7 Ways to Celebrate Labor Day on a College Budget

Labor Day is always the first Monday in September. Labor Day is a holiday to remember the American workers who helped shape the country (its jobs, economy, labor laws, etc.) into what it is today. It’s also a day that many people get off work and school, and make fun plans with family and friends! Since you’re a college student, you might not be able to afford to host a huge cookout for everyone, so here are some alternative ideas you could do this Labor Day:

1. Host a meal at your house, but have the guests all bring their favorite food to share.

There’s no better way to celebrate an American holiday than with a great big feast, and potlucks are a great way to save money! The best part - you only have to buy and prepare food for one or two dishes. Making a Facebook event page is a great way to organize it. This way, everyone can post what food they’re bringing so everyone can plan accordingly. Bonus: If you have friends with special diets they’ll at least be able to eat the dish they bring, so that’s less pressure on you to make sure all your vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, paleo friends are fed!

2. Have a good ol’ fire in the backyard.

Again, you could have your guests bring some food to share. As the host, you could simply provide the fire, marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers for s’mores. Other people could bring fruit, cookies, hot dogs, or whatever else they want. September evenings are the perfect time of year for hanging out around a fire! If you don’t have a fire pit, you can buy a portable one like this:

3. Go to a park with your friends.

You can play volleyball, horseshoes, hike, fish, ride bikes, or just hang out. Anything outside is great to do on a day off, especially on the last holiday of the summer!

4. Find a free local swimming place.

There might be a nearby park with a lake, a friend who has a pool, or maybe you’re lucky enough to live near the beach. Swimming or hanging out at the beach with your friends and family is one of the most fun things to do for free. It’s a great way to kick back, relax, and soak in the final days of summer.

5. Visit family and friends that you haven’t seen in forever!

The holiday is a perfect excuse to finally get together again.

6. Look online to see if there are any free or cheap events happening near you.

Maybe there’s a parade, food truck rally, or road race going on. You might be surprised at the amount of events being held that you never knew about.

7. Go see fireworks.

Somebody in your town is probably going to set off fireworks, and that is the best, free way to wrap up your long weekend.