Four (almost) free weekday or weekend excursions

Being broke is pretty much a universal college grad trait. We can all relate. So finding cheap outings during the week and on weekends that aren’t going to put a dent in your savings is not easy. Here are 4 cheap (if not free!) suggestions for weekday or weekend excursions that won’t leave you feeling guilty or breaking the bank.

Pack your lunch

Sounds like elementary school right? But packing your lunch instead of buying a sandwich from a vendor or stopping in at your favorite restaurant during lunch can save up to $50 a week or $200 a month! It’s always those little purchases that add up. So try any of these easy lunch ideas and head to the nearest park (for me, it’s LOVE park right across the street) and enjoy the fall weather instead of eating out at a packed, indoor restaurant.

·         Try this delicious tomato and mozzarella sandwich if you’re sick of lunchmeat or PB&J

·         Grab a can of soup and a bowl from your cabinet- how much easier does it get than that?

·         Yogurt and granola makes a great lunch if you’re snacking throughout the day

·         Make a large salad at the beginning of the week so you’re prepared for the whole week. Try these easy salad recipes from Home Made Simple.

Browse the bookstore

This may sound super nerdy, but I can’t spend enough time in Barnes and Noble, just browsing the bookshelves. For the perfect midday break, find your nearest bookstore, grab a coffee and your favorite magazine and browse the latest fall fashion trends! Or bring your own book and read at least a chapter to clear your head from all the stress of the day. Nothing is better than escaping into a good book (but that may just be my inner nerd talking). Some of my book recommendations:

·         The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

·         Little Bee by Chris Cleave

·         Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore

Explore your city

My mom gave me a book on Philadelphia architecture when I got my job in the city. Although I’m not an architecture major and normally don’t pay much attention to the buildings around me, it is pretty amazing how old and beautiful parts of the city are. I find myself looking up more when strolling the city streets (side effect: tripping and running into people more). So take 15 minutes on a nice day and go explore your city. It took me awhile to get used to navigating the streets of Philly, but after exploring more and more, I found myself wandering farther from my office with every lunch break. It’s good to get out!

·         Philadelphia Center for Architecture

Check out local museums

Admission to most Philly museums is less than $10.00 for an entire day of entertainment! Philly has a wide-range of museums and institutes to check out, so take advantage of their proximity and spend a rainy Saturday or Sunday strolling past Monets and Van Goghs at the art museum or crawling through a human heart at the Franklin Institute. Here are some more local museums:

Philadelphia Museum of Art

26th & Ben Franklin Pkwy. 215/763-8100 or 684-7500. Tues-Sun, 10am-5pm. Fri until 8:45pm. Closed Mondays and legal holidays. Adults $14. Seniors (62+) $12, students with ID & youth ages 13-18 $10. Children 12 and under FREE. Sundays are Pay As You Wish all day. Some special exhibits require an additional ticket and reservations.

Please Touch Museum

Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park 4231 Avenue of the Republic (formerly North Concourse Drive) Philadelphia, PA 19131. 215/963-0667. E-Mail. Monday thru Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 11am–5pm CLOSED: New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Children and Adults: $15; Under the age of one: Free, Members: Free; Groups of 15 or more: please call (215) 581-3168 or (215) 581-3170 for reservations and discount group rates.

Mummers Museum

1100 South 2nd Street (2nd and Washington). 215/336-3050. E-Mail. Museum hours: October through April: Tuesday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm, Sunday noon-4:30pm; May through September: Tuesday 9:30am-9:30pm, Wednesday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm, Sunday noon-4:30pm. Closed Mondays, all Holidays, and Sundays in July and August. Adults $3.50, Child (under 12), Students, and Seniors (aarp) $2.50. Group rates and tour packages available. Parking is free (handicap accessible).

The Franklin Institute Science Museum

20th St & Ben Franklin Pkwy. 215/448-1200. Science Center 9:30am-5pm Sun-Sat. Mandell Center 9:30am-5pm. The Tuttleman IMAX Theater is open Sun-Thu 9:30-5pm, Fri-Sat. 9:30am-9pm Fri, Sat. Adults $14.75. Children 4-11 $11.50, Seniors/Military/Students $11. (Additional for IMAX and Franklin Theater tickets.)

Academy of Natural Sciences

1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 215/299-1000. Mon-Fri, 10am - 4:30pm. Weekends and holidays, 10am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. Adults $10. Children (3-12) $8. $2/person for Live Butterflies exhibit.