202

WAYS TO
SAVE
MONEY
NOW
100 of the best tips to start saving today.
102 things to do for free on the weekend.
How to Save Money: 100 Great
Tips to Get You Started
By: Trent Hamm
No matter where you are on your financial journey, you need to
know that it’s possible for anyone to turn their financial life
around. Sometimes all it takes is that first step in the right
direction to get things moving in your favor. But, as with most
things, sometimes that very first step is the hardest part.
That’s why we created this list of 100 ways to start saving money
today. None of these tactics will be life-changing on their own,
but they can make quite a difference over time if you’re able to
implement more than one. Some of these suggestions take just a
few minutes, while others require a bit of regular effort. Still,
they’re all incredibly simple – anyone can do them.
Obviously, not all of these tips will apply to everyone. Just go
through the list and find 10 or 15 that do apply to you and use
them in your life. When you do, you may quickly find that you’re
saving more money than you ever thought possible.
1. Move bank accounts to take advantage of perks
and earn more interest
If you’re paying a monthly fee for your checking or savings
account, you would benefit from researching some of newest
banking offers out there. Not only do some banks offer sign-up
bonuses simply for opening an account and setting up direct
deposit, but some offer attractive interest rates to new customers
as well.
It’s true that interest rates are not what they once were, but it’s
still worth a look. Some of the best free checking accounts and
best savings accounts can be found online. Here’s a guide on how
to make that switch.
2. Turn off the television.
If you’re paying a monthly fee for your checking or savings
account, you would benefit from researching some of newest
banking offers out there. Not only do some banks offer sign-up
bonuses simply for opening an account and setting up direct
deposit, but some offer attractive interest rates to new customers
as well.
Want to take things a step further? Consider cutting the cord to
cable TV altogether.

3. Stop collecting, and start selling

There was a time when people thought their collections would
bring them riches. Beanie Babies were a big fad at one time, as
were Longaberger baskets. Now you can find those items on
resale sites like Craigslist and at garage sales for a fraction of their
initial cost, leaving many people who sunk thousands of dollars
into their “investments” wondering what happened.
If you want to avoid that situation, don’t collect items of
questionable value. And if you want to recoup some of the money
you’ve already spent on collectible items, you can start selling
them now and use those funds for any number of worthy
financial goals. Read our “Guide to Selling Unwanted Items” for
some simple strategies that can help you profit as much as
possible.

4. Sign up for every free customer rewards program

you can.
No matter where you live, you’ll find plenty of retailers who are
willing to reward you for shopping at their store. Here’s the basic
game plan for maximizing these programs: create a Gmail or
Yahoo address just for these mailings, collect every card you can,
and then check that account for extra coupons whenever you’re
ready to shop.
You can add to those rewards and discounts by using rewards
credit cards to earn points on purchases at a wide range of stores
that can be redeemed for cash back or other benefits.

5. Make your own gifts instead of buying stuff from

the store.
If you want to save money while also giving generously, creating
your own homemade gifts is one way to accomplish both goals.
You can make food mixes, candles, fresh-baked bread or cookies,
soap, and all kinds of other things at home quite easily and
inexpensively.
These make spectacular gifts for others because they involve your
personal touch -- something you can’t buy from a store -- and
quite often they're consumable, meaning they don't wind up
filling someone's closet with junk. Even better - include a personal
handwritten note with the gift.

6. Master the 30-day rule.

Avoiding instant gratification is one of the most important rules of
personal finance, and waiting 30 days to decide on a purchase is
an excellent way to implement that rule.
Quite often, after a month has passed, you’ll find that the urge to
buy has passed as well, and you’ll have saved yourself some
money simply by waiting. If you’re on the fence about a purchase
anyway, waiting a while can give you a better perspective on
whether it’s truly worth the money.

7. Write a list before you go shopping – and stick to it.

One of the easiest ways to save money is to only shop when you
have a list. Because when you’re without one, you typically end up
making impulse buys and unplanned purchases – all things that
cost money.
Creating a list before you go to the grocery store is especially
important. Not only can it help you buy items that fit with your
meal plan, but it can also help you avoid buying food you might
waste. Always create a list and, more importantly, stick to it.

8. Invite friends over instead of going out.

Going out to eat or “out on the town” has a way of completely
destroying both your food budget and your entertainment
budget in one fell swoop. And no matter what, it is always
cheaper to stay in with friends and come up with your own
entertainment.
Instead of hitting the town, host a fun pitch-in dinner with your
friends. Play cards, sit around a fire pit, or watch movies with your
guests. You’ll all save money – and have a blast.

9. Repair clothing instead of tossing it.

Don’t toss out a shirt because of a broken button – sew on a new
one with some closely-matched thread. Don’t toss out pants
because of a hole in them – put in a patch of some sort and save
them for times when you’re working around the house.
Most basic sewing jobs can be completed by anyone, and a little
bit of practice goes a long way. Learning basic sewing skills is a
great way to save some money – and extend the life of your
clothing.

10. Don’t spend big money entertaining your

children.
Most children, especially young ones, can be entertained very
cheaply. Buy them an end roll of newspaper from your local paper
and let their creativity run wild. Play ball in the backyard. Head to
the park. Plant a garden. Teach them to ride a bike without
training wheels once and for all.
Realize that what your children want most of all is your time, not
your stuff, and you’ll find money in your pocket and joy in your
heart.

11. Negotiate rates with your credit card company or

complete a balance transfer.
If you’re paying a lot of interest on your credit cards, it’s important
to know that you do have some power as long as you’ve been
making your payments. Not only do you have the right to
negotiate your current interest rate with your credit card issuer,
but you have the right to transfer your balance to an entirely
different card as well. (In fact, that is perhaps your biggest
bargaining chip.)
Start by calling your card issuer at the number on the back of your
card and explaining your request. If you don’t make any progress
with them, check out these balance transfer credit cards to find
one with an introductory 0% APR that could help you save
hundreds of dollars in interest over time.

12. Clean out those closets.

Go through your closets and find anything and everything you no
longer use. Then, don’t just get rid of it, use it to your benefit.
You can have a yard sale with it, sell it on eBay or Craigslist, take it
to a consignment shop, or even donate it for the tax deduction
(mark down what you give away so you can get a receipt). All of
these options can turn old stuff you don’t want anymore into
money in your pocket. Not only that, it’s often a psychological
load off your mind to clean out your closets.

13. Buy video games that have a lot of replay value –

and don’t acquire new ones until you’ve mastered
what you have.
My video game buying habits have changed quite a bit since my
“game of the week” days. Now, I focus on games that can be
played over and over and over again, and I focus on mastering the
games that I buy. Good targets include puzzle games and long,
involved quest games – they maximize the value of your gaming
dollar.
Once you’re done with a game for good, take it to a video game
resale shop like GameStop and see if you can trade it in for store
credit you can use to get another game.

14. Drink more water.

Not only does drinking plenty of water have great health benefits
— it has financial benefits, too. Drink a big glass of water before
each meal in order to stay fuller longer and ultimately eat less.
Not only will you save on the food bill, but you’ll also feel better
after you become properly hydrated.
Even better, drinking more water — whether in a refillable bottle
or at restaurants — means spending less money on beverages like
soda, juice, and tea. Remember: Tap water is not only just as clean
as bottled water, it’s also free.

15. Avoid convenience foods and fast food.

Instead of eating fast food or just nuking some prepackaged
dinner when you get home, try making some simple and healthy
replacements that you can take with you. An hour’s worth of
preparation one weekend can leave you with a ton of cheap and
easy dinner and snack options for the following week.
Also consider breaking out the ol’ crock pot for some inexpensive
meal options that not only save money, but time, too.
16. For heaven’s sake, quit smoking.
If you’re still a smoker, you have to know by now that your habit is
not only expensive, but potentially deadly as well. If you want to
add years to your life and save a boatload of money, the easiest
thing to do is to stop smoking altogether. You can quit cold
turkey, try some of the many anti-smoking products that are out
there, or switch to an electronic cigarette to buy some time.
Whichever path you choose, you will be much better off.

17. Make a quadruple batch of a casserole.

We all know that casseroles are nice, easy dishes to prepare. The
next time you make a casserole, make four batches of it and put
the other three in the freezer. Then, when you need a quick meal
for the family, you can grab one of those ready-made casseroles
and just heat it up.
Preparing a few at once allows you to buy the ingredients in bulk,
which can mean additional savings. Meanwhile, having several
casseroles in the freezer makes it less likely that you’ll turn to fast
food or junk food when you’re in a hurry.

18. Turn off the lights.

Keeping the lights on in your home may not be expensive on a
per-watt basis, but it sure does cost money over time. To save as
much as you can, turn off lights any time you leave your house – or
even when you leave the room. Turning off lights when you have
plenty of natural sunlight can also help keep your electric bill
down over time. Bottom line: If you aren’t using a light, turn it off.

19. Swap books, music, and DVDs on the Internet or

at the library.
You can very easily swap the books, CDs, and DVDs you’ve grown
bored with online. Just clean out your media collection, and trade
them with others online using sites like PaperBackSwap. If you
live near a library that loans DVDs in addition to books, you’ll be
even better off. The more you can borrow and barter with others,
the more money you’ll save over time.

20. Maximize yard sales.

Yard sales are a great place to score awesome deals on items you
need anyway – think housewares, shoes, clothing, or even sports
equipment. The key is, you have to be careful not to use the low
prices found at sales as an excuse to buy things you don’t need. At
your next garage sale, limit yourself to items that were already on
your list of things to buy.

21. Install CFLs or LEDs wherever it makes sense.

Energy-efficient light bulbs might cost a bit more initially, but
they have a much longer life than normal incandescent bulbs and
use far less electricity. It might be hard to decide which type to
use, but either type of bulb will probably be an upgrade from
whatever you’re using now.
CFLs, which use a quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs
and last for years, are the next cheapest option after traditional
bulbs. But they also have some drawbacks: They take a while to
warm up to full brightness, and they also contain a small amount
of mercury.
Meanwhile, LEDs are more expensive. However, they’re getting
cheaper all the time, and they are easily the best lighting option
available. They light up instantly, are efficient as CFLs, produce a
warm glow without getting hot, and can last for decades.
You don’t even need to replace every bulb in the house at once.
Even swapping just your four or five most-used light bulbs can
save you $45 or more a year.
22. Install a programmable thermostat.
Installing a programmable thermostat is a no-brainer if you want
to cut down on energy usage while you’re not at home, or simply
regulate the temperature in your home. By setting it to heat or
cool your home at certain times, you can ensure that your utilities
aren’t being wasted while you’re at work or asleep – and save
money in the process.

23. Buy quality appliances that will last.

It’s worth the time to do a bit of research when you buy a new
appliance. A reliable, energy-efficient washer and dryer might cost
you quite a bit now, but if it continually saves you energy and lasts
for 15 years instead of five, you’ll save significant money in the long
run.
When you need to buy an appliance, do research: Start with back
issues of Consumer Reports at the library. An hour’s worth of
research can easily save you hundreds of dollars.

24. Clean or change out your car’s air filter.

A clean air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 7%, saving
you more than $100 for every 10,000 miles driven in an average
vehicle. Cleaning your air filter is easy to do in just a few minutes –
just follow the instructions in your vehicle’s manual and you’re
good to go.
If yours is beyond help, also consider changing it out for a new
one. At most stores, a new air filter goes for less than $10.

25. Quit using credit cards.

If you have a habit of getting into trouble with credit cards, hide
your credit cards and keep them in a safe place in your home, not
in your wallet. If you need to keep a card for emergencies, that’s
okay. Just don’t carry it around with you. If you’re often tempted
to use it, keeping your card “out of sight and out of mind” might
help.

26. Plan your meals around your grocery store’s flyer.

Instead of creating your meal plan out of thin air, plan all your
meals around what’s on sale in your grocery store’s flyer. Look at
the biggest sales, then plan recipes based on those ingredients
and what you have on hand. Do that for a few months and you’ll
find yourself with a much smaller food bill than you’re used to.

27. Do a price comparison – and find a cheaper

grocery store.
Most of us get in a routine of shopping at the same grocery store,
and we may not even realize that we’re not getting the best deal.
Fortunately, there’s a simple way to find the cheapest store
around. Just keep track of the 20 or so things you buy most often,
then shop for these items at a variety of stores. Eventually, one
store will come out on top for your purchases – just make that one
your regular shopping destination and you’ll automatically save
money.

28. Make your own when you can.

Before I tried it myself, I thought making homemade bread would
just be a complicated waste of time. But after I tried it, I found
that it was pretty easy and it was actually much cheaper,
healthier, and tastier than buying a loaf from the store.
We rarely ever buy bread at the store these days, mainly because
the bread I make is not only cheaper, but much better too.
Figuring out what you can make it home is a great way to save
some money – and learn new skills along the way.

29. Avoid stress-spending.

It’s easy to justify spending money just to wind down from a
stressful day at work. However, it’s rarely a good idea. Instead of
buying things you don’t need to make yourself feel better, it
might be wise to find other ways to de-stress instead.
Exercise is always a good option, as is meditation and even a good
old-fashioned nap. Read, watch movies, or work in your yard if
you’re stressed out. Spending money won’t reduce your stress in
the long run.

30. Share your dreams with people you love.

This seems like an odd way to save money, but think about it. If
you spend time with the people you love the most and come to
some consensus about your dreams, it becomes easy for you all to
plan for it. Set a big, audacious goal together and encourage each
other to be financially fit – soon, you’ll find you’re doing it naturally
and your dreams are coming closer than ever.

31. Do a "maintenance run on your appliances.

Check them to make sure there isn’t any dust clogging them and
that they’re fairly clean. Look behind the appliances, and use your
vacuum to gently clear away dust. Check all of the vents,
especially on refrigerators, dryers, and heating and cooling units.
The less dust you have blocking the mechanics of these devices,
the more efficiently they’ll run (saving you on your energy bill) and
the longer they’ll last (saving you on replacement costs).
32. Cancel unused club memberships.
Are you paying dues at a club that you never use? Like, for
instance, a gym membership or a country club membership? If
you’re on the fence about any of your memberships or find that
you’re not using them very often, cancel them. Remember, you
can always renew the membership at a later date if it turns out
that you actually do miss it.

33. Buy used when you can.

You can often find the exact item you want with a bit of clever
shopping at used equipment stores, used game stores,
consignment shops, and so on. Just make these shops a part of
your normal routine – go there first when looking for potential
items and youwill save money.
Clothes, for example, often cost pennies on the dollar when
bought used – even if they were only worn once. By buying used
most of the time, you can save a ton of cash.

34. Keep your hands clean.

This one’s simple – just wash your hands thoroughly each time
you use the bathroomor handle raw foods. You’ll keep yourself
from acquiring all kinds of viruses and bacteria, saving you on
medical bills and lost productivity.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t explore the world and get your
hands dirty sometimes – that’s good for you, too – but basic
sanitation does help keep the medical bills at bay.

35. Remove your credit card numbers from your

online accounts.
It’s easy to spend online when you have your card information
stored in an account – just click and buy. The best way to break
this habit is to simply delete your card from the account.
That way, when you’re tempted to spend, you’ll be forced to
spend the time to dig out your card – and really think about why
you’re spending this money. Sometimes being forced to take that
extra step is all it takes to convince yourself you don’t need the
item after all.

36. Give the gift of labor.

For new parents, give an evening of babysitting as a gift. If you
know pet owners, offer to take care of their pets when they travel.
Offer up some lawn care as a gift to a new homeowner.
These types of gifts are always a hit. I know that, as a parent of a
toddler and an infant, Iloved receiving a babysitting gift, probably
more than any “stuff” I might get otherwise.

37. Do holiday shopping right after the holidays.

Most people use this technique for Christmas, but it works for
every holiday. Wait until about two days after a holiday, then go
out shopping for items you need that are themed for that day.
Get a Mother’s Day card for next year the day after Mother’s Day.
Get Easter egg decorating kits the day after Easter, and Halloween
decorations on Nov. 1. Get wrapping paper, cards, bows, and gift
bags the day after Christmas. The discounts are tremendous, and
you can just put this stuff in the closet until next year.

38. Join up with a volunteer program.

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, get some
exercise, and involve yourself in a positive project that can lift your
spirit. It also comes without a cost to you and can provide a lot of
entertainment and a fulfilling day when you’re in the right
mindset. (In some cases, it can even help erase your student
loans.)
I’ve come to spend more and more of my time volunteering,
serving on various committees and groups in the community. It is
hands-down the best thing I have ever done.

39. Declutter to save your sanity and some cash.

Go into a room and go through every single item in it. Do you
really need that item? Are you happy that it’s there, or would you
be just fine if it were not? If you can find stuff to get rid of, get rid
of it – it just creates clutter and it might have some value to
others. You also improve the perceived value of your house – and
you’re likely to get a lot of cleaning done in the process. It’s a
frugal win-win-win.

40. Try generic brands of items you buy regularly.

Instead of just picking up the ordinary brand of an item you buy,
try out the store brand or generic version of the item. You’ll save a
few cents now, but you’ll also likely discover that the store brand
is just as good as the name brand — often, the only difference
between the two is the marketing, which I’m not willing to pay
more fore. Once you’re on board the generic train, you’ll find your
regular grocery bill getting smaller and smaller.

41. Prepare some meals at home.

Get an accessible and easy-to-use cookbook (my favorite
“beginner” cookbook is Mark Bittman’s excellent “How to Cook
Everything“) and try making some of the dishes inside. You’ll find
that cooking at home is much easier than you think – and way
cheaper and healthier than take-out or dining out. Even better,
you can easily prepare meals in advance – even handy fast-food
type meals.

42. Switch to term life insurance.

Repeat after me: insurance is not an investment. If you’re stuck in
an expensive whole life policy, choose cheaper term insurance
instead and use that difference in cost to get yourself out of debt
and start building some wealth.
Universal and whole-life policies are much more expensive and
offer a subpar investment opportunity. In almost every case, you’ll
be much better off with a cheap term policy and more money in
your pocket.

43. Stick to reliable, fuel-efficient cars.

A reliable and fuel-efficient car will save you thousands over the
long haul. Let’s say you drive a vehicle for 80,000 miles. If you
choose a car that gets 25 miles per gallon over one that only gets
15, you’ll save 2,133 gallons of gas. At $3 a gallon, that’s $6,400 in
savings right there. Reliability can pay the same dividends.
Do the research: It will pay off for you. Learning some simple
strategies for fuel-efficient driving can also help.

44. Avoid the mall.

The mall might be a fun place to people watch, but it can also be
packed with temptation. That’s why you should avoid the mall
unless you actually need to purchase something.
Trust me, window shopping when you’re on a budget can be
torture. Unburden yourself and find something else to do when
you need some entertainment. A walk outdoors, a fun puzzle, or a
good movie can easily replace your regular mall shopping
adventures.

45. Master the 10-second rule.

Whenever you pick up an item and add it to your cart or to take it
to the checkout, stop for 10 seconds and ask yourself why you’re
buying it and whether you actually need it or not. If you can’t find
a good answer, put the item back. This keeps me from making
impulse buys on a regular basis.

46. Rent out unused space in your home.

Do you have an extra bedroom or in-law suite that’s not being
used? Rent it out on a site like Airbnb.com. If you live near a
popular or tourist area, doing so could bring in a lot of extra
money. Just make sure you know the risks and are willing to take
the steps required to protect your family and your possessions.

47. Create a visual reminder of your debt.

To put your debt into terms that are easy to understand, make a
giant progress bar that starts with the amount of debt you have
and ends with zero. Each time you pay down a little bit, fill in a
little more of that progress bar.
Keep this reminder in a place where you’ll see it often, and keep
filling it in regularly. It can help keep your eye on the prize and
lead you straight to debt freedom.

48. Cancel magazine subscriptions.

Do you have a pile of unread magazines sitting around your
house? It’s likely the result of a subscription that you’re not
reading. Not only should you not renew that magazine, but you
should give their subscription department a call and try to cancel
for a refund. You never know – they might even give you the
prorated amount back. I’ve had to cull my subscriptions in the
past, and I’ve never regretted it.

49. Eat breakfast.

Eating a healthy breakfast fills you up with energy for the day
while also curbing your desire for a big, expensive lunch.
Meanwhile, breakfast can be very healthy, quick, and inexpensive.
A bowl of oatmeal in the morning is often the one thing that
keeps me from running out to eat an expensive lunch later in the
day.

50. Swap babysitting with neighbors.

We live in a neighborhood with dozens of families with young
children. Because of that, there are a lot of parents out there
willing to swap babysitting nights with us, saving us the money of
hiring one for an evening out. A few families even take this to
incredible extremes.
Try to find another set of parents or two that you trust, and swap
nights of babysitting with them. If you can pull it off, you’ll get
occasional evenings free without the cost of a babysitter and save
a ton of money in the process.

51. Don’t fear leftovers: Jazz them up instead.

Many people feel as if leftovers are just inferior rehashes of regular
meals. However, there’s nothing cheaper than eating leftovers,
and with a few techniques for making leftovers tasty, you can
often end up with something surprising and quite delicious on
the other end.
My favorite technique? Chaining – using the leftovers as a basis for
an all-new dish. For example, if you have leftover ham and rice
from last night’s meal, use them to make fried rice or black beans
and rice tonight.

52. Go through your clothes – all of them.

If you have a regular urge to buy clothes, go through everything
that you have and see what you might find. Take the clothes from
the back of the closet and bring them to the front, and suddenly
your wardrobe will feel completely different. Take the clothes
buried in your dresser and pull them to the top. You’ll feel like a
brand new person who doesn’t need to spend money on clothes
right now.

53. Brown bag your lunch.

Instead of going out to eat at work, take your own lunch — if not
every day, then at least a couple of times a week. With some
thoughtful preparation and just a few minutes of time, you can
create something quite enjoyable for your brown bag lunch – and
save a fistful of cash each time you do. Your co-workers may not
understand your desire to save money, but that’s their problem.

54. Learn how to dress minimally.

Buy clothes that mix and match well and you won’t need nearly
as many clothes. If you have five pants, seven shirts, and seven ties
that all go together, you basically have an endless number of
options already.
This is exactly what I do in order to minimize clothing purchases
and still look professional – I just mix and remix what I wear by
using timeless, simple pieces that go well together.
55. Ask for help and encouragement from your inner
circle.
When you’re feeling discouraged, sit down and talk to the people
you love and care about the most and ask them for help. Tell
them that you’re trying to trim your spending and you’d love it if
they would offer any suggestions and support they might have.
Then, pay attention to what they tell you. They might have some
personal insights for your situation that will really help. At the very
least, they might understand your situation better.

56. Try to fix things yourself.

Years ago, it was far more difficult to find ways to fix everyday
items we have in our homes. But today, it should be a piece of
cake. You can find online tutorials and videos that show you how
to fix almost anything, and all for free. No matter what you’re
trying to fix, it’s always worth a shot. Learning a new skill never
hurts either.

57. Keep an idea notebook in your pocket.

I’ve wasted countless amounts of time and money simply
because I’ve forgotten some of my best ideas. Nowadays, I keep a
small notebook with me to jot down ideas so that I never forget
anything important. This keeps me from forgetting the ideas I
have throughout the day.

58. Invest in a deep freezer.

A deep freezer can be a great bargain after the initial investment,
but only if you’ll use it. Often, having some extra freezer space
allows you to buy in bulk and pay lower prices overall. Even better,
you can store lots of meals prepared in advance, enabling you to
just go home and pop something homemade (and cheap) in the
oven. Read this post if you need help determining whether a
deep freezer is worth it.
59. Look for a cheaper place to live.
The cost of living in Iowa is surprisingly low, enough so that I’m
quite happy to give up the cultural opportunities of other places
to enjoy Iowa all year round. When I want to enjoy the cultural
attractions of another place, I’ll travel there – after all, I can afford
it because I save on living expenses the rest of the year.
If you live in a truly expensive area, take some time to decide if the
extra expense is really worth it. You may find that a move could
mean the difference between having plenty of money and barely
scraping by.

60. Check out free events in town.

My town has several wonderful parks, free basketball and tennis
courts, free disc golf, trails, and lots of other stuff just there waiting
to be used. You can go have fun for hours out in the wonderful
outdoors, playing sports, hiking on trails, or trying other activities –
and it’s all there for free. All you have to do is discover it. Here are
more than a hundred free things to do if you need more
inspiration.

61. Inflate your tires.

For every two PSI of air pressure under the recommended level in
your tires, you lose 1% on your gas mileage. Most people’s car tires
are five to 10 PSI below the normal level, so that means by just
inflating your tires, you can improve your gas mileage by up to 5%.
It’s easy, too: Just read your car’s manual to see what the
recommended tire pressure is, then head to the gas station. Ask
the attendant inside if they have a tire air gauge you can borrow
(most of them do, both in urban and rural settings), then stop over
by the air pump. Check your tires, then use the pump to fill them
up to where they should be. It’s basically free gas!
62. Start a garden.
Gardening can be an inexpensive hobby if you have a yard. Just
rent a tiller, till up a patch, plant some plants, keep it weeded, and
you’ll have a very inexpensive hobby that produces healthy food
for your family.
I like planting a bunch of tomato plants, keeping them cared for,
then enjoying the huge flood of tomatoes at the end of each
summer. We like to eat them fresh, can them, and make tomato
juice, sauce, paste, ketchup, pasta sauce, and pizza sauce.

62. Start a garden.

Gardening can be an inexpensive hobby if you have a yard. Just
rent a tiller, till up a patch, plant some plants, keep it weeded, and
you’ll have a very inexpensive hobby that produces healthy food
for your family.
I like planting a bunch of tomato plants, keeping them cared for,
then enjoying the huge flood of tomatoes at the end of each
summer. We like to eat them fresh, can them, and make tomato
juice, sauce, paste, ketchup, pasta sauce, and pizza sauce.

63. Dig into your community calendar.

Most communities have a ton of free events, although you may
not know about them at the time. If you want to stay abreast of
everything going on nearby, check out your town’s website or stop
by the local library or city hall and ask how you can get ahold of a
listing of upcoming community events.
You can often get free meals, free entertainment, and free stuff
just by paying attention – even better, you’ll get in touch with
what’s going on around you.
63. Dig into your community calendar.
Most communities have a ton of free events, although you may
not know about them at the time. If you want to stay abreast of
everything going on nearby, check out your town’s website or stop
by the local library or city hall and ask how you can get ahold of a
listing of upcoming community events.
You can often get free meals, free entertainment, and free stuff
just by paying attention – even better, you’ll get in touch with
what’s going on around you.

64. Take public transportation.

If the city’s transit system is available near you, take it to work
instead of driving your car. It’s far cheaper and you won’t have to
worry about the added expense or hassle of parking your vehicle
either.
When I lived in a larger city, I bought an annual transit pass that
actually paid for itself after less than two months of use compared
to using an automobile. After that, for 10 months, I basically could
ride to work (and to some events) for free. That’s money in the
bank.

65. Cut your own hair.

This may not be a popular idea, but it works if you have a simple
hairstyle. I cut my own hair with a pair of clippers, for example. It
may seem like an impossible feat, but it really isn’t that hard to
learn how. Just put a garbage bag over the bathroom sink, bust
out the clippers and scissors, and get it done. Two or three cuts
will pay for the clippers, and then you’re basically getting free
haircuts. With a bit of practice, you can make it look good, too.

66. Carpool.
If you live near anyone you work with, you might both be able to
benefit by carpooling to work. Or perhaps your spouse works
nearby — if so, consider whether it would make sense to take one
car back and forth each day. Doing so could save money and
wear and tear on both of your vehicles.

67. Design your ‘debt snowball.’

Everyone needs a plan to help them get out of debt, so sit down
and plot out which debts you’re going to pay off and in what
order. Simply having a plan goes a long way toward putting that
plan into action, and paying off debts early is one of the surest
ways to put money in your pocket over the long run.

68. Get a crock pot.

A crock pot or slow cooker is perhaps the best deal on earth for
reducing cooking costs in a busy family. You can just dump in
your ingredients before work, put it on simmer, and dinner is
done when you get home.
There are countless recipes out there for all variety of foods, and
every time you cook this way, you’re saving money compared to
eating out. Crock pot meals are also notoriously good as leftovers,
which can mean additional savings.

69. Do some basic home and auto maintenance on a

regular schedule.
Instead of waiting until something breaks to deal with it, develop
a monthly maintenance schedule where you go around your
home (and your car) and perform a bit of maintenance where it’s
needed. This little activity, taking you just an hour or two a month,
will keep things from breaking down and help you catch
problems before they become disasters. Maintaining your home
can also keep it in better shape and improve the value of your
property over time.
70. Buy staples in bulk.
With items we use a lot of, we buy them in bulk, and that’s
particularly true when it comes to items that don’t perish. For
example, we buy trash bags, laundry detergent, and diapers in the
largest packages we can find. This cuts down on their cost per
usage by quite a bit and, over the long haul, adds up to significant
savings.

71. Pack food for road trips.

Whenever you’re ready to hit the road, take some time to pack
snacks and meals you can easily eat on the go. That way, instead
of stopping in the middle of the trip, driving around looking for a
place to eat, spending a bunch of time there, and then paying a
hefty bill, you can just eat on the road or, better yet, stop at a nice
park and stretch for a bit. Convenience foods are notoriously
expensive, so you’re better off avoiding them whenever possible.

72. Go through your cell phone bill, look for services

you don’t use, and ditch them.
There are plenty of strategies to save money on your cell phone
bill, and that includes switching from one of the big legacy
providers to one of the smaller companies offering service in your
area for less. At the very least, you should take a look at your
monthly bill and see if you are paying for any services you aren’t
using.

73. Consolidate your student loans.

Interest rates are very low right now, so depending on the type of
loans you have, it could be worthwhile to consolidate your
student loans into one low-rate package.
Look into the various student loan consolidation packages
available and see what you might save: Even a 1% reduction on a
$10,000 loan saves you $100 a year, and your loan is probably
bigger than that (and the rate cut you could get is probably
bigger).

74. When buying a car, look only at used models.

It’s hard to argue with the fact that new cars make terrible
investments. Not only do they drop in value the moment you
drive off the lot, but they continue dropping in value with each
year that goes by.
If you want to save as much as possible on transportation, look
only at used cars in relatively good condition. If you focus on cars
that are only a few years old, you may also be able to find one
within its warranty period.

75. Hit the library – hard.

Don’t look at a library as just a place to borrow books. Look at it as
a free place to do all sorts of things. I’ve used it to learn a foreign
language, meet people, use the Internet in a pinch, check out
movies and CDs, grab local free newspapers, and keep up on
community events. Best of all, it doesn’t cost a dime.

76. Use a simple razor to shave.

I’ve been a big advocate of the basic safety razor for a long time,
but that’s just one piece of the puzzle. For “normal” shaves, I just
shave in the shower and dry off the blade afterwards — using just
soap for lather is also incredibly cheap since I only swap blades
once every few weeks.
Use a simple razor — not an expensive electric one that stops
working in three years, or the newest swiveling multi-blade model
with its expensive replacement cartridges.
77. Find daily inspiration for making intelligent
moves.
I’m usually inspired by my children. Perhaps you’re inspired to
make changes by your spouse – or even by someone in the
community you respect. Maybe it’s just a personal goal, like an
early retirement.
Find something that makes you want to make positive changes,
then use that person or thing as a constant reminder. Keep a
picture of it in your wallet, in your vehicle, and on your bathroom
mirror. Keep it in your mind as much as you possibly can.

78. Learn about all of the benefits your company

offers.
Spend some time with an HR person at work learning about all
the benefits of your job – you might be surprised at what you find.
After sitting down with someone at my job, I gained access to free
tickets to sporting events, free personal improvement
opportunities, and an optional employee match on some
retirement funds that maximized the money I was socking away.
This not only cut down on my own spending on things like
sporting and community events and educational classes, but also
improved my retirement plan.

79. Make your own cleaning supplies instead of

buying them.
I like to make my own laundry detergent and my own Goo-Be-
Gone, for starters. I also like making my own Glade, Windex, and
Soft Scrub. In all these cases, it’s way cheaper than buying the
commercial versions.
Hunt around for recipes – it’s amazing how many things you can
make at home in just a few minutes to save a ton of money
compared to the commercial version. Our Frugal Spring Cleaning
Checklist can give you some ideas.

80. Suggest cheap activities when meeting up with

family and friends.
This is often a tricky thing to do, but there are a number of
techniques you can try. My favorite one is to be the first one to
suggest something – that often gives you the power to steer the
group towards things that are cheaper. If you can convince your
friends to go to the park and shoot hoops instead of going golfing,
for example, those greens fees are going to stay in your pocket.

81. Don’t speed.

Not only is speeding inefficient in terms of gasoline usage, it also
can get you pulled over and cost you a bundle between a ticket
and higher insurance premiums, as I discovered a while back. It’s
far more cost-efficient to just drive the speed limit, keep that gas
in the tank, and keep the cops off your tail.

82. Read more.

Reading is one of the cheapest – and most beneficial – hobbies
around. Most towns have a library available to the public – just go
there and check out some books that interest you. Then, spend
some of your free time in a cozy place in your house, reading
away.
You’ll learn something new, improve your reading ability, enjoy
yourself, and not have to spend a dime. Here are some more ways
to get into the reading flow.
83. Buy a smaller house.
There are plenty of reasons to buy less house than you can afford. I
currently live in a 2,000-square-foot house with my wife and two
kids. Frankly, it’s just the right size for us – if anything, it’s a little
big.
We often find ourselves in the same room in the house, just
surrounded by empty space. You don’t need a giant place to live.
Instead, buy something more modest and you’ll find yourself with
plenty of room – and still plenty of cash in your pocket.

84. Drive a different route to work.

This is an especially powerful tip if you find yourself
“automatically” stopping for something on the way into work or
the way home. Get rid of that constant drain by selecting a
different route that doesn’t go by the temptation, even if the new
route is a bit longer. You’ll still save time by not stopping, and the
money you save on any unnecessary indulgences you avoid will
add up over time.

85. Always ask for fees to be waived.

Any time you sign up for a service of any kind and there are sign-
up fees, ask for them to be waived. Sometimes (but not always),
they will be – and you save money just by being forthright about
not wanting to pay excessive fees. I did this with my last cell
phone sign-up and got them to wave the fees, lowering my bill
significantly.

86. Don’t overspend on hygiene products.

Most people would probably find that inexpensive hygiene
products work just as well as the expensive stuff. Personally, I just
buy whichever toothpaste is the cheapest, and the same goes
with deodorant and the like. The key is to use this stuff regularly
and consistently – bathe daily, keep yourself clean, and you’ll be
just fine. No need to buy a $40 facial scrub if you actually scrub
your face properly.

87. Eat less meat.

Meat is very expensive when you consider its nutritional value,
especially as compared to vegetables and fruits. And in almost
every case, protein-packed staples like beans offer a much better
value. Even if you don’t want to become a full-fledged vegetarian,
you can still save a bundle just by eating meat less often.

88. Use a brutally effective coupon strategy.

To save as much money as possible, use the coupons in
conjunction with your grocery store flyer and shopping list. Doing
so can help you save double – both through the initial sale savings
and through the use of the coupon. This strategy also helps you
avoid purchasing items you don’t really need just because you
have a coupon or discount.

89. Air seal your home.

Most homes have some air leaks that make the job of keeping it
cool in summer and warm in winter that much harder – and that
much more costly for you. Spend an afternoon air sealing your
home and keep your energy dollars from leaking out. The DoE has
a great guide on basic air sealing.

90. Make your own beer or wine.

If you enjoy an occasional drink, this is a great way to enjoy some
of your favorite beverages at a steep discount. You can easily
make five gallons of beer or wine at once and it doesn’t take that
long once you’ve mastered the process. Even better, it’s a great
activity to do with friends – you buy the equipment, they bring the
juice, and you both get a few bottles of delicious homemade wine
out of the deal. Some nice entertainment, plus some free
beverages – that’s a great frugal deal.

91. Make sure all your electrical devices are on a

surge protector.
If you enjoy an occasional drink, this is a great way to enjoy some
of your favorite beverages at a steep discount. You can easily
make five gallons of beer or wine at once and it doesn’t take that
long once you’ve mastered the process. Even better, it’s a great
activity to do with friends – you buy the equipment, they bring the
juice, and you both get a few bottles of delicious homemade wine
out of the deal. Some nice entertainment, plus some free
beverages – that’s a great frugal deal.

92. Get on the automatic repayment plan for any

student loans you have.
Many student loans offer a small rate reduction if you sign up for
their automatic debt repayment plan. This way, not only do you
save a few bucks a month — you don’t have to go to the effort of
actually paying the bill either. Our automatic plan saved us about
$60 a year.

93. Cut down on your vacation spending.

Instead of going on a big, extravagant trip, pack up the car and
see some of the sights in your surrounding area. One of the best
vacations I’ve ever taken was when my son was an infant – we just
packed up the car and drove around Minnesota, eventually
camping for a few days along the north shore of Lake Superior.
For a weeklong relaxing vacation, it was incredibly cheap.
94. Cancel the cable or satellite channels you don’t
watch.
Many people with cable services often are paying for a premium
package that they don’t really need. For the longest time, my wife
and I were subscribed to HBO, Starz, and Cinemax, yet we would
only tune in once a month at best. We argued that it was worth it
because we could watch a movie or a great drama whenever we
wanted, but it would have been far cheaper just to rent a movie.
Get rid of the channels you don’t need and put that cash back in
your pocket.

95. Exercise more.

Go for a walk or a jog each evening, practice stretching, or partake
in some light muscle exercise at home. These exercises can be
done at home for free, but can lead to huge benefits to your
health. Just set aside some time each day to get some exercise,
and your body and wallet will thank you.

96. Utilize online bill pay with your bank.

This serves two purposes. First, it keeps you in much closer
contact with your money, as you can keep a very close eye on your
balance and be that much less likely to overdraft.
Second, it saves you money on stamps and paper checks by
allowing you to just fill in an online form, click submit, and have
your bill paid. Try it out – and take advantage of it if you’re not
already. Some of the best free online checking accounts offer this
perk.

98. Don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake.

Even if you make 10 good choices, it’s easy to beat yourself up and
feel like a failure over one bad choice. If you make a big mistake ,
think about why you realized it now instead of then, and try to
apply that later on. The memory of that mistake can be valuable.
99. Always keep looking ahead.
Don’t let the mistakes of your past drag you down into more
mistakes. Instead, look ahead to the future. Learn to see past
mistakes for what they are – lessons that were meant to teach you
something.
Sometimes the best life lessons are learned through life
experience, good or bad, so embrace your past and don’t run
from it. Promising to do better and setting goals can help keep
mistakes where they belong – in the past.
100. Never give up.
Whenever the struggle against debt feels like it’s too much, go
read a personal finance blog and remember that there are a lot of
people out there fighting the same fight. Read around through
the archives and learn some new things – and perhaps get
inspired to keep going, no matter what.
 102 Things to Do on a
Money-Free Weekend
By: Trent Hamm
For the last few months, my wife and I have been doing
something every other weekend or so that we call a “money-free”
weekend, in an effort to live more frugally. It’s actually quite fun –
here’s how we do it.
We’re not allowed to spend any money on anything, no matter
what. In other words, we can’t make a run to the store to buy
food, we can’t spend money on any sort of entertainment, and so
on. Since we often do our grocery shopping on Saturdays, on a
“money-free” weekend, we delay it to Monday or Tuesday.

We can use our utilities, but no extra expenses on these utilities.

No renting movies on cable, no text messages that aren’t already
covered by our cell phone plan, and so on.
Since then, lots of people have sent me ideas for activities for
money-free weekends, plus we’ve uncovered a bunch of our own.
At the same time, many readers have asked for a master list of all
of these ideas.
So, here we go – a hundred fun ways to spend a money-free
weekend. The list below includes the first 45 (with duplicates
removed), plus about 60 new ones. If you’re inspired to try your
own money-free weekend, hopefully this guide can act as a
master list of things to do to make it more enjoyable. (Also,
another productive way to spend that time is by working on your
own business. Here are 50 small business ideas you could work on
during a money-free weekend.)
Please note that everyone’s interests are different – you probably
won’t find everything on this list fun and neither will someone
else, but the two lists won’t overlap (I can think of countless things
other people find fun that I find utterly dreadful).
1. Check out the community calendar.
Look at your town’s website (as well as those of cities and towns
nearby) or stop by city hall to find a list of events going on in the
community, many of which are free. You’ll often be surprised at
how many interesting (and free) activities are going on right now
in your area.

2. Visit your local library.

Not only is a library a warehouse of books, most libraries also have
extensive CD and DVD collections you can check out. Many
libraries also have “story time” for young children, film nights, book
clubs, concerts, author readings or lectures, and many other
events that you may be unaware of – completely for free. Stop in
and check out what they have to offer.

3. Get involved in community sports.

Many towns have community sports fields where both youth and
adult sports leagues and activities are regularly going on
throughout the weekend. Stop by, watch a game or two, and if
something intrigues you, look into joining either as a participant
or as a volunteer.

4. Check out some podcasts.

Podcasts are wonderful: top-notch audio programs available to
you for free. Give them a shot – it’s easy to do using iTunes. Just
visit the “Podcast” section of the iTunes Store and sample a few
(here’s a guide to enjoying podcasts to get you started).

My favorite podcasts include The Splendid Table (on food topics),

Marketplace (on economics and business), RadioLab (scientific
and philosophical ideas), Fresh Air(interviews of general interest),
This American Life (quirky general interest stuff), and This Week in
Tech (technology news), among many others.

5. Play board games.

We have a pile of board games, mostly received as gifts, that we
often pull out and play; our closest friend has a few choice ones as
well. Classic games like Monopoly andPictionary can be great fun,
but our favorites are Settlers of Catan, Cartagena, Puerto Rico, and
especially Ticket to Ride. (Here are some more board games that
are great for groups.) Just dig through the recesses of your closet,
find an old board game you haven’t played in ages, and bust it
open!

6. Bake a loaf of homemade bread.

You probably have everything you need to make a loaf of bread in
your kitchen right now (except for maybe the yeast). Anyone can
do it, and the fresh-baked bread comes out delicious. Here’s a
detailed visual guide for making a simple loaf with minimal
ingredients or complexity.

7. Teach yourself how to juggle.

All you really need is three balls and a video showing you how to
do it. Not only is it a fun activity to learn, it’s something that’s fun
to bust out as a party trick on occasion (trust me, you can always
get people to smile if you juggle three fruits in the kitchen while
preparing something).

8. Learn how to change your car’s oil.

If your car’s due for an oil change, just bring home the oil and oil
filter you need and teach yourself how to do it on your own. All
you really need is an old pan to catch the used oil and a funnel to
refill the oil tank and pour the old oil back into the canisters for
later disposal. (Make sure you dispose of the old oil according to
local laws; most gas and service stations will accept your used
motor oil.)
Use your car manual as a guide for the procedure and you might
just find it’s both a lot easier than you thought and a useful skill to
have — plus it’s cheaper than taking your car to Jiffy-Lube (or
wherever you go for oil changes).
9. Meet your neighbors.
Make an effort to introduce yourself to your neighbors if you don’t
know them very well. If you meet any interesting people in your
neighborhood, invite them over for a cup of coffee and a chat, just
to get to know each other better.
Your neighbors could not only become your friends, they could
also be a valuable resource – a friendly pair of eyes on your
property when you’re away or a helpful set of hands when you’re
trying to complete a challenging task.

10. Clear out your media collection – books, DVDs,

CDs, etc.
Go through your collection, determine which items you’d actually
like to keep, and get rid of the rest. You can either sell them at a
used media shop or swap them online using services like
PaperBackSwap and SwapADVD. In either case, you’ll get rid of
stuff you don’t watch or read or listen to any more in exchange for
either some money or new media to enjoy.

11. Have a ‘cupboard potluck.’

Go through your cupboards and find any items that might have
slipped to the back over time. Invite some friends to do the same,
then get together for a potluck dinner prepared from only these
ingredients and whatever else you have on hand. Besides making
for a “free” meal, it generates what I call creative success through
constraint and a lot of fun for everyone involved.

12. Make a ‘101 Goals in 1,001 Days’ list – then start on

some of them.
A 101 Goals in 1001 Days list is an effective way to codify all the
things you’d like to do in one place, so that when you have spare
time, you can just turn to the list and do what’s next on it.
On your money-free weekend, spend some time thinking about
what belongs on this list: your biggest short- and near-term goals,
both personally and professionally. When it’s finished, you’ll be
ready to get started turning your goals into reality.

13. Make decisions about and write out your will.

This is a thought process that many people put off, but it makes
you feel quite relieved when it’s done, adding to your peace of
mind and relaxation. Spend some time thinking about what you
want to happen to your personal assets when you die, particularly
in terms of the personal mementos that you want others to have
and where you want the value of your estate to go.
Do you want it all to stay with family members? Do you want to
remember a charity? Then, when you’ve figured it out, sketch out
the basics of a will. Later, you’ll likely have to hire a lawyer to
prepare it for you or use a site like LegalZoom, but just having
those decisions made doesn’t cost a thing and is a big mental
relief.

14. Do a household maintenance walk-through.

Go through your home and look for any little maintenance tasks
that need to be done. Do filters need to be replaced? Are there
any burnt-out light bulbs?
Here’s a maintenance checklist that can give you some ideas as to
what to look for. It might not be the most fun activity you can
think of, but it’ll add subtly to your enjoyment of your home when
it’s done: cleaner air, light bulbs in place, and peace of mind.

15. Start or join a fantasy sports league.

You can go to Yahoo! Sports, CBS Sports, or ESPN and easily start
a free fantasy sports league for you and your friends. Even when
you’re just playing for bragging rights, a fantasy league can spur
competitive banter and endless discussion between your friends
as the season unfolds.
16. Organize a self-guided walking tour.
Research the interesting historic and cultural sites in your town,
then go on a walking tour of them. Pack a lunch in your backpack
and have a picnic on the village green or in the park. You can
easily turn this into a full day if you live in a compelling area.

17. Teach yourself how to knit.

Learning to knit requires two needles (a dollar, or probably free if
your closet looks anything like ours), some yarn (extremely cheap
and also likely laying in the closet if your home is like ours), a lot of
patience, and an instructional video or two.
Try making a scarf for a friend or a small blanket for a new baby in
the home of a friend or a family member. While it’s not quite free,
you’ll learn a useful new skill — and if you stick with it, you’ll make
things much more valuable than the input cost of a bit of yarn.
Before long, you might even be able to sell your knitwear on Etsy.

18. Take some digital photographs.

Take your digital camera out with you and take pictures of
anything you find interesting. Take lots of them, then go home
later and see if you’ve taken anything beautiful and compelling.
Great images can lay the groundwork for homemade greeting
cards (yep, keep going downwards for more on this), nice desktop
wallpaper, screensavers, personalized gifts, or other interesting
uses.

19. Share those digital photographs with others.

Sign up for a free Flickr account, then upload some of your most
interesting pictures to share with others. Spend the time to title
them appropriately, add interesting captions, andallow them to
be used under a Creative Commons Attribution license so your
images can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.
20. Start a blog on a topic that interests you.
You can get a free blog using WordPress or Blogger. Join such a
service and start a blog on a topic that interests you. Not only can
it be a ton of fun, it also helps you improve your communication
skills, reach out to others, and perhaps earn a bit of income down
the road as well.

21. Organize a potluck block party.

Get permission from the city to do this before you try it – ask if you
can block off a street for a block party on a certain date. Then
throw yourself into organizing it. Go door to door, telling people
about the block party, and inviting them to bring something. Ask
if they have tables and/or chairs that can be used for it. Then, on
the day of the party, set out the tables and chairs you borrowed
and dig in. Since you’re the host, just contribute one of the
“cupboard potluck” dishes you made from idea #11.

22. Visit a free museum or a zoo (or find out when

you might be able to get in for free).
Many cities and colleges have free educational attractions, such as
museums or zoos. Make an effort to enjoy these free attractions.
If your community doesn’t have free zoos or museums, call them
and ask about opportunities for “free to the public” exhibits or
“free days” — many museums open their doors for free or charge
“pay what you can” admission one day a week. You can even ask
whether they issue free passes upon request. Local libraries
sometimes loan out museum passes for the day as well. You’ll
often find there are many opportunities to enjoy museums, zoos,
and science centers without any cost at all.

23. Learn the basics of a new topic.

Just go to MIT’s OpenCourseWare, find a topic you’re interested in,
download a bunch of MP3s of lectures on the topic, and listen to
them while you’re doing household chores. Some great
suggested starting points: microeconomics, basics of philosophy,
western philosophy, and introductory physics.
Another great option: Fire up iTunes, then click on the “iTunes U”
option on the left hand side. You’ll find tons of material there to
teach you the basics of countless topics. In fact, you can get a
college-level education on virtually hundreds of topics for free
online. Great options include Coursera, Khan Academy, and edX, a
partnership between Harvard and MIT.

24. Cook some meals in advance.

If you already have a bunch of basic food staples on hand, spend
some time cooking some meals in advance to store in the freezer.
It’s easy to prepare casseroles, soups, pasta meals, breakfast
burritos, and many other items all at once, then store them in
portion-sized containers in the freezer for quick and easy
reheating on a busy weekday.
Not only is this way cheaper than eating out or buying
convenience foods, it’s also healthier — and it can be more social,
too. Missing some ingredients but have an abundance of others?
Team up with friends and make it a social event – share
ingredients so that you can all take some casseroles or other
dishes home for the freezer.

25. Build a basic net-worth calculator for yourself.

One great way to ensure that you’re consistently making financial
progress is to build your own net worth calculator. Once you have
it set up, updating it is easy, and it can provide a great snapshot of
your financial situation as well as show off your progress. Here’s a
detailed guide to making one with any basic spreadsheet
program.
26. Have a quilting bee.
All you need is a bunch of spare cloth (old shirts will even work, as
will old curtains, old sheets, and so forth), some needles, thread,
scissors, and some friends. Just get together, cut out squares of
interesting cloth, and start sewing. You can stuff the inside with
soft excess cloth, like t-shirts and such, instead of buying batting,
and you’ll create a warm and interesting quilt over time.

27. Practice origami.

All you need is some scrap paper and a bit of time. Start with the
simple things, like cranesand frogs, then you can try harder stuff
like an origami iris. A well-made origami piece constructed from
interesting paper can be a beautiful decoration.

28. Make a how-to video for YouTube.

Share your knowledge! All you need is a digital camera that
captures video or a smartphone and (optionally) some video
editing software. Just create a video to demonstrate how to
accomplish something interesting and useful.
Start off by writing a script for yourself, then turn on the camera
and follow your script. When you’ve got a take you’re happy with,
upload it to YouTube and let others enjoy it. If it’s useful and
entertaining, the viewers will come.

29. Do a ‘bill reduction.’

Spend a few hours trimming your monthly expenses. How? Find
ways to lower your regular bills. Ask for credit card rate reductions.
Think about what monthly bills you can completely eliminate,
then do the footwork to get rid of them.
This might be a boring task now, but if you can invest some time
and trim $50 from your monthly bills for free, your future self will
be very happy.
30. Play football/soccer.
All you need is a ball, some open space, and some friends.
Designate whatever is available as goals, then kick the ball
around.
Don’t worry about being terrible at the game – as long as
everyone’s just having fun, it really doesn’t matter how bad you
are. Trust me – I’ve played football with Europeans who spent
their entire lives playing while I’d played perhaps an hour of
serious football in my life, yet I had a lot of fun (albeit with a lot of
falling down and jumping out of the way).

31. Make a time capsule.

Find a small box, and then walk around your house gathering
items that represent the reality of your present-day life: A
newspaper or magazine, photographs, recent receipts, last week’s
grocery store list, letters or greeting cards, and so on. You could
even include a digital flash drive with photos or a video you and
your family make for your “future selves” to watch.
Put it all in the box, tape it up securely, and write a date on the
outside saying when you’re allowed to open it — say, 10 or 15 years
from now. You’ll probably have fun compiling a slice of your daily
life, and you’ll enjoy reflecting on those items in the future even
more, when your lives and the world have changed.

32. Open up a ‘time capsule.’

You may not have set out to make an official time capsule 10 or
more years ago, but chances are you have some old photos, high
school notebooks, or other mementos stuffed in a box
somewhere, whether in a closet, under the bed, or in the attic.
Pull them out and grant yourself the time to revel in those old
memories or share them with your kids.
33. Scan your old pictures.
If you have a digital scanner at home, put it to use and scan that
pile of old prints you just dug out. Don’t have a scanner? Taking a
photo of a photo with your smartphone is a viable substitute
(make sure there’s ample natural light). Digitizing these memories
is a good way to safeguard them, since photos left in an attic or
basement can deteriorate or get stuck together after a while.
If you have a rotating screensaver of pictures, scanning in old
prints and adding them to the rotation will make your
screensaver all the more amazing. Plus, it becomes easy to just
attach them to emails and send them to friends and family — or
post them on social media on “Throwback Thursdays.”

34. Have a film festival.

Invite some friends over and ask them each to bring one of their
favorite DVDs. Then just settle in with some snacks (whatever you
have on hand) and burn a lazy afternoon and evening just
watching movies together. It’s a ton of fun and it doesn’t cost
anything at all.

35. Seduce your partner.

Really, is there any way to have more fun than that for free? It’s
fun, romantic, great exercise, and it can help heal any relationship
problems you might be having. An afternoon in your partner’s
arms will make both of you feel better, and it won’t cost a penny.

36. Do some networking.

Spend an afternoon drafting emails to professional contacts, just
to see what they’re up to and to let them know what you’re up to.
Set them up to send en masse on Monday morning. While it
might sound boring, it can open up countless doors for your
career if you do it consistently, and help you build new
relationships and friendships — and all it takes is a little bit of
spare time.
37. Practice yoga – or try it for the first time.
All you need is some floor space and a blanket to do most yoga
poses. Try out a basic yoga session to see if you like it. It increases
flexibility, improves concentration, and holding some of those
positions for long periods can be a powerful workout.

38. Try Geocaching.

Part outdoor adventure, part treasure hunt, Geocaching — hiking
in search of hidden “caches” you can track by their GPS
coordinates — is one of our family’s favorite frugal activities. If you
have a GPS device or a smartphone, you don’t need to buy
anything else to get started.
Just visit Geocaching.com and type in your home address (or the
address where you plan to be walking or hiking), and you’ll likely
find a few geocaches stashed in the area. Pick one, add the
coordinates to your GPS (or just use the app on your smartphone),
and head out the door, letting your device serve as a treasure
map.

39. Do a neighborhood cleanup.

No need to organize a formal activity. Just walk through the
shared spaces in your neighborhood (parks, sidewalks, etc.) with a
trash bag and a pair of gloves, and pick up the litter.
Not only is it a pleasant way to get your blood going, it also
beautifies your neighborhood and the surrounding area, not just
for your own enjoyment, but for everyone. If you want to really get
into it, invite people that live near you to get involved as well and
make an event out of it.

40. Build some paper airplanes.

Design and build a bunch of different paper airplanes, then have
a competition in the back yard to see which one flies the best.
This is a great way to use up some scrap paper, particularly old
newspapers. You can easily turn it into a contest – the winner gets
to pick what activity to engage in next, or gets to choose what
you’re having for supper.

41. Rearrange the furniture in a room.

It’s amazing how much you can refresh a room just by moving the
furniture into new positions. Try moving the couch to a different
wall, then moving the entertainment center elsewhere. Take your
bed and turn it 90 degrees, then move the dressers to match the
new configuration. It can completely refresh the look of the room
and give you a good workout to boot.

42. Read an entertaining book.

Look around your house for a fun book to read, perhaps
something loaned to you by a friend or something you received as
a gift, and curl up and let yourself be sucked into the story. I’m a
sucker for Stephen King novels – I can just pick up any one and
quickly be sucked straight into the plot for a fun afternoon’s read.

43. Build a giant blanket fort.

If you have kids, there are few things more fun than an afternoon
spent building and playing in a gigantic fort in the living room.
Use chairs, blankets, and tables to make an enormous hidden
structure, then hide in there and play games and read books.
If they’re a bit older, build two forts (on opposite sides of the
room) and have “fort wars” – toss small beanbags and pillows back
and forth. No cost, but an afternoon that’s a ton of fun.

44. Call a family member or a friend you haven’t

spoken to in a while.
Not only is this a chance to catch up with another person who’s
important to you and firm up your relationship, it can also be a
very entertaining and enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.

45. Start a natural collection or an observation

notebook.
In other words, spend some time in nature collecting items of
interest (like particular rocks) or making observations of things.
Perhaps you’ll want to look for birds, or maybe your passion is
rocks or feathers. Whatever it is, get your hiking boots on, get out
there, and see what you can find. Here’s some advice on how to
get started.

46. Start a compost bin.

ll you need is a barrel or a large bucket (or, if you live in the
country, some open space). Put your vegetable waste, coffee
grounds, and eggshells in that bucket; you can add some yard
waste such as grass clippings and leaves, too. (Don’t put meat,
fish, or dairy products in your compost pile.) On occasion, scoop in
a bit of dirt from the ground.
Move the contents around regularly and keep it a bit moist. Over
time, the compost will turn almost black. At that point, you can
let it dry out and you’ll have powerful, perfectly natural fertilizer
for your lawn or garden.

47. Have a yard sale.

Hosting a yard sale or garage sale is a great way to spend a
money-free weekend — and a potentially lucrative one at that. Not
only does it give you an excuse to clean out unwanted clutter
from your home, it’s something the whole family can participate
in, offering an entire weekend’s worth of entertainment and
activity (and a nice little wad of money at the end to boot). Yard
sales are a great way to turn excess clutter into extra cash, and
that’s a win for everyone involved.
48. Learn a foreign language.
Doubt this can be free? There are a lot of ways to learn a foreign
language online, from podcasts that teach language skills, to apps
like DuoLingo, to YouTube videos and many other free language
learning opportunities. You can often find popular self-taught
foreign language courses like Rosetta Stone at your local library,
too. Search around for resources for any language that you might
want to learn – you’ll find tons of materials to help you.

49. Deep-clean the room in your house you spend

the most time in.
One great afternoon project that will provide aesthetic value for
years is deep cleaning a single room in your house, ideally the
room you’re in most often. Getting that room pristine will subtly
add to your enjoyment of that room for quite a while. This means
going the whole nine yards – moving everything out, scrubbing
the walls, thoroughly cleaning the floor, cleaning all of the items
in it, and so forth. When you’re done, the room will feel fresh and
new in a very subtle way.

50. Make some homemade greeting cards.

Whether you want to make homemade birthday cards, thank-you
cards, or Christmas cards, all you really need is some card stock or
some cheap blank cards from your local dollar store, plus some
photographs (or a desktop printer). You might also want to have
some other creative printed materials on hand – I like to keep old
New Yorker covers for purposes like these.

51. Take a nap.

Seriously. Most people do not get adequate sleep during the
week. Why not just kick back and take a snooze for an hour or
two? It’s the ultimate free energy refresher.
52. Get things done.
Almost everyone has a long list of things to do “when they have
time.” Use the fact that you’re intentionally spending a money-
free weekend to in fact get some of those things done.
Clean up the house. Dust the front room. Sweep the basement
floor. Fix that old toaster. Go through the stuff that’s accumulated
in the garage. At the end of the weekend, you’ll have
accomplished something useful that you can feel good about,
plus your wallet will be fully intact.

53. Dig up your family tree.

Take a peek at Genealogy.com or Ancestry.com and see what you
can find out about your ancestors. If your family has been in the
area for a long time, your local library can help you track down
centuries-old birth certificates and other records. And don’t forget
to ask your oldest living family members what they remember
about their own parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
Try to assemble a family tree, and see if you can link to any distant
cousins or long-lost family members. Doing this can give you a
much clearer picture of your heritage and help you get in touch
with your family roots.

54. Sit down with your partner for an afternoon and

talk about your goals.
Spending some time with your partner discussing goals can go a
long way towards getting you both on the same page in your
relationship. Find out what your partner wants out of life and
what you can do to support it, then share your own desires. Find
areas where you’re working in concert toward something bigger.
Doing this can only lead to more clarity in your relationship. Here
are some tips for getting started.
55. Play ‘Calvinball.’
To play the wonderfully disorderly sport often portrayed in “Calvin
and Hobbes,” all you need is a ball (or a few balls), some number
of children, some open space, and a good imagination. Just kick
the ball around (or throw it) and make up rules as you go along.
With three or more kids, a game of Calvinball can go on for a
good hour with everyone having a great time.

56. Do some puzzles.

I enjoy doing both sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles. You
can find a huge number of these puzzles online for free, and
they’re a great way to stretch your mind a bit at the kitchen table.

57. Volunteer your time.

There are countless volunteer projects out there that need
nothing more than your time. A Saturday working for a volunteer
cause is a Saturday well spent: You can meet other people in your
community while making a positive contribution to society and
working your body and your mind for the benefit of others. You
may even pick up a new skill, and either way, it will leave you at
the end of the day knowing you used your gifts to help out others.

58. Get your financial papers in order.

This may not sound like a fun activity up front, but the peace of
mind it gives you will make your life a lot more relaxing. Spend an
hour or two organizing all of your statements and other financial
documents. This is a perfect time to start your own filing system. If
you’re more adventurous, try initiating an electronic filing system,
as it will save you significant space and make information retrieval
easier (though it requires a bigger time investment up front).

59. Turn on the water sprinkler.

This is another great way to have family fun with kids. Just run out
a hose in the backyard, attach a sprinkler to the end, and turn it
on, shooting the water up into the air. Darting back and forth
through the cold water on a hot day is a ton of fun for kids — and
for parents, too.

60. Try a basic meditation technique.

Meditation is a spectacular way to push stress out of your life and
calm yourself. Knowing how to meditate effectively and doing it
regularly can be a major part of your stress management, and it
costs nothing. Here’s a wonderful basic meditation technique to
get you started – there are countless others out there. Try a few
and see which ones work well for you.

61. Get involved in an open source programming

project.
If you’re a computer programmer, there are few more
intellectually stimulating ways to get involved in your passion
than to be involved in an open source programming project. One
role that almost every project can use is a person who’s willing to
fix mundane, boring bugs – finding that one line of code that’s
causing a minor issue and fixing it. Look for a project that’s
compelling to you and dig in.

62. Teach yourself a card trick.

Card tricks are a fun way to entertain people in almost any
situation. Many tricks rely on knowing a specific pattern, some
basic sleight of hand, or a combination of the two. Learning a
clever card trick and mastering how it’s done can be a great way
to spend an afternoon, especially since you can use the skill again
and again as a party trick. Here’s agreat one to learn – it’s really
clever and can utterly baffle people.
63. Attend a religious service.
Even if you’re not a believer, attending a religious service can be a
worthwhile educational experience. I really enjoy attending
services of different faiths, as the varieties of religious experience
are quite fascinating and incredibly insightful. Plus, most religious
services – if you pay careful attention – offer a ton of intellectual
food for thought no matter what your beliefs are. A religious
service is always a worthwhile experience.

64. Start a workout routine.

Most basic exercises – push-ups, sit-ups, jogging, and so forth –
require no extra equipment at all. Spend some time doing
research into fitness and figuring out a basic workout routine that
will work for you, then do the basic “stress tests” you’ll need to do
to figure out where you’re at.
For example, the one hundred push-ups routine is very useful, but
you need to couple it with other exercises, such as leg lifts, prone
lifts, and jogging. You can also try this 10-minute cardio workout
that gets progressively more intense, incorporating jumping jacks,
push-ups, burpies, and other free exercises.

65. Read a ‘Great’ book.

By this, I mean a book that genuinely challenges both your beliefs
and ideas as well as your language skills. Reading a great book is
always a good mental workout.
I recommend trying out any of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels
or any essential work of philosophy to get started. Try hitting the
library and checking out A History of Western Philosophy by
Bertrand Russell, The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer,
Sophie’s Choice by William Styron, or Invisible Man by Ralph
Ellison – all of which deeply challenged and moved me. These
books are deep, challenging reading – read them slowly and you’ll
grow as a person.

66. Go swimming.
Almost every town has a community swimming pool, public
pond, or some sort of area where residents can swim – lacking
that, go to a state park with a public swimming area. Swimming
is wonderfully invigorating and often makes me feel very peaceful
– best of all, it’s something you can often do for free.

67. Get involved with public access television.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the process of producing
a television show, most communities offer the resources for you to
do just that. Stop by your local public access station and see what
opportunities are available there. You can usually get involved for
free in an ongoing program as an extra hand and learn a great
deal about the whole process.

68. Blow bubbles.

Just mix one part liquid dish soap with 15 parts water to make a
homemade bubble solution. One quick way to do this is to just
mix 1/4 cup dish soap with 3-3/4 cups of water. Use filtered and
fairly soft water if you can.
Then, take a wire coat hanger, bend and twist it into a small loop
or two, and you’re ready to go. Another idea: Take a tin can or
coffee can, remove the top and bottom and hammer down any
sharp metal edges, then dip the end in the solution and wave it in
the air. Blowing bubbles is even more fun if you have small
children who love to chase them or are just learning to blow
them.

69. Start a journal.

A journal can be a powerful way to recall the events that
happened in your life that made you who you are. Getting in the
habit of writing down the events of your day each night is a great
way to remember the specifics. Entries on what you’re thinking
about now can be the basis of powerful memories and reflections
in the future. Plus, it can offer a release from the tensions of the
day.
All of that for just a pen and an old notebook? It’s a great free way
to spend some time.

70. Write a letter to your future children or

grandchildren.
All of us have some advice or some stories inside of us that we
want to someday share with our children, grandchildren, or other
loved ones. Take some time to write these things down with the
intent of giving them to that person some day. In the event that
you pass on, you can be sure that they’ll still receive the story or
advice you wanted to tell them. This can be a very powerful way
to consider your feelings and memories as you format them in a
way that they can be shared with the ones you care about the
most.

71. Make Christmas gifts in advance.

All of us have some advice or some stories inside of us that we
want to someday share with our children, grandchildren, or other
loved ones. Take some time to write these things down with the
intent of giving them to that person some day. In the event that
you pass on, you can be sure that they’ll still receive the story or
advice you wanted to tell them. This can be a very powerful way
to consider your feelings and memories as you format them in a
way that they can be shared with the ones you care about the
most.

72. Go ‘coupon scavenging.’

If you get the Sunday paper, scavenge the coupons out of it, see if
there are any for products you normally buy, and chuck the rest. If
you find several coupons, then it might be worthwhile to
scavenge. Stop by any friends or neighbors who also get the
paper and ask if you can have their flyers when they’re done with
them, then clean out the useful coupons in those, too.
For example, if you buy V8 Fusion as the default fruit juice for your
kids (it’s far healthier than almost anything else like it that you
could give them) and you spy a $1-off coupon for a bottle, every
coupon you scavenge is like finding a dollar bill, and it costs you
nothing.

73. Pick up a musical instrument and learn it.

Yes, you can find an instrument for free — and learn how to play it
for free as well. Just hit Craigslist and Freecycle looking for
freebies, then utilize YouTube and other resources for tutorials.
Here’s a detailed guide to learning an instrument for free. With a
bit of diligence and effort, you can start from nowhere and learn
to play a song on your own instrument for no cost.

74. Plan next year’s summer vacation.

Think about some options for your next trip and what you want to
do in general, then start researching the specifics online. Do some
detailed comparison shopping for airfare, lodging, or vacation
packages, and even set up alerts for cheap deals and tickets.
Gather up all of this research, then have a family meeting about
the trip to make any final decisions.
Not only will all this advanced planning save you a ton of money,
it can actually be a lot of fun researching a potential trip and it
gives you more time to get excited about it. In fact, studies show
the anticipation of a fun experience typically brings more
enjoyment than the event itself.

75. Pick up (and read) a copy of the town’s free

newspaper.
Many cities have a free newspaper that you can snag at the
grocery store – some cities have quite a few of them. I love them –
they’re free reading that keeps me informed about the local area
and also lets me know about free upcoming events.
Around here, we have several free newspaper options – Toons and
Cityview are both well worth reading. Try looking in the front
lobby of your local library for your free newspaper, or in the front
of your local grocery store.

76. Play with a pet – it doesn’t have to be your own.

An hour spent playing fetch or Frisbee with a dog or rubbing its
belly is an hour well spent, and the same can be said for time
spent curled up petting a cat. Spend some quality time with your
pet or with the pet of a neighbor or a friend; animal shelters are
sometimes in need of volunteers to walk or play with their rescue
pets as well. Every pet loves attention and a bit of exercise and
interaction, and petting an animal can lower your blood pressure
and reduce stress hormones.

77. Go on a wandering walk.

Step out your front door and go in whichever direction looks the
most interesting. As long as you have some basic navigational
skills, you won’t get lost, and you can turn around or backtrack
whenever you get bored or hit a dead end.
All too often, we tune out our immediate surroundings during our
rushed commute to work or school. Who knows what kind of
interesting stuff you might notice in your neighborhood if you
take your time meandering?

78. Hold a baby.

To me, there are few things more enjoyable than holding a very
young baby. They smell wonderful, are usually warm and soft, and
often drift off to sleep right in your arms. I don’t even mind the
crying ones, as some whispering in their ear can usually calm
them down.
There’s nothing better than sitting all relaxed in a chair with a soft,
sweet-smelling newborn in your arms. If there’s a new parent in
your circle of friends or family, why not offer to relieve them with a
couple of hours of free babysitting?

79. Exchange massages with your partner.

A great massage is incredibly relaxing and enjoyable, but they can
also be really expensive. Instead of shelling out the cash, just stay
at home and exchange massages for free with your partner. Agree
to spend 15 minutes or a half an hour massaging each other
deeply and you’ll find that you’re both quite relaxed and happy
afterward – and perhaps ready to try other free and fun activities.

80. Help out an elderly or disabled friend or

neighbor.
here’s always a person or two in your life that could use a helping
hand, but often are too proud to ask. One great way to bridge this
gap is to just stop in and visit and pay attention – if they need
something, you’ll usually find out. Then just volunteer to do it and
get started on the task.
Quite often, you’ll find that it’s the simple things that really help –
reaching something on a high shelf or managing a simple
household task. And that little effort can make all the difference.
Few things can make you feel more fulfilled than helping
someone you care about in their moment of need.

81. Start a book club – or find one to join.

If you like reading and know other friends that enjoy it, too,
consider starting a book club with them where you all read the
same book for a week then meet to talk about it. It can transform
reading from a solitary activity into a more socially oriented one,
and with a library at your disposal, it can be a free activity as well.
82. Play a card game.
A deck of cards and a few friends are all you need for a fun
afternoon. Games like bridge, canasta, pinochle, pitch, euchre,
hearts, spades, and 500 are not only intellectually challenging, but
are intensely social activities as well, drawing you out to interact
with others around you.
This is a perfect activity for an afternoon with friends and relatives,
and it costs basically nothing at all. And you don’t have to stop
with cards. Here are 20 great games you can play with stuff you
probably have lying around the house already.

83. Have an ‘entertainment swap’ with a friend.

This one’s pretty easy. Just have a friend bring over a pile of their
own DVDs, CDs, books, and video games that they think you’d
like. When they arrive, exchange an item for an item as a
temporary swap. This will not only refresh your media collection
for a while, but can provide a great opportunity for you to talk
about your interests with a friend.

84. Take a child to a playground – and actually play

with the child.
Take your child, or a child of a family member or a friend, to the
local park. But instead of just watching the child play, dive in and
participate, too.
Go down the slide. Swing in the swings. Climb across the monkey
bars. Not only will the child adore you for it, you’ll find playing like
that is simply exhilarating – a little taste of childhood all over
again.

85. Explore a blog you like.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably at least a casual reader of at
least one blog. Most worthwhile blogs have tons of useful and
entertaining stuff in their archives.
Dig deep in the archives of one of your favorite blogs. You can
start with The Simple Dollar by visiting my author page – a listing
of all of the articles I’ve ever posted – and clicking through to the
ones you find interesting or browsing some of the categories
those posts fall into. Many popular blogs also have “best-of”
indexes or similar features.

86. Explore Wikipedia.

You can also allow yourself some time to get lost down a
Wikipedia rabbit hole — when you look up a tidbit of history, then
start clicking deeper and deeper to learn more about related
events and interesting historical subplots. Since each entry cross-
links to so much other information, you could go on forever.
Wikipedia, despite its imperfections, is like candy to the curious
mind.
87. Work for a political campaign.
Really interested in politics? There are a lot of ways you can work
for a campaign from your own home whenever you have the
spare time (like during a money-free weekend).
One great way is to get involved with a phone bank. Basically, you
call up people to provide information about your candidate of
choice. You can do this using the free weekend minutes on your
cell phone or by using software provided by the campaign. Other
volunteers are often needed to go door to door handing out flyers
or collecting signatures. Just contact the campaign you support,
and ask how you can help out.

88. Clean out a closet.

We’ve all got spaces in our living areas that accumulate junk, and
it’s often a small psychological burden – we dread going in there
and digging for something we need. Well, why not get rid of one
of those burdens? Clean out a closet in your home.
Find out what’s actually buried in there and get rid of the
unimportant items. You might even find some interesting things
you’d forgotten about, and you’ll feel a lot better about your
organization when you’re done.

89. Play Frisbee at the park.

Get a friend (or a pet) and dig out that old Frisbee from your
closet, then head out to an open field and toss it around. It’s a lot
of fun, a great excuse to run around and stretch and jump, and it
doesn’t cost a dime.

90. Take a long, soaking bath.

You’ll notice many of these suggestions don’t cost money — they
simply cost time that you may not otherwise grant yourself. When
was the last time you treated yourself to a long, relaxing bath? Fill
up a tub with warm water, strip down, get in, and relax. I like to do
this with a bottle of wine, and I’ve even read a book while in the
tub. Just stretch out and soak for a while and your stress will melt
away.

91. Binge-watch a great TV series.

A cold or rainy weekend is perfect for plowing through episode
after episode of an addictive or amusing show. If you already have
a Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription, you have unlimited
access to thousands of movies and commercial-free TV shows —
including some critically acclaimed TV series perfect for “binge-
watching” if you’ve never seen them before. Many libraries also
loan out complete seasons of TV series on DVD.
Popular series available for streaming on Netflix include “Breaking
Bad,” “Mad Men,” “Arrested Development,” “30 Rock,” “Orange Is
the New Black,” “House of Cards,” and even old favorites like
“Cheers” and “The Wonder Years.” With Amazon Prime you have
access to “The Wire,” “The Sopranos,” “Downton Abbey,” “24,” “The
Americans,” “Broad City,” “Veronica Mars,” and many others.
92. Attend a dress rehearsal.
Many performance groups hold dress rehearsals before opening
night that are free and open to the public if you call in advance,
particularly if you have young children. Give the theater a ring and
ask if there are open dress rehearsals for a particular show, and
then enjoy the show for free! It’s a great way to give your kids a
taste of theater at no cost.

93. Attend a free community class.

Many institutions and stores offer free classes on the weekends on
all sorts of topics. Stop by a local food store and catch a free
cooking class, or a hardware store to learn about a home repair
topic.
Got kids? Try something like the Home Depot Kids Workshop,
where they offer free how-to clinics, crafts, and projects for kids
ages five to 12. I’ve seen these going on while stopping by Home
Depot on a Saturday morning, and they look like a lot of fun!

94. Donate some unwanted things to charity.

If you’ve sorted through your stuff to clear out the clutter, but
don’t want to have a yard sale, consider giving the stuff you don’t
want to charity. Not only will you have a cleaner house, you’ll have
the good feeling of knowing your items are going to be used by
someone who actually needs them. Get receipts for your
donations, and you’ll have some extra tax deductions next April,
too.

95. Discover new music that you like.

Try out free music services like Pandora or Spotify. Pandora allows
you to enter a musical “seed” — your favorite band, song, or album,
for instance — and generates a radio station based on that
information, playing songs with similar “musical DNA.” Give it a
whirl – you’ll be surprised at the amount of good music you’ve yet
to discover that you’re able to listen to for free.
96. Revisit a favorite book or favorite movie.
Most of us have some works of writing or film that simply resonate
with us on a very deep level. If a certain book brought you to tears,
restored your faith, or shook your core years ago, it might be
worth reading again.
It can be a reinvigorating exercise, and you’ll be amazed at the
little details you’d forgotten or even missed the first time. I like to
re-read “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and continually
draw new inspiration from it.
97. Build a cardboard castle.
This is a great one if you have kids. Stop by an appliance store and
ask if they have any extra appliance boxes you can take home,
then flatten them and load up your vehicle.
When you get home, use them to build a giant cardboard castle
in your living room or in your backyard. Cut out doors and
windows, and attach multiple boxes together to make rooms.
This can be a great afternoon of fun for free!

98. Dig an old video game console out of the closet

and play some of your favorites.
A lot of families have old video game consoles in the closet – an
ancient PlayStation or Super Nintendo, long forgotten about, with
a controller and a few games. Dig out that old console and hook it
up to a television, then relive some of the memories of the games
you used to play for hours. I did this not too long ago and found
myself replaying a good chunk of Final Fantasy IX.

99. Do some amateur stargazing.

Go outside on a clear evening, preferably away from city lights,
and look up at the sky. Use some handy star maps or an app such
as SkyView Free to know what you’re looking at.
Spread out some blankets on the ground, lay flat on your back,
stare upwards, and realize how magnificent the universe is
around you.

100. Go on a hike or a long walk.

Look up some local hiking or walking trails, and just take off. Let
yourself get absorbed into nature and simply enjoy the journey.
Go at your own speed – this is for your own personal enjoyment,
after all.

101. Take a stab at writing poetry (or other forms of

creative writing).
The basics of poetry are easier than you might think – just try
writing down what’s on your mind. Whatever you’re thinking
about, just write it down. That can provide the basics of any poem.
Then, just read through the stuff you’ve written down, choose the
words that seem beautiful to you, and assemble them until the
whole work means something. This can be a deeply enlightening
and personal experience, actually, and one that really stirs the
creative juices.

101. Take a stab at writing poetry (or other forms of

creative writing).
The basics of poetry are easier than you might think – just try
writing down what’s on your mind. Whatever you’re thinking
about, just write it down. That can provide the basics of any poem.
Then, just read through the stuff you’ve written down, choose the
words that seem beautiful to you, and assemble them until the
whole work means something. This can be a deeply enlightening
and personal experience, actually, and one that really stirs the
creative juices.
102. Go on a bike ride.
If you’ve got a bicycle and a helmet in your garage or closet, you
already have everything you need for some good exercise and
some good fun. Head outside and bike away. Almost every town
and every state park around here has an extensive array of bike
trails, so you can almost always find somewhere new and
interesting to ride. Plus it’ll help get you into shape really quickly.