Being Broke Doesn't Need To Suck

Are you like Jeff?


Are you a student? And are you broke? And now you don't know what to do for fun...

Well, fear not!

Here are some activities to do when you're broke:

Play Rockband/Guitar Hero
In your heart of hearts, you know that you dreamed about becoming...a rockstar! The sex, drugs, rock and roll aspect of the whole thing is so exciting...but so unattainnable. So we'll rock it out via Video Games. Ah, don't you just love technology? Believe me you'll spend hours and hours in front of the (hopefully very large and flat) television screen once you've chosen your equipment - vocals, guitar, bass, or drums. Take your pick. And rock on!

Boardgame fun
Boardgames are a great way to have fun! They are seriously underrated. Taboo! Pictionary! Cranium! Even old school Monopoly or Scrabble. So many to choose from. You only need the right kind of company. Oh and your parents will definitely approve. They'll be so proud of the fact that you’re spending Friday night doing G-rated activities!

Potluck
What better way to get free food than a potluck party? You'll get to sample your friends’ delicious cooking (or culinary experiments)...as well as try your hand at making something edible. It could turn out really well, or really disastrous. Either way, a fun time for all! Just to be on the safe side, you can always be the beverage-guy. No cooking necessary, and people are bound to get thirsty right?

Pizza+DVD party
Nowadays you can get cheap pizza deals such as Boston's Pizza $10 OFF for 2 19" PIZZAS! (Click for a coupon!) If you share with a bunch of friends it's going to be almost like paying nothing! Splurge with a DVD! Watch something everyone can enjoy.

Jam session/Karaoke
If you have talented musicians in your circle of friends, why not host a little jamming session? As long as you have cool neighbors. Or if you don’t play musical instruments, you can always do a little DIY karaoke. Videos abound on Youtube. And a little alcohol helps to...loosen up the vocal chords *ahem* Have a camcorder ready and voila! You'll post a video on facebook and have tons to laugh (or feel embarassed) about later.

Drinking games
Of course, we have to have something on the list that's not parent-approved. Drinking games. All you need is alcohol, some agreeable participants and perhaps a few props. Cards are the best props to have around. Otherwise, there's always beer pong...or some may spice it up as vodka pong. Warning, that game is only for the hardcore! Website suggestion for drinking games: www.webtender.com/handbook/games

Picnic at the park/Barbeque with friends
Again, you can't go wrong when there's food around. BBQ Steps : 1) Pick a spot - perhaps at a beach or a park, 2) pray to the Weather God for a sunny day, and 3) have your friends bring different things to grill. Burgers, hotdogs, smores, kebabs, etc. Picnic Steps: You can either prepare your own food, or you can do it the easy way - share a bucket of KFC with your pals and chill on a grassy lawn. Preferably with some musical accompaniment. Smiley faces are guaranteed!

Water fights
Perhaps after pigging-out, you’d feel guilty and maybe even undergo food-comatose. A great way to combat this is by doing an activity that requires you to run around and get a little wet. Water fights! Just borrow your little brother’s water gun and fill it up with water, and pick a target! If you can’t get a water gun, just fill up some balloons with water. Lots of balloons. And lots of fun!

Sports
If you’re too sophisticated for water fights, any kind of physical activity will do. Studies show that exercising with friends encourage a healthier lifestyle. So go play a sport with a couple of friends. Tennis, football, squash, swimming - the list is endless.


$1 Theaters (Yelp it!)
'Nuff said. No? Still need convincing? C'mon...With a price like that who cares if it's not the latest movie. Or if there's a very limited number of movies being showed. Bring your own snacks and enjoy the experience. If it gets boring, and if there are nobody else around, have your friends and yourself do comical voice-overs. Thumbs up if you can fake a European accent!

Whatever you do, it is imperative that you avoid:

· Malls
· Arcades
· Online shopping
· Shopaholic friends

Safeguard that wallet! Good luck!