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 days out with the girls, even when you’re on a tight budget.
There are many things you can do that are inexpensive (or even free!) to spend a fun day out with your girlfriends.
Here are 22 girls day out ideas if you’re on a budget:
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.
For your next day out with your girlfriends, consider doing some 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 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 next morning, afternoon tea is an elegant activity that you’ll love.
Indulge in pastries, finger sandwiches, scones, and other mid-day delectables while feeling fancy in your most sophisticated outfit.
3. Make inexpensive bouquets
Making bouquets can be a fun and inexpensive idea for days out with the girls.
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 spend some time creating 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.
As a bonus, 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!
4. Take a cooking class with the girls
Whether you’re a total foodie or you’re admittedly lost in the kitchen, 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. If memories of stinky shoes and kids’ birthday parties are turning you off, then 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, a day of 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 just 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.
8. Visit a museum
You know what they say: “Be a tourist in your own city.”
Too often, we reserve museum days for vacations and forget about the great museums in our own backyard. For some great days out with the girls, 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. Because why not?
If you think one of the best parts of going out at night is getting dressed up, then 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.
11. Picnic with your girls in the park
This is another fun way to spend a day out with the girls without spending a lot of money.
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.
This 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? 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 be a reminder 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 out your house, spend the day with your friends, and do good all in one: host a swap day.
Tell your girlfriends to clean out their closets 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.
At the end of the day, take a trip together to your local clothing drive and donate everything you have left.
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’s got a million photos stored away on their phone—but how often do you sit and scroll through your library of pictures?
Compare that to thumbing through the pages of a photo album, and you know that the nostalgia just feels more real when you’re 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 at 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, going for a hike will satisfy everyone in the group. You can pick a 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. According to Harmony Bay Wellness, “Hiking in nature can allow individuals to clear their minds, reduce mental fatigue, and help us think more creatively.”
18. Discuss your goals
Sometimes, we all need a little push in working 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 working on financial goals, personal goals, or professional goals, 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!
For your next day out with your girls, head to 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.
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.
For example, according to a report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, only 1 out of every 5 women feel assured about their retirement.
Whoa! 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 just 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?
Spend some days out with the girls—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 spending time with friends that are totally free! And you can take this a step further for your budget by finding other ways to save and earn, as well, such as money-making apps and finding discounts!