Now that summer is here, and we’re officially back outside, we are so excited for all of the activities we either hadn’t been able to do or just missed out on in the past couple of years. Considering inflation and the fact that we’re always trying to be smart about our coins, we decided to challenge our team at TLC to all take part in a $100 weekend challenge. Would you be able to spend less than $100 in one weekend, or do you think you’d fail miserably? 

Keep reading to see how our writer Urma Olivia Redmond fared with the challenge, and stay tuned over the next few weeks to see if our other team members passed or failed the challenge.

 

Name: Urma Olivia Redmond

City, State: Dallas, TX

A snapshot of your weekend itinerary (activities, plans, etc):

Saturday

Hike - Free

To get the day off on a sunny start, I went hiking at the Cedar Ridge Preserve with one of my friends. This is a free hiking trail in Dallas, and it offers nine hiking trails to explore over 600 acres of land. 

Now that the weather is consistently better, hiking has become one of my favorite pastimes to enjoy for the free! Most parks and trails are completely free to the public, but there are a few that will require an admission fee. (In Texas, the most it may cost will be between $5-10.) 

Farmer’s market - $25.20

After I got refreshed and rejuvenated from hiking, I went to the farmer’s market. The farmer’s market houses both indoor and outdoor spaces, each full of locally-owned businesses that are selling food, goods, and other gems that you may have a liking for! Plus, it’s super relaxing to walk around and enjoy the weather while checking out the vendors.

Besides the mimosas and tacos, my favorite shop at the farmer’s market is Abundantly Aromatic, a Black-owned business that sells handmade shea butter, soaps, and other related products. I was running low on body scrub and shea butter ($18 and $10, respectively), so I went ahead and scooped those up during my visit. With tax, my total came to $25.20.

Plenty of cities across the United States have their own farmer’s market, so it’d be a great idea to check out the one closest to your respective home!

Kimbell Art Museum - $18

Once I left the farmer’s market, I headed to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. They opened a new exhibit last month, “The Language of Beauty in African Art,” that I wanted to check out. Tickets for this particular exhibition were $18.

Although some art museums charge for specific shows or exhibitions, there are plenty of museums across different cities that don’t require any admission fee. Want to go on your own art viewing tour? Look up which museums are available in your city!

Saturday’s Total: $43.20

Sunday

Farmer’s market (again) - $21.65

I have to admit…the farmer’s market is definitely one of my favorite spots in Dallas! On Sunday morning, I went back to the farmer’s market to show off its beauty to a friend who was visiting. (But honestly…I never need an excuse to go twice in one weekend.)

This time, I stopped at a vendor that I had missed the day before that was selling jewelry with crystals and gems. I ended up buying two rings (smoky quartz and rose quartz, respectively), spending $21.65 in total. 

Movies - $12

As much as I enjoy having a plethora of streaming options, I also really like sitting down at a movie theater to get lost in a good film. After the farmer’s market, I went to the movies to catch “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a film I’ve been meaning to watch for awhile. It was bomb (definitely a must-see if you haven’t already), and my ticket for the viewing was $12.

Bar for NBA Playoffs - Free

The Dallas Mavericks were playing the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 in their series, so a few friends and I went to watch the game at a bar. The NBA playoffs are a great excuse to get out of the house: watch parties can be super exciting, even if you’re not the biggest basketball fan. 

Most bars don’t have a cover fee, so it was nice to dip in and out as you please without having to worry about a ticket!

Sunday’s Total: $33.65

TOTAL: $76.85

Did you meet the challenge? Why or why not?

All in all, I spent $76.85 in total over this weekend. With over $20 left over, it’s safe to say that I bodied this challenge.

What was the easiest part of this challenge? The hardest part?

The easiest part of this challenge was finding activities to do and stuff to buy! I really enjoyed getting to find things outside of my normal routine to indulge in. The hardest part was probably trying to guess ahead of time if my preferred activities would fit within my budget, but even still it wasn’t too difficult.

What did you learn from this challenge? What was the biggest takeaway?

My biggest takeaway from this challenge is that finding activities to do within your means is definitely possible and accessible. It also kind of inspired me to put together a more grand budget so I can plan more elaborate things to do, lol.

Would you be willing to do this challenge again? Why or why not?

I would love to do this challenge again! I think it has a nice intersection of being both a creative exercise and a financial responsibility exercise. I think it’d also be fun to do as a date or with a group of friends or family.