How To Spend A Day In Louisville Without Spending More Than $25

The "broke college kid" stereotype is real. Here's a list of the weekends where I had fun without spending more than $25.

Something I learned very quickly after coming to college is that the “broke college kid” stereotype is real. Most of your money goes to paying for school or things associated with it and classes are so time-consuming that getting a job can at times seem impossible. With that being said, that doesn’t mean that treating yourself from time to time is a bad thing. As a student at UofL, there were a number of weekends where I had fun without spending more than $25. Here’s a recount of a day in Louisville so that you might be able to recreate it, more tailored to your own interests.

The weather had just started heating up and my friends and I were itching to get off campus and enjoy the nice weather. We’d wanted to go to the Walking Bridge forever and decided that it was the perfect day to do it.

Food comes first!

Before we could do anything else, we stopped at Paul’s Fruit Market for a fresh and filling lunch. I got a sandwich, chips, some pineapples, and a buckeye for maybe $10. Some of my friends also got strawberries and cream soda. There are plenty of places you can eat on the cheap, but I’d highly recommend Paul’s due to the atmosphere and array of yummy and healthy options.

When it’s nice out, no one really wants to eat inside.

Our next stop was Robinson Park to enjoy our delicious food outside at a picnic table. And let me say, you are never too old to spend some time at the park; so, afterward, we got a bit of a work out in on the swings. Now, there are plenty of parks in Louisville, and while I’ve only really been to Robinson and Joe Creason, any are acceptable places to enjoy a meal. Some others I’d recommend are Tom Sawyer or Waterfront Park.

Now you’re ready for the main event: The Walking Bridge.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the walking bridge is strictly for pedestrians (although some people do bring some pretty cute dogs) and connects Kentucky to Indiana. It’s a great way to get some exercise and fresh air as well as get some good pics for Instagram. If you’re up for a long walk I’d suggest going all the way to Indiana. We stopped at a cute frozen yogurt shop there and the fro-yo was rather delicious. One tip: wear comfy clothes and shoes. I wore sandals, high waisted jeans, and a tank top. Although it was cute, the walk would’ve been much more enjoyable in the tennis shoes, t-shirt, and athletic shoes I changed into afterward.

The day doesn’t have to end there.

Since the day is all about spending as little money as possible, I’d suggest eating dinner somewhere that accepts meal swipes or flex points. For my friends and I, that place was the (infamous) Ville Grill.

Next, find somewhere on campus to chill out for a while.

We went back to one of my friend’s apartments where we made more some food, studied a little, played some board games, and just hung out. As fun as it is to go out, staying in and relaxing is more my type of night (and cheaper). Late night ice creams run are fun, too, though. We decided to hit up Grater’s at about 10 as a final hurrah for the day. And, what night is complete without spilling ice cream on yourself…Am I right?

Finish the night off with a movie.

Watching a movie may be the most basic thing in the book, but its a classic. Since I fall asleep during nearly every movie, it was the perfect way for me to get ready for bed. My friends put on the Sixth Sense, but comedies are good, too (and more my pace lol). Whatever you want to watch, Netflix gives you millions of movies to choose from on the cheap.

When being a broke college kid may seem crippling, there are still plenty of things for you to get out and do. This is just one example of the many days you can have in Louisville without spending more than $25.