Happy Tax Day! 5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Celebrate While You Wait For Your Tax Refund

It’s over! Taxes are done! Congratulations on knocking that big goal out!

If you’re like us, you probably feel good right now. When my husband and I finished our taxes we were relieved because we finally crossed that off our to-do list.  

I admit that when saw we were getting a tax refund, we celebrated. Nothing fancy, just a drink around the fire pit while enjoying the night sky. While you wait for your tax refund to get deposited, you should go out and celebrate your win.  

If you’re looking for ideas on what to do, here are 5 budget-friendly ways you can kick back and mark your big win.

Have a night out. If it’s the two of you, go for an extra special date night. Maybe find one of those hole-in-wall spots you’ve heard about, but never had time to visit. Or you could hang with the guys/gals for a fun evening.

Check out a local or college band. Skip those pricey tickets and instead see if you can discover a new band about to blow up.  If you have a college or university around, check out the venues in the area for upcoming shows. You may find a new band to love!

Enjoy a free or cheap festival. With the weather warming up, you may want to go ahead and check what’s happening in your town. This month our city is hosting several beer festival and events which we’re going to check out. Your local paper and news stations will usually have a section sharing what’s going on.

Explore the art scene. Many towns have special day or evenings where you can visit the museums and galleries for free. Take advantage of those. You may discover a new artist to follow. Over here in Raleigh (and other places), the first Fridays of the month usually have something going on.

Get back with nature. With the trees and flowers blooming, now is a great time to be out and about. Spend a day exploring a new trail by bike or go on a hike with a friend. If you’re close to the water, make it a beach day. Might not be able to surf yet, but you can kick back and enjoy the sunnier days with a good book or an intense game of volleyball.

Hope these ideas inspire you to take some time out to enjoy getting your taxes done without breaking your budget. If you’re getting a tax refund, make sure you have a smart plan in place on how you’re going to use it. Set aside a big portion to boost your savings, invest more, or pay off debts, but don’t forget to also use some of it for fun, like a summer vacation!

If you’re using a money application like Mint, it’s easy to set up a quick budget that will help you balance taking care of your big goals and setting aside some fun money.

If you still need to file your taxes, don’t worry TurboTax has you covered and you can e-file until 11:59 pm tonight. TurboTax will ask you simple tax questions and give you the tax deductions and credits you’re eligible for based on your answers.