GirlsGuideTo | Save It: How Not To Blow Your Budget on the Weekend (And Still Have Fun)

Do you ever take a look at your bank account on Monday and shudder at the amount of money you've blown in the past 48 hours? You work too hard monitoring your spending during the week to blow it all in two days. And I know, it's difficult to stay on a budget when you want to go out with friends. Here are a few tips to keep you on track so you aren't crossing your fingers that your credit card isn’t maxed out.

Take a look at your spending habits, and budget accordingly. You might find that you can afford the weekly movie, bar hop, and brunches if you refrain from going out during the week so you can play on the weekends. Calculate the average amount you like to spend on the weekends, and avoid buying the little things that add up big like Starbucks or lunches during the week.

Itemize your spending, and cut what you can. Do you spend the most at restaurants or drinks at the bar? Opt for making brunch or dinner with a group of friends rather than going out. Challenge yourself to play bartender, and concoct fun drinks at your house before you go out.

Cash only. Take out the amount you've budgeted yourself for the weekend, and leave your cards at home. This way, you aren't tempted to splurge anyway, because you have a confined amount. Plus, you won’t have to worry about leaving your cards anywhere!

Split meals and wine bottles. Most restaurant portions are too huge to finish anyway, so you might as well pay half the amount by splitting a meal with a friend. If you are drinking, wine by the bottle might be the best deal. Since you'll probably order two or more glasses anyway, split a bottle with a friend or two.

Strike up conversation at the bar. Come on, use your flirting skills to your advantage. You never know what will come of it. You might meet someone interesting, engaging, and willing to buy you a drink. Push yourself to meet a new person and save a little at the bar: it's a win-win situation.

Take advantage of free entertainment. You might want to go see a movie for a big premier or for a special occasion, but usually cities will have free concerts, festivals, and other entertaining events that are 100 percent free and fun.

So follow these steps this weekend for a guilt-free Monday. Do you have any other weekend saving tips that have worked for you?