27 Frugal and Fun Things to do at Night with Family or Friends

Please share with your friends!

Are you looking for some fun things to do at night with family or friends that won’t break the budget? Have your kids been whining lately about being bored and not having anything to do now that it’s summer break?

Or maybe your friends have been wanting to get together but you really don’t have money in your budget to be going out to eat or out to bars. 

Not to mention, you would also have to pay a babysitter to watch the kids. 

Entertainment can get so expensive, whether it’s for your family or friends! But it definitely doesn’t have to. 

There are lots of cheap and fun things to do at night! Many things to do at night at home are even free. 

If you are looking for some fun family night activities or some fun things to do at night outside with friends, keep reading to get some frugal ideas!

27 Frugal and Fun Things to do at Night with Family or Friends

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Okay, back to the reason you are reading this!

1. Watch Movies

A movie night is a great way to spend time with your family or friends.  Stream a free movie or pick up a movie from the Redbox for a super cheap night. 

Pop some popcorn for the family or if your friends are coming over, have everyone bring their favorite snacks to share.

2. Bake Cookies/Bread

Baking with your family is a great way to bond.  Kids really seem to enjoy helping to measure, mix, and pour ingredients. 

Baking is also a fun activity to do with your friends. Have everyone bring their favorite cookie recipe, bake the cookies, and then divide them up so everyone gets some of each kind to take home.

3. Have a board game night

You could have a family game night with the kids or invite your friends over for some fun. 

Take it from me, be careful if you play men against women with your friends…the competition can definitely cause some disputes among couples!

Some of our favorite games are:

video games are fun things to do at night

4. Have a video game night

Video games can also be fun and frugal entertainment.  We love playing Super Mario Brothers as a family.

Back in the day before we had kids, we used to go to our friend’s house to play Guitar Hero. We had so much fun on those nights!

Have all your friends bring a video game over to play while hanging out and enjoying some snacks and drinks.

5. Invite friends or family over for a potluck dinner

Keep it easy and frugal by having everyone bring their favorite dish to share.  You could even have a theme night and have drinks to coordinate with the food.

6. Try a new hobby

You never know what your kids might develop an interest in.  Some ideas are drawing, writing, painting, coloring, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, stamping, & putting together models.

Do any of your friends have hobbies you would love to learn?  Start a monthly group or club so you and your friends can get together once a month to learn new hobbies. 

Wine tasting party-fun things to do at night

7. Have a beer or wine tasting night

Okay so this one isn’t kid-friendly, but it is fun! Everyone can bring their favorite drink to share. Turn it into a sleepover so everyone stays safe (and to continue hanging out the next morning with some coffee).

8. Crafts

Browse Pinterest for a fun craft to try.  There are tons of kid-friendly crafts out there and lots of crafts that would be fun to do with your girlfriends. 

9. Play cards

Learn a new card game or play the classics. Rummy is the card game of choice in our house right now. Other kid-friendly ideas for card games are Crazy Eights, Go Fish, Pig, War, Spit, and Old Maid.

Card game ideas to play with friends are Rummy, Blitz, Golf, Hearts, Blackjack, and Poker. You could also start a card club and get together once a month with friends to play cards.

10. Host a sports party

Get your friends or family together to watch your favorite teams. Keep it frugal and simple by having everyone bring a snack to share.

manicures-fun things to do at night

11. Have a spa night

Give yourself and your daughter a mani or pedi, or try a new facial mask or scrub.  This would also be a fun night with your besties while you share a bottle of wine and catch up on life. 

12. Volunteer

Whether it be at a soup kitchen, women’s shelter, or animal rescue, volunteering your time to help a good cause is an awesome way to give back to your community.  It will also teach your kids some valuable lessons on giving and helping others.

13. Exercise

With your family you could take a walk in the evening, find a yoga video on YouTube, have a push up or sit-up competition, or jump rope. 

Some exercise ideas to do with your friends are to try a fun aerobic video (check out the FitOn app for some good ones), go for a walk or run in the evening, or do some weight training together. 

14. Camp in your backyard

Most kids would love to go camping in the backyard, even if you don’t actually sleep out there all night.  You could pitch a tent, roast some marshmallows, and tell spooky stories (or funny ones if you have young kids).

You could also invite friends over to camp in the backyard to make a new memory.  This would be a fun way to reminisce about your childhood memories and catch up on what’s going on in everyone’s lives now.

jigsaw puzzles-fun things to do at night

15. Jigsaw puzzles

Working on jigsaw puzzles together is a fun way to spend time together as a family and get everyone away from their electronics.

16. Check the community calendar for events

Many communities have free or cheap activities and events you could go to with your family or friends.  Festivals, races, community days, speakers, and conventions are all possibilities.

17. Carnivals and fairs

These will only be cheap to do if you put a limit on how many rides or games your kids can do.  This would be a good way to teach them about the value of money.  If they want to go on more rides or play more games than the limit you impose, they could use their own money to pay for them. 

Going to carnivals and fairs with your friends to walk around would be a fun way to hang out.  You may even run into other people you know from your childhood that you haven’t seen for a while. 

18. Create a scavenger hunt

If you have kids, this will be tons of fun for them. They will enjoy searching your property and home for items.  You could have little treats or prizes for them, such as a popsicle or baked good, when they complete their scavenger hunt lists.

Have your friends over for an adult scavenger hunt! Have everyone contribute small bagged snacks or cans of adult beverages or sodas to hide. Create some teams and have a blast looking for the items (and then enjoying them responsibly afterwards!).

19. Star Gazing

Go outside on a clear night, lay on a blanket, and look for the constellations. 

bonfire & smores are fun things to do at night

20. Have a bonfire and make s’mores

Hang out around the bonfire (or fire pit) and makes some s’mores with your family.  Invite your friends over to socialize and catch up on life while enjoying your s’mores.  

21. Plan a block party with your neighbors

This is perfect for getting to know new neighbors and bonding with the neighbors you have known for a while. It would give your kids a chance to play with different kids in the neighborhood. 

22. Explore your town

Go for a walk through your town with your family to look for different things to do, new restaurants to try out, and new shops to browse.

Head out for a night on the town with your friends.  Look for inexpensive places to hang out or just walk around and see what the night brings.

23. Binge watch TV shows or series

Look for a show your family has been wanting to watch and start watching it from season one.  Get your friends together and pick a show to binge watch while indulging in some snacks and drinks. 

24. Miniature golf

Take your kids or meet up with friends for a round of mini-golf.  Don’t forget to check for discounts or coupons in your local community magazines and flyers.  You could also check Groupon for discount codes. 

outdoor concerts-fun things to do at night

25. Outdoor concerts

Outdoor concerts are typically free or much cheaper than concerts at a venue.  Look for some family-friendly concerts to treat your kids or get your friends together to enjoy some music. 

26. Outdoor game night

Plan a family outdoor game night or invite your friends over for a night of games.  Some fun games to try are:

27. Host an ice cream party

Plan an ice cream bar for your friends or family.  Get a big tub of ice cream and have a variety of toppings for your family to choose what they want. 

If you are inviting friends over, ask everyone to bring one topping to contribute to the party to keep the cost down. 

Final Thoughts

Finding fun things to do at night does not have to be expensive.  There are so many fun things to do at night with your family or friends that are budget-friendly.

Don’t forget to check for coupons, discounts, and cashback offers when buying items for your gatherings or when looking for things to do near you.  If you can find good offers on the products you were going to buy anyway, that is a huge frugal score!

I always check Ibotta for cashback offers on everything I buy at the store. If you don’t have Ibotta if you sign up using this link you can get up to $20 in welcome bonuses!

You can also check Groupon for discount codes for fun things to do near you.  Also, don’t forget to check your community magazines and flyers for special discounts. 

If you are looking for more ways to save money, not just on entertainment, check out 20 Ways to Save More Money Every Month and 70+ Frugal Living Tips to Spend Less Money.

Did I miss anything? What are some fun things to do at night that you and your family or friends love to do? Please let me know in the comments!

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