We all want to be that friendly, sociable employee that everyone loves to be around. After all, having positive working relationships with your co-workers sure helps those eight hours in the office feel more enjoyable. Plus, nobody wants to build a reputation as the employee who would rather hide in the bathroom to eat lunch than have friendly conversations with the people he works with.
But, here’s the thing about being social: it can be pretty expensive sometimes. And, if you’re currently trying to stash away some pennies for a rainy day, you already know that having an active social life can quickly cut into your savings.
Have no fear! You don’t need to resign yourself to a life as the bathroom-hiding co-worker. Here are six tips that will help you be your office’s social butterfly—without breaking the bank.
1. Set a Budget
This might be painfully obvious (at least, I hope it is!), but setting a detailed budget should be your very first step. Before you can determine what outings you can attend with your co-workers, you first need to have a good handle on exactly how much of your monthly income is committed to bills and your savings goals, and how much you have leftover for leisure.
So, sit down and take a good look at your current income and expenses. How much are you taking home each month, and how much are you spending? What don’t you like about your current financial situation, and where can you improve? And, what are your goals for your savings account? Do you want to hit a specific dollar amount by the end of the year, or are you aiming to put away a certain percentage each month?
Yes, it might seem a little bit daunting. But, getting all of this mapped out will help you ensure success with your savings plan!
2. Plan Get-Togethers Yourself
Sure, chances are that you and your co-workers aren’t hanging out all of the time outside of normal working hours. But, when you do spend time together, are you typically the one that plans the get-togethers?
If not, you should start! Think of it this way, when you plan the outing, you’re no longer at the mercy of whatever elaborate, extravagant, or expensive plan someone else comes up with. Instead, the ball’s in your court, and you can pull something together that’s fun—without costing everyone an arm and a leg!
So, rather than heading out to that newly opened bar downtown for ridiculously overpriced glasses of wine that you can’t even pronounce, you can invite everyone out for a low-key night of darts and pitchers of beer at the neighborhood pub around the corner from your office. Yes, you’re still spending some money—but the cost-savings will still be pretty impressive!
3. Check Out Community Events
For some reason, when most people think of getting together with their co-workers, they think of only happy hours. And, while these after-work outings are a fun way to unwind after a day at the office, they’re definitely not your only option for being social.
Instead, why not look online to see what sorts of fun things are happening right in your own community? Perhaps there’s a free concert in the park every Wednesday evening in the summer. Or, maybe a local art gallery is hosting a showing with free drinks and appetizers.
Not only do these community festivals and events tend to be way cheaper than your traditional happy hours (and, some of them are even free!), but they’ll also encourage and foster a spirit of community-mindedness within your office. It’s a win-win!
4. Get Creative
Those standard work happy hours are fun. But, after a while, you and your co-workers can grow a little bored with the same old, same old.
Checking out some events in your community is a great way to switch things up, but don’t hesitate to think outside the box, get creative, and find even more things that you and your co-workers can do together. Pick a cause and volunteer as a group, or pack up some snacks and drinks and enjoy a picnic together.
Sure, you enjoy those after-work beers, but that shouldn’t hold you back from exploring other options. So, get out there and try something new! Not only will it likely be cheaper, but it will also give everyone a nice break from your happy hour rut and humdrum routine.
5. Limit Yourself
Alright, so no matter how creative you get, we all know that those office happy hours are still going to happen occasionally. And, if you’re trying to be social, you definitely don’t want to be that person that repeatedly skips them with no explanation.
So, what can you do? Well, it’s simple, really. You just need to limit yourself when you do go. You really don’t need to tip back three grande margaritas and an entire order of chips and queso. Instead, limit yourself to one drink and ask a co-worker if they’d like to split an appetizer with you.
This way, you can still participate in the office festivities and socialize with your colleagues, without going completely overboard.
6. Be Honest
Finally, it’s important to recognize that trying to save money is something that’s admirable, not embarrassing. So, you should never be afraid to communicate your goals and changes to your co-workers.
Chances are, if you’ve gone out with your colleagues frequently before, some of them might ask why you seem to be cutting back a little. Avoid the temptation to make up some ridiculous excuse, and just explain that you’re making an effort to save a little more money. Either they’ll say, “Good for you!” and move on, or they’ll be so inspired by your cost-saving efforts they they’ll try doing similar things for themselves. No matter what—you can’t go wrong with being honest!
Everybody wants to be social and maintain great relationships with the people they work with. But, that doesn’t mean that you need to spread yourself thin financially. Put these tips to work in order to have an awesome time with your co-workers, while still having some money leftover for the piggy bank! No hiding in the bathroom required.
