150 Things To Do For $150 Or Less Before Labor Day

1. Get a national park pass ($80 for the year) and use the leftover cash for some hiking gear.
2. Go rock climbing.
3. Take a sailing lesson.
4. Go zip lining.
5. Take a yoga class. There are a lot of clever ways to do this for free or almost free.
6. Rent kayaks and spend the day on the water.
7. Clown around...seriously. Master juggling or the trapeze at circus school.
8. Rent a bike for the day and explore new terrain.
9. Take skateboard lessons.
10. Sign up for an affordable gym membership and get the bathing suit body you've always dreamed of.
11. Go whitewater rafting.
12. Take a surfing lesson.

13. Sign up for a mud run, obstacle race or color run (or all three!) like the Savage Race ($59 to $89) or The Color Run ($30 to $60).
14. Rent jet skis.
15. Hire a personal trainer for a session or two.
16. Make an at-home gym with weights, yoga mats and exercise balls.
17. Get a day or season pass at your local pool or better yet, one of the most amazing pools in America..
18. Take a horse riding lesson.
19. Take a cycling class.

20. Spend a day at an amusement park with family or friends.
21. Check out your local planetarium...
22. ...or splurge on a telescope and host your own star-gazing party.
23. Go to a water park with family or friends...
24. ...or turn your backyard into one.
25. Go to the circus.
26. Tap into your spiritual side: have your fortune read or try a session with a medium.
27. Take a trip to the zoo.
28. Go mini golfing with family or friends. From pirate courses to glow-in-the-dark golfing, the possibilities are endless.

29. Take yourself (or a friend) out to the ballgame and snack on unreal foods that can only be found at baseball stadiums.
30. Go ghost hunting or on a haunted graveyard tour.
31. Take a date (or your family) to the county fair or carnival in your town.
32. Play laser tag with family or friends.
33. Challenge your friends to a paintball battle.
34. Check out the newest restaurant in town.
35. Treat your friends to a round of bowling, nachos and wings.
36. Start a garden in your backyard and reap the rewards all summer long.
37. Take a pottery class with a friend.
38. Climb to the top of the highest building in your town or city.

39. Get professional photos taken of your family.
40. Take your little one to group classes like music or gymnastics.
41. Get a jogging stroller so you can get exercise even when you’re on baby watch.
42. Take your kids to a thrift store and get funny costumes or second-hand gowns and jewels for dress-up fun.
43. Create a summer 2014 scrapbook and have your family work on it, adding photos, ticket stubs and their own art throughout the season.

44. Hit up a drive-in movie before they're gone. There are still approximately 350 theaters left in America and most of them have tickets for around $10 per person.
45. Get a ticket to a nearby music festival.
46. Catch a touring Broadway show when it passes through the nearest city. Sister Act, Wicked, Motown, Lion King and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat are all currently on tour.
47. Take a couple of lessons with certified guitar instructors.
48. Have a movie marathon -- binge watch the best recent-releases on demand in the comfort of your living room.
49. Take someone you love out for a fancy meal.
50. Curtain call: spend a night at the opera.
51. Rent a puppy! If you're lucky enough to live in Salt Lake City, you can test drive a pup before you commit. For the rest of us, there's BorrowMyDoggy.com, a new site dubbed the "Airbnb for dog-sharing."

52. Go to your local orchestra's next outdoor performance.
53. See a dance show.
54. Buy an entire book series, vow to read them all before the end of summer, and then actually do it.
55. Take an improv class with a friend.
56. Take a photography class so you can professionally capture the best summer moments with your friends and family.
57. Go see live comedy.
58. Check out a film festival.
59. Buy a few box sets of your favorite shows for lazy summer nights.
60. Snag an all-access attraction pass for your city. Many cities have them. For instance, Seattle has one for $64 that gives you admission to five attractions. Portland, OR has a week-long pass for $54 that includes access to several museums and parks.

66. Make artisanal popsicles like kiwi, lime-honey or mango-parsley.
67. Take a cooking class.
68. Give someone you love a $150 gift card to their favorite coffee place--that’s roughly a month of coffee every morning, and they’ll think of you when they start their day!
69. Take a trip to one of the country's best farmer's markets and use your bounty for a farm-to-table dinner party.
70. Go on a food truck crawl in your city.
71. Become a certified barbecue judge.
72. Make gourmet snow cones.
73. Take colleagues who have gone the extra mile for you out for appetizers and drinks after work and pick up the check.
74. Make your own candy.
75. Take a baking class and learn how to make a fancy cake.
76. Buy a pressure canner and some mason jars and make your own jams or butters.
77. Make copycat versions of your favorite summertime restaurant dishes at home.
78. Take your parents or kids out to dinner--they deserve it!
79. Try juicing with a premium juicer and these tips for beginners.
80. Get creative with the barbecue and toss on watermelon, pizza, potatoes, and other fun foods you probably wouldn't normally think to grill.

81. Have an at-home lobster bake, using this tutorial...
82. ...or a crab feast...Maryland style...
83. ...or a crawfish boil...New Orleans style...
84. ...or a shrimp boil like they do in the South...
85. ...or a fish fry!
86. Throw a make-your-own-sushi party.
87. Host a vintage-inspired ice cream social.
88. Have a grown-up s'mores making party with dark chocolate and made-from-scratch marshmallows.
89. Or, have a progressive dinner party where each attendee hosts a different course at their home.
90. Throw a deserving friend a surprise birthday party.
91. Have a luau!

92. Buy a polaroid camera, capture summer moments, and make a polaroid poster at the end of the summer.
93. Take craft classes at a local art supply store.
94. Buy a basic white case for your phone and decorate it with sharpies, nail polish, gems and studs.
95. Buy a bunch of denim at a second-hand store, stock up on studs, bleach and thread and have a DIY denim day with friends.
96. Make grown-up friendship bracelets...
97. ...or, host an afternoon of adult tie-dye!
98. Take a knitting class.
99. Get a bunch of your favorite photos printed and make a collage for your bedroom or living room.
100. Brighten a room in your house up by giving one wall a coat of colorful paint.
101. Buy a sewing machine and take a sewing class--then, wear your own designs!

102. Go camping.
103. Get a cheap flight and do a free home swap.
104. Book a house rental for a weekend with friends.
105. Go on a daytrip to a nearby outlet mall and score some great deals.
106. If you’re a city dweller: rent a car for the day and travel to a beach, lake or park.
107. If you're country dweller: spend a day exploring the closest city.
108. Commit yourself to learning a new language.
109. Split a sailboat rental with friends.
110. Take a volunteering vacation.

111. Buy summery nail polish in every color of the rainbow.
112. Change up your haircut or color.
113. Get a relaxing massage.
114. Get an over-the-top manicure.
115. Hire a makeup artist for a special night out or just because...
116. ...or take makeup class so you can do it yourself!
117. Treat yourself and your best friend to a blow out.
118. Get a hot shave.
119. Go for a shoe shine.
120. Try a YouTube beauty or hair tutorial.

121. Host an outdoor Sunday flag football game for your friends.
122. Play messy Twister.
123. Buy a season pass to watch the local baseball team.
124. Stock up for the season on sports gear and rep your favorite team.
125. Host neighborhood Olympics.
126. Throw the ultimate fantasy football draft party.
127. Tailgate party! (And don't forget to build an epic snack stadium!)
128. Have a backyard game marathon and play KanJam, Corn Hole and Ladder Golf.
129. Take your favorite board games outdoors.

130. Buy a ridiculously awesome pool float.
131. Get a streaming device to make binge watching TV even easier.
132. Download the best summer apps.
133. Stock up on summer beach reads.
134. Buy and name stars for your loved ones.
135. Get an ergonomic desk chair--your back will thank you.

136. Buy a picnic set.
137. Go bikini shopping.
138. Go on a thriftstore or fleamarket shopping extravaganza.
139. Treat yourself to some high-quality headphones.
140. Restock your board game cabinet for casual nights with family and friends.
141. Upgrade your phone.
142. Get some designer shades for sunny days.
143. Donate money to a charity that means something to you.
144. Get high-quality razors delivered to your doorstep for a full year.

145. Summer-ify your backyard, porch or fire escape with fairy lights and lanterns.
146. Make over your bed with a new bedspread and pillows.
147. Install a swing on the front porch or in your backyard.
148. Build a bonfire.
149. Buy a nice piece of art for your place.
150. Put up a hammock in your backyard.