All you have to do to cut your entertainment bill is to keep your ear to the ground. There are many discounts available for leisure and entertainment activities, you just have to find them.

Have fun

Life would be pretty boring without fun leisure activities such as a holiday, watching a movie, listening to music, taking a hike and entertaining friends and family. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that that there are many cheap ways and discounts available to do so!

Go online

    • Read your favourite magazines online, it’s cheaper
    • Watch music videos on YouTube for free. Download and pay for only one or two of the songs you wish to listen to, at an online store like iTunes or Amazon MP3s, instead of buying the whole album. However, don’t try and download anything that is copyrighted; it’s against the law
    • Drop those expensive premium TV channels and only subscribe to the channels you can afford to watch.
    • Pick up a full season of your favourite TV show more cheaply by waiting until it becomes available on CD
    • Get discount coupons online and track down cheaper deals and discounts on everything from food and clothing to various types of entertainment.

Visit venues without entrance fees

    • Art shops and book stores do not charge entrance fees and many other venues from zoos to museums often offer discounts and free admission on certain days. Also, entry to your local plant nursery is free and may even have a lovely children’s playground and animal farm.
    • Universities and other centres of learning often present music, dance and drama events free of charge to give their students a chance to perform to an audience. Check out their web sites.
    • Attend some of the many local feasts and festivals celebrated all over South Africa such as the Hermanus Whale Festival, Ficksburg Cherry Festival, the Uitenhage Prickly Pear Festival and the Haenertsburg Food, Wine and Beer Festival, to name a few.
    • Shopping malls regularly offer free entertainment events, so stay informed.
    • Farmers markets, food markets and flea markets usually don’t charge entrance fees and you can wander around and shop until you drop.

Use those reward and loyalty cards

    • Eat out at a restaurant that has a loyalty programme or special deals such as Spur restaurants’ two burgers for the price of one on Monday nights.
    • Join a cinema’s loyalty club or pay discounted prices offered on other loyalty cards.
    • Buy books, CDs and music albums with your loyalty card and earn points that you can reclaim as cash later.
    • Buy food at discounted prices. Delis and speciality food markets such as the Food Lover’s Markets often slash their prices dramatically later in the day.
    • Find out about travel reward cards and how to save on air fares and family holiday accommodation.

Get out into the fresh air

    • Take a walk in the park, along the beach or through your neighbourhood.
    • Go for a day hike with your family and friends. There are many trails and hikes in and around most of the big cities.
    • Do a charity fun run or walk or join a sport club and play a game of tennis or bowls, etc.
    • Have a picnic at the botanical gardens or some other safe scenic spot.
    • Go fishing, the kids will love it and you can laze the day away reading a book or just chilling out beside the fishing waters.

Entertain at home

    • Play board games at home. Not only is it fun but everyone from the youngest to the oldest can participate.
    • Have a bring-and-braai and let the guests bring their own meat and drinks. Supply some “pap” and “sheba” and one or two salads. Serve watermelon slices for dessert.
    • Have a brunch instead of a dinner party; it’s much cheaper. Make an egg casserole or a frittata that can feed a crowd or let the guests fry their own eggs and bacon and maybe some mushrooms too. Keep it simple (and cheap) by adding some fresh fruit, bread and butter, and an array of jams to the fare.
    • Have a pool party or beach bash. Check out the many fun, money-saving menus and ideas available on the Internet.
    • Watch a rugby, soccer, cricket or other sports match on TV and ask the guests to bring their own snacks with the promise that you will feed the fans afterwards. They will already be half full after all the chips, biltong and other snacks they have eaten so that you can fill them up with a meatless dish such as macaroni and cheese, soup and bread or a hearty stew with lots of vegetables and a little meat.

 

Sources

Alexander, M. A feast of South African festivals. Retrieved from: http://www.southafrica.info/
Johnson, S. 2010. Twenty-six tips to save on entertainment. Retrieved from: http://www.moneytalksnews.com/
Passarella, E. How to save when entertaining. Retrieved from: http://www.realsimple.com
Special movie nights and dinner discounts. 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.moneybags.co.za