Cabin Fever has left the building! Now that we’ve tackled winter, what are we suppose to do on the weekends? I have a husband, 4 year old Cocker Spaniel and an active 8 year old who visits every other weekend. We only have one income coming in right now so the days of going to the amusement park, taking day trips and planning big family vacations are long gone in our household. I’ve recently quit my job in order to attend school full time so most of last summer’s excursions cannot be done anymore. To compensate for this, I’ve decided to take advantage of the amenities at our apartment complex.

1. Complex Pool. Not only is it cheaper than joining the local YMCA, it’s absolutely free! We pack a cooler with snacks and juice and spend the afternoon swimming and socializing with other neighbors. We also invite friends to come out and enjoy the pool with us sometimes. (Check with your complex for rules on having guests at the pool.)
2. Complex Gym. Why waste your money on gym fees if you are lucky to have a complex gym? My husband and I go to the gym and workout every weekday evening. It provides a healthy lifestyle and gets us off the sofa. My husband, who is not from this area, has even made friends with other men who use the gym.
3. The Clubhouse. We love our clubhouse because it has a pool table. On weekends that we don’t have our son, we invite friends over and play a game of pool. It is an inexpensive way of having a night out with other adults. My husband and I typically supply the food and our friends bring over the beer. It beats going out to a nightclub and paying expensive cover charges.
4. Taking Walks. On lazy Sunday afternoons we leash up our dog and go for a walk. Not only is this great exercise for us but it’s also exercise for our lazy Cocker Spaniel.
5. Complex Grill. We love the gas grills our complex provides. It cuts out the cost of propane and charcoal that many others have to deal with. We find ourselves rarely using the oven and saving on our electric bill during summer days. We are also finding that it’s a great way to meet other couples in our community. Another plus: cooking on the grill gets me out of cooking everyday and my husband can take over most of the meals. Bonus!

We tend to think that having a great weekend or summer has to involve money, but in essence it doesn’t. A lot of what we enjoy is right here at our door and we are taking advantage of it. I think the amenities a complex offers are some of the biggest perks of living in an apartment vs. owning a home.

What kind of amenities does your complex provide? Do you utilize them? What is your favorite one?

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4. Practicing Safety at Your Apartment
5. Game Night at Home

Tags: activities, apartment amenities, apartment complex, apartment living, clubhouse, Cooking, Entertainment, Exercise, food, Grilling, gym, Landlord, lifestyle, Neighbors, pool, walk, workout