Memorial Day is an extra special day meant to for giving thanks to all those who have served to protect our freedoms and liberties. However, the holiday is often turned into an opportune time to spend money on celebrations and vacations. There is a way to celebrate this amazing holiday without actually having to spend a lot of money though. In fact, if you can avoid the sales and keep things simple there’s a good amount of fun you can have while still recognizing those that make your life as comfortable and free as it is. With these tips you’ll be able to break away from the commercial sale season that Memorial Day brings so you can teach your family the meaning of the holiday while still giving the holiday a sense of fun.

1. Potluck Barbeque
Barbeques are a great way to get people together to celebrate and spend time with one another. Try to invite close friends and family a few weeks early so you’ll know exactly how much food to purchase. You should also pay close attention and invite friends and family that you know have serves as a way of honoring them. On the invitation you can ask people to sign up to bring certain foods so you won’t have to feel as burdened by the grocery bill for the party. You may want to exempt veteran friends to honor their service though. Potlucks are great in the sense that you will get an assortment of foods from different cultural and family recipes, which can lead to some amazing stories. You could also ask your veterans to share their stories of time served in order to make the party more about their service.

2. Visit Vet Hospital/Home
One of the best ways to honor those that have served is to pay them a visit on their special day. There should be a wide selection of care homes, hospitals or other Veterans clubs that you can take the family for a visit. If you’re having trouble finding a location then try contacting your community center for a list of locations. You may also be able to choose an elderly vet who can’t easily leave the home to spend the day with. This can be one of the most meaningful ways to celebrate the holiday. Make sure you talk to the veteran about their stories and enjoy learning a piece of history from someone who actually experienced it. Visiting a vet won’t actually cost you anything though and you’ll gain a whole lot from the volunteer experience.

3. Go to Beach/Lake
For most, Memorial Day is a kickstart to summer. With the hot weather blazing down on you and your family there may be only one solution to your problem. That is, heading to the nearest body of water to celebrate the holiday. Beaches and lakes are usually the best option because they tend to be free of charge, apart from small expenditures like parking fees. If you live near a body of water then pack up some supplies for the day and enjoy spending time with those you care about. Make sure you pack plenty of snacks and water so you won’t have to spend money on food or drinks while you’re away. Usually sandwiches and fruits are a must have on hot days and will help keep the family full without feeling overburdened by the food. Of course, if you’re spending time at the lake you can always enjoy some fishing to catch dinner. Make sure you don’t need a license before you go though as a ticket could be an unwanted expenditure. You should also make sure to bring flotation devices and other fun water toys to keep the family occupied throughout the day.

4. Festivals/Carnivals
One of the best things about Memorial Day is there is plenty of carnivals and festivals popping up around the country. With the warm weather out there’s a lot more people who want to check out the rides and enjoy the amazing carnival games. A lot of these carnivals and festivals will have a discount on Memorial Day tickets, especially if you buy them in advance. Carnivals tend to be really great for families with kids as they offer a wide assortment of shows, games, rides and sometimes even a firework show to make the holiday even more memorable. Festivals are also great as there is plenty of music to keep families with older children occupied as well. Usually you only have to spend enough for the cover fee, but if you plan on playing games it might be best to check out some of the package deals before going. Make sure to pack water for everyone so you don’t have to spend as much money on the beverages or food. You might also wait to see which carnival or festival is going to hold a special Memorial Day tribute before you choose what location to spend you holiday at.

5. Check Out Monuments
Although it might not be an easy task for some people, finding a monument could be an excellent way to honor those who have served on Memorial Day. There are lots of monuments all over the nations, so look for something in your area to help you save money. Usually monuments are free to see, but you may have to pay a cover fee if you choose to check out the museum that is usually attached to the monument. Seeing a monument can be a great way to show the true meaning of the holiday to your family and you will be able to teach them something valuable that they can share with others. If you live near more than one monument then you might want to plan a tour. You might even want to look up information on the area so you can teach the family about the battles, major movements or any other important historical event that may have happened in your area.

6. Make Patriotic Snacks
One of the best ways to make kids happy while spending some time with them is to make patriotic snacks. There’s so many recipes out there that you could go wild with the red, white and blue colors. Of course, if you’re looking to save money you may want to stick with some of the cheaper ideas. One classic snack is a jello mold. Try getting red and blue jello to simply make the mold and add a flag for a stopper. You could also make rice krispy treats with M&Ms. Have the kids pick out all of the red and blue candies and add it to your favorite rice krispy recipe. They’re fast to make and a whole lot of fun to eat. A healthier snack idea is to create parfaits. This requires yoghurt, blueberries and strawberries and will generally make enough to entertain an entire party. Of course, if you’re filling crafty you may want to try making a patriotic cake. This can be done in so many ways so make sure to look up some recipes that suit your cooking skills and budget.

7. Share Stories
One of the most interesting things to do on Memorial Day is to sit down and share stories with others. It doesn’t matter if the stories are from your personal life or stories that were passed down for generations as they will live on when you retell them. For many, finding people to enjoy stories may be tough, but if you look hard enough you may be able to find a group of people who are sharing stories during the holiday. Often, there are speeches held at community centers or schools and can be accessed by anyone who has an interest in listening or participating. You may also just want to spend some time with friends and family and share stories with them. The more stories you tell and hear the more connected you may feel with the true meaning of the holiday. The best this is that sharing a story and listening to other’s stories won’t actually cost you a thing. If you’re stilling having trouble connection then take to the internet and enjoy speeches made in the past, or find a live feed of a major celebrations, so you can enjoy hearing about the memories that make this holiday special.

8. Go Camping
Instead of sticking around and dealing with the temptation of shopping it might be a great idea to hit the camp site this Memorial Day. Camping is a great way to spend some quality time with your family and with the extra long weekend it is possible to spend a good amount of time living off the land. Try to find a free campsite near your area so you won’t have to spend too much money on gas or camping fees when you go. If you can, pack items that you already own or borrow from families who aren’t going to be camping during the holidays. You may also want to pack long lasting snacks, plenty of water and fishing poles if there is a nearby lake. You will love being away from it all in the beautiful weather and will get to catch up with the kids before they finish out the school year and start up their busy summer schedule. One of the best things about camping is it gives you ample time to sit back and enjoy some of the patriotic stories you grew up with. This will allow your kids to pass down the stories to the next generation too, so the meaning of the holiday doesn’t get lost in the sales ads.

9. Patriotic Movie
If you can’t find the time to travel or don’t have the money to throw a huge party then you may want to consider staying in and watching a patriotic movie with the family. There’s a lot of movies to choose from so you won’t have to settle with something no one is interested in, Make sure you check out the rating of the movie first though as some might be too violent for children. If you don’t own and patriotic movies and don’t feel like renting then try surfing your cable channels or streaming subscriptions. Usually around the holiday patriotic movies are features in a marathon or have their own streaming channel. Of course, if you still want to spend time with friends then you can invite them over for a movie day. Ask guests to bring in some of their favorites and have everyone vote on what to watch. You can also make simple and cheap snacks like popcorn and red, white and blue desserts.

10. Be Crafty
Being crafty is always a great idea, but Memorial Day is one of the best times to put your crafting skills to work. There’s so man projects you can start to make the day extra special and you can easily include the kids in on the projects. One of the more popular crafts is to print out color sheets for kids to color in. Once their finished kids can pass them out to vets in order to say thanks for their service. Another great idea to thank your local veterans is to create thank you letters. Take these with you to accompany your childrens’ drawings and color pages. You could also craft little flags to hand out using supplies found in the home.

Celebrating Memorial Day doesn’t have to be all about spending money and going over board on party supplies. These tips will help keep your holiday completely frugal while you show your appreciation for those who have serves. You may even find your family learned a lot more about the holiday than in previous years.