Winter can be so beautiful. I love looking out my window and seeing the sun glisten off the snow on the trees. Until April. Then it gets pretty old.
Because winters are so very long in Minnesota, I’ve had to come up with some frugal ways to spend a winter afternoon:
- Play a game. Gather up the family and play a board game, a video game, or a deck of cards. Playing games is a frugal way to spend an afternoon and get to experience a little friendly competition.
- Do a puzzle. Make some hot chocolate and work on a puzzle with your family. There’s something very calming about putting all the pieces together.
- Bake. Bake up some tasty treats to eat or freeze them for later.
- Do a craft. Use materials you already have to create something new. Make your own greeting cards, some wall art, knit or crochet. Use the internet to find ideas for crafters of all ages.
- Watch a movie. When it’s snowy and cold outside, I love to curl up on the couch with a good movie. Check to see what’s on TV, or borrow a movie from your library.
- Read a book. Borrow a book from the library or a friend, and enjoy a peaceful afternoon as the story take you to far off lands.
- Take a nap. This is a rare treat for me now that my boys are so busy… but if you have the chance, a little cat nap on a snowy day is a wonderfully frugal way to treat yourself. We could all use a little more sleep.
- Play in the snow. Put on the winter gear and head outside. Build a snowman, go sledding, skiing or skating. Make snow angels or have a good ol’ fashioned snowball fight. Then come inside for hot chocolate.
- Catch up with a friend or relative. Write a real letter to someone you’ve been thinking about or give a friend a phone call. They’ll appreciate hearing from you.
- Scrapbook. Those of you who are die-hard scrapbookers may balk at the idea of scrapbooking as a frugal activity, but it can be if you are good at using what you have or if you use your computer to scrapbook. Looking at old pictures and telling their stories can be fun for the whole family.
These are just a few of the ways I like to spend a winter afternoon. What things do you like to do?
Walking in the dark alone, with kids or just with your sweetie is so nice in the winter. It has a whole different sound to it – very quiet and if it is snowing, too, it is just beautiful. OK, maybe not if we are getting 1.5 inches an hour, but you know, a light snow.