When you’re trying to save money, it can feel like you have to put your life on hold. But just because you’re tightening the purse strings doesn’t mean you have to cut into your social life. Actually, you can still enjoy girls day out ideas and have lots of fun, even when you’re on a tight budget.

You can do many things that are inexpensive (or even free!) to spend a fun day out with your girlfriends. Let’s take a look at 24 girls day out ideas on a budget. You’ll want to try these fun ideas! 

1. Volunteer together

The only thing better than a day well spent on fun is a day well spent on fun when you can do some good, too. When it comes to girls day out ideas, it doesn’t get more wholesome than this one.

So for your next day out with the girls, consider doing volunteer work together.

Whether that’s helping out at your local animal shelter, lending a hand in a soup kitchen, or spending time at a nursing home, you’ll finish the day knowing you found nice things to do for people and made a difference in your community.

2. Indulge in afternoon tea

Feeling posh? Unlike a bar crawl that can leave you feeling tired and worn out the following day, afternoon tea is an elegant activity you’ll love.

Indulge in pastries, finger sandwiches, scones, and other mid-day delectables while feeling fancy in your most sophisticated outfit. If you have a sweet tooth, you can even order extra snacks, such as popcorn and chocolate, for the table. 

3. Make inexpensive bouquets

Unleash your inner creativity and try this idea. Making bouquets can be one of the fun and inexpensive ideas for girls day out.

Try getting a group together and heading to a local flower shop or the grocery store. Everyone can purchase some flowers to share.

Then, head back to your house or a friend’s and create your own unique bouquets by sharing the flowers you bought. You’ll each end up with a design you love!

Good items to have on hand for this include vases, ribbons, and scissors.

Additionally, you’ll likely have some great conversations, and you get the chance to be creative. Plus, now you have a bouquet to take home and admire! Nothing helps you start loving your home more than flowers!

4. Take a cooking class with the girls

Whether you’re a total foodie or admittedly lost in the kitchen and thinking, “I hate cooking!”, you can always learn something from a cooking class. You and your girlfriends can get the best tips, tricks, and insider know-how directly from a professional chef.

Best of all, you’ll all walk away with something delicious! Rather than just sharing drinks at the bar, taking a cooking class with your girlfriends gives you something tangible (and tasty) to show for your time together.

5. Go bowling

Believe it or not, this retro pastime is having a moment. However, if memories of stinky shoes and kids’ birthday parties are turning you off, it’s time to get back out by the lanes again.

Not only is a day of bowling a fun, low-key way to relax with your friends, but it’s also a great workout! According to DoveMed, bowling can also help you work on strength, coordination, and flexibility.

6. Awaken your inner child at an amusement park

When did you last go to an amusement park? Even if roller coasters were never your thing, there are still plenty of ways to feel like a kid again at your local amusement park.

Whether you want to show off your arcade gaming skills, catch a great view from atop the Ferris wheel, or enjoy some cotton candy, going to an amusement park is a great way for you and your friends to relive some of your best childhood memories.

7. Start a girlfriends book club

Undoubtedly, life gets busy. And that book from the New York Times Best Seller list on your nightstand? It gets forgotten about.

Reignite your love for reading by starting a book club with your girlfriends.

First, tell everyone to meet up at your favorite bookstore (bonus points if it’s a local business).

Then, take your time browsing the aisles until you all find a book you can agree on. Most importantly, don’t procrastinate!

Next, head to your favorite coffee shop, fuel up on lattes, and get reading together. If you’re looking for girls day out ideas that don’t cost much, this one is a real winner.

8. Visit a museum

You know what they say: “Be a tourist in your own city.”

Too often, we reserve museum days for our best family vacations on a budget and forget about the great museums in our own backyard. For some great girls day ideas, head to your local museums—whether that’s art, history, science, or something else entirely—and learn more about what your local community has to offer.

9. Feel fancy at the theater

No, not the movie theater. The actual theater.

That’s right. We’re talking red curtains, ushers, and (if you’re feeling ostentatious) opera glasses. Why not?

If you think one of the best parts of going out at night is getting dressed up, this will be one of your favorite girls day out ideas. Because when it comes to the theater (even local theater), the invitation calls for cocktail attire!

10. Wake up and watch the sunrise

Looking for girls day out ideas that are free? Look no further.

Rather than staying up all night and sleeping in over the weekend, wake up early with your girlfriends to catch the sunrise.

Pro tip: Head for nature.

You might be near the coast, the mountains, or just near the edge of downtown. But the further you are from the hustle and bustle, the better you can appreciate the calm stillness of the morning sunrise.

Need to motivate a few of your night owl friends? After it’s over, head out for breakfast together, or try some cheap breakfast ideas at home.

11. Picnic with your girls in the park

When looking for girls day out ideas, sometimes it pays to keep things simple. 

Instead of going out to an expensive restaurant or a bar, pack up your picnic basket. Then, head to the park for lunch in the sun.

Better yet, why not spend the whole day lounging outdoors? Bring a book, a Frisbee, and a Bluetooth speaker to turn your local park into a relaxing getaway.

Need some picnic inspiration? Check out these 25 cold lunch ideas your budget will love.

12. Visit your local farmer’s market

There’s nothing better than a fresh, healthy meal. And when it’s bought locally, it tastes twice as nice.

Next weekend, invite your girlfriends to your local farmer’s market.

Nowadays, farmer’s markets often sell more than food. Usually, you can also find fresh flowers, plants, soap, beauty products, pottery, knitwear, and much more.

13. Take a pottery class together

Ready to get your hands dirty? Make today a good day and try signing up for a pottery class with your girlfriends.

You can learn how to make coffee cups, bowls, plates, candleholders, and plant cups… Once you get good at it, there’s no limit to what you can cook up in pottery class!

Even if you don’t walk away loving your creation, your lopsided coffee mug will always remind you of a fun day spent with your girlfriends—and doesn’t that sound better than a plastic Starbucks cup?

14. Host a swap day

Let’s face it. We all probably have more old, unneeded clothes lying around the house than we’d like to admit.

Here’s a way to clean your house, spend the day with your friends, and do good all in one: host a swap day.

Tell your girlfriends to do a closet purge and bring over their unwanted clothes, shoes, bags, you name it. Then, get to swapping!

Trade that dress you bought but only wore once for your friend’s jacket that you’ve always loved but she never wears. Win-win.

15. Watch a local sports game

When it comes to sports, it doesn’t have to be the major leagues for it to be exciting. Days out with the girls are the perfect time to check out the local sports teams.

Is there an amateur hockey game you can attend? A baseball game? A tennis match?

Not only are the tickets cheaper and the crowds smaller (win), but you’ll also have fun cheering for local teams and supporting your community.

16. Start a scrapbook

Of course, everyone has a million photos stored on their phone—but how often do you sit and scroll through your photo library?

Compare that to thumbing through the pages of a photo album, and you know that the nostalgia just feels more real when looking at an aged, printed photo.

You may have a family photo album. But do you have a friend photo album? Now’s the time to get one started!

Head to the craft store with your girlfriends to stock up on supplies. Print pictures at home or a local print shop. And then get to cutting, pasting, and bedazzling your heart out to decorate your new book.

17. Go for a hike

Whether you and your girlfriends are nature lovers or fitness freaks, hiking will satisfy everyone in the group. You can choose a hiking trail based on your desired difficulty level so everyone can participate. No matter how much they feel like sweating it out that day!

Best of all, hiking isn’t just great exercise for the body—it’s great for the mind, too.

18. Discuss your goals

Sometimes, we all need a little push to work towards our goals. And who better to give you the support and encouragement you need than your closest girlfriends?

Meet up at home, at your favorite coffee shop, or out in the park with your friends. Come armed with a journal—and get brainstorming!

Whether you’re checking out examples of financial goals, personal goals, or want to set a professional goal, talking it out with your girlfriends will get you inspired, motivated, and focused to see your goals through to the finish line.

19. Go to a ladies’ Sunday brunch

Let’s call it like it is: Breakfast out is way more fun than dinner out. Better yet, it’s usually cheaper, too!

Next on our list of girls day out ideas, we recommend Sunday brunch. You can go fancy by booking a place at an upscale restaurant.

Or you can go old-school and rustic by heading to your local diner for trusty eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.

20. Relax with a girls’ spa day

Craving a mani-pedi? There’s no better spa companion than your trusty troupe of girlfriends. For a bonding day that you won’t soon forget, sign up for a day of luxury and beauty at your local spa.

If spa prices have got you startled, don’t worry—you can still enjoy plenty of pampering and R&R at home. Manicures, facials, and pedicures don’t have to cost the earth.

Check out these DIY facial recipes. Take turns painting each other’s nails. And let your stress melt away with relaxing music and aromatherapy—even on a budget.

21. Talk about money

What? Yes, talking about money is actually one of the best ways to spend the day with your girlfriends.

Too often, we’re hesitant to talk about money or are worried about finance—especially women. That’s got to change.

For your next day out with your girlfriends, get cozy at your favorite café and get personal! Ask questions, share resources, and discuss finances, like:

22. Go on a girls’ road trip for the day

Who said you can’t take a road trip in a day? Rather than heading to the bar or spending money shopping, treat yourself and your girlfriends to a one-day vacation with a road trip.

Pick a nearby landmark, a museum, or an interesting new coffee shop, and hit the road with your favorite playlist blaring. Or, just get in the car, pick a direction, and start driving. Who knows where you’ll end up?

23. Take a fitness class together

Why not meet up with the girls while getting fitter? One of the best girls day ideas is to get your sportswear on and head to a class together. 

There are plenty of options out there. You may want to attend a yoga class together, go to a Pilates class, or even join a sports team. Think about what type of activity you all enjoy and give it a go. 

24. Host a cocktail-making session

Do you love tasty, classy cocktails? If the answer is yes, why not host a cocktail-making session with your best friends? It’s one of the most creative girls day ideas out there. 

Invite your friends over for an evening and ask each of them to bring ingredients for a cocktail. Take turns whipping up delicious cocktails and sharing them with the group. 

Expert tip: Spending time with your girls helps you bond

Ideas for a girls day out aren’t simply about having a good time. When you spend quality time with your best friends, you have a chance to bond. Research suggests that strong female friendships can improve your mental and physical well-being. 

While you may have a busy schedule, it’s important to make time for your best friends. Planning days out and time together will help you create stronger long-term connections! 

What is a good girls day?

There are plenty of ways to have a good day with your girlfriends. Whether you have a movie marathon, give each other manicures and pedicures, head to the farmer’s market, or go wine tasting at local wineries, there’s a whole host of options out there. 

How do you plan a girls outing?

Planning a girls outing can be a fun way to bond. It takes a level of creativity to create a plan that works. First things first, you need to choose the activity and the destination. 

Think about what your best friends like first.

For example, if they are music lovers, you could catch a concert. If they enjoy dining, you can get desserts or snacks at a cafe. 

When you have decided where to go, planning your next girls day should be easy. Make sure everyone is free, set a date in the calendar, and then meet up with your gal pals.

What are some creative girls day out ideas?

If you fancy getting creative, you might want to try something different. You can have a paint party and create your own murals. Think about how you can unlock your inner creativity when looking at girls day out ideas.

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Leverage these ideas for girls day out without breaking the bank!

Sometimes, you just need to spend a few days out with the girls. Surprisingly, you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy a day of fun with your girlfriends.

There are also plenty of ideas for fun things to do for free with friends! You can take this a step further for your budget by finding other ways to save and earn, as well, such as the best money-making apps and knowing how to ask for a discount!