect list for you. Frugal moms and dads on Reddit have recently been sharing their favorite budget-friendly ways to treat their kids, so we’ve gathered their best tips below. Keep reading to find a conversation with Melissa Vera of Adventures of Frugal Mom, and be sure to upvote the ideas that your little ones would love!
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When mine were little, I kept a selection of park toys, kites, sandbox toy, bucket of hot wheels, etc) in the back of the van and we'd go to all the different public parks in driving distance. They'd grab up the kids there and invent epic games. I remember this parachute toy, They'd throw it up in the air and freeze tag as many kids as possible until "the ref"declared the round over when the parachute hit the ground. Sort of a human jacks game. They thought it was a big deal. We did this until the youngest was a teen.
One of my kids is now a games designer for a large video game company.
Encourage play!
This should be higher. It's an awesome way to get kids socializing in various parts of the city. I'll bet they made a lasting impression with so many people around town. This is also an excellent example that kids don't need to be glued to their video games in order to live their dreams of becoming a game developer. Playing outside sparks imagination and ideas.
Weekly library + snuggle and read together on the couch while sipping a homemade smoothie or hot chocolate! :)
Growing up, my favorite days were Wednesdays because Wednesdays were Library days for us. That meant a trip to the library and we could each get two books. And that was the absolute best thing in the world for me.
If you like pups, shelters often need people to read to the adoptable dogs. Usually age 5 and up!
To gain more insight on this topic from a parent who knows how to budget well, we reached out to Melissa Vera, creator of Adventures of Frugal Mom. Melissa was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share her tips on treating kids without breaking the bank.
"Look for reciprocal agreements with museums and zoos. Most of them have free admission if you buy a family membership to one," she explained. "When my girls were younger, we bought a membership to the NC Zoo, which paid for itself the first time we went."
"With that, we got unlimited entry into the zoo, discounts at shops, and free admission to the other museums and aquariums that they had a reciprocal agreement with," Melissa continued. "It helped to bridge the gap and allowed us to do a lot of fun things. Local museums and parks are great to explore. Most of the historical sites have free admission as well. Bring a picnic and take advantage of being outside."
My dad would give us $5 and set us loose in the dollar store; it was wonderful! The last Christmas before he passed, he gave both my sister and me an envelope with a $5 bill in it so each of us could go on a shopping spree on him.
Have her pick out a recipe online, get groceries for it together, and make it together! Kids need lots of breaks so this could be a whole weekend worth of an activity.
My grandmother used to say that if children are involved with the cooking, you won't have picky eaters. We cooked with her and my mother and father, etc. None of us are picky eaters and it was wonderful family time.
As an Auntie I always pack a BIG bag of snacks - hranola bars can go back into the cupboard if not eaten and carrot sticks can be cooked. I've occasionally thrown out some battered jam sandwiches but will shoulder that cost. And I throw cartons of juice and bottles of water into the car.
This means if we're having fun we don't have to stop. It also knocks a big part of the cost of a day out off. Buying lunch can be really expensive but this means we can go out more and then maybe buy ice creams or souvenirs instead. And they always all get hungry separately.
I also learnt to have a couple of towels and car blankets. Then I will happily let them do anything even if its messy and/or wet. 'Go ahead. If your clothes get nasty you'll be stripping off at the car and going home in a blanket toga, if you're OK with that I'm OK with you going swimming in your pants, making a mud slide, climbing the wet trees covered in lichen or having a leaf fight'.
Being told yes has always been a big treat.
Battered jam sandwiches can be made into fancy bread-and-butter pudding! Best with stale bread - butter one side and layer them up in a big dish. Beat egg/s with milk, sugar and a pinch salt (some vanilla extract would be good too) and pour over sandwiches, you want the liquid to be totally covering them. Leave overnight, sandwiches will absorb loads of the liquid. Sprinkle with sugar and bake uncovered at 180-200°C (uhh, Google conversion to F if needed) for 20-45 min depending on size and depth of dish, custard mix should be set and bread looking toasty!
The frugal mom also says libraries are a great place to take your children. "Check out local libraries for story time. I am a huge believer in encouraging your child to read," Melissa told Bored Panda.
"You can grab a book that was made into a movie and read it with your kids. Then once you have finished, have your kids get involved with planning a themed movie night where they can do a craft, have a themed dinner which they help to cook, and watch the movie," she recommended. "Local libraries are a great way to get them to read, but you can also borrow movies from them as well as look for activities."
This is kind of specific, but whenever my mom knows that my nieces and nephew will be at a nighttime event when there will be vendors selling glowsticks and light up toys (examples: fourth of July fireworks, nighttime parades), she spends a few dollars buying glowsticks at the Dollar Tree. That way the kids still get to wear a glowing necklace, but the cost is a fraction of what it would otherwise be.
When I was a kid, I LOVED feeding ducks, turtles, and fish at local ponds/lakes.
We used to do random BINGO at malls, parks, etc. homemade cards of "person in red shirt" "white flower" "lemonade stand" stuff like that. Small prize for whoever won like a dollar bill or ice cream at McDonald's.
$5 at a Dollar or thrift store to be spent however they want. Us kids had an ongoing competition of who could get the most for their money or find the weirdest item.
We would dress up in the wackiest outfits we could make up (mismatched shoes, multiple layers, exaggerated makeup, etc), gave ourselves code names, and just play tag or go fishing or whatever.
Go to the woods and build a fort with only rope, a tarp, and whatever we could find.
$2 afternoon matinees on a weekday at the local theater.
There were 6 of us kids and we weren't exactly swimming in money so a lot of our excursions involved hefty imagination. Best memories I have are doing things like that.
Museum day. Most museums will have a free day once a month for locals.
"When eating out, look for places that are family-friendly or ones that don't frown on sharing. Then, you can order a whole bunch of apps," Melissa shared. "I am also a firm believer that adventure doesn't have to cost a lot of money. A day spent at the beach or at the park with a little planning about snacks and lunch is great fun."
When my kids were little (and we were very poor) we went to trips to the pet store to look at the animals. It was like a mini trip to the zoo. We would always buy a treat for the dog while we were there. An hour of entertainment for a few bucks.
It just occurred to me that my mom did this for us our whole childhood! We went to pet world what feels like every week, and I absolutely adored it.
I still remember walking up early on Saturday my dad would pack us up sandwiches and we'd go to the nice neighborhood for garage sales and they'd have the best books and toys afterwards we'd go to the park to play and eat our sandwiches. Special times
My daughter and I would do this - try to fill up the car with $20 worth of fun and interesting things
We were very poor when I was a kid.
My dad would take me to pick blackberries. Not in a farm where you pay to pick but like on a mountain road somewhere.
He would take me fishing a lot. Worms are cheap to buy or you can dig them for free. And the fish you catch adds food to your table.
We would go camping a lot. It doesn't have to be expensive. You don't need columbia hiking poles and northface mummy bags. You don't even need a tent if the weather is mild. I've motorcycle camped with my dad plenty of times to prove you actually really need VERY little to do it.
Free campsites are abundant. You don't have to stay for a week. Just one afternoon, one night, and a morning can be a fun experience for kids. They WANT to stab a hotdog with a stick and burn it in the fire then eat it. The meals don't have to be elaborate freeze dried backpacking stuff. Bologna Sandwiches followed by throwing rocks in the creek followed by burnt up hot dogs and smores is an event for kids.
Being out in nature is good for everyone. You can make it as comfortable as you want, as cheap as you want. If you don't have things and you're interested ask a local buy nothing facebook page. There WILL be people with a tent that they have had in their garage for 6 years that they never used and they want it gone.
when we were kids we collected buckets and buckets of blackberries on holiday and ate ourselves silly!
Shopping second-hand can also be a great treat for kiddos. "I won't say I don't buy my kids things, but I would and did, when my girls were little, thrift a lot of things for them," Melissa noted, adding that it's wise to make little ones work for things as well "because then they know the value of a dollar."
If you'd like to gain more tips for living a frugal life, be sure to visit Melissa's site Adventures of Frugal Mom!
It might not be for everyone, but I take my kids foraging and then we make tasty stuff with what we find. I know of a handful of places with persimmon and mulberry trees that we make cakes, cookies, and candy with. If you’re interested, there’s also a website called fallingfruit.org that is basically a google maps for foraging. Put in your location and the map populates with foraging spots around you. The site is fed by other foragers, so make sure to add things when you find them too to keep the community going.
We started foraging in Bristol during summer lockdowns. Apples, blackberries, cherries, plums... Yes, some people look at you funny, but foraging is completely legal (not in somebody's garden, mind you ;). And there's so many fruits just left to rot! We bought a house last year and discovered plenty of brambles on a little meadow right behind our fence! Haven't seen anybody else foraging which is so sad. People would rather pay £2 for a small punnet of blackberries wrapped in plastic than get a box and go pick them themselves :/
Something funny and cute my daughter did, for her 15th birthday, she wants to try and hit as many places she registered for free birthday giveaways. She has it all mapped out. I think it will be fun.
Been finding a lot of places don't do much freebies for birthdays anymore.
I take my wife for ice cream once a month. Less than $5 for us both and we walk around the park and talk while we enjoy the ice cream! During the winter we get back in the car though. Then we usually sing along with the radio together and giggle at what awful singers we are 🤣
It's cheap, fun and helps us stay connected.
This is incredibly sweet and romantic. While dating, my significant other and I made an annual tradition of packing a picnic blanket & snacks to bring to the local free outdoor movies that can be found in our area... which our kids now love as well.
A few things my daughter and I do that are special:
- we buy a card game and then play that for months at coffee shops or parks
- we got really into doing tastings. So for a while we’d buy one piece of chocolate from any chocolate store and kept a log on our favorites. Pretty cheap and very fun
- similarly we had an m&m tasting and bought all the flavors. Now when we see a new one it’s super special. There are close to 20 flavors these days!
Get your kids involved in creating a game for when you go out. Like who can spot the most out-of-state license plates, or count the motorcycles (which is a helpful skill when they learn to drive).
Please, please, please make counting motorbikes and cyclists a game for children in your car. It makes them so much more aware of transport other than cars. This can mean as they grow up they continue to be on the lookout for motorbikes and cyclists, and this makes them more aware of those on the roads without a metal shell of armour.
2 pink drinks is like $10? so instead take her to a book store or art supplies store or something similar (whatever she's interested in honestly) and let her pick one thing out for around the same price. My dad used to take me thrift shopping every Monday because I loved fashion. I'd only get one or two things each time but it was such a great experience and to this day I'm still so grateful that he saw something I was interested in and invested in it even though he didn't have a lot of money at all. It feels great to feel treated but also have some sort of value come out of that $10
On early dismissal Wednesday my kid likes that we stop by 7-11 for a dollar slurpee!
My mom used to let me play with her old make up. We’d flip through a magazine and find a photo of a celebrity or a model, and we would “recreate” the look. I would put make up on my mom and she’d put a tiny bit on me. We’d also play beauty parlor and she’d come to my “salon” and I would let her in, decide what the price was and then we’d put on lip gloss, lotion on our hands or brush our hair etc and I’d have to add up the cost of services and charge her. Some people might find this silly but I cherish those memories of us hanging out in her room, and it taught me about self care and made me feel so grown up. It was all older make up so it didn’t cost a thing.
We also used to make collages, we would cut up the week prior’s newspapers, circulars, junk mail. We’d pick a color or make a theme and all we needed was glue sticks and scissors. She still has one we made on a paper plate of the beach 🥹
if there is an ikea near you it’s always fun to visit and the soft serve is cheap
I took my eclectic teenager thrift shopping on Melrose Ave and Hollywood Boulevard. We didn’t get much, but they loved the shops!
This sounds nutty, depends on the age, but my son and I like to venture to thrift stores. He’s 3.5 and those old run down toys that cost $1 are his favorite. I enjoy watching him walk through aisles trying to find some new things
Don’t count out the simple evening of a walk through your local park and bringing some sandwiches, snacks and a towel or blanket for a small picnic. Can also bring a frisbee or card games etc to play. If you are in a colder climate my parents used to sometimes just have us go to $5 and below and pick out a new board game or something and we would stay home and play the new game and watch a movie etc. Unfortunately as far as things to do like laser tag, go karts etc are pretty pricey now but always keep an eye out for promotions for them because there can be some great deals!
My partner and I go on picnics frequently. We make some sandwiches and grab some water bottles and head to the park, find a pretty spot and sit down. It is so inexpensive and we see some wonderful things and we are away from screens and stress for a few hours.
Buy a bag of lollipops and only give them out on special occasions. It's not what you do, it's the feeling of being treated to something special
This is how I get ALLL the lemon lime dum dums.... I mean, bring joy to my children
My dad used to surprise me with ice water from a gas station or drive thru when he'd pick me up from daycare. I really thought it was a special treat for a long time.
Anything in a restaurant cup with a straw is a treat. My dad used to order me ice waters too and I thought that was the greatest thing to ever happen.
Go to an interesting market or grocery store by you and pick out some interesting things to try. I'm lucky because I have numerous Asian, Mexican, Polish, Turkish and other markets all in fairly close proximity to me, and my daughters love picking out new things to try.
Also, try a local coffee shop. The quality is usually far superior to Starbucks. Could be more expensive though, depending on your area.
Wendy’s has an end of the year deal where you can buy a pass for $1 that gets you free jr Frostys all year round, no purchase necessary! Look for it next month.
Unfortunately this year the pass is $3 (for either physical OR digital) and you have to purchase something else each time. But at least all of the Frosty tags proceeds go to charity!
Getting a Fuji instax camera and taking a photo every time you make a memory ends up being really cost effective in the end (can be as low as $.50 a shot). The cameras are easy to find used and relatively foolproof to use!
Highly recommend fast food apps the deals they have buy 1 get 1, free fries Friday, etc are real winners.
The apps seem to be made for those going through the drive thru. You don't necessarily have to go through the drive thru, or own a car, but confusion happens when you go into the diner to pick up your order. I waited about 15 minutes inside and then asked if my order was ready. The staff gave me their explanation. I told them it's a bit classist for an app to only cater to drivers but next time I'll pull up with my legs at the drive thru. This was at McDonalds.
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We were pretty broke when my daughter was a toddler, so we spent a lot of time at the park and the library. I also used to take her to the mall right when it opened so we could walk around and look at things without the crowds. She could play dress up at the Disney store and Claire's and wherever else, then she would play in the play area. If we had money for lunch, we split something because portions are so big, so I could spend a whole morning out with her and spend maybe $10 if anything.
Im in my 70s, and the things that stick in my mind about growing up are little moments, fun that didn’t cost anything. Into her 80s, my mom would always blow the paper wrapper off her straw at me. At lunch in the summer at home, she’d crumble up a small piece of tin foil into a ball and we’d play ping pong/tennis/badminton/unique variations on basketball. Lasted all of ten minutes, tops, but it got us all laughing.
We were pretty broke when my daughter was a toddler, so we spent a lot of time at the park and the library. I also used to take her to the mall right when it opened so we could walk around and look at things without the crowds. She could play dress up at the Disney store and Claire's and wherever else, then she would play in the play area. If we had money for lunch, we split something because portions are so big, so I could spend a whole morning out with her and spend maybe $10 if anything.
Im in my 70s, and the things that stick in my mind about growing up are little moments, fun that didn’t cost anything. Into her 80s, my mom would always blow the paper wrapper off her straw at me. At lunch in the summer at home, she’d crumble up a small piece of tin foil into a ball and we’d play ping pong/tennis/badminton/unique variations on basketball. Lasted all of ten minutes, tops, but it got us all laughing.
