Activities to Do with Friends at Home - Fun Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

It seems that a huge shift has happened in the way we like to have fun and spend time with our friends and family. Only a few years ago, people were flocking to bars, clubs, restaurants, and other similar places to socialize and hang out with their friends. Nowadays, more and more people choose to stay inside and participate in fun indoor activities instead.

There are several reasons for that. First, staying locked in during the pandemic has certainly changed our habits, and many people now prefer to stay at home instead of going out. Then, the prices of everything soared, and now every social gathering seems like a financial investment that could be redirected somewhere else, where there would be more necessary.

Finally, people have discovered that there are many ways to have fun without leaving your home. So, if you want to spend some quality time with your friends, there are many ways you can do it without going out.

Best Ideas to Try with Your Friend Group

These activities are great when you want to gather all your friends in your home. Many of them probably share similar interests as you, while others could be interested in more niche activities. In either case, there are many fun things you could do together. Of course, if you live in the same household as your family, all these activities are family-friendly, so you can include your family members as well!

1. Play Board Games

The first indoor activity you should definitely try is a game night with board games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, Catan, Pandemic, Risk, and many more. These games are usually inexpensive to purchase, and they will be just as fun for many years to come.

If you are on a tight budget, but there are many fun games you would like to try, why don't you game swap? You see, everyone has at least one board game in their home. So, when you get bored of your board games, you can offer to exchange them for the board games that your friends have. You can also have your friends bring their favorite games and show you how to play them.

And, if you want to make things even more fun, you can change the rules and come up with your own. Some people even come up with their own board games, so why don't you try doing that with your friends?

2. Try Card Games

When most people think of card games, they often associate them with casinos and gambling, but card games offer so much more than that. People have played card games for centuries, so why don't you try one of these games? There are so many card games you can try: poker, Uno, blackjack, rummy, and many more.

You can make the game more interesting by introducing some new rules. For example, those who lose will need to do something for the winners, for example, perform a silly dance or celebrity impersonation. It's all up to you and your friends to decide how you will make the game more exciting.

3. Gaming Nights

Are you and your friends gamers? Regardless of if you like to play games on your PC or on consoles, this is also a great way to spend an evening with your friends. Together, you can try some new games, or you can choose to level up your characters in the games you have already been playing.

4. Start a Book Club

Would you like to start reading more books and share them with your friends? Why don't you start a book club? You don't even have to buy many books - simply visit the local library and borrow the books you want to read. Then, your friends could come over to your place, where you will share your opinions about the books you have read.

This will allow you not only to share a hobby with your friends but also help you look at the books you read from different perspectives. You see, every person will have a unique interpretation of the things they read, and by talking about books, you can gain many new insights.

5. Establish a Trivia Night

If you and your friends like activities that stimulate your brains, why don't you organize trivia nights? You can make them more general, or you can make them about a specific topic. For example, you can have a Harry Potter-themed trivia night or make it all about the NFL, Taylor Swift's music, or any other shared interest of you and your friends.

Decide how to reward the winners and "punish" the losers. Give bonus points for creativity or fun answers. Above all, remember to have fun because that's all that matters.

6. Make a Group Dinner

This is a fun way to enjoy some delicious food with your friends without breaking the bank. There are many ways you can organize this. For example, you can find a new recipe for some popular meal and then have your friends come over and try it. Who knows, maybe you will discover a new favorite meal?

Then, you can also get more competitive and have a friendly bake-off. You can also make these gatherings themed - for example, have a fondue night, or have your friends help you make a homemade ice cream. Cooking together can make you even closer, and it will for sure create many new memories!

7. Do a Karaoke Night

Another fun way to spend time with your friends is by singing your favorite tunes together. Karaoke nights have been popular for many decades now, and you don't even have to leave your house to participate. There are some cheap karaoke machines and sets you can find second-hand or even on Amazon.

Of course, if you don't want to spend money on that, you can simply find karaoke song versions on YouTube and use your hairbrush as a mic! After all, it's not about the equipment - it's about having fun with your friends and enjoying the music.

8. Practice TikTok Dances

Speaking of music, you can invite your friends to hone your dancing skills together. TikTok is full of dances that are easy to learn, even if you have absolutely no talent for dancing. Now you wonder, am I too old for that? No, you aren't! Even if you are older than TikTok's biggest demographic group - GenZ, you can still have fun and learn new things.

9. Start a Joint Podcast

Do you and your friends have many opinions that you want to share with the world? Well, why don't you start a podcast in which you and your friends discuss some interesting topics or make jokes? Who knows, maybe it will become popular. Many successful podcasts have started that way - with friends who simply wanted to yap and have fun.

10. Pamper Yourself with a Spa Night

You and your best friend (or friends) could go to a spa and spend hundreds of dollars on expensive treatments. Or, you could go the DIY route and have a spa night at home. Gather some face masks, bath bombs, candles, towels, bathrobes, hair oils, nail polishes, and other essentials that you use in your skin and body care. Turn on your favorite playlist, make some tea, and you will have the best spa experience of your life!

11. Jewelry Making

If you and your friends are creative and have a few hours to spare - why don't you make some cool jewelry? Gather some beads, seashells, sequins, cool stones, some thread and wire, and explore your creative ideas. Make necklaces, bracelets, rings, pendants, anything you like. Then, you can exchange these pieces and wear them for fun.

12. Arts and Crafts

Another creative idea is to have an arts and crafts night, during which you can make clay figurines, paint portraits of each other, make unique home décor, or do anything else that requires creativity. You can make this gathering more organized with a vision board, or you can let your friends come up with their own masterpieces and ideas.

13. Do a Movie Marathon

Are movie tickets becoming too expensive? Bring the movie theater home! Find a good movie or a TV show on your favorite streaming service, buy some snacks and soda, dim the lights, and you and your friends will feel as if you are in a movie theater. You can even make your own popcorn - it will be ridiculously cheap and much tastier than the popcorn from movie theaters.

14. Have Coffee Dates at Home

Coffee from the coffee shop can be expensive, especially if you like it with many extra ingredients, such as syrup, whipped cream, etc. Invest in an inexpensive coffee maker, and buy all these ingredients that go into your favorite coffee.

It will be a bit costly at first, but it will pay off in the first 2 months. Then, instead of drinking overpriced coffee from a coffee shop, invite your friends over and make them coffee. Apart from saving money in the long run, this is also a great way to experiment with certain flavors and flavor combinations.

15. Make a Time Capsule

Isn't this what children do in school? Yes, it is, but it can also be a fun activity for you and your friends while helping you create memories from the future. Find some old suitcase, box, or even a tin can, and place some small mementos of your current lives. Then, bury it in your backyard. Or, if you don't have a backyard, you can simply store this "capsule" somewhere hidden from sight, in the corner of your closet, or something like that.

After 10 years (or another chosen time period), you and your friends can gather again and open it. It will be a fun, emotional, and touching activity. Be prepared that doing this could evoke strong emotions one day.

16. Watch Sports Game Together

Are you and your friends sports fans? Why don't you host a sports night at your home for the next big sports event - for example, a basketball or a baseball game? Buy some beers and snacks, invite your friends, and cheer for your favorite team! The game will be even more exciting if you and your friends cheer for the opposite teams.

17. Do a Clothes Swap

Have your clothes bored you to death, while your friend always has the best outfits? Well, your friend probably thinks the same about you and your outfits. So, why don't you prepare the clothes you no longer want to wear and get your friend to do the same? Then, you can try all these clothes together and agree on which clothes you want to swap.

18. Throw a Murder Mystery Party

Have you ever played a murder mystery game? Even if you haven't, you probably know the basic premise - you get the description of the crime scene, victim, potential suspects, and some clues, and your job is to find the murderer. Sounds fun? Imagine how fun it would be if you and your friends had a murder mystery party. You could even assume the roles of certain suspects, making the whole experience even more immersive.

19. Have a Cocktail Competition

Do you like cocktails? If you and your friends like to drink cocktails, you can learn how to make them at home. Then, you could gather at your place, where everyone will make a cocktail of their choice and serve it to the rest of the group. This could be fun, even if some of you don't drink alcohol - you can make virgin (non-alcoholic) versions instead.

20. Do Nothing

Yes, you've read that right. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to do nothing. We all live hectic and stressful lives, and taking some time to lie down and do nothing can be therapeutic. Invite your friends over to do nothing with you. You can simply hang out together, talk, and unwind from a stressful day.

21. Other Ideas

Apart from these 20 ideas we listed, you can do so much more with your friends. For example, if you have pets, you can invite your friends to play with them and maybe even bring their own pets. It's like a DIY petting Zoo! Or, you could do something more wild - for example, make a hot sauce competition to see who can handle hot food. These are only some random ideas - we are sure you can come up with many more!

Cheap Outdoor Activities

Staying inside all the time can become boring, no matter what great ideas you get. So, here are some budget-friendly ideas you can try with your friends:

1. Scavenger Hunt

Choose a trinket that would be fun for your friends to look for. Then, hide it somewhere in your backyard or in a local park. Also, place some clues for your friends that will lead them on this scavenger hunt. Make sure not to disrupt nature or other park visitors with this activity.

2. Visiting Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are a great place to find some vintage clothes and other useful things for a fraction of their original price. You and your friends could have fun thrifting together and even get some good finds.

3. Visit a Museum

Many museums are free to visit, or their entrance fees are extremely cheap. You and your friends could find such museums, visit them, and see and learn some cool things!

4. Visit Record Stores

Despite the rising popularity of streaming services and digital media, many people still like to buy records, which is what keeps these stores afloat. If you have one such record store in your vicinity, you can visit it with your friends. Who knows, you might discover your new favorite artist.

5. Local Fairs

Local fairs are a great way to buy some local fresh products, trinkets, and other homemade goods, and maybe even enjoy some rides. It is also a fun way to spend a few hours with your friends.

6. Go for a Bike Ride

Make your inner child happy and invite your friends for a bike ride. It will bring back some childhood memories, while also helping you stay fit.

Conclusion

To nurture your friendships and truly enjoy your time together, you don’t always need to go out or plan something extravagant. Sometimes, the best moments are created in the comfort of your own space. Inviting your friends over allows you to connect on a deeper level, free from the distractions of a busy environment. Focus on creating an atmosphere where everyone feels relaxed and appreciated, and let the time spent together strengthen your bond. It’s not about what you do, but the shared laughter, conversations, and memories that truly matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make a Movie Night More Exciting?

Involve your friends in choosing the movies you will watch. Make themed nights, such as the horror night or romantic comedy night. Order food or make some cool homemade snacks to nibble when watching the movie.

How to Organize a Themed Night at Home?

If you and your friends have a shared interest, make it a theme of the night. For example, if you and your friends are Game of Thrones fans, you can spend the night rewatching the show, reading the books, discussing the characters.

Easy Activities to Do with Friends When We're Bored?

You can always find a restaurant you never tried and order food from there. It is an effortless activity that will keep you both fed and entertained. You can try each others food, rate the dishes, etc.