When people say there’s nothing to do in Baton Rouge, Ryan Chenevert likes to say it’s because “they’re boring people.”

Chenevert, along with Josh Howard, runs 2BRokeGuys, a website dedicated to finding adventurous, wallet-friendly events in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas.  

“You have the idea that Baton Rouge is terrible, but it’s not true,” Chenevert said.

Baton Rouge natives and University alumni, Chenevert and Howard perfected the art of frugal spending while in college.

“Being in college is when you learn to be broke,” Howard said.

The pair met in 2009 through Leadership LSU, a service initiative. They started 2BRokeGuys earlier this year.

Both avid adventure-seekers, Chenevert and Howard were always searching for interesting things to do in Baton Rouge. Once they realized many others were searching as well, they began to post about their experiences, even rating them and 2BRokeGuys was then hatched.

“We wanted an alternative to simply going to bars and watching movies,” Howard said.

While Chenevert and Howard cover annual, expected programs like parades, they lean more toward unexpected events, and they prefer events with a local angle. For example, they compiled a list of the best thrift stores in Baton Rouge.

The duo says there is a difference between being “broke” and “financially responsible.” 2BRokeGuys aims to teach Baton Rouge residents that people can have fun without breaking the bank. If something that sounds exciting happens to cost money, the pair suggests volunteering at the event. One example of this is Warrior Dash.

To make their blog accessible, Chenevert and Howard rely heavily on social networking outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

“It takes creativity to figure it out,” Chenevert said.

The pair also tends to focus on events that promote living a healthy lifestyle, like marathons or outdoor activities.

“We’re doing it our own way,” Chenevert said.

“You have the idea that Baton Rouge is terrible, but it’s not true.”