Good, Cheap Fun

Regan and Jacob love playing on swings, especially if their dad is pushing them. Their dad loves that the activity is free.

Jesse Diaz is a full-time student at Modesto Junior College pursuing a nursing degree. With two children and no job, Diaz has made an art out of finding entertainment and activities that are inexpensive.

They go to movies (the cheaper-priced matinees), swim for free at city parks, walk around the neighborhood after dinner, play board games, go fishing, attend puppet shows and story times at the county library, and assemble puzzles.

"You don't need to spend money to have a nice day," said Diaz, 38, who attends college with the help of county and state financial support.

Many college students are on tight budgets to cover the cost of attending school but they recognize the need to decompress and have a life outside the classroom.

To stay in the black, Brenda Ramirez, 20, said she makes sure all entertainment spending comes out of her leftovers.

"At the beginning of the month, I make sure I pay my bills, then I buy groceries and the leftover is for gas and other stuff," said Ramirez, a junior majoring in psychology at the University of California at Merced. "I don't have fun until I know all my bills are paid off."

Young people say they're strapped to find enough things to do. It's a common complaint of any teen or 20-something in communities across the country, so many end up hanging out with friends. "Kickbacks" are get-togethers that usually include food, drinks, talking and watching TV or a movie, all of which can be accomplished without spending too much cash.

"It's a lot of socializing," Ramirez said.

Because the happenings in Merced are sparse, Ramirez said she goes home to Fresno a lot and brings her Fresno friends to Merced for visits.

Students said they take advantage of apartment pools or local lakes to have barbecues and hang out with friends. Other places for cheap trips include bowling alleys and miniature golf parks, which offer cheaper rates for students or discount nights each week.

Naomi Adams, 19, and her friends go to the Ceres Drive-In about once a week. Entrance is $12 a car, so four friends brings the per-person cost down to $3 for two movies. Although the amount fluctuates, Adams said she has about $20 a week to spend on outings.

"It's really nice. I don't go out and splurge," said Adams, a junior majoring in communications at California State University, Stanislaus. "If you're just doing something with friends, even if it's just cooking dinner, it's the little things like that — you can find things to do that don't cost too much."

Spending time with friends is characteristic of teens and college students.

Not only does UC Merced's Devonte Ruff hang out with his buddies, he also plays around with members of two UC Merced clubs — FLO for singers and Dance Coalition. Members meet on their own time to sing, dance and keep each other company, said Ruff, 19, a junior majoring in biology.

"You need somebody to have fun with," he said. "If you want to have fun, find someone who you can laugh with, who you have similar interests with."

To get out of town, some of the students said they drive to San Francisco or Monterey to sit on the beach. If they pack a car full of friends and split the cost of gas, out-of-pocket expenses are minimal.

Adams is a big fan of catching performances at restaurants and coffee shops. The entertainment is usually free or the cost of a cup of coffee. One of her favorite spots is Queen Bean in Mo-desto.