Weekend

The weekends can be a drain on the wallet. It's so easy to let money flow through your fingers when you're enjoying yourself on the weekends. After all, spending time with friends and relaxing is worth any price, right?

Well, you don't always have to spend a boatload to have fun on Saturday and Sunday. There are plenty of great activities that are easy on your bank account. Here's one you probably haven't thought of: dog or cat shows. Picture the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, just localized. There are plenty of local dog or cat shows in different regions, and you can do research to see if there's one being held near you. Entry fees are generally low, and if you're a pet lover, then it's fun to see all the different breeds. You can even buy a toy or two at the show to bring home as a souvenir for Fido.

Congratulations! You've made it through yet another tough workweek. Sometimes, when the daily grind is too grueling, it's hard to take your mind off work and transition to weekend mode. Here are some tips to help you kick back and relax.

• Manage your schedule. Do your best to juggle your schedule so you're not doing work on the weekends. It's really hard to stop thinking of work when you're actually doing work on the weekends. If you have too many tasks to do, then experiment with working a little later on the weekdays, or talk to your boss about your workload.
• Detox from tech. Time for a digital detox! This is the perfect way to take your mind off your job. Enjoy the simple pleasures of life without being tethered to an electronic device. If you're reluctant to disconnect from technology, then try this instead: hide your work phone and don't check your work emails.
• Meditate. Ohmm . . . Clear your mind and detach from the weary working world. Meditation is a great way to separate yourself from life's stresses, which includes your thoughts about the daily 9 to 5 as well! FitSugar has some great meditation tips, which include focusing on your breathing and setting an alarm to let you know when you're done.

What do you do on the weekends to take your mind off work?

Let's get down to business this weekend and get things done. It may feel like a chore to complete these tasks, but you'll feel so much better after you're done with them!

• Organize Your Receipts: Dump all the receipts out from your bag, wallet, and pocket, and put them in a designated box or folder. You can also test out Shoeboxed, which is a free online service that can automatically track and organize your online and offline purchases. All you need to do is snap pictures of receipts on your cell and email them to Shoebox or mail in paper receipts to the company, and they will organize the information for you.
• Plan Your Work Lunches: If you're resolving to bring your lunch to work every day, you need to craft your meal plan on the weekend so you won't be rummaging around your fridge for scraps during the early mornings.
• De-clutter Your Home: Spend the weekend de-cluttering your home and getting rid of the excess things that you don't need. First figure out what areas you need to tackle and take a look at a list of my suggestions.

This weekend, visit the farmers market with a friend, and enjoy the variety of foods around you. Make it a fun trip by trying something you've never eaten before or buying items to bring home and make a dish with. Chat with your friendly farmers, and you might learn an interesting tidbit about the food or a good recipe to try.

When you're doing a little bit of dusting and cleaning up this weekend, remember to do a thorough job. Places people often clean include surfaces and things that are visible, but we often forget about the hidden nooks and crannies in our home. Here are some spots you may want to tackle today:

• Under your cushions. While you're vacuuming your floor, suck some of the grime out from beneath your sofa cushions.
• Behind and underneath big pieces of furniture. Move heavy furniture and vacuum the dust collecting behind or underneath your bed, sofa, or other bulky pieces in your home.
• Under your fridge. People often forget to clean under the fridge, so this weekend, try to roll your fridge from its usual spot and clean the floor beneath it.
• Behind your toilet. When you're cleaning your toilet, remember to reach for the back and clean away!
• Your remote control. Just grab a disinfectant wipe and quickly swipe your germy remote.
• Telephone buttons. We use phones all the time but rarely think about cleaning them. Use a disinfectant wipe and quickly wipe down your phone buttons.
• Window tracks. We often clean the windows but forget about the window tracks. Use an old toothbrush and a cleaning solution of your choice (maybe vinegar?) and scrub away.
• Toothbrush holder. One important piece of hygiene equipment that we neglect is our toothbrush holder. It's definitely a health hazard to neglect it because the bacteria can spread to your brush. Fill your holder up with water and drop an Alka-Seltzer in it to clean.

Are there any spots I've missed?

While you might not be able to take trip this weekend, you can still get away — sort of. Plan a night in centered around travel, and you'll feel like you're in vacation land from the comfort of your very own home without spending too much.

• Ambience: Set the tone by sending out airplane- or globe-themed email invites; and to make guests feel comfortable, tell them to dress in anything they would normally wear on a long plane ride. Decor doesn't have to be extravagant — hanging a world map or setting out a globe will add a nice festive touch.
• Swap travel books: Travel guides and books can be expensive, so why not borrow from friends who have already been to places on your checklist? Ask everyone who has one that they've used to bring it so you can all trade. Ask guests to share the highlights of their trips as a bonus.
• Tell stories: One of the best parts about travel is getting to share the exciting stories you've experienced. Chances are anyone who's ever been on a trip has one — good, bad, or ugly — that they can tell. Make things fun by gathering round the globe for this story-time portion of the night.
• Make it an international potluck: For some mealtime fun, ask friends to bring a dish or make a drink from their favorite place. This way, you can all learn about different cultures while enjoying some delicious treats.
• Plan a group trip: If you're with a close group of friends, then take advantage of your time to plan a trip together! Start figuring out a place you can all agree on so that, even if you don't figure out all the details right then and there, you'll have a starting point for you to build plans on over time.

With so many potential projects filling up your Pinterest DIY boards, hosting an art party is both budget-friendly and productive. With a few simple steps, you can turn your living room into an artist's studio and knock some of those must-try projects off your (ever-growing) to-do list.

Protect your space: Be sure that you stash anything you wouldn't want to get messy — vases, coffee-table books, place mats, etc. You'll want to cover your work surfaces with newspaper, recycled paper bags, or sheets of plastic that you can purchase at the hardware store.

Have guests pick a project and bring their supplies: If your guests select their own projects, then you can rest assured that everyone will be devoted to working on something they're truly interested in. Art supplies can really add up, so be sure to ask your friends to bring what they need to complete their projects. You can provide the basics like paintbrushes, pencils, glue, and paper, but everyone should be sure to pack a tote stocked with their project-specific materials.

Create the perfect playlist: After you send out your invitations, collect song requests or create a collaborative playlist on Spotify so everyone can contribute their most inspiring tunes. Having the music flowing will fill the gaps of concentrated silence while your guests are focusing on creating their masterpieces.

Admire your finished work: Be sure to celebrate your hard work with a gallery showing at the end of the night. Since you won't want to eat while you work (mixing paint and dip is not ideal), this would be the perfect time to bring out some appetizers. You could even incorporate some wine-tasting into the evening.

Share the love: Don't be afraid to trade projects with your guests. Sometimes artwork doesn't turn out exactly as expected, and you might have more fun swapping your creation than keeping it! Besides, what's cooler than having your friend's original artwork adorning your wall space?  

The weekend is a time for fun, but that doesn't mean that your wallet has to go along for the ride. Give your bucks a rest, and consider doing activities that won't cost you any money. After all, the best things in life are for free, right? Have a fun and frugal weekend with these suggestions:

• Play a sport: Even if you're not athletic, playing a friendly game of basketball or tag football can be a great way to spend your Saturday afternoon. You'll be spending quality time with your favorite pals and keeping your body in tip-top shape at the same time — a win-win situation!
• Start a DIY project: Try to recycle things you usually throw away and create something out of them. To start with, here's what you can do with old coffee grounds, newspaper, and used books.
• Try nail art: Use the time this weekend to paint a creative manicure and pedicure. Invite some friends over to do nails together and ask them to bring more colors if you want some variety. For inspiration, check out all these cool nail ideas on our Pinterest page.
• Write out your bucket list: Take the time this weekend to write out your bucket list. List places you want to go, goals you want to achieve, and tasks you want to pursue.
• Join meetups: Want to make friends with people who share your own interest? Join Meetup.com, a social networking site that helps people meet up in real life. You can choose anything from networking with professionals in your field to meeting up with fellow doggy owners.

Read on for more free weekend activities.

If you've always wanted to entertain in your home but felt it was too small, don't fret. Here are some ways to make a decent-sized group fit into your humble abode comfortably.

• Pillows are the solution. No dining table? Not enough seating for your guests? No problem. Take a couple of pillows and place them around your coffee table.
• Move furniture around. If possible, move some of your furniture around so there is more space for guests to walk around in your living room. Any unnecessary pieces can be kept in the bedroom. Move your living room furniture closer to the wall as well so people will have more room to move around in.
• Preparty or afterparty. If your apartment can't hold dinner for a big party, why not throw a predinner party at your place instead with cocktails and finger food, then head to a restaurant after? Or you can even do the opposite — have dinner at a restaurant before heading over to your home to enjoy cocktails and desserts to end the night with.
• Find space for coats. If your guests need to hang their coats, don't let them build in a pile on the couch and take up valuable space. Instead, hang them in your closet (move your items out of the way), on the shower rod in your bathroom, or over the backs of chairs.
• Borrow from others. Ask to borrow certain items from friends or neighbors such as pillows or chairs for guests to sit on.

One of the best ways to bring a group together is with a healthy dose of competitiveness. Luckily, hosting a game night doesn't require too much time, effort, or money on your end. Follow these tips to, err, score at your next party. Let the games begin!

• Keep track of the number of guests. Sure, you should do this with any party, but it's especially important in this case because the number of guests might determine how game night will run. If it's a small group, you can probably all play the same game at once. If it's too large, several games might have to be going on at the same time.
• Ask friends to bring games. Not everyone likes board games like Monopoly or time-sensitive ones like Scattergories. To ensure enough options for everyone, ask friends to bring their favorites. Make sure that as a host, you're prepared with essentials, like playing cards and pencils, and that all your games are in their complete sets.
• Set ground rules. Game night can bring out some pretty competitive spirits, so before things heat up, make sure everyone's on the same page. That can include deciding upon tricky, often-disputed rules in advance and designating someone to explain instructions.
• Be flexible with space. A large dining table is a safe bet for many games (just make sure to clear it first), but the floor isn't a bad option if you're playing something like charades. Be open to figuring out what works best.
• Provide snacks and drinks. Game night wouldn't be complete without munchies or drinks, but because of the nature of the gathering, you don't have to go all out. Lighter plates, like chips and dip or cheese and crackers, are safe bets. Offer enough wine or beer — it might go quicker than usual if you incorporate drinking into the games.