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Your recreation costs should be around 4-6% of your total take home payRecreation can be bought on the cheap

Recreation costs include dining out, going to the movies, hitting the fast food chains, vacation travel, concerts, etc.

Family recreation is one area that can be reduced to meet some of your financial goals. You can do this by cutting your recreational activities to 1/4th of your total cost by simply shifting outside recreation to self-planned activities.

For example:

Dining:
let's say that you dine out once each week. Your cost reduction plan will limit your dining out to 1 time each month replaced by three times dining in with friends (alternating among friends).

Movies:
let's say on average that you go to the movies 2 times each month. Your cost reduction plan will limit your going to the movies 1 time every two months replaced by 3 times inviting friends over for an in-home video.

Fast Foods:
let's say on average that you dine at fast food establishments 4 times each week. Your cost reduction plan will limit your fast food activity to 1 time per week replaced by a more healthy menu of prepared vegetables and fruits.

These cost reduction tips do not decrease recreation time. It simply shifts from paid-service activities to more self-planned activities.

The convenience of drive-ups and fast foods drive up dining cost — not to mention obesity numbers

Reducing dining costs involves two cost-cutting areas:

1. dining with coupons and other restaurant specials
2. reduce dining-out and eating more at home
   

Dining-Out with Coupon Savings

• Use coupons and other restuarant specials when dining out.
  
• Keep a file folder of all dining coupons retrieved from coupon pacs and other mail-in items. You will have on file an inventory of resturant favorites at reduced pricing.
  
• Limit your dining pleasure to those establishments that offer the best bargain.
• Also check out online sites for dining specials and discounts:
  
  Slice, Dice, and Skewer Your Dining Bills: restaurant.com
  dine4less.com
  
  

• Establish a monthly dining-out budget based on your financial goals. Use coupons and dining specials to keep yourself within budget.
  

Dining In

You can copy the "taste" and "variety" that you will find in a restaurant by shopping the gourmet section of your local grocer.

You can find some quick and easy prep meals that simulate a restaurant meal — for about half the price.

For some fun, try out some new recipes with friends and family:

Fabulous recipes:
http://eat.epicurious.com
Easy to prepare meals:
www.allrecipes.com

Throwing a house party can be a great recreational event without breaking the budget — that is if you do it right:

• sponsor the event at your house or some community park
• send out email invitations
• assign others to bring food to the party
• provide some kind of game or fun
  
  view our FREE download party kits
  
  
• party kits for the holidays
• food planning and recipes
• game play
• other neat party ideas
• email and paper invitations
  
• FREE downloads
• no obligation or user registration
  
  click here for party kits
  

Have a Murder Mystery Party

• A fun event for all ages is a murder mystery party. Many of these mystery kits can be download for both adults and children. Suggestions:
  
  murder mystery games
  mysteries and more
  dinner and a murder game
  

Party Planning

Helping you plan your party:

food planning for a party: from winn-dixie markets
party central for kids: from familyfun.com

Party Shopping

Having the right decor can make a fun event entertaining:

For great party supplies, gifts and favors... Shindigz.com!
BuyCostumes.com

Having Your Own Movie House

Let's face it. You can't replicate the big screen movie house in your own home. But going to the movies comes with a price — reaching close to $10 per ticket in some cities.

Some cost-cutting ideas:

1. hit the movies in the off-time:
   this is when prices come down for matinees and other specials
   
   
2. hit the movie houses in historical districts:
   the movies may not be the latest releases, but you can capture the same big-movie house effect for about half the price.
   
   
3. wait for the video release:
   movies are converted to home use within weeks from it release. So you don't need to wait too long before seeing the film at home.
   
   You might consider throwing a video party and inviting a few friends to enjoy the evening:

   View the latest video releases
   What's new in the movies
   
   Theatre News
   
   Visit these popular in-home DVD mail-order houses:
   DVD Rentals
   NetFlix
   BlockBuster
   
   Download your movie:
   movinglink.com

Have you considered building a moving house in your own home.

Probably something you might consider with your movie ticket savings. Check out these two places:

SayImprove:  view our Home Entertainment Ideas
nbuy:  view our Unique Buys Center: Home Theater

Doing something local to reduce vacation costs

We all need a vacation. So instead of sacrificing your vacation plans to cut costs, search for vacation discounts and specials.

Places to start:

Never pay retail for vacation again.
view our vacation package for rock-bottom prices on travel, extended stay, and entertainment: discount vacation club

Search the net for vacation specials and discounts:
visit our discount travel center (operated by Travelocity.com)
http://www.SayGoTravel.com


other discount centers:
http://www.vacationoutlet.com
http://www.affordableresorts.com

SAVE UP TO 75% ON ALL TRAVEL!!!

Online booking agencies:
saygotravel.com

Search Google for Vacation Specials:

Find cheaper airline tickets:
http://www.cheaptickets.com
http://www.hotwire.com
http://www.priceline.com

view specials from discount airlines:
directory of national and international discount airlines

Find cheaper lodging:
discounted hotels at hoteldiscount.com
http://www.hotels.com/

Great resource center on savvy traveling places and tips:
http://www.savvytraveler.com/

Outdoor and Local Events

Do some outdoor camping / or outdoor hiking, biking to reduce vacation costs:
visit a national park
view directory of state sites for list of state parks
go camping directory

Reduce your travel vacation to local events:

— do some day travel to events, parks, beaches, etc.
— eat out at a restaurant for lunch / dinner
— lodge at home to save on lodging costs

— visit local events: click for community directories

Free stuff to do

Take a bike when you visit a park —
view bicycle directory

Community parks and recreation —
take a family picnic and hike:
click for community directories
take a family trip to visit and even camp overnight:
click for community directories

Visit a national historical site —
many of these parks are open FREE of charge:
visit a national park

$1 spent daily for lotteries, coffee, smoking and a soda equals $1460 a year

How about some interesting facts for reasons to cut your vice expense:

State Lotteries:

• Lotteries depend most on those least able to afford them
• The average player spends $313 per year on the lottery
• Those with incomes of less than $10,000 spend $597
• African-Americans spend $998 compared to $210 for whites 
• High school dropouts spend four times as much on the lottery as do college graduates
• More than half of all lottery tickets are bought by just 5 percent of those who play,
• The National Opinion Research Center estimates that problem gamblers (those addicted to gambling and whose families often suffer as a result) account for 14 percent of total lottery revenues. 

Gambling:

• It is estimated by the National Academy of Science that there are 15.4 million addicted gamblers in the U.S.
• Gambling threatens youth, just like smoking, and too many elderly loose all or part of their savings. 
• The American Psychiatric Association describes pathological gambling as a compulsive disorder.  Addicts even sell gold teeth. Addiction can come on quickly and does not go away. 
• Gambling has hidden negative economic impacts. These include bankruptcies, treatment for addiction, and penal system  costs. 
• Over 6 billion dollars is already spent to cover costs of addictive gambling. 
  
  Are you a compulsive gambler: 20 questions
  
  Seek help:
  Compulsive Gambling

Smoking:

• What can we say that you don't already know? Smoking costs you and society plenty.
  
  Estimate your smoking costs:
  www.healthstatus.com
  
  
• Your next stop: the Stop Smoking Center
  for information related to stop smoking campaigns

Alcohol Consumption:

Let us link you to some interesting facts:

• the economic costs of alcohol and drug abuse
  
• medical information on alcohol consumption
  
• alcohol consumption limits 
  
• calculate your blood alcohol consumption