Broke but not stuck at home: 15 free (or nearly free) student outings
Student life · Équipe Viatous · 4 min
It's the 20th of the month and your bank balance is the stuff of nightmares. Your friends suggest a restaurant, a concert, a weekend away. You reply "I'll see", which, as everyone knows, means "no". And you spend the evening alone, convinced that student life comes down to pasta and polite refusals.
But what if money isn't really the problem? Going out doesn't have to cost a cent. You just need to know where to look, and above all who to go with.
Here are 15 free or nearly free ideas to enjoy with others. No need to try them all this month: pick two or three that tempt you, and find people to do them with. That second part is often the sticking point. We'll come back to it at the end.
Culture, often free for you
National museums. In France, according to the Ministry of Culture , the permanent collections of national museums are free for 18 to 25-year-olds who legally reside in the European Union. Just bring ID. Many other countries have youth discounts too, so check locally. A rainy Sunday becomes an afternoon to remember.
Big free events. In France: European Heritage Days in September, European Night of Museums in spring, the Fête de la musique on June 21. Wherever you are, put the local equivalents in your calendar today.
The public library. Books, comics, films, video games, sometimes workshops. Membership is often free or very cheap for students, so check in your city.
Events at your university. Talks, screenings, student concerts, exhibitions: most are free, and often half-empty. What a waste.
Street art. Many cities have mural districts. Map out a little route and go on a treasure hunt.
Outdoors, and it costs nothing
A picnic in the park. Everyone brings something: a salad, bread, dessert. The cheapest and friendliest meal in the world.
A themed walk. Filming locations in your city, the most beautiful staircases, the best-rated bakeries (that one costs a croissant).
Sunset watching. Find the highest point in town, a bridge or a hill. A free show, playing every clear evening.
Sports in the park. Frisbee, jogging, bodyweight workouts, a ball: some green space and a few willing people are all it takes.
A market or flea market. Browsing costs nothing. And that's often where the best stories begin.
At home or online
Board game night. Everyone brings one. An unbeatable classic for getting to know people.
Cooking night. Everyone brings one ingredient and you improvise together. The result is sometimes questionable, but always memorable.
Book club. A book borrowed from the library, one discussion a month. In person or on video.
Film club. Take turns picking a movie, then debate it. Free if you use platforms you already have or the library.
Creative workshop. Drawing, phone photography, writing: an hour of making things together, online or in a café, with zero pressure on the result.
Smart habits on a small budget
Ideas are one thing. A few habits make them easy to keep up:
Be upfront. Saying "I'm on a tight budget this month, can we do something free?" is perfectly normal. Lots of students are in the same boat, and they'll be relieved someone said it first.
Plan ahead. Spontaneous nights out often end at a bar. Planned outings can be free.
Carry your student card. Cinemas, theaters, transport: discounts often exist, but you have to remember to ask.
Go for regular over exceptional. A monthly picnic with the same people beats an overpriced weekend once a year.
Find people to go out with, thanks to Viatous
Good ideas are great. Someone to do them with is better. On Viatous , you write what you feel like doing, for example: "Looking for 2 or 3 people for a board-game picnic in the park on Sunday, everyone brings something."
Viatous understands what you're after and creates a Room : a small group of 2 to 4 compatible people, online or in person. Roomi, the Viatous robot, welcomes the group, walks everyone through the steps, reminds you of the rules and hosts the activity. You show up with your first name. For an in-person outing, choose a public place and read our safety tips .
And if the afternoon goes well, the Room can become a Circle : the crew you'll try the other 14 ideas with, only if everyone wants to. Budget-wise, it fits: the free Viatous plan includes one completed Room per week, no credit card needed. See how it works .
So do yourself a favor: pick one idea from this list, just one, and write it down tonight. Next time someone suggests going out, you won't need to say "I'll see".