In fact, you don’t have to spend a lot of money at all to learn something new, acquire a unique skill, or witness a beautiful piece of art.
If you’d like to become more well rounded and experience more of the world on a tight budget, check out some of our best tips below.
1. Visit a museum.
Many museums offer reduced admissions for students, teachers, and members of the military. However, many of them are also free or offer sales on tickets throughout the year. Sometimes, you can get an annual pass if you plan on visiting a specific museum a few times a year. Also, don’t forget that you can visit a National Park. Many of America’s National Parks are free, and if they are not, admission is typically quite small. Visiting a museum can open your eyes to the world and present a new perspective on a past or current event, so they are definitely worth checking out.
2. See a play.
Instead of going to the movies, check to see if your local theater is hosting a play. You can see many off Broadway musicals this way for as low as $40 in some areas. Because movies are so expensive these days, it’s good to mix it up by spending just a little bit more to see a live play. You can also apply this to seeing your local city’s ballet company perform. Even if you think watching a live play or a dance performance is completely lame, I challenge you to try it. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
Part of being cultured is being able to engage in self-expression. Instead of watching TV, sit down and write about your day. Or, draft a lovely note to a friend and drop it in the mail. Writing frees up parts of our brain that are left dormant in our fast paced technologically advanced world. Get in tune with your writing, and you will get in tune with yourself.
Forget about the gossip magazines. Open up a newspaper and scan the headlines. Even if they seem uninteresting to you, try to read them anyway. When you are cultured, you are well rounded. This means being knowledgeable about many different topics.
5. Listen to music.
Lastly, listen to great music. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes as “great music,” but I think it’s safe to say that you should mix in modern music with a few classic hits. Ask your friends for recommendations on great music to expand your knowledge.
As you can see, being cultured isn’t just for the rich and famous. Everyone can improve their understanding of the world in just a few steps. All it takes is a trip to the local library or a local museum mixed in with a new appreciation of the fine arts.