In an effort to save money, you’ve probably made some lifestyle changes.  You got a cheaper cell phone plan, called your insurance agent to negotiate a lower rate, buy only the necessities at the grocery store, and you haven’t bought new clothes in months.  You’re probably not going out to dinner much, if at all, and you spend most nights at home.  It doesn’t have to be that way!

Do you have $20 in your wallet?  Sure you do.  (And if not, $20 is a realistic amount of money to scrape up!)  Here are 5 ways you can have a lot of fun with that little bit of cash.

• If you love movies, try signing up for an account with Netflix.  You can start off with a free 2-week trial, and after that, just choose your plan.  You can have up to 3 movies out at once with no late fees, and each plan is under $20 a month.  Set aside a night alone, with your sweetie, or even plan a whole party with your friends and have a movie night.  You can pop some popcorn, get comfy on the couch, and not have to worry about any tall guys in front of you that won’t shut off their cell phones.  If you’ve got the plan for 2 or 3 movies at a time, why not try a mini-marathon?
• Check out your local museums.  Usually they offer discounted or free admission on certain days for residents.  Go take in some great art, history, and science, and be sure to check the calendar for special events or national exhibits that are coming to visit!
• Go rummaging!  This is a great excuse to be outside on a nice day.  You’ll be sure to come across some good deals and rare finds.  If there’s a certain item you’ve been wanting, you might even get lucky and find it.  Auctions can offer some good deals, too.  Just be prepared to go a little higher on price to compete with other bidders.
• Take a beer factory tour.  If there’s not one near you, use it as an excuse for a mini road trip.  The admission tends to be cheap or even free, and you get free beer!  That’s worth the time spent on the road trip all by itself.
• Host a potluck dinner for your friends.  Have everyone bring their favorite dish and you’ll end up with a nice variety (bonus if everyone brings dessert!).  You could even pop in one of those Netflix movies and still be under $20 for the night.

This is just the beginning.  Don’t be afraid to be creative or resort to things that you found fun when you were little.  And don’t forget about that big open space outside of your house.  There’s plenty to do out there that won’t cost you anything at all.