40 Cheap and Free Things to Do With Friends

September 5, 2026 · 3 min read

Hanging out shouldn’t require a reservation and a €40 tab. Some of the best times with friends cost nothing — they just need an idea and someone to say “let’s do it.” Here are 40, split by how much (little) they cost.

Completely free

1. Go for a long walk and actually talk — no destination needed.
2. Do a sunrise or sunset somewhere with a view.
3. Have a “fridge raid” cook-off with whatever everyone has.
4. Host a movie night at home.
5. Play card or board games you already own.
6. Do a home workout together.
7. Explore a neighborhood none of you know.
8. Go to a free museum, gallery, or exhibition.
9. Have a picnic with food from home.
10. Do a photo walk — same street, everyone shoots it differently.
11. Swap skills: each person teaches the group one thing.
12. Do a big declutter and donate what you don’t need.
13. Volunteer together for a couple of hours.
14. Star-gaze somewhere away from the lights.
15. Have a “no-phones” dinner and see how the conversation changes.
16. Do a DIY project — build, fix, or plant something.
17. Learn a short dance or song and film one clean take.
18. Run or walk a 5K together.
19. Do a “yes hour” — say yes to every reasonable idea.
20. Recreate childhood photos.

Under €10 each

21. Coffee and a long catch-up (the classic for a reason).
22. Cheap-eats crawl — one small snack from three different places.
23. Ice cream and a walk.
24. Thrift-store challenge: find the best outfit for €5.
25. Farmers’ market breakfast.
26. Bakery run, then eat it somewhere nice.
27. Public transit adventure — ride to the end of a line you’ve never taken.
28. Bowling or mini-golf on an off-peak deal.
29. Board-game café for an afternoon.
30. Cook one shared meal from scratch, split the groceries.

Little effort, big payoff

31. Plan a surprise for a friend who deserves one.
32. Do a group good deed — pay it forward somehow.
33. Start a friendly ongoing competition (steps, photos, streaks).
34. Have a themed dinner where everyone brings one dish.
35. Do a “tourist in your own city” day.
36. Try a free trial class — climbing, pottery, dance.
37. Camp in a backyard or a nearby spot.
38. Do a mini book/skill swap.
39. Make something together and give it away.
40. Just show up for each other — the cheapest and best one.

The point was never the money

Notice how many of these are basically “spend real time together and pay attention.” That’s the whole thing. The barrier is almost never budget — it’s that no one initiates, and the plan quietly dies in the group chat.

BeThere fixes the initiating part: every day it gives you and your friends one small real-life challenge to do together, so “we should hang out” becomes an actual thing you did today. Most of the best ones on this list are free — grab one, send it to your group, and go.