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Stretching $20 with your friends

It's boring to go to the movies or dinner by yourself, but with careful planning, it's possible to have fun with at least one friend on a $20 budget on or off campus.

A couple of UT-Dallas students had some good ideas for entertainment on a budget. Slight adjustments have been made to each student's original plan so that a $20 bill would stretch far enough to entertain you and a friend.

Play virtual bowling

Alejandra Salazar said "What is there to do? Bowling and have a cheap dinner at Chili's."

The cost of Alejandra's plan adds up pretty fast. To downsize the costs, you can play bowling on the Wii for free and still afford dinner at Chili's.

If you or your friends don't have a Wii, there are always free bowling games online. It might not be as exciting, but at least you might have some extra money left over for dessert.

Plan a movie night

Jamell Turner said "I would go to the movies. I would go to Wal-Mart and buy some candy and I will buy Subways."

The cost of movie tickets alone would eat up a majority of your budget, but there are cheaper alternatives to Jamell's plan.

You can rent a couple movies at Blockbuster for only $1.99 each and purchase some snacks for a low price at Wal-Mart. Just remember to return the movies on time to avoid any late fees.

If you prefer to go to an actual theater, Cinemark Movies 10 offers older movie releases that ranges from $1.00 to $2.00 depending on the showing time. Buy your candy ahead of time to avoid paying for over-priced candy at the theater. With the left over cash, you and your friend can still afford a sandwich at Subways either on or off campus.

Another alternative is attending the Meteor Theater on campus. Currently, they are not showing any movies this semester but they usually offer a free movie showing each week with cheap candy to purchase.

Play free games on campus

Ingrid Fanini said "$20? I will go out to eat at a nice restaurant and play pool on campus for free."

Take advantage of anything free on campus. If pool is not your game, the Student Union also offers board games, table tennis and video games such as Dance, Dance, Revolution. There are many affordable restaurants to eat at off campus, but eat at the Pub if you prefer to stay on campus.

It's possible to have fun on a budget with your friends. If you are ever tight on cash, you now have some ideas on how to have fun on a $20 budget.