What a great time I had last night. Went out for dinner and drinks with some friends from work and had a blast. It’s not something that I get to do very often, so when I do, I really enjoy it.  It’s kind of like a stress reliever.  It’s been a bad few weeks at work, and I really needed the break.  The night was full of good times and lots of laughs. But, the best part of the whole evening was, I didn’t have to pay a thing. The check was picked up by an expense account for the company. Hooray! Considering I’m broke, that was a good thing.

There are not a lot of ways to relieve stress that are free. At least, not a lot that I haven’t tried. Of course there’s always exercising, listening to music, and reading. Those are all great, but every once in a while, you need something that you don’t get to do all the time. Something different.

Being writers, we all know what it’s like to be overworked and stressed out. Most of us have full time jobs to pay the bills, not to mention taking care of our families, while we’re trying to make it as writers.  Let’s face it, writing is not a get rich quick scheme. One in a million may get lucky enough to make the big bucks on their first book, but that’s a rare exception. For the rest of us, we have to work hard at it, over and over again, just hoping for that big break.

So, next to winning the lottery, we have to find ways to relax that are cheap and easy. Even going to the movies these days are expensive, especially if you want some popcorn and a soda. So, tell me, what do you do to relax? Any ideas for a good, cheap time? Share some of your thoughts with me. I’d love some new ideas, because the free dinner and drinks is a rare treat.