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27 things to do when you are bored or broke

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Are you looking for fun things to do for free (or cheap) on the weekend? Being broke does not mean you have a boring life or can’t have fun.

Some people tend to spend money when bored (I was one of them 😳, not recommend though), but what to do if you are broke?

Check out these simple, low-cost ideas that you can do alone or with friends to keep yourself entertained.

Visit a local animal shelter and play with animals

For those who like animals but are not ready for the commitment to adopt a pet, this can be a fun activity without spending tons of money (except on transportation 😊).

You might also learn more about what kind of animal personality you want to adopt someday.

Take free online classes

Are there any skills that you always want to learn? Whether it is illustration, cooking, design, or productivity classes – pick an online class that piques your interest. It’s never too late to learn something new.

“Reinvent yourself over and over and over and over until you find home. There is no timeline for the soul.” – Malebo Sephodi

This is a great time to re-discover yourself if you find yourself bored (particularly) during self-quarantine. Taking new classes allows you to learn more about yourself and potentially have fun simultaneously.

I enjoyed taking classes on Skillshare. I’ve been using the online platform for a few years to learn new skills such as piano, data analysis, photography, video editing, and beat making.

During this process, I learned that I enjoy writing and making music. I continued writing music on the side and slowly overcame my fear of not being great.

A quick tip: Take advantage on a free trial on Skillshare classes. You’ll get 14 free days to access all classes on Skillshare. In skillshare, you’ll get access to bunch of interesting classes such as photography, video, music and many more for less than $10 a month with an annual subscription.

The platform is always launching new classes and I am impressed that they make it so affordable.

Get a free gym pass

Many gyms offer free day trials; for instance, LA fitness offers a five-day pass. Some gym has attractive features, such as an indoor swimming pool and sauna.

Invite your friend/family member to go with you. You might have lots of fun and feel better by the end of the day!

Cook at home / learn new recipes

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Instead of eating out, cooking at home allows you to save money and eat healthier. This can also be an enjoyable and therapeutic experience because it encourages creativity.

Simple google “easy and fast [food you currently have in the fridge] recipe” will give you tons of ideas 😊

Reach out to your friend or family member you have not spoken to for a while

Do you sometimes think about how a friend or family member in mind and wonder how he or she has been doing? Perhaps this is a good time to contact them and/or rekindle the relationship.

I once reached out to a former colleague whom I had not spoken to in a few years, and I was glad that I did because I found out she would be moving out of the city soon.

Plan for your next vacation and find good deals for hotel/airfare

It can be a lot of fun researching a potential trip. Not only can you save money, but this gives you plenty of time to get excited about it. Research suggests that the anticipation of something might make you happier than the actual event.

A quick tip: Start researching credit card that offers bonuses so you can save even more money for the trip.

One of my favorite credit cards for sign up bonus is Capital One Quick Silver with no annual fee. You can earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 within 3 months of the account opening and use it towards your trip. On top of that, you’ll also earn 1.5% of every transaction. Sign up here.

Visit a local library

If you like reading books, visiting a library can be a fun and relaxing experience. Why would you spend several dollars on a book if you could read it free in the library?

Not only books, but a library also offers CDs, community classes, and events that are completely free such as language classes.

A quick tip: If you don’t want to take the trip to the library, you can install a Libby app with your library card and start borrowing books for free.

Create a bucket list

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What are the things you always want to do in life? Grab a pen and a piece of paper and brainstorm some ideas. Do you perhaps always want to make a career change?

Sometimes life can take over, and creating a bucket list helps us dream bigger, nurture our inner child, and remind us of our long-term goals and what matters to us.

Research shows that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goal if you write them down because it helps you focus on the most important stuff and remember your goal more.

Perhaps you would like to travel to a different place. Even though you may not be able to afford some of them right now, creating a list will help you take a closer look at what you truly want and give you a sense of direction in life.

A quick tip: set aside 30 minutes/60 minutes in your schedule. Grab a pen and paper, and start writing down anything that comes to your mind. It does not have to be a big goal, it can be as little as learning how to make a candle (one of my bucket list and I just crossed it 😉). No pressure at all. Good luck 🍀 and have fun!

Play or watch a game

If you don’t have a video game console at home, check your app store for free games, or check this site if you like old super Nintendo games (Note: you will need a joystick 😊)

If you are too lazy to participate in the game (like I do), watching people playing a video game on Youtube or Twitch can also be fun.

Spend time outdoor

Whether hiking, biking, swimming, riding a bike, or just walking in the park, research shows that spending time in nature helps relieve stress and improve your mood.

Spending time outdoors also support physical and mental health outcomes.

Based on research from Cornell University, it only takes as few as 10 minutes in natural spaces to feel happier and gain health benefits such as improved blood pressure and heart rate.

Here are a few more cheap outdoor activity ideas:

  • Bringing a book to read or a journal to write in the park
  • Pick a trail that you have never hiked before
  • Bring a cheap bottle of wine and some crackers and have a little picnic with your friends.
  • Stargazing in the park

Exercise at home

When you exercise, your brain releases “happy” chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins in your brain that make you feel good.

Being active also gives you more energy during the day and improves your sleep quality.

Buying a treadmill or expensive gym equipment is perhaps unnecessary – look for a fun exercise video on Youtube, for instance – if you are into dancing, cardio, or K-pop, dance can be quite fun.

Make it easier for yourself – having your YouTube video open and putting aside your gym clothes and shoes the day before will greatly increase your chances to do your workout.

Listen to an audiobook

If you are not a big fan of reading a book (like my fiancee) – try to listen to an audiobook instead. I listen to audiobooks almost daily when commuting or walking in the park.

A quick tip: Sign up for audiobooks membership for 30 days for free. You’ll get one free audiobook (or two audiobooks if you have amazon membership).

Here are two of my favorite audibles for personal finance and self-help book:

  • I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi. This is where I first started learning how to invest in the stock market. I hesitated to buy the book at first, too (the book title sounds a little overpromising), but I found that it is full of actionable insights to improve my finance.
  • The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. This is one of the most helpful self-help books I have read. The information is packed with insights into how our mind works based on science and how to push ourselves to be better. I use this book when pushing myself to make a career change from software engineering to business data analysis. 

I recently bought my treadmill to prepare myself for the winter. And I use this while listening to an audiobook.

Learn to play an instrument

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Did you always want to learn how to play an instrument? Playing an instrument can be difficult and frustrating at first, but it can be rewarding once you master a song or two.

You may also impress your family or friends during a party or gathering 😉.

A quick tip 🎹🎸: If you want to play a guitar or piano quickly, start learning these four chords (C, F, Am, G) and you will be surprised at how many songs you can play by just using these four chords! This TED talk provided a good insight about the first 20 hours of learning new skills. 

Find interesting volunteer opportunities/free community classes

Volunteering can be a great way to have fun, meet new people and build a new skill set. A few volunteering ideas are:

  • Learning how to fix a house by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Not only are you helping your community, but also you can learn how to build or repair homes. Check out also a variety of DIY workshops from Home Depot.
  • Check out volunteermatch.org and catchafire.org and find a different work you are always curious about. This might open a new career path or a new perspective on the work. For instance – if you like to teach – perhaps you can try to volunteer to teach English before committing to a full-time position.
  • Playing instruments for hospice patients. Not only will you have to push yourself to learn an instrument but also you may develop a bigger appreciation for life.

Leverage your (LinkedIn) connection

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Are you always curious about certain career paths? You may wonder if you would be happier if you switched to a different career.

With the time in hand and a Linked account, why don’t you try to reach out to a few people who have your dream job for a coffee and ask them a few questions?

Doing this will allow you to learn more about the career, and perhaps you may find some aspect of the job that you are not very fond of.

Of course, you probably want to research the title in advance (e.g., typical work hours, average salary) so you can ask more important questions (e.g., typical career path, things they are not happy about) during the chat time.

When I was trying to make a career transition (both in-person and over the phone), I talked to many people in the past and found that many people were willing to help.

The worst-case scenario is they ignore your emails, but in the best-case scenario, you might get your referral for a job 🎉.

Check out free local festivals.

You may be surprised that there are many free events nearby your place. Here are a few places to check:

Create a DIY Christmas gift in advance

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If you love to craft (or would like to learn new crafting hobbies), utilizing your hobbies to create something for someone can be a fulfilling activity.

You probably already have a few people in mind, and doing this may allow you to save more money. A few easy ideas are:

Cut your expenses and review your credit card statement

Calling companies to negotiate your rate might not be the most fun thing to do now, but this is worth doing because it can save you lots of money in the long run.

Cutting your expenses is one of the easiest ways to put more money in your pocket.

You can start by analyzing your spending pattern. Most credit card companies offer a spending analyzer dashboard where you can track your spending pattern and drill it down to a specific transaction.

You might be surprised to learn about your spending habit, but most importantly, you can take action based on this insight (for instance, if you spend too much on clothing, you start to create a wardrobe budget).

You can also research a cheaper phone plan, car insurance, or internet plan.

For instance, my mom and I saved over $400 per year by switching from T-Mobile to H20, and these savings will keep accumulating as long as we live.

Check subscriptions you don’t use and consider canceling or pausing them.

If you find any pesky fees on your credit card statement, do not hesitate to give them a call and ask them to waive them. Think of this as a safe place to practice your negotiation skills 😊

RELATED CONTENTS TO IMPROVING YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE:

Declutter your place

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Decluttering your house can be a big project, but you can start taking a baby step by decluttering per room.  

You probably want to do it as quickly as you can, so it increases the chance of you completing the task.

Decluttering can be fun for some who enjoy organizing and cleaning and can also be a calming activity.

It will give you a good workout and force you to go through your stuff and decide what you still want and what can be donated, sold, or trashed.

Sell your used stuff.

Selling your used stuff can give you extra cash and more space in your room. To get started:

  1. Take your time to go through each item. If you are unsure about it, ask yourself a question the last time you used it. If it has been a while, consider getting rid of it.
  2. Categorize each item into clothes, electronics, games, etc.

Here are a few places where you can sell your used stuff:

  1. eBay
  2. Letgo
  3. Nextdoor.com
  4. Facebook Marketplace

For clothing:

  1. Poshmark
  2. Etsy

Before listing the price, it is worth checking out how much other people are selling these items.

You can also consider making a garage sale or renting a spot in a flea market if you don’t want to deal with shipment and taking a bunch of pictures.

Re-arrange your furniture

I recently did this and never thought that it could have a big impact on my room ambiance.

Try to move your couch position, move the pictures on the walls, rearrange the bed, or switch things around in your cabinet; you may burn some calories while having fun and find a better look for your room.

Clean your desktop

While having a clean space can promote a clear mind, clearing up your digital spaces can also be helpful to improve your focus.

A quick tip 🧹 : Unpin unused apps on your taskbar, delete files that are not used, re-organize files into a folder – this can be a fun and productive task if you love to organize.

Go to a museum on a free or discounted day

Many cities offer free educational attractions.  It may take a bit of research, but who does not like free stuff?

Check out free museums in your city by googling “free museums [city name] [current year].”

Many museums offer free admission or special offers on certain days. Go to the museum site you are interested in and check out their event and Facebook calendar.

You can also give them a call and ask about free admission days or any membership discount (such as student or senior discount)

Look for free items that you will use on nextdoor.com

If you have an item you might need shortly – for instance, if you’d like to adopt a pet soon, you can start to keep an eye-free pet litter box on this site.

Nextdoor.com is a social neighborhood app, and I found the app quite useful for finding free stuff and selling stuff.

Especially in my neighborhood, people give away coffee tables, pianos, and baby-related items pretty often.

If you like to flip stuff and have spaces to store the items, this can be a good side hustle with no capital required.

Write down your thoughts on a paper and a few things that you are grateful for

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When you feel stressed, depressed, or anxious, writing down those thoughts on paper is a healthy way to express yourself. This can help you to understand why you feel this way.

You don’t have to follow a certain structure – you write when you feel like it and whatever feels right to you.

Expressing gratitude can also help you feel more positive emotions. If you struggle to express gratitude, like I am – try negative visualization technique.

Start writing things important for you (for instance, possessions, loved ones, or work) and contemplate how you’d feel if this is taken away from you or is no longer possible.  

You will likely feel a sense of relief that at least some of these things are still available to you.

I have been doing this for two years and have developed more appreciation for life.

Take a long bath

Whether you have had a long weekend or want a good time alone, taking a warm bath can be a great form of self-care.

Taking a bath offers various health benefits, such as calming the nervous system, reducing stress levels, and improving your mood.

Fill the bath with warm water and submerge your body in the water. A book, relaxing music, and a cold drink can also be a great companions.

I love taking a long bath while listening to a relaxing piano song to reward myself after completing a difficult task.

Learn a new language

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Learning a new language can empower your personal growth and may open new doors for your career.

I’d recommend checking out the Duolingo site or maybe downloading the app.  Other popular language apps are Memrise, Busuu, and Rosetta Stone.

Maybe chill and watch Netflix

This is my go-to activity when I don’t have too much energy at night.

Maybe invite a few friends, get some snacks and sodas, and enjoy the show and your friends’ companion!

Do you have a favorite cheap activity when you are bored? I’d love to learn your ideas 😊

Please share this post if you find it helpful!

Published by Vi

Vi, a software engineer with a keen interest in personal finance, had planned to retire once she reached her lean FI/RE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) goal. However, after achieving the goal, she took few months of a mini-retirement filled with travel and adventure and decided to continue her career.For the past five years, Vi has been using Personal Capital (Empower), a free financial tool. Her favorite features include the dashboard for net worth, allocation, and planning, which help track her FI/RE goal and keep those investment fees in check.