Entertainment and frugalness

I"m sure most people would think we live very boring lives, LOL. Yep, pretty much we do, but that's how we like it. We consider our home and yard (and now river view!) our main entertainment.

There's a lot of things, that most everyone else we know, seems to do, that we do not. But, I'd say most people's probably biggest entertainment expense would be vacations. We do not (rarely) take vacations. I know people (thanks to Facebook) who seem to be on a vacation every few months. I can probably count on one hand the vacations we've had over the years. We've taken a trip to Arizona, some racing trips across the country (that I don't really count as vacations), and a trip to Florida/Disneyworld. The kids and I got a trip to Disneyland with mom and DD and I took a trip to Hawaii with mom. That's about it.  We don't really enjoy traveling that much. It's too exhausting for me, really, especially with DH, as he's the type that can't seem make a decision when he's in an unfamiliar place. When we took our family trip to Florida, I basically pre-planned it down to the hour, so that DH would not get stressed trying to make decisions. I remember him saying afterward that he really liked how I had planned it all out for us. But, on the flip side, that was not really super relaxing for me, LOL. Anyhow, we just aren't vacation people.

We do go out to eat on occasion. Nothing regular, it's usually spur of the moment or a get together with friends. My only problem with going out with friends is that DH always feels like we have to pick up the bill, for some reason. Thankfully we only do that a few times per year, haha.

Our entertainment is at home in the form of watching tv, internet surfing and reading (for me). While we have been living in the shop, we haven't had our satellite tv service (Dish). I've missed it more than DH, but we are able to watch some streaming stuff on our computers and ipad. I'm considering just trying that method once we get in the house and not re-starting Dish service. We have an Amazon Firestick for our tv, so can stream, but my only issue with it is it's not easy for DH to use. He can't just turn on the Dish remote and click to his channel. All the steps it takes to get to a show would constantly be him saying "can you get this show on for me?", which is pretty much what he does now, when trying to watch something on the computer. It's mostly annoying when I've already gone to sleep and he wakes me up to figure out how to navigate to a show! Currently, I share an Amazon prime account with DD, so we have access to Amazon Prime video. Sometimes I have Netflix (when I get a giftcard) and we also have access to DD's YouTube tv account (so far the best of the streaming services, for live tv). I also have access to my mom's Xfinity account, but as far as I can figure out, can only watch it on my ipad, with the app, not on our tv and it's pretty limited what is available to watch. I just use it to watch Outlander. I think once we get into the house I will try to teach DH how to access what he likes to watch on Youtube tv and see how it goes, before getting Dish back. But, if I do get Dish back, I'm going to go with one of their smaller plans. Or if he figures out how to do YouTube tv I might get our own subscription at $40/mo. The one with DD only allows her to use up to 3 devices, so with them, us and whoever else they are sharing it with (probably his parents) I don't want to be using it a bunch and block them out because we're all trying to use it, since it's her account.

Reading: I do not purchase books. For as much as I read, it would be so costly! I borrow e-books from the library and read on my ipad mini. I do sometimes get books as gifts, which I love. Also, with the new home I want a small "library" area, so I do want to start getting books! But, I surely don't want to be forking out a bunch of money. I want to get copies of the books I have loved reading, the most. I will definitely be searching for used copies and asking for books as gifts. When I was in bookclub there was a group email where one of the ladies told about an online used book site, where the books were super cheap, but now I can't remember the site. I'm going to have to go back through my old emails and find it. Before we moved (2 years ago) I knew I'd be wanting to start building a library and I bought some books at Goodwill. They were several from the "alphabet series" by Sue Grafton and a few of the "Scarpetta" series by Patricia Cornwell that I had found for $4 each in hardback.

Movies: we don't go to theaters. Too expensive and the extra loudness bother's DH. We do have quite a few dvd's, though. For many years they were always one of my stocking stuffer gifts (I think this year was the first I didn't buy any) but that is the only time I actually buy movies. Usually I'll buy DH a couple for his stocking, some classic movie he likes (like American Graffiti or Bad News Bears). We just watch whatever is free to stream, for the most part. Once in a blue moon we would rent one from Dish. We plan to make our bonus room above the garage a movie watching room. Even though it will usually be just the two of us, we plan to have Saturday night movie nights. We are also going to watch for a used pool table on craigslist. Looks like you can pick them up pretty cheap used. I also have a nice dart board I received as a work promo gift. We also plan to have a table (will just use our old dining table, after DH builds me my farmhouse dining table) for games and puzzles - we will definitely enjoy doing some puzzles.

For outside entertainment - well, we have so many areas we can visit with a drive up a forest/logging road and end up at a beautiful view or a small lake, or a ghost town, etc. Just the price of some gas. Not to mention we will surely be enjoying our patio and river view during the summers! And when we decide to go out and explore, we always pack a lunch, so we aren't tempted to stop in town (or a nearby town) and eat out.

Overall, we are just homebodies. I have one friend, I went to high school with, who is married to a retired rich guy. She is literally somewhere - either on vacation or out to dinner or a party, almost every single day! I can't even imagine it. I know so many people who sure don't seem to like to stay home very much. I'm sure that gets expensive, and if you aren't at home you are usually eating out somewhere, even if it's fast food and that adds up.

Our friends we used to to live across the street from (and went to dinner with recently and went to their house Christmas day evening) invited us to go on their Hawaii trip next month with them. They go every year or two. We would probably have a bunch of fun with them, but this isn't our year to do something like that - either time wise or financial wise. But, I think we might do that with them one of these years!