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How to Budget Wisely for Leisure Activities

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Enjoying a variety of leisure activities will add immensely to your life, but how can you plan for them wisely? The first step is to consider how you can make the most of your budget in this respect.

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Set a Monthly Budget

You will want to make the most of your budget to enjoy some great activities, but you won’t want to spend more than you can afford on this. This means looking to set a monthly budget that you are able to stick to.

By working out how much you can commit to your leisure time, it should become clear how many different things you can do each month. Author Tom Corley, who wrote “Rich Habits, Poor Habits” stated that 10% of your net monthly income should get on fun activities, although you might feel that this is a little on the low side.

A different approach is suggested on The Motley Fool website. They explain a 50/20/30 system for managing your monthly income. This means that 50% of your income is for things you have to pay for. 20% is for savings, and the remaining 30% is for use on fun things like travel, eating out, and paying for entertainment services.

Make Good Use of Special Offers

Your money will stretch further if you are flexible enough to take advantage of special offers. For example, if you want to travel then you could look for last-minute deals as long as you aren’t too fussy about where you go. Sites like Lastminute.com and Booking.com usually have deals for people who are happy to just get away somewhere.  

This is also worthwhile advice when you want to play online games such as casino slots and table games. The Bonusfinder United Kingdom service lets you see offers such as 520 bonus spins at Captain Spins or 50 spins and a 100% bonus at William Hill. As a new member, you will be able to claim these as welcome packages, to boost your first deposit amount.

You can also find special offers online for the theatre, especially if you are comfortable arranging it at the last minute. You might not find cheap deals for everything you want to do, but it can be worth checking online for discounts or coupons before you book. As with all of these points, the more flexible you can be the better the price you should achieve.    

Source: Pixabay

Explore Cheap and Free Options

One of the best ways to make your leisure budget stretch further is to look for free or cheap ideas, particularly if they are for local options where you won’t need to spend to travel there. This will allow you to use your budget during the rest of the month on other things.

The UK has many free attractions to choose from, including parks, libraries, museums, and botanic gardens. Combining these free things with others that cost money should give you a varied approach that lets you enjoy the full month in different ways.  

Don’t spend more than you have to on your leisure time. By following these simple tips, you can make your budget stretch further every month.

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Emma Drew

Emma has spent over 15 years sharing her expertise in making and saving money, inspiring thousands to take control of their finances. After paying off £15,000 in credit card debt, she turned her side hustles into a full-time career in 2015. Her award-winning blog, recognized as the UK's best money-making blog for three years, has made her a trusted voice, with features on BBC TV, BBC radio, and more.

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