What's your idea of FUN?

**Thevail** · 05-17-2010, 07:37 PM

My friends all want to go out bar hopping, or shopping, or out to expensive restaurants all the time.

When I don't want to go, they think it's because I'm being "frugal" again.

But honestly.. I'm a great cook, I usually only like to go to restaurants for things that are too difficult or expensive to make at home. Great Chinese food is a prime example. It actually costs less to go out for it than to make it for 2 people. But going out for a $50 steak.. are you kidding me!??? I can make a perfect one at home for $7.

I'm not a huge fan of getting wasted in public.. I mean a glass of wine, or cider, or even a drink sure... but if I was going to get knee walking drunk, I'd rather do it at home.

And while I love to score a bargain at a great thrift store or yard sale, most retail stores leave me bored and with my money still in my pocket.

But every time I try to come up with the polite excuse... they say.."you're not that old", or offer to pay.

I can't think of any way to just say.. No! I really don't want to! I'd rather stay home and clean up hair balls than go and spend a lot of money doing something I don't like.

Am I the only one? Maybe I really am getting old (although I prefer to call it maturity!)

**stinkbug** · 05-17-2010, 07:45 PM

My idea of fun is working in the yard with dh....or just about any project with dh. I'm a weirdo.

**Thevail** · 05-17-2010, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by stinkbug

My idea of fun is working in the yard with dh....or just about any project with dh. I'm a weirdo.

No that's not weird.. that's LOVE! Dh and I like to do things together all the time too.

**Luckybustert** · 05-17-2010, 08:35 PM

I'm way past the point where I think going out and making an idiot of myself in public is fun! What I really enjoy is getting together with friends for potlucks or BBQs, knit nights, and traveling - either to a nearby beach or to locations of historical signfiicance. I also love to learn so taking classes about subjects that interest me is always good. I'm taking sewing classes right now and finding it a lot of fun. I also enjoy cooking, that's a lot of fun as long as I can talk someone else into doing the dishes (doing dishes is definitely not my idea of fun!)

**mek42** · 05-17-2010, 10:59 PM

My greatest senses of joy have been from making things. From woodworking to haiku, every time I create something I smile.

Except maybe that aborted attempt at pants that ended up a ball of muslin wadded up and thrown into the deepest, darkest corner of the closet.

Thevail has found joy
Not from others' dreams of stuff
Frugal contentment

**mndtrp** · 05-17-2010, 11:17 PM

My idea of fun is relaxing, whatever form that takes at a particular time.

I also enjoy snowboarding, which I do quite often. We go to concerts a lot, which probably goes against the frugalite's mentality.

When my friends want to go to a bar, and I don't, I just tell them I don't want to go. Maybe my friends are less judgmental, but I don't get a lot of grief. I'm getting married Saturday, and didn't even have a bachelor party. While I enjoy beer, I don't enjoy getting drunk, and the bachelor party typical strippers bore me. We were going to do a bowling party, but that fell through for some reason.

**Luckybustert** · 05-17-2010, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by mndtrp

My idea of fun is relaxing, whatever form that takes at a particular time.

I also enjoy snowboarding, which I do quite often. We go to concerts a lot, which probably goes against the frugalite's mentality.

My thoughts are that being frugal gives me the financial freedom to enjoy more of the things I truly like doing.

**frugalfranny** · 05-18-2010, 01:03 AM

Generally it is getting together with friends and doing things together that were mutually agreed upon.........and laughing and enjoying each other.

**wwe11** · 05-18-2010, 06:22 AM

I am pretty boring, I love to stay at home. I used to love to shop and now I am starting to hate it (exspecially grocery shopping).

**mombottoo** · 05-18-2010, 09:23 AM

You are not getting old! Different things float different boats...I am not into drinking at home or otherwise & bar hopping has never been on my to do list. My sisters & others have repeatedly tried to get me to go with them & I always declined...now they don't bother. But, if they are doing something they know I would like to do, like going to a flea market they still invite me.

It's really none of their business why you don't want to go...but, if it were me I'd just make it clear that you are not into doing the things they are doing. Then I'd suggest things you are into doing & invite them along...maybe they'd find out there is more to life than bar hopping, shopping & blowing huge sums of money in restaurants.

**Neeley** · 05-18-2010, 09:57 AM

I like to...

...go out to dinner with DH and the kids
...go to the kids' baseball, football, basketball and volleyball games.
...go grocery shopping with DH
...hanging out and talking with my BFF
...watching my favorite TV shows
...going to the zoo
...riding around with DH - going nowhere specific
...sitting on the benches at the mall and people watching

**frugalfoster** · 05-18-2010, 10:24 AM

I also don't like going out to dinner. I'm a pretty good cook, so paying $40 to $50 for dinner absolutley kills me and taking the family? Well that would be a $200 bill probably...so forget that!!! I love to go to my cabin in the woods...I love to go on car trips to National Parks. I love to get a good deal....grocery shopping using coupons so that I literally get the food for free.... I'm with ya Vail....

**nancycg56** · 05-18-2010, 10:29 AM

Anytime I can sit and read is a fun time to me

**Liane** · 05-18-2010, 10:37 AM

Age is just a number. That has nothing to do with your situation. Some people are the center of the universe and they expect everyone around them to be in line with what they want. God forbid you rock the boat and have your own opinions and likes and dislikes. We have friends like that and they get offended if you don't go out. They think that you are not allowed to go out. No, I'd rather stay home and spend time with my family. The thing that is a challenge for me is that my husband is a drummer in a band, those are his drums in my picture. He plays every weekend and I have a 14 year old who is very busy. So sometimes the last thing I want to do is go out. I don't drink but I do enjoy laughing at the drunk people. There are some characters that come to see his band. Some of our mutual friends are in bands and they can't understand if my husband has a night off why he isn't coming to see their band. Keep in mind he has a real job that he works 40+ hours a week on top of the band thing. If he has a night off he is usually asleep before 10. What I have noticed over the years is that some people who are not in relationships do not know what it is like to have a bf or dh. This is what I mean, they don't relate to wanting to spend time with that special someone instead of going to a stinky bar. We love our friends but I believe that as time goes by your interests change and that is a good thing. If we stayed the same life would be boring. In my life I want to learn and do and be. Everyone has their own opinion and I respect that, I just don't want to get an earful about why I am not following the herd.

**shoiji** · 05-18-2010, 04:51 PM

I stopped enjoying going to bars in my late twenties. Now the thought of going to a bar makes me cringe. Who wants to sit around yelling at each other just to be heard? Seriously, I can never understand what someone says who is sitting right next to me.

I enjoy having people over for coffee, dinner, etc. I also like going to museums, free festivals, etc.

You can always tell them you are tired of the usual stuff. Invite them over for dinner and a movie the next time they want to go out to eat. The next time you are together suggest doing something different. Check the newspaper to see what type of free events are going on to suggest them.

Hang in there. You might also want to try and develop new friendships with more people with the same interests. Sometimes you can outgrow your friends.