As the saying goes: staying in the new going out. If you’re feeling the credit crunch bite and need to curb your spending, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop having fun. Why not socialise with your mates at home instead? Staying in can be more enjoyable than you previously thought: just get a little creative and you can find new ways to make your own home entertainment.
If you’ve got a bit of outside space, and it’s looking a bit unloved, now is the ideal time to spruce it up now that summer’s almost here. For very little money, even the smallest yard can be transformed into a lovely chill-out area where you and your friends can kick back and enjoy yourselves. Buy adding coloured pots, plants, inexpensive foldaway garden furniture and bunting, you can create a lovely private space that will feel special. Before you know it, you’ll be all set for lazy afternoons, al fresco dining, a backyard buffet – even your own mini garden festival!
Not everybody has outside space, but that doesn’t matter. Another way to keep the cost of socialising down is to cut back on eating out – the average restaurant meal costs around £40 per head. Entertaining at home is a great way to mix good food and socialising – and it is much cheaper. The important thing is to create a sense of occasion: de-clutter the room, dress the table with a tablecloth, runner and matching crockery, and add candles to create mood. If you don’t enjoy cooking, you could instead buy a takeaway or luxury ready-meal for less than £10 per head. You can still send out invitations, dictate a dress code – even have cocktail soirée. Just because you’re not going out, it doesn’t mean that you won’t have just as much fun – and you won’t break the bank.
For further information, see our ‘How To Guide’
