There is no doubt that going to the pub every Friday and Saturday night is enjoyable, and for some people it’s the only way they get to spend some time with their mates. However, there are alternatives. If you want to save some money, or just want to engage in an activity other than drinking, here are three ways to keep you and your mates entertained.

“Pool player Matt” (CC BY 2.0) by  JohnSeb 

Bring the pub/casino to your home

There is no reason why you can’t recreate all the things you love about going out to the pub or casino in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a beer fridge, a widescreen TV for sports, a pool table and a dart board and you have already brought the pub to life in your house. Add a poker table and a roulette wheel and you also have a casino aspect. Every pub worth its salt has a fruit machine, but installing one of these in your house could be pricey. As a cheaper alternative, you could hook up a computer in the room to an online casino so your mates can play online slot games as well. Doing this will be one of the smartest moves you ever make and instantly solidify you as the coolest member of your group of mates.

“Yorkshire Dales, England” (CC BY 2.0) by  minniemouseaunt 

Go out into the wild

Get some tents, equipment, and supplies, and go back to your hunter gatherer roots. A camping weekend in the great outdoors is one of the best things you can do in England, weather permitting. There are hundreds of glorious locations such as the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District, where you can really feel at one with nature and forget about all the worries you may have in your everyday life. Going with all your best mates makes it even better. You can gather wood and build a fire from scratch, like real men, and discuss everything from football to politics without a woman in sight. A few disposable barbecues, sausages, steaks, and a crate or two of lager will top the trip off nicely.

“1 Big Multi-Cultural Festival, Ipswich 2” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by  sasastro 

Play some sports

Five-a-side and Sunday league football are great ways for guys to have a laugh without having to have a beer, and it’s good for you. Anyone can play, and you don’t have to be any good. It is easy to find teams that need players, or you could get your own group of lads together and enter your team into a league. If football isn’t your thing, cricket is a highly sociable sport. The slow nature of the game means there’s plenty of time to catch up with your mates, and it is a fantastic way to spend your Saturday or Sunday morning when the weather is favourable. If you happen to be nursing a hangover, though, just pray that your captain opts to bat first if he wins the toss.

There are plenty of other ways to socialise with other like-minded men too, sometimes you just need to think outside the box.