{"id":606326,"date":"2026-07-27T10:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/606326\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T10:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T10:58:12","slug":"how-to-still-have-fun-without-overspending-tips-from-financial-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/606326\/","title":{"rendered":"How to still have fun without overspending: Tips from financial experts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people think of enjoying a drink with friends or perhaps eating an alfresco lunch with pals.<\/p>\n

But with the cost of living so high, socialising can be an expensive luxury, forcing people to forego nights out with friends in favour of a cheap night in front of the TV at home.<\/p>\n

However, there are plenty of ways to socialise without splashing the cash.<\/p>\n

Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at British-based price comparison platform MoneySuperMarket, says: \u201cStaying social doesn\u2019t mean \u00adsaying yes to every expensive plan \u2013 often, it\u2019s about suggesting the idea first and choosing something that puts connection before cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Holly Mackay, founder and chief executive of the consumer finance website Boring Money, says: \u201cThe cost of living is really biting, but a bit of forward planning can save money, as those last-minute days out can get expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are their suggestions for summer socialising on a budget:<\/p>\n

1. Arrange a picnic in the park with friends<\/strong><\/p>\n

Enjoy the sunshine at the park, beach, or the nearest open green space with a group of friends, Mackay and Gammell suggest.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone can bring a couple of dishes or packs of food to share, rather than having to splurge on eating out, or just one person having to bear the whole cost of hosting,\u201d says Mackay, who advises picnickers to set up a WhatsApp group and let everyone pick something to bring along, from salads to dessert.<\/p>\n

And Gammell adds: \u201cPicnics in the park are the perfect day out with friends or family. Pooling together for supermarket bits and sharing the cost means everyone contributes, and you still get to enjoy some fresh air and good company without it turning into an expensive day out.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Go for daytime coffee<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meeting friends for coffee can be a simple way to stay connected without the pressure to keep spending, says Gammell.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike a night at the pub, coffee catch-ups often have a natural end point, which makes it easier to stick to one drink rather than several,\u201d she points out.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmall changes to when and how you socialise can quickly bring the cost down \u2013 meeting earlier in the day or choosing midweek plans can mean lower prices.\u201d<\/p>\n

And she suggests it\u2019s always worth checking for set menus, loyalty schemes or early-bird deals before you go.<\/p>\n

3. Go for a long hike together<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go for a long walk with friends on one of your \u2013 or their \u2013 favourite local routes, or explore somewhere you\u2019ve never been before, armed with cheap supplies (or at least a bottle of water).<\/p>\n

And Gammell adds: \u201cFrom coastal paths to countryside walks, a long walk with friends can offer the same quality time as a paid activity, with the added benefit of fresh air and movement.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Exercise for free with friends<\/strong><\/p>\n

You shouldn\u2019t need to sign up for an expensive gym membership to do this \u2013 Mackay suggests checking online to see if a gym has a cheap, or even free, introductory offer.<\/p>\n

She says: \u201cIt\u2019ll give you a chance to visit a new place and potentially try a new form of exercise that you might enjoy and keep going with. And you can grab coffee with friends afterwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a huge advocate of swimming outdoors all-year round; it\u2019s mostly free, makes you feel fantastic and is a really bonding experience with the other brave souls you do it with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AA car boot sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted items and give your finances a boost.<\/p>\n

5. Set a charity shop challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Charity shops can offer a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way to shop, and are usually much cheaper than buying clothes first-hand, Gammell points out.<\/p>\n

So if there\u2019s some gear you and your mates need, head for the charity shops en masse.<\/p>\n

\u201cFun ways to shop with friends can be to set a challenge of trying to find something you need in a certain theme and seeing who can find the closest item to it,\u201d Gammell suggests.<\/p>\n

6. Visit museums and art galleries<\/strong><\/p>\n

Museums and art galleries are usually free (or charge minimal fee) to enter (although a donation is encouraged), says Mackay, who points out that many galleries also host regular, free after-hours events.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can get involved in anything from DJ sets, panel talks, tours and workshops,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

And Gammell adds: \u201cThey can provide a culturally rich experience, allowing you to learn about a variety of different subjects based on what you or your friends are interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SomeSome farms in Europe let guests sample and pick fruits, a great activity with family and friends.<\/p>\n

7. Go strawberry picking<\/strong><\/p>\n

During peak months for \u00adstrawberry picking, many farms offer people the chance to pick their own strawberries, and sometimes other fruits too, says Gammell.<\/p>\n

So why not go with your mates, and have a little strawberry picnic together afterwards?<\/p>\n

\u201cPaying a small entry fee or for exactly what you harvest, you\u2019re getting locally sourced strawberries, a fun way to spend time and could make a saving on supermarket prices,\u201d she points out.<\/p>\n

(In Malaysia, you can check out farms where you can pick fruits like rambutan and mangosteen \u2013 typically in season from June to August and November to February \u2013 alongside other fruits like guava and pineapple that are available all year round.<\/p>\n

8. Enjoy a social car boot sale<\/strong><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to stand alone by your car boot trying to offload your unwanted gear \u2013 take your mates with you! Gammell says: \u201cA car boot sale is a great way to get rid of any unwanted items and give your finances a boost.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoing it with friends adds a social element to clearing out your wardrobe, and makes it feel like more of a day out.\u201d \u2013 dpa<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Many people think of enjoying a drink with friends or perhaps eating an alfresco lunch with pals. But…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":606327,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[177],"tags":[79,18,147175,19,17,825,234,235,3888],"class_list":["post-606326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-personal-finance","tag-business","tag-eire","tag-financial-management","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-money","tag-personal-finance","tag-personalfinance","tag-savings"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116991591015368050","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=606326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/606327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=606326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=606326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=606326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}