No matter how hard we work and how much we budget, we can all end up with a little too much month left at the end of our money. When this happens, we often have to cut back on spending for a while, which means going without the things we enjoy.
Best Entertainment Options
Thankfully, that needn’t always be the case, especially with the internet opening up many new possibilities. So, if you’re looking for ways to have fun on a budget, here are some options to consider.
Free Movies and TV Shows
Almost all of the world’s movies and TV shows are now available through streaming platforms. In this industry that was pioneered by Netflix, there are now dozens of different platforms all trying to compete for market share.
To attract more customers, many offer a free trial of either a week, two weeks, or even an entire month. Of course, they hope you continue your subscription beyond this evaluation period, but you’re under no obligation to do so.
Some of the video streaming services currently offering a free trial include Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten TV, Disney+, Apple TV+, NOW, Britbox, and Nebula. If you use one after the other, then you could have months of paid-for streaming services absolutely free.
On top of that, there are also sites like YouTube and Crunchyroll that offer free streaming of some of their content forever.
Free Games
Gaming used to be an expensive hobby. Although the costs can still quickly add up, there are now plenty of ways in which you can enjoy quality games for free.
Many of the biggest franchises are now completely free or have some free titles within their catalogue of content. For example, Activision’s Call of Duty series continues to pump out $60 blockbusters each autumn but it has two quality free-to-play games that offer much of the same experience – Call of Duty: Mobile and Call of Duty: Warzone.
Many other popular titles can be enjoyed for free, including Fortnite, League of Legends, CS: GO, Apex Legends, and Dota 2.
Online casino games can also be enjoyed for free. Many sites offer free versions of their games that let you make wagers with free “play money” which can’t be withdrawn. These free slots and table games work in exactly the same way as non-free versions, making them a great way to just play for fun or as practice before switching to real money.
Free Music
We all love music. It cheers us up, it helps us get motivated, and it allows us to wind down at the end of the day. Just like streaming services such as Netflix have changed the way we watch videos, companies like Spotify have completely turned the music industry on its head.
Most music streaming platforms offer a paid service with access to more tracks, no ads, and a few extra features. However, if you’re looking to soundtrack your day on a budget, most also offer a free package that contains most of the same features. For example, the Spotify Free package offers slightly lower-quality audio, ads, and a limited number of song skips.