Having a social life on a budget isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. One of the turn offs for most people in regards to living a frugal life is that they think that if you’re a frugal person that you will have to sacrifice your social life. Now, I’m not saying that you’re going to be able to go with your friends to Hibachi every weekend or that you’ll be able to tag-a-long with them to see all of the hottest movies and concerts, but you can still have a social life even if you’re a frugal person. Below, I’m going to give you some tips that will help you manage a balance and a social life.

Maintain a budget.

Now, I know, I preach about budgeting all the time, but that’s because it’s extremely important. If you want to have a social life, I highly suggest putting a bit of money aside every month that you can use for social events. Incorporating this into your budget will be a lot easier than you think and you won’t have to turn your friends and family down all the time. Plus, you’ll still be able to pay your bills when they’re due.

Eating out.

One of the most common things you probably get invited to is dinner with your family / friends. Dinner is one of the easiest and best ways to connect with the ones that you care about. However, it’s also an easy way to blow through your budget when the hefty dinner bill makes its way to your table. If you want to eat out, but you don’t want to rack up a huge bill, you should search for coupons and deals at restaurants in your area. Sometimes, you can find deals that are so good that you won’t pay more for eating out than it would cost you to cook the same meal in your own home.

Take advantage of freebies.

Most towns have plenty of free events that you can take advantage of. For instance, some towns have a fair or a parade, so why not go to it if it’s free? Also, when restaurants or new businesses open, they’ll usually have some sort of town celebration. Free events are something that more people should take advantage of. First of all, they won’t harm your budget and they could also open you up to new experiences.

Happy hour.

If you’re going to go out with your friends or family members, why not take advantage of happy hour? For instance, one place I like to go with my friends and family members is Starbucks, but many people don’t even know that Starbucks has a happy hour. If you go during happy hour, you can save a ton of money on drinks. There are also plenty of other places that have happy hours for you to take advantage of.

Do you have any tips on how people can save money and maintain a social life? If so, leave them below.