Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, as with any holiday, can cost a bundle if you’re not careful. We’ve come up with 11 ways you can celebrate St. Paddy’s Day for free, or close to it! 🍀 Build on your own luck by being frugal in how you spend. After all, you don’t have to invest a fortune to have a magical time! In case you don’t find a pot of gold under the rainbow this year, try these 11 golden ideas to help you celebrate.

Make an Irish Dinner

OK, so it won’t be totally free, but it will be a lot less expensive than dining out! Grocery stores will be loaded with inexpensive items like corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes which you can use to prepare a variety of Irish recipes, like Shepherd’s Pie! Stretch your dollar with a meal that will give you leftovers for days after! That means only having to cook once and, which in our book, is pure luck!

Search for Good Luck!

If weather permits, have a picnic outside and search for four-leaf clovers! Make a game out of it, and put a prize on the line for whoever finds one first. With an additional hour of daylight, you’ll have time to spread out a blanket, relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Play St. Patrick’s Day Themed Games

Start your day with a potato sack race for family and friends to get a kick out of. After a delicious Irish dinner, settle back and do something simple. Print some fitting holiday games such as this word search. Or, play bingo using the clovers from your four-leaf clover hunt.

Set the Mood with Irish Music or a Movie

Jump right into the Irish festivities with traditional Irish music! Stay light on your toes while practicing the steps to an Irish dance from YouTube. Or, blast the tunes of Dropkick Murphys to get your party started! Feeling a movie instead? Put on The Princess Bride, which filmed scenes at Ireland’s famous Cliffs of Moher. Interested in a more recent flick? Try The Fighter, in which Mark Wahlberg plays American-Irish professional boxer, “Irish” Micky Ward.

Related: 7 Crockpot Meals To Feed The Whole Family Under $15

Find a Free Parade or Festival

Check with local tourism offices near you to see what your town and community have to offer. Most parades are free to enjoy, and will give your family an exciting way to celebrate together! Plus, you might discover fun activities like face-painting that you hadn’t thought of!

Make a Leprechaun Gnome…or Several!

Creating a leprechaun gnome will brighten up your St. Patrick’s Day! It’s likely that you already have the supplies around your house to make one! In case you’re visual learner, here’s a video to teach you how to incorporate decorating this inexpensive memento into your March celebrations!

From Witches to Riches!

Repurpose your holiday decor by turning your Halloween cauldron into a pot of gold! Bake a batch of “gold-en” cookies to fill it up. Turn it into a scavenger hunt reward by printing a series of clues on different colored strips of paper; aka rainbows. A lesson will be learned that following instructions will pay off! Each player will have a different set of clues, all leading to the end of the rainbow…where the quickest winner will find a delicious treasure awaiting. Then it will be time to learn another valuable lesson…sharing!

Wear Green, be Seen!

Don’t just avoid getting pinched, make it an event! You and your family most likely have more green attire than you think. Dig deep and get creative without spending a dime. Whether it’s the adults keeping it classy, or the kids going all outlandish…the laughs, giggles and fun times will have any non-participants green with envy! Pro tip: Create green tie-dye shirts, or wear a green morphsuit to steal the show!

Teach Irish Culture

When there’s a fun learning opportunity…grab it! Kids will jump at the chance of a history lesson when it’s about a place filled with beauty, wildlife, alpacas and fairy gardens!

Related: 27 FREE Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer

Learn an Irish Jig

Watching Irish dancing is intriguing, entertaining, and great exercise…so why not join in? Especially on Saint Patrick’s Day! In many Irish towns, visitors are invited to join in the dances. Even with minimal instructions, most pick it up quickly. With it being easy to learn, you can add this to your list of free, fun festivities on your holiday!

Make a Sweet Treat; Irish Potato Candy

Although this amazing little candy looks like a potato, it doesn’t have any in it!  It was originally created by Irish immigrants, and costs nothing to make!

 Here’s what you’ll need:

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Simply cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating well. Add coconut and stir until well-blended. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll (yes, keep rolling!) in cinnamon and roll each one into a potato shape. Place the little potatoes on a foil-lined cookie sheet and chill until set. Keep them in the refrigerator until serving time. To make them even cuter, cut and tape small “potato sacks” from brown lunch bags and load them up!