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Entertainment Topics
Summer Fun for Single-Parent Families
Cheap Summer Fun
Q: My single-parent family has lots of energy but little money. How can we have
fun this summer without busting our budget?
A: Here are some of my favorite cheap family outings. Enjoy!
Tour your own city or region. Call your state’s bureau of tourism and ask
for information on nearby points of interest. You’ll be surprised how
many sights charge little or no admission.
Have fun without busting your budget
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Get cultured, part 1. If you enjoy museums and theaters, volunteer as an usher
or ticket collector. In exchange you can receive free or reduced entry to the
show. Just ask about the organization’s volunteer policy ahead of time.
Get cultured, part 2. Many people don’t know that most museums offer free
admission one day a week or at least once a month. Since museums don’t
usually advertise this information, call to find out which days are freebies.
Create a family field trip. Call the chamber of commerce in your city (or investigate
online) for a listing of all the factories that run tours. These plant walk-throughs
often end with free samples of the company’s products. Don’t tell
your kids that free stuff can be educational!
Star gaze. Go to the library, check out a book about constellations, and
set up a starry-night outing. Bring a thermos of hot chocolate and a big
cozy blanket.
Movie star gaze. Hit the matinees for cheaper tickets. Instead of dinner
afterward, split a fancy dessert at an upscale restaurant.
Play act. Instead of paying big bucks to see a theater performance, get
the script from the library, invite some friends over, assign parts and
put on
your on your
own show. (Suggestion: Hamming up Shakespeare is the most fun.)
— Mary Hunt
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