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        (1) Most college students like to have fun, but entertainment is often pricey.

        (2) In today’s shaky economy, students can’t afford to make a weekly habit of going to a college football game or watching the newest movie that has just hit theaters.

        (3) It has become necessary to search for new ways to enjoy themselves for less than the usual cost.

    Thesis: College students can save money on entertainment by ¹renting movies once they have been released to DVD, ²choosing free outdoor activities, and ³finding cheap dining alternatives.

        Topic Sentence: Renting a movie once it has been released on DVD is a good way to save money.

            Explanation: It is much more inexpensive to share the cost of renting a DVD than to pay to see a movie while it’s still in theaters.

            Detail 1: Renting a movie from Blockbuster usually costs the same as the purchase of a movie ticket, but more people can enjoy the rented movie.

            Detail 2: Friends can rent a movie from Red Box for only a dollar per night.

            Conclusion: Students will save a lot more money by waiting to rent a movie than they would by seeing it in a theater.

        Topic Sentence: Taking part in free outdoor activities is a way college students can have fun while saving money.

            Explanation: Friends enjoying their time with one another and breathing in fresh air is a nice variation from spending time indoors.

            Detail 1: When the sun is shining and the air is crisp, the weather is perfect for spending one’s day at Coolidge Park.

            Detail 2: Students can meet at the park to soak up the sun while playing a pick-up game of Ultimate Frisbee or flag football.

            Conclusion: A day at the park would only cost the price of gas, and some could carpool to save even more money.

        Topic Sentence: Eating is one thing that most college students do best, so many young adults gather at restaurants everywhere to enjoy food and each others’ company.  Better: To save money, college students dining out should economize.

            Explanation: However, dining out can take a large chunk out of one’s pocket.

            Detail 1: To solve this problem, friends could share the cost of a pepperoni pizza or meet at a local coffee shop for a snack rather than an entire meal.

            Detail 2: Another more creative idea would be to take part in a progressive dinner.

            Conclusion: Resourceful college students can find inexpensive substitutes to dining out.

    A. Main Point: There are many fun and cheap alternatives to mainstream entertainment.

    B. Final Thought: Once a student gets creative in the way she spends her free time, she can immediately begin to save money.