Everywhere I’ve gone this week, I’ve heard people discussing the economy, so it seems like a perfect time to discuss having fun without spending much or any money. If you find that you’re someone who gets the urge to spend when you’re feeling stress, I’d suggest making your own list of 50 Cheap Thrills. Make a rule that only after you’ve exhausted this list will you spend your hard-earned money on something more expensive.
So here’s my list. Maybe it’ll help get you thinking of your own:
50 Cheap Thrills
1. Find a TV listing online, and search for movies. You just might find an old favorite like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or When Harry Met Sally scheduled. Pop some popcorn, make some lemonade, and settle in for a movie that never gets old.
2. Digitalize your photos. You’ve been meaning to do this for a long time. Put on a little enjoyable music, and have fun getting your photos into digital form.
3. Create a vision board. Clip photos and words from magazines that symbolize what you want in your life. Use glue or two-sided tape to affix these to your board. Hang your collage someplace where you’ll see it often (mine’s over my dresser and is one of the first things I see in the morning and the last things I see at night).
4. Go to the zoo! We’re never too old to enjoy the zoo or aquarium. Actually plan your visit. See when feeding time is.
5. Log your books in LibraryThing. LT now has its competitors, but it’s still my favorite. You can catalog 200 books for free. More than that is just a nominal fee for a lifetime membership.
6. Take a hike. Search online for hiking trails in your area. Gear up, and hit the trails!
7. Check out your local museums. Look specifically for a free weekend day. Here in Atlanta, the first Saturday of the month is free at the High Musueum.
8. Learn to knit. I’ve actually seen both men and women doing this, which is as it should be! There are instructions online, or you could pick up a book at the local library.
9. Get out the board games. Some of my best memories are of family sitting around the table playing board games or cards.
10. Bake something from scratch. Try something you’ve never done before and something with inexpensive ingredients. How about bagels? Check out recipes at Allrecipes.com.
11. Get your bike out and use it. Pump up those tires. The fall season has to be the perfect time for biking. Too hilly in your area? Pack the bike in the car and take it to a biking path.
12. Work out. For all of us there is some kind of exercise that doesn’t feel like drudgery.
13. Plan your dream vacation. Decide where you’re going, and start the planning process now. What sites will you see? How many days will you spend? Do you prefer a guided tour, or will you take suggestions from the natives?
14. Auction your stuff. This can be fun, especially if you’ve never done it before. I still remember my first eBay auction and how I had to keep checking it every five minutes to see if I had a bidder.
15. Listen to an audiobook. Check with your library. Some even allow you to download audiobooks over the Internet for free.
16. Refinish something. Sand it. Paint or stain it. Repair it. Repurpose it.
17. Be your family’s sleuth. Pull out any genealogical information you have, and set to work filling in the pieces. Almost all sites like genealogy.com and ancestry.com have free trials.
18. Join Toastmasters. You can visit free as many times as you like. Meet some people, make some friends, and become a better speaker.
19. Take care of something you value. This may be your car, golf clubs, or jewelry collection. Get out the polish and go to work.
20. Start or join a reading club. If you really want to keep it inexpensive, create a theme of readily accessible books, such as the classics.
21. Take a bubble bath. When was the last time you really created a nice bath for yourself or a loved one? Go all out. Put a bath pillow or rolled towel nearby to support your neck. Light candles. Play some soft music. A glass of wine and some chocolate within reach make it perfect.
22. Go fishing. Find a little pond or lake nearby, and spend some time fishing from the shore. Enjoy the breeze, the colors of the leaves, the smells of fall.
23. Rent a video. Netflix is inexpensive, particularly if you team up with your friends and each rent different movies. Have a movie night together or alone.
24. Have a potluck dinner. Have your friends bring dishes to your house. Another option would be to create a progressive dinner party in your neighborhood. Everyone moves from house to house sampling a dish or two at each.
25. Play with your pet. Get out the ball, frisbee, or stuffed mouse, and have some fun.
26. Create some holiday cards. Use colored pencils, watercolor, or ink, and start making your own seasonal cards right now. Your friends and family will undoubtedly cherish these much more than any card you could purchase at a store.
27. Learn to make soap from scratch. All you need is some research, a book or two from the library, and a few inexpensive tools and ingredients.
28. Have sex. We all know that this can be a lot of fun and a great workout, too.
29. Use your digital camera. Go for a walk with your camera, and try to record the world in unique ways. Try some camera functions you haven’t tried before, like creating some sepia photos or using the macro or stitch features.
30. Meditate. Though this might not be exactly what we might call fun, it is relaxing and might be exactly what you need to settle that itch to spend.
31. Meet your neighbors. It’s never too late or too early to go over and introduce yourself. Perhaps take a small homemade gift (like a loaf of challah) as an excuse.
32. Write! Start writing your book or that article for the magazine. Start working toward making your dreams a reality.
33. Do an inexpensive home project. Make sure it’s something you enjoy. Painting a small room is a relatively inexpensive project that can keep you occupied for hours or days.
34. Nurture a plant. Start a window herb garden or do some work in your flower beds or vegetable garden.
35. Create a scrapbook. Keep it simple if you want to save money. Make it for yourself or make it as a gift. A running friend of mine puts all of her racing numbers in a scrapbook and logs a little info about each race. After the initial expense of the book itself, a simple scrapbook is an inexpensive hobby that will occupy many hours. There are also digital alternatives that are much cheaper and don’t require the tools and mess that other scrapbooking can.
36. Visit a Goodwill store. I once had a lot of fun with a little money by purchasing a pair of jeans at Goodwiill and dying them indigo in my washing machine.
37. Learn a new language. Practice one you’re already working on, or choose something entirely new. Try a free site like flashcardexchange.com to create flashcards.
38. Go camping. Call your friends and plan a camping trip.
39. Write a letter. When was the last time you wrote or received a handwritten letter? Go all out and use your favorite pen. If you have wax on hand, seal it with some wax. Scent it with some perfume or cologne, if you like. The recipient of your letter will be thrilled.
40. Make some candles. I once saved the leftover wax from my candles in a Zip-loc bag and then made new candles. This can be done with some inexpensive tools and information easily found online or in a library book.
41. Catch up with old friends. Go down the list of friends and family members whom you haven’t spoken with for a while, and give them a call.
42. Create a new web site. If you host your own site, you may find, like I did, that I can host several other sites for free. What do you have to say? Would you like to sell a product? Check out creating an Amazon Store and hosting it on your site.
43. Give yourself a home spa treatment. In addition to the bath already mentioned, spend some time giving your entire body some TLC with a do-it-yourself facial, manicure and pedicure, and deep conditioning hair treatment. Massage your feet.
44. Practice some yoga. There are countless instructional links online as well as videos on You Tube. If you’re new to yoga, choose some basic poses, and enjoy feeling that stretch. If you’re an experienced yoga practitioner, try a new pose.
45. Look to the stars. Find a safe, open area, and use a star map to try to find various constellations.
46. Do something you’ve been dreading. Fun? This may not seem fun at first, but sometimes after you get started, the satisfaction is so great that it actually becomes enjoyable. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of starting cleaning only to find yourself in a “cleaning mood,” not wanting to stop.
47. Dance. It doesn’t matter if you know how to or not. Just put on some music and move. No judgment! It’s great exercise and lots of fun.
48. Shape something with your hands. Buy some modeling clay and build an incense holder or a flower pot. Or make a sculpture of someone you love. Whittle some wood.
49. Volunteer. Do something social for a cause you believe in. Working side by side with other volunteers and the public is incredibly rewarding.
50.Work on creating your paperless office. Put on some music, and start scanning. If you’re just beginning, this is a long-term project. You’ll feel wonderful as you make progress. Stay tuned to Stream of Peace—I’ll be sharing some tips soon on going paperless.
What’s on your 50 Cheap Thrills list? Let’s hear it in the comments!
Photo courtesy of Sukanto Debnath.
