How to Enjoy Football on a Budget

The football season is fast approaching. However, your cash is quickly disappearing. The two together don't make for an enjoyable football season, especially when you were planning to spend hundreds of dollars on football parties and super bowl events. This article will help you to still enjoy the football season on a much more limited budget.

1. Plan ahead. Last minute purchases tend to break the budget, so know what you need in advance. If you buy items at the grocery store, you'll spend much less money than a trip to the local convenience store at the last minute before the game. You can buy chips and pretzels, soda, and other snack foods at the grocery store. A bag of chips might cost $2 at the grocery store, whereas it will cost you $3 or $4 at Sheetz or Seven Eleven.

2. Make your own pizza instead of ordering out. Buy a frozen DiGiorno pizza or another brand that you like. It might not be AS GOOD as having a pizza delivered from Pizza Hut or Papa John's Pizza, but you're still getting to have pizza during the football game.

3. Use coupons. If you must order a pizza, use coupons. I tend to get coupons almost every week for local places, and at least two of them are pizza place coupons. Without a coupon, you might spend $15 on a medium pizza. With the coupon, it's about $10. This savings is definitely worth clipping and saving coupons.

4. Make a budget for each week for the football game and stick to it. If your budget is $20, find a way to only spend this amount. If the pizza is $20, then don't order breadsticks and soda. Or, order a smaller pizza so you can still get the cinnamon sticks and pepsi.

5. Watch the games at home instead of going out. If you used to go to the local sports bar to watch the game, try watching it at home. You might not have as big of a screen, but you'll still be able to see the games. If you go out, you will end up spending probably twice as much as you would have if you had bought a six pack of beer at the liquor store and made your own pizza at home. Even if you order a pizza from Domino's, you'll still probably spend less.

6. Limit the number of times you go out for a football game. If you can't give up going to the sports bar to watch the games, just go one time per month and stay home on the others. This will still cut your costs but allow you for a treat once in a while.

7. Eat at home before the game. If you have to go out each week, eat dinner before you go to the game. Then, you'll be less likely to spend $20 buying hot wings and other appetizers during the game. You could also drink a few beers before you go to the bar, so you drink less while you're there. But have a designated driver if you're going to try this option.

8. Watch the game on tv or at a sports bar instead of going to see the game in person. If you always go to the games and watch them at the stadium, start watching them at home. You'll have to find a way to make this as enjoyable as in person. Try taking your television outside on the back porch so you still experience the harsh cold weather like you did before. This could help!

9. Find tickets for less expensive prices by searching online places like Craigslist. Instead of buying your tickets full price at the stadium or through the official football team in advance, find tickets people already bought and don't need for less online. Or maybe you have friends with season tickets who aren't going to attend every game. Offer them a small amount to get their tickets for that week at a lower cost than purchasing them at the game.

10. Watch only a few games, but really enjoy those few. If you spent $100 per game before, and watched 15 games, try it a little differently this year. Just watch four games, but spend your full $100 each time. You'll really enjoy those few games, and you'll appreciate each one even more since you can't watch them all.