In this article today I'd like to talk about several tips, tricks, and techniques that almost everyone may use to dramatically and drastically cut ordinary entertainment expenses.

Times are tough for nearly everybody. Who may have imagined that the recession that began towards the finish of 2008 would be going strong well into 2010, with zero sign of letting up any time in the future?

Now it's more important than ever before to save just as much money as possible on just about everything we can. Nobody loves to cut out entertainment because we all need to unwind every once in awhile. Luckily you don't need to cut your entertainment because I've got several tips which can help you save a ton of money in this area and that's what I'll talk about today.

First, consider college and university events. A lot of people live either in a town which has a college or perhaps a short distance away from a college. Many universities offer a ton of free events including lectures, movies, concerts, sporting events, and even live performances. You will be surprised how many of the are free, but even those that aren't free usually cost just a fraction of what you will spend anywhere else on entertainment. Contact the student activities center and have for public events for a summary of these kind of things, or check the school's internet site.

Along the same vein, consider continuing education classes. A number of these types of classes are offered in the evening and even though you won't usually get credit for them in an academic sense, they might be incredibly fun if you can find one within an area that you're thinking about. They aren't are all academic in nature, they may be about just about anything imaginable. Check Additional hints for course listings.

Next, consider movie matinees which are simply just movies which are shown in the first evening or late afternoon. Quite often these matinees cost half around the regular showing. An extra benefit is that these matinees are usually significantly less crowded so that you'll stand in line less and also have more elbow room in the theater itself. Needless to say they'll still try and hit you with high-priced concession items, so bring your personal candy should you be so inclined.

For low-cost travel entertainment, consider a house swap with a pal who lives in another city. Basically what happens is you take their residence for a weekend or perhaps a week and they take yours. That way both of you gets a good little vacation in a new city without any cost for lodging. Ask your friend to make a to-do list for you personally that lists several local attractions that you might want to explore when you are there; and you be sure to do exactly the same for them.

So there you have several very simple tips, tricks, and tactics that anyone can use to save a ton of money on entertainment expenses. Despite the fact that we're in the middle of a terrible recession, it doesn't mean you can't still go out and have a great time and with these tips hopefully you can certainly do it without breaking the lender.