twenty under $25-six

i know i owe ya'll a bachelorette post. i think it was pretty impressive. everyone had a blast and i did my best to keep it affordable for everyone-no matter their budget!

one thing we did was a great (but tough) hike in boulder. royal arch is my go to hike. it is tough, and ends with an absolutely beautiful view and a great sense of accomplishment!

i like to finish up a morning hike with the farmers market!

what i spent:
parking $0.00 -parking at chautauqua is free
hike $0.00 -and brought my own water in my camelbak
farmers market $5.25 -for lunch at, quite possibly, the best tamale stand EVER. tamale, pintos, quinoa and green chili...yum!!

total: $5.25

twenty under $25-five

if you aren't familiar-grace potter and the nocturnals, is probably one of my favorite bands. i've been to see them about 6 times so far this year. each time it's face melting amazingness. it's a real live rock and roll show, to say the least. i'm talking rock and roll. grace's voice is like a religious experience...true talent.

this weekend i saw gpn at the ogden in denver. my girlfriend emily and i got there super early for the best front row spots two girls could ask for (sans the sweaty, chatty guy next to us). little inside tip, if you are the in front row at the ogden they give you free bottled water (awesome). another great reason to get there early and get in line...there are normally folks selling discounted tickets last minute. so do a little smiling and ask around-you're sure to find something.

the ogden is an amazing venue-just the right size to have an amazing, exciting vibe, but small enough to have that intimate concert feel. just perfection.

the ogden has great ticket prices, too. perfect for a girl like me!

what i spent:

$0.00 walked to venue

$25.00 ticket to the show (thanks em)

$0.00 bottled water

total cost: $25.00

and worth every penny.

xoxo ashleycolean





twenty under $25-four

oh hey, ya'll. so i've got another one for you...

last night i went to an amazing show at the larimer lounge in five points-a hood i'm newly investigating because my uncle david just got a new place over there. we went to see sondre lerche-who was amazing! i wasn't familiar with him, but david and his kids are always talking this guy up to be amazing. i couldn't have agreed more.

the larimer is a divey little joint but a great sized venue for intimate concerts. cheap drinks, good music and a great vibe. who could ask for more??!! i somehow avoided the tshirt/cd table-although i would have bought at least 2 of the tshirts i saw and the cds for all three artists! alas, i contained myself. i'll get the music from uncle d and probably covet the tshirt until christmas and ask for it then...yes, i'm already thinking about christmas.

what it cost:
$15.00 ticket for sondre and 2 opening acts (also amazing)
$3.00 coors light-then switched to water

total cost: $18.00
for a headbangin', toe tappin', hip swingin', air guitarin'  good time??!
i'll take it.
xoxo ashleycolean

twenty under $25-three

i got one for you. well actually, it's two things, but we'll count it as one because that leaves me more of my twenty activities to accomplish. i love a challenge.

co-ed leagues. yea, that's right. getting outside, drinking a beer, and playing...well, anything. i am in two leagues right now. softball-monday's in boulder, and volleyball-thursday's in denver. both of the leagues give me something fun to do with friends two nights every week...and both are relatively cheap.

wash park votr league

check out volleyball of the rockies website for more info on starting your own team. or the city of boulder for softball. every city has all kinds of leagues, so get out there and find some friends to join with you. just google local leagues in your area. you can also join teams with people you don't know...make some friends. two birds, ya know.

what i spent (volleyball)
$33.00 for the season
total weekly spend: $4.13

what i spent (softball)
$58.00 for the season
total weekly spend: $5.80

all the cool kids are doing it.
xoxo ashleycolean

twenty under $25-two

20 under $25.00 is the product of the still skeptical people in my life that think i must be rocking a pretty lame social life in order to do this budget. as i showed you in this post-you can, indeed, have a social life on a budget. it just takes a little more planning and creativity.

but-as i do all of these things i'll show you how!! 20 summer activities under $25.00!! now doesn't that sounds fan-tastic!

on friday night-i went to see natasha leggero at comedy works dtc with my friend, e. we also saw her three openers, who were all hilarious.

c/o natasha leggero

the tickets were $36.00 for two-but i had a significant coupon that i got downtown last summer (i've literally been carrying it around for a year). we had dinner before heading to the 9:45 late show!

so here's what i spent:
$0.00 dinner at home
$6.00 remainder cost for 2 tickets after using my coupon
$0.00 beers-e covered the drinks since i covered the tickets (thanks e)

total friday spend: $6.00

still got the chuckles.
xoxo ashleycolean

artsy and mindful

i was talking about my spending lockdown and all that goes along with it with bbe's husband the other night. he was super supportive and impressed with my plan but asked a good question: 'you're still living right!?'
he was worried that i was getting too focused on the lockdown and avoiding doing things to save money.

it made me think about it. was i? avoiding life to save money?

the answer is no. wholeheartedly, no. i do a great job (i think) of adjusting  my life to save money without avoiding life all together. when friends want to meet for lunch, i suggest a picnic in the park. when people want to go out to dinner or drinks, i suggest a home cooked meal. i try and find cheap or free activities around the city (there are tons). there are ways to have a social life on a budget they just require a bit more time, research and energy to figure out.

this weekend for instance i planned saturday for my girlfriends...
we went to the highlands farmers market in the morning, walked down to paris on the platte and had a cocktail and cheese on the patio, went to the larimer square chalk art festival and then headed to the rapids game for dinner and soccer!

check out these amazing chalk art artists...

gorgeous. right?!!

so here's what i spent:
$0.00 farmers market-we went for the sun...and samples
$0.00 paris on the platte-my amazing girlfriends took care of the bill because i covered the soccer game/dinner-and just because they are fantastic
$1.25 parking downtown at a meter
$0.00 chalk art fair was free
$0.00 shopping at american apparel-this was a miracle
$7.51  for some delicious fro-yo at kuulture
$0.00 rapids game/parking/dinner/drinks-i came into some great tickets and shared them with the girls

total saturday spend: $8.76.

staycations can be amazing and cheap!
xoxo ashleycolean