Lifestyle How to Celebrate 4/20 on a Budget Elizabeth Enochs April 16, 2018

It’s that time of year again when the chillest of holidays is nearly upon us. But holidays aren’t known for being budget-friendly and cannabis can be particularly expensive. To help you get the most bang for your buck, we put together this simple guide to celebrating 4/20 on a budget.

Don’t Go to Your Usual Dispensary

Some dispensaries gift first-time patients and customers free cannabis goodies like pre-rolled joints, edibles, and complimentary grams of flower. Do your 4/20 shopping at a dispensary you haven’t visited before and get in on those sweet new customer deals!

Plan Your Shopping Spree Ahead of Time

Wherever you decide to treat yourself for 4/20, do your research. Most dispensaries have weekly, daily, and even hourly deals on everything from flower to edibles, which can help you save big on your favorite cannabis products. If you’re looking to celebrate the holiday with a variety of cannabis wares—and you can budget the time—taking advantage of multiple “deal days” will help you save even more dollars. To get you started, here’s 23 dispensaries with fantastic cannabis prices and deals.

Stick With Cannabis-Infused Edibles

If you want to spend as little money as possible but still want the most potent products, then try sticking to edibles. Since cannabis-infused edibles tend to offer a more intense, longer-lasting high than flower or concentrates, they can be your most budget-friendly option. For example, you can buy one cannabis-infused cookie from the Venice Cookie Company for just $17 and find yourself with 250mg of THC. If microdosing is your thing, spend as little as $15 for 42 doses worth of Kiva Confection’s Petra Eucalyptus Mints.

Whatever you decide, plan ahead and do your research. Eat first, start with the smallest effective dose, wait at least two hours before dosing yourself again, and make sure you’re somewhere comfortable and safe. And if this is your first time with edibles, or your first time dosing yourself, read this.

Ask Shops About Budget-Friendly Strains & Products

Don’t be embarrassed to ask dispensaries about their cheapest strains, edibles, concentrates, and other cannabis products. It’s a budtender’s job to answer any questions you might have, and a sale is a sale. Make sure that you’re clear about what you want, because the most budget-friendly strains, edibles, or concentrates might not offer the side-effects, or the ingredients, that you’re looking for. The cheapest edible available might contain animal products, so be sure to let your budtender know if you’re vegetarian. And if you’re picky about the ingredients in your cannabis oil vape cartridges, make that clear as well.

Split Your Costs With Friends

Whether you want to stick with edibles this 4/20 or you’re planning to puff on joints all day long, splitting the costs with friends could help you save money.

If your entire friend group prefers energizing strains while you like to keep it mellow, ask if a hybrid strain will work. Or, if your whole crew wants to stick with edibles this holiday, ask about everyone’s dietary restrictions before hitting up your local dispensary and pool your resources.

Consider the Pre-Rolled Joint

Pre-rolls haven’t always had the greatest reputation, but I’ve never met a pre-rolled joint that I didn’t like. Pre-rolls are super convenient, they tend to be potent, and they can last for several smoke sessions if you’re toking solo.

It’s not difficult to find budget-friendly pre-rolls either. Cannabis consumers can purchase pre-rolls for as little as $5 at certain dispensaries—such as The Higher Path in Los Angeles—and you could spend between $10 and $15 to buy a full gram of pre-rolled flower at most dispensaries.

If you’re not sure which pre-roll is right for you, here are some of our favorites.

Cook Instead of Eating Out

Cooking and cannabis pair beautifully, and preparing your own food is almost always cheaper than dining out, ordering takeout, or getting a pizza delivered. Even better? You don’t have to consider yourself a good cook to create a lovely meal from scratch. The Vegan Stoner Cookbook is chock-full of delicious recipes that take very little time, effort, or money to put together, and this cannabis-infused chipotle avocado baked mac and cheese recipe should take less than an hour to prepare.

Spend the Day Outdoors

I love getting high in the great outdoors, and I’ve never met a cannabis consumer who felt differently. With proper planning, cannabis can enhance everything from a hike in the woods, picnics in the park, even a yoga session in your own backyard. Some national parks—like Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon—charge vehicle entrance fees, but most state and city parks are free and open to the public. Spending time outside boosts your serotonin activity, so you can’t go wrong celebrating 4/20 the natural way.

Make sure you pack plenty of snacks and bring more water than you expect to drink. Don’t leave any trash behind—no one wants to see discarded roaches or edible wrappers when they’re trying to commune with nature. Remember to be respectful and discreet, because the smell of bud doesn’t appeal to everyone. And if you plan to go hiking this 4/20, check out these tips before hitting the trail.

Plan a Cozy Night In

You don’t have to be an introvert to enjoy a quiet night at home, and staying in is usually cheaper than going out. This 4/20, consider planning a cozy, cannabis-fueled night in. Spend the holiday catching up on self-care, indulging in Netflix, eating good food, getting lost in one of these adult coloring books, or hanging out with your pets. If you’re part of a budding couple, you and your partner could plan a romantic dinner from home, try out one of these cannabis-infused lubes, or get high and cuddle under the stars.

Elizabeth Enochs Liz Enochs is a writer and journalist from a small town in Missouri that you've probably never heard of. In addition to Leafly, her work has been published by Bustle, Narratively, USA Today, HelloGiggles, POPSUGAR, and many others. More often than not, you'll find her in the woods. View Elizabeth Enochs's articles