With the cooler weather moving in and the colorful leaves falling to the ground, Fall is officially in full swing! Whether you’re someone who enjoys getting out and exploring in the crisp, cool weather, or you opt for staying inside, cozied up and watching a movie, there are plenty of fall-focused activities to enjoy. However, enjoying the fall festivities can add up quick! Between $5+ pumpkin spiced lattes, $10+ pumpkins, and haunted house admission fees, your wallet can be looking pretty slim pretty fast. Instead of breaking the bank, here are 5 fun & frugal activities to enjoy this season:
1. Hikes/nature walks
Depending on where you live, taking a hike can be a great way to get out, enjoy cooler weather, and see some trees changing colors! If you don’t live in a place where hiking is an option, taking a long walk around the neighborhood or a local park is a great way to still get outside and take advantage of beautiful days.
2. Pumpkin Patch
This might be the most defining activity of the fall. However, some places might charge you an arm and a leg for an entry fee. Be sure to research around and see what local pumpkin patches charge, and don’t forget to check your local greenhouse! More often than not, it’ll have tons of pumpkins to look at and they don’t charge you to come in and look around.
3. Decorate Fake Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins used to be the quintessential Halloween activity, but pumpkins and the carving kits can get expensive. If you’re looking for a cheaper (and sometimes, a more creative option) choose to decorate pumpkins instead. You can pick up plastic pumpkins from your local dollar store and let your creativity soar with possibilities. Instead of just carving, you can paint, glue endless objects on, and/or something completely outside the box with your pumpkins. And the best part? You don’t have to deal with a rotten pumpkin afterward!
4. Baking or Cooking
What’s better than a warm pumpkin muffin, fresh slice of zucchini bread, or slow-cooked chili on a cool fall day? If you’re someone who would rather stay in on cool days, baking or cooking is a great way to fill your time while also not breaking the bank! Depending on what you’re wanting to make, you can save quite a bit of money making it yourself rather than buying the finished product as is. Get creative, turn on some of your favorite music, and enjoy an afternoon making a delicious meal or sweet!
5. Raking Leaves (for fun!)
As beautiful as the fall leaves are, raking them can be a pain. But getting your family involved, or inviting friends over, can make the process all the more fun. Instead of raking leaves just to bag them, take full advantage of jumping into large piles! You’ll kill two birds with one stone by actually accomplishing a chore and having fun while doing it.