Here’s the deal. We only have $20 to spend on recreation activities and 23 fun ways to do it. For starters check out our creative ways to spend

$5 or less:

Bring the outdoors in. Treat yourself to a bunch of flowers or “buy potted herbs for your kitchen, like basil, chives or parsley,” says Susan Troche of Marlton, New Jersey.

Give your hair a little luxury. Summer’s heat and humidity can leave hair frazzled and you looking, well…less than glamorous. Our beauty editor, Melissa Matthews, tames her curls with hydrating TRESemmé Smooth No Frizz Shine Spray ($4.99; CVS.com).

Go back to school. Want to learn architectural design, computer science or Spanish? Massachusetts Institute of Technology OpenCourseWare offers free lecture notes, exams and videos for 1,900 courses in undergraduate and graduate subjects. Go to ocw.mit.edu for more information.

$10 or Less

Host pizza night. Try making your own pizza by making your own dough from scratch, buy marinara sauce and a bag of shredded cheese and throw on any leftover veggies or meat you have in the fridge

Get your house cleaned. Tired of doing all the work yourself? Do what our Tip Talk columnist, Arianne Cohen, does: Put the money toward a professional cleaner. She squirrels away $7 every week, and in two months (for around $56, less in some places) she can hire a pro to scrub her house from top to bottom.

$20 or Less

7. Take in a game. Nothing says summer like baseball! For an all- American date night, grab your husband, pack some sandwiches and go see a minor league game. To find a team near you, visit MinorLeagueBaseball.com

18. Buy a gift card. Shopping just got a little cheaper now that there’s PlasticJungle.com. They’ve got discounted gift cards to your favorite retailers for up to 40% off. There are no shipping or commission fees, and you can even bargain with sellers to pay a lesser amount. At press time, we found a $10 Gap gift card for $9 and a $20 Borders gift card for $17.75.

Fun Ways to Spend $20

For more on ways to spend Under $20, come visit us at Woman’s Day.

Inexpensive and Free-of-Charge ideas for spending quality time with the family.

Frugal doesn’t have to mean a drag! Come see our frugal family tips on getting the most for your dollars on recreation and outings for your family. If we were to believe the commercials on TV, we would believe that kids can’t be satisfied unless they have the latest gadget in technology. The truth is that kids love spending time with you and having your undivided attention. Guess what? This is free! Time spent as a family can be a treat for all involved and it doesn’t have to put a dent in your wallet. It may however involve some imagination.

• Search Online for Deals–From mommy blogs to local tourism offices, listings of great values—including free activities—are out there for you to discover.

• Eat for Less–You don’t have to avoid restaurants to save money—just know when and where to go.

• Go Early–Another way to hit up a trendy restaurant is to make it a daytime affair. If you’re hankering to try a new hot spot but hesitant to drop a lot of cash, trade in a Saturday night for a Sunday afternoon and enjoy a brunch instead.

• Save on Cinema–Costco offers members Super Saver movie tickets for theater chains such as AMC, Cinemark and Regal Entertainment.

Come join us for more ideas on frugal family fun.

Frugal Family Tips

Check out our great Valentine’s Day gifts under $20. Make this Valentine’s Day one to remember with the help of our creative ideas. Express love and appreciation this Valentine’s Day with the help of our creative ideas. The most important feature of Valentine’s Day is not price but thoughtfulness and creativity. Be sure to check out our compiled list of great Valentine’s Day gift ideas and romantic inspiration to ensure a fun and fabulous Valentine’s Day for you and your sweetheart.

For Her:

• Valentine’s Day Cookie Set
• Put Another Log on the Fire
• Women’s Printed Poplin Lounge Shorts
• Printed Yoga Mats

For Him:

• The Lover’s Book of Questions
• Massage Candle
• Men’s Patterned Ties
• Sweetheart Boxers

For Kids:

• Valentine’s Day Bath Towel
• Chocolate Dinosaur Egg
• Sweet Affections Personalized Candy Heart Puzzle
• Vintage Valentines

For Chocolate Lovers:

• Chocolate-Covered Oreos with Pink Blossom Design
• Hershey’s Personalized Milk Chocolate Cupid Card
• Max Brenner’s Chocolate Fondue Tower for Two

Come see more on great gift giving ideas under $20 to make this Valentine’s Day one to remember.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Consider making this Valentine’s Day one to remember with these great gift ideas under $20. Always stuck on Valentine’s Day gift ideas? We make things easy by creating this list of great Valentine’s Day gifts for all your loved ones in your life. Ranging from romantic ideas for couples to game and puzzle ideas for kids, these gift ideas will show how your big your heart is!

For Her:

• For your domestic sweetheart, this all-in-one Valentine’s Day cookie-making set makes a great gift. Found at target.com for $19.99
• If she’s always complaining about the gym mats being full of germs, then gift her with this cute printed mat in pink, blue or green. Found at oldnavy.com for $14.50

For more Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas, visit us at Woman’s Day.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas