Looking for some fun, low-key ways to hang with your roommates? Sometimes all you need is a chill night in with a glass of wine and light conversation. But other times you want something a little more engaging – especially if you’re broke, bored, and / or trying to forge stronger relationships with your roomies!The good news is that a bit of quality time will go a long way toward building goodwill in your shared abode. And it doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Here are four fun things to do with your roommates that’ll help keep communication lines open, cost virtually nothing, and won’t break the bank.
Game night!
Cook a delicious meal together
You could also try signing up for a trial run of one of those meal-in-a-box services we’re always hearing about and schedule your roommate dinner night the day it’s supposed to arrive. This takes all the stress and guesswork out of the process (the recipe searching, shopping, calculating). And dinner is practically guaranteed to be delicious because meal kit programs are designed by professional chefs. This approach has a higher cost, but it’s still probably cheaper than eating out.
Lastly, there’s always an even simpler route: Buy a pre-made pizza dough, roll it out, add some sauce, throw on some toppings, and toss it in the oven. Voilà – a semi-gourmet pizza without leaving the house, and you made it together. Pair with a salad and in less than an hour you have a meal that satisfies a whole range of taste buds.
Protip: If you ask nicely, many pizza shops will sell you a ball of fresh dough for less than a frozen supermarket crust would cost you.
Work out together
Whatever you decide to do, setting fitness goals and exercising together can be a kind of casual team-building effort that benefits your health while also helping the whole household develop a positive, healthy vibe.
Movie night!
Don’t forget to make some old-school stove-top popcorn! It’s much healthier, far less expensive, and can turn any casual hangout into an authentic movie night. Crack open a few craft beers and settle in for some collective laughing, crying, or screaming. Bickering over which movie to watch and debating afterwards how good / bad it was? Yep, that’s a crucial part of the evening.
Movie night is a perfect low-cost, low-effort way to get to know your housemates and settle into your common space together. Start building a ‘roommate movie watch list’ so you always have something fun lined up for the next screening!