Whether you’re working your dream job or have a 9-to-5 to get you by, you will still be tired at the end of your work day. You owe it to yourself to do things just for you, no more work! These things should be fun and fulfilling. There’s a great quote I heard once from Briohny (a big online Yogi that I follow). The quote is “We need to remember we are ‘human beings’ not ‘human doings’.” It’s a friendly reminder that while we do need to work hard in life, let’s not forget to live a little, treat ourselves, and do things that make us happy!
That being said, some of us are on a tight budget. Don’t worry, because there are still plenty of ways to have a fun evening after work that are affordable and don’t even require you to leave the house! Some of these things I would pick over a fancy night out anyway! Whether you live alone, with a significant other, or want to get some friends together, you can have an awesome night doing the things on this list.
9 Fun & Affordable Post-Work Activities
- Bubble Bath & Book Night
- Game Night
- Fancy Cooking
- Movie Night
- Bartender Night
- Pinterest Crafts
- Cook-Off Competition
- Karaoke Night
- Baking Night
Bubble Bath & Book Night
This might sound silly to some of you but I include this one first because you don’t even need to get friends together to treat yourself to this relaxing evening after work! Some people think a fun night after work has to include a bunch of people, going out, or drinking. You can have a super relaxing and rejuvenating self care night that’s just as enjoyable!
Also, those of you who don’t like baths, hear me out. As long as you jazz your bath up, it can be so rejuvenating and therapeutic. Load up the bubbles, turn out the lights and light some candles, and even add some essential oils. Grab yourself a good book or just listen to some great music for those of you who aren’t the book worm type. Relax and enjoy!!
Game Night
Get some friends or your roommates together and plan out a post-work game night! The best part about this activity is that it can change every time. My roommates and I have full blown game nights where we bounce from many types of games or we’ll just have a Pictionary night or a Charades night, etc.
I think of this as more of a “who you’re with” scenario. This can be so fun and stress relieving if you’re with the right group of people. Bring together whatever kind of fun card games or board games you love and enjoy the night with your friends! Add some drinks to the equation if you wanna get a little crazy 😉 Here’s a list of the best games for adults from the Today Show!
Fancy Cooking
For those of you who would love experiment in the kitchen but feel like you never have the time, here’s the time! Find a tricky recipe you’ve always wanted to try like pizza from scratch or homemade raviolis and take the night get messy and reward yourself with your own cooking creation. Then you get to eat it!
This is more fun with some friends or roommates but you can also do this one all by yourself which is great. Just the other night I made homemade gyros and garlic fries all by myself just as a little treat! It was fun and they were so tasty.
You can plan this out ahead of time so you can get yourself all the ingredients. The best part if you’ll most likely have left over ingredients as well as left-overs so even though you spent some cash, it’ll be worth it!
Movie Night
Another classic go-to after a long day. Who doesn’t love to sit back on the couch with a little wine or some sweets and enjoy a good film? With streaming services, this has become a super affordable option because you can find so many movies on the services you’re already paying for!
You can spice this up by prepping out some movie snacks (like homemade popcorn) and having a movie theme. Horror, throwbacks, Oscar-Nominated? Then you can just sit back and relax! Here’s a list I’ve been working my way through of “must-see-movies.”
Bartender Night
21 and Older Disclaimer!! But for those of you under 21, you can enjoy the non-alcoholic version of whatever fun drinks you want to make 🙂
This is another really fun way to do something you might have always wanted to dabble in! Look up those cocktail recipes, gather those ingredients and go full blown bartender for a night!
It’s really fun if you can get together with a few friends and have each person pick out a cocktail of choice. Then you can all mix and match to see which cocktails are the best, and who makes the best one for each. You could even turn it into a competition! It’s a great way to loosen up after a long day and learn something new!
Pinterest Crafts
Like some of the others on the list, I love this because you can enjoy it all by yourself. It’s also another very rewarding activity because you can create something great and useful! Just the other day, I spent my afternoon making DIY Plant hangers with my roommate and I just hung them up with a few of my plants. Everyday I look at them and feel a little giddy knowing I made them myself!
The best part is that many craft supplies are either quite cheap, or things you probably already have somewhere in the house. Sit back with a good show or some nice music and get crafty with yourself or friends!
Cook-Off Competition
For all those Chopped fans out there, you get to live the dream. This one will require at least two friends who’re willing to join you in a little cook-off and judge the final product. Pick out a fun and maybe challenging recipe. Allow it to be something that can be altered. Then the chefs can each take their own spin on the recipe and the judges can try each one and vote on the best.
Although this brings in a competitive element, everyone is really a winner because you all get to enjoy a bunch of food in the end. You also might figure out a secret ingredient to something that changes the way you cook forever! Get creative and enjoy the fun chaos of a friendly cook-off!
Karaoke Night
Who cares if you can sing well or not, it’s good for the soul!! Also, no one needs to have a special Karaoke Machine or set up for this. You’ll just need YouTube and the Wheel of Names! Get with a few friends, load up the Wheel of Names with your names and a different wheel with all the songs you guys decide you want for the night. Then let both wheel’s do their thing and look up the Karaoke Version of the songs on YouTube.
My friends and I have been doing this for years and it’s always so much fun. We even do battles and have judges if you want to get a little competitive. Sing your heart out and let go a bit for this fun night.
Baking Night
Just like the Fancy Cooking and Bartender night, this is really a self-care kind of night where you reward yourself with some fun and sweet recipes you’ve been wanting to try! It can be as easy as box brownies or as complex as trying out a soufflé or layered cake.
Treat yourself after a stressful work day and share it with your friends or and family because everyone loves sweets and it’ll feel good to share what you’ve made!
If you’ve got some friends with you, can style this like the Cook-off and make it a fun and competitive challenge with each other. Just make sure you have a designated judge!
Have Fun!
The main idea here is that you don’t need a lot of money or big fancy plans to have a good time and decompress. Whether you want to relax in the tub after a long day or sing your heart out with your friends when you’re stressed, you can do all of this right in the comfort of your home for almost zero money! Have people you love around you and do stuff that’s fun for you. Enjoy!