I've decided to upload some posts to the blog early.  This should keep you all busy for awhile!  I am going to busy packing and then off to the Maritimes early next week.  I'll keep you posted on what's happening as I go.  Maybe even upload some pictures.  We'll see if I have access to people's computers that can do that.  So...without further ado...here is tomorrow's Frugal Friday post!

You don't have to spend a lot of money to entertain friends. One night we visited some friends to pick some Nanking cherries off their bushes. The hostess came to help us, and, when we were done and sitting down resting before heading home, her husband wandered out with some homemade Nanking cherry wine and brownies. He lit a fire in the fire pit and we laughed, told stories and generally got caught up on each other's lives for a couple of hours.

So simple, so fun, and not at all expensive...unless you count what it costs to make homemade Nanking cherry wine! And even that is cheap, as he uses the same equipment to make wine every year. Right now he has 40 bottles of wine ready to drink. Paul and I are thinking of making a deal. It's year old wine and tastes real nice.

We talked about simple living, organized living, and healthy eating. Our friends are talking about grinding their own grain for baking. We've always wanted to do that too. We're talking about going together on it. Need to price out grain mills first. And our friends invited us back for more cherries when the rest of them ripen.

Being friendly doesn't cost money. What goes around, comes around. Paul and I are thinking we might invite them over for a potluck BBQ soon. I'm sure we have something they could use...and I definitely wouldn't mind bouncing around a few more ideas.

When I think of entertaining, I think of friends and family, fun, eating, and going places. To me the highest priority is on the people. I want to visit and have fun with them. I can do this a multitude of places that don't cost a lot of money. I can:

• Invite them over for a game night

• Go to the park and toss a frisbee, or kick a ball, or bat a badminton birdie around

• Hold a BBQ

• Hold a potluck dinner and a ceilidh - the Celtic version of an old-fashioned variety show, with singing, dancing and lots of jokes and stories.

• Hold a progressive dinner, where we go from house to house for different courses of a meal

• Go skating at the free rinks in winter, and host an after skating party

• Go swimming at the free pools in summer, or just lounge in the public hot tub, and host a BBQ later.

• Trade in Air Miles for free passes to the spa or a movie.

• Go for a walk in a nature area with them, and take a picnic if you want.

• Go on a picnic. Check the library for books on fun, creative and innovative picnic ideas. I once served a hot picnic meal on a cold January day in the Rocky Mountains west of Calgary after a day of tobogganing and playing in the snow! Anything is possible. You just have to know how to go about it.

• Visit a museum on a free day or at a free time.

• Visit an historic site on it's free day, or during free hours. Parks Canada's website has a listing of all the historic sites across Canada.

• Check out art galleries with an arty friend. I used to go on my own art walks once a month. I'd check out all the commercial galleries, the public art galleries, and the government and corporate galleries I could get in to see. I had a blast with my arty friend discussing the art and getting inspired to work on my own art.

• Invite friends in for a movie night. Make a huge batch of popcorn (cheap eats), buy the soda or make a cheaper, healthier punch, and enjoy the show! Watch theirs, yours, the library's, wherever you can get them for free or cheap.

• Check out free concerts in my area. I live in a musical community. Every Sunday during the summer there are musicians playing in the park. There are free or next to free concerts every fall, winter and spring.

• Check out the local university or college music department to see when they have student performances.

• Check out the local Conservatory of Music for recitals.

• Check for “rush” tickets to symphony, opera, etc., or trade in Air Miles for these tickets.

• Check the local Christian bookstore for affordable entertainment offered in a church near you.

• Go on a bike hike.

• Go to the beach with a picnic and equipment to play games.

• Window shop with a friend...but no buying!!! If you're tempted to buy, window shop the thrift stores only.

• Create a dinner club, where each couple takes turns serving the others dinner on different weeks.

• Get together to make or do something! Be sure to encourage everyone to bring something to eat, so you aren't shouldering the entire cost. Paul's family used to get together for a family reunion once a year. They'd have banana split eating contests to see who could come up with the most creative banana split, who could eat their banana split the fastest, who had the best looking banana split, and, in the end, whose banana split was the most edible!

• Invite a friend in for tea. Serve something healthy, like fruit and yogurt. Your guest will probably appreciate the kind thought. Or serve a frugal homemade goodie.

• Meet at a café for tea, but only drink plain tea while visiting with your friend. Skip the decadent desserts and doctored coffee. It all adds up after awhile, and not only in your budget – also on your waistline!

• If you live in the country, you can berry pick together.

• You can also go on a hayride in winter and serve up hot chocolate and marshmallows by a bonfire afterwards.

• You can just enjoy picnicing in the back pasture (okay, so most farmer's view this as going to work – but still – if you have children, this could be fun), or host the extended family reunion on your acreage. Potluck, of course! (I love potlucks! Have you figured that out yet? They are the best source of recipes!)

At any rate, you get the idea. There really is no limit to what you can do! Entertaining does not have to be expensive.