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6 Ways to Save on Entertainment

Here's how to have fun on the cheap

  • Take a brewery tour. With the growth of craft beers, many cities now have breweries that offer low-cost tours.
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    1. Take a brewery tour

    En español | Pepper Schwartz, AARP Relationships Expert: With the growth of craft beers, many cities now have breweries that offer free or low-cost tours. Similar tours may be offered by other manufacturers, such as a whiskey distillery, a chocolate maker or a potato chip manufacturer. Frequently, free samples are given out at the tour's end.

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  • Pamper yourselves at a luxury hotel.
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    2. Spend a day at a luxury hotel

    More luxury and resort hotels offer "intra-day stays," which allow guests the use of a room and all the hotel's amenities—pool, restaurant, spa, sports center or private beach—for eight or so hours. Discounts can be as much as 70 percent off the price of an overnight stay. Find hotels at hotelsbyday.com and between9and5.com.

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  • You don¹t need a pricey five-star restaurant to add spice to a relationship.
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    3. Create a "cuisine club" with friends

    The group selects a type of food for the evening's dinner—say, Greek, Thai or Louisiana Creole—and then each person contributes a dish. It's less hassle for the host, and it's cheaper than if the group went out to a restaurant.

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  • Go back to the future. Board games were fun when we were young --and they still are.
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    4. Go back to the future

    Board games were fun when we were young—and they still are. Many of the classics, such as Twister, Scrabble and the Game of Life, have been updated.

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  • Guess who¹s coming to dinner?
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    5. Host a dinner for friends and invite a local expert

    You might ask a professor at a nearby college to speak in exchange for a meal and a small honorarium raised through contributions from the other guests.

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  • Discover the artist within. Buy inexpensive watercolors, paper and brushes and have your guests paint a still life or an outdoor scene.
    Photo by Sam Kaplan

    6. Throw an artist party

    Buy inexpensive watercolors, paper and brushes and have your guests paint a still life. Compare results, laugh and enjoy!

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  • 99 Great Ways To Save. Tips from 23 Experts that can save you thousands of dollars.

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    Discover great deals and savings on shopping, dining and entertainment as an AARP member

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