We all enjoy moments of relaxing.

You know…those moments when you put your mind on “auto pilot” and just “veg” after a long day.  Or maybe it was a short day but packed with stress!  Whatever the reason, we all need time to simply “chill”.

In our home, our favorite way to “destressitize” is by watching a movie. (Do you like my new fancy word…“destressitize”?!) However, you can easily drop a lot of money in a few hours of relaxation and around here that is something we are trying to avoid.  According to WikiAnswers, the average cost for an adult to go to the movies is $10.50.  You can drastically lower the cost by enjoying Netflix* or Blockbuster online rental plans.

(*Personally, I suggest Netflix because you can watch instantly online as well as receive in the mail.)

However, I think it’s easy to forget another resource that costs either nothing at all, or possibly just a small fee depending on your location.  What is this cheap relaxation flick?

It’s called…

The Library.

I know, not as exciting as you wanted, but it may be worth the drive and the few dollars you’ll spend in gas.  At our local library they have a wide range of movies that can be taken out for up to a week at no cost at all.  If you combine this with the ability to borrow books you have just created a very cheap resource for both watching and reading to your relaxation!

We just canceled our Netflix account for the warmer months and instead we will be using our local library to keep us reading and watching at the cost of what it takes to drive there.  Considering the fact that the kids and I need an “out” on some days, I don’t even count the cost toward watching a movie!  I consider it to be an expense under my sanity fund!

Also, be sure to check into your library policy.  Some libraries allow you to put holds on movies, meaning that they will save them for you when they become available.  And just because one library in your city/town has a policy, does not mean it’s the same at the library across town!  A little time in searching their websites or calling them with some questions can save you some big change!

I hope you can watch your savings grow as you make the most of the resources around you!

And enjoy your cheap relaxation!

Kaley here with a Reader Question:  What are your ideas for frugal relaxation?  Give us your best tips!

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This has been a guest post by Mandy the Trench Mommy who is the author of the blog www.FromTheTrenchesOfMotherhood.com and of a book review blog titled To Read, Or Not To Read.  She is the wife of an avid hunter and assistant pastor, mother of 3 children ages 6,4, & 3, and a woman who seeks to glorify God in all she does – blogging included!

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A reader e-mailed me with a great question about saving money around the house. I asked her if I could share the question with you all since I’m guessing there are some money-saving-around-the-house experts around these parts. This is what she wrote:

Kaley, I was just wondering what other tips you have for savings for around the house type things. Such as using the dishwasher vs. hand washing, etc. I would love to get my electric bill down about $30.00 and was wondering if you could write an article about general savings.

Since most of us have a long winter still facing us, I figured this would be a great time to tackle this topic. I’m sure any tips that people give will be most useful, it doesn’t matter how big or small, we’d all love to hear them! Once we get the ball rolling, I’m sure that people will give some great hints and tips for what they do to help them lower their energy bills.

So, help me out, dear readers. What are your best tips for saving money around the house? Have you made any changes that have significantly lower your energy bills? What’s your secret? Did you change energy providers? Do you use TXU plans or a similar company? Do you make sure you only have one light switched on at a time? Have you started reading your energy reading all the time, just so you know exactly much you are using? Please let me know in the comments down below what it is that you do to help with your energy savings. We want to learn any tips that you might have!

Let’s shoot straight. If you had to choose between two friends—the first being one who takes you on exotic vacations and buys you lavish gifts and the other being one who takes you to CVS and gives you the free half of her latest B1G1 free deal—would it really be a toss-up? I think not.

I mean, who doesn’t want a friend with Oprah-esque generosity and wads of disposable income with which to buy your love? I’d be happy to sign up for that.

But we aren’t that kind of people, are we? No, we are the kind of people that count our money by the pennies and not by the millions. We are the kind of people that take great delight in scoring free Johnson’s Buddies soaps.

So, is it possible to be frugal and generous at the same time?

I say, “ABSOLUTELY!”

In fact, I think that we frugal people can actually enhance our generosity through frugality. Here are a few ways that I have learned how.

Share from your stockpile. I LOVE inviting others to benefit from the wealth of toothbrushes, deodorant, and shampoo in my closet. I’ve given away bundles of goodies to a friend who is moving into a new home, a friend whose husband is way on active duty, college students with a lack of cash flow, and to the local mission. The next time a friend is over invite them to go shopping in your closet. It’s so much fun!

Freeze up some of those $5 Dinners and pass them along when a friend is in need. They don’t need to know that most of the ingredients were free to cheap after coupons, rebates, and catalina deals!

Be on the alert for great deals that your friends will enjoy. I’ve signed friends up for free magazine subscriptions (using my personal information, of course!), sent them hot coupons, and scooped up free items in stores that I knew they would love. In fact, last weekend, I saved my family $125 on family vacation because of some great restaurant deals that I knew about. I’m pretty sure they love me a little bit more because of it too!

Share your knowledge. This is possibly the most fun. You know that old saying about teaching a man to fish and feeding him for a lifetime? I have a growing list of friends and family who thank me on a regular basis for teaching them how to CVS. Not everyone will jump on your offer to teach them how to coupon, but those who do will be changed forever!

Why not splurge a bit every once in a while? If you see a gift that screams your friend’s name and it doesn’t happen to be on clearance or free after ECBs, how about throwing caution to the wind and blessing your friend with it? Obviously, I don’t recommend spending more than your budget allows. But, with all the money you are saving elsewhere, I’m guessing you may have a little wiggle room for the occasional generous fling.

Ok, so maybe we aren’t Oprah. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be generous. Who knows—maybe with enough pennies pinched, we can actually save up for that girls’ getaway to the Caribbean someday!