Is splurging the only way to have a memorable Friday night? Not really. Here are some affordable ways to have fun!

Who doesn't look forward to a Friday night, right? After a week of work, nothing feels better than heading out and having a good time with friends or family. However, life in the city is quite expensive. With the ever-increasing purchasing power of the urban population, entertainment comes at quite a cost.

THE RISE OF FOMO

This is truly the era of ridiculous abbreviations, and FOMO certainly takes the cake. For the uninitiated, FOMO stands for Fear Of Missing Out and it recently has been linked to increased spends among millennials. As the word stands, those who identify with FOMO end up succumbing to peer pressure just to be part of a night out with friends in fear of losing out fun memories. Sadly, going out every other day can hurt your finances.

Once you look beyond FOMO, there's great potential for savings, and that brings us to another trend that's being steered by introverts, JOMO, i.e. Joy Of Missing Out.

A recent study shows that JOMO helps individuals save money in the long run as it reduces the amount spent on socialising and dining out every other week.

Anyway, whether you identify with FOMO or JOMO, there may be some Fridays where you may find yourself broke, but don't fret; there's plenty you can do to have fun without busting the bank.

PREPARE A HOMEMADE FEAST

While cooking may be the last thing on your mind on a Friday, preparing a grand meal with your spouse or roommate can really be fun. Work with the ingredients you already have and treat yourself to a grand dinner.

CARD GAMES NEVER GET OLD

Call your friends over, have some finger food ready and set the scene for a Friday night of card games. Depending on your preference, you could pick up some beverages that can be enjoyed with the snacks. Trust us; you'll have more fun than you think you will.

DO A NETFLIX MOVIE MARATHON

While you may not be able to afford to go to the cinemas and catch the latest flicks, you can surely dig up some really cool flicks on Netflix and do a solid movie marathon. If you enjoy munching while binge-watching, you could get one of those affordable DIY popcorns and let the marathon unfold.

PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT? JAM UP!

If you play and own an instrument, all you need is another person to accompany you either on vocals or any other instrument or percussion; you'll have a blast. If you're alone, just hook up the computer to the speaker and jam on some really cool backing tracks that are available on Youtube.

PERFECT TIME TO REVISIT YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD SPORT

Most of us who aren't into sports in a big way have disconnected with whatever we used to play back in school or college. A broke Friday evening can be spent very well with a good game of cricket or football, whatever floats your boat. If you don't have the necessary sports gear, you can always pick up some basic stuff - it'll always come in handy on another broke day!

READ THAT BOOK YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING

While there are some who consciously make time for a good read, it's usually a Sunday afternoon activity. Nevertheless, a quaint Friday evening in with some smooth jazz music, wine, and a great book can be a fantastic way to de-stress.

If you've come this far, it's safe to say you may need to rethink your personal finances and get your money back on track. Now's the right time to explore Personal Loans and Credit Cards. Also, you may want to give your life the right balance between FOMO and JOMO!

This article was first published in BankBazaar.sg.