Saving money is boring...
Posted by dl-bailey on Oct 24, 2009 · Member since Oct 2008 · 286 posts
I have been trying to spend money when I absolutely need to spend it. Now , I only leave the house to go to work, church and the occasional trip to the grocery store. I am so bored. Have been working on garden, playing with pets, watching TV, reading and so forth. This only keeps my mind happily occupied for so long. I am really getting cabin fever. Need a change of scenary. Suppose, this is another downside of the down economy.
same here! i am only working 3-4 days a week right now and my dude was just unemployed for 2 weeks (he is starting a new -better- job on monday, yay!).. we are also chaning our diet and i am trying to figure out how that's going to pan out monetarily.. in the meantime, we are not spending any extra money.
i like to go for walks, to the park, forage (bonus--free food!), etc.
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/07/17/100-things-to-do-during-a-money-free-weekend/ - This is a list of 100 things to do during a "money free" weekend. However, you can do a lot of 'em even if you're not trying for a no-spend weekend. Some of them won't apply to you, but you might see things on that list you didn't think of.
Yeah and people not eating out is what has caused me to go broke...It is all a terrible cycle.
I know...I confess one of my favorite hobbies is shopping at Goodwill. I save money buying clothes and stuff there, but now with state budget cuts and both DH and I taking hits in income because of it, I"m staying home and cleaning house, cooking, etc... more. I'm trying to concentrate on cheap thrills--tending to our dogs, walking when I do need to go to the grocery store a mile away, cooking more (emphasis on cheaper recipes) and listening to music via youtube--I'm getting into jazz this past year and can learn a lot about jazz history for free just on youtube and reading web articles.
Some other ideas for free entertainment: the public library--get lots of books, and free concerts like student recitals at the university.
I hate that I get such a thrill from new clothes, but if I really have to have something, better a $3 shirt from Goodwill than an expensive trip to the mall.
I make good use of my netflix by watching lots of online shows/movies. I go to the library alot too.
I know exactly how you feel. I just graduated from college this year and can't find a job yet so I have to live at my parents' house again. As if living with the 'rents as an adult doesn't suck bad enough as it is, they live in the woods in the middle of no where. So my friends all live over two hour's drive away, I have no friends near here and there is literally nothing to do. Even when I visit my friends, I have to pay for the gas to get there, which I can't afford.
BUT I'm trying to keep my chin up and find little things to do around the house (in addition to spending hours and hours each week searching for a job!). Hobbies do cost money, but I'm trying to find cheaper versions of the ones I already enjoy, like knitting with cheap acrylic yarn instead of expensive fancy yarn store yarn. I'm also sanding and refinishing an old kitchen table, which is time consuming but rewarding and not especially expensive. And I'm making a scrapbook of pictures of me and my friends, which makes me feel at least a little bit less lonely!
I think about all us 20 somethings are moving back home. Partly because we can't find decent work. Partly do to our parents needing the extra help. Sigh! It isn't too bad if you get along with your parents. Try to keep my chin up, too. The economy will eventually turn around. Those with degrees and skills will be the first to get jobs and will be ahead in the end.
Well, I just walked to the store in a cold wind. It really took quite a bit out of me. Now that I am home more, I am afraid I will turn from a claustrophobic to a hermit!!!
I'm not sure how big of a city you live in, but I know that here in the Twin Cities there are a lot of free museums (art, natural history, etc). Those are the first things I would hit up if I had no money but lots of time on my hands... And you get a lot of exercise walking through some of those big art museums.
Its not that I have hours on my hands during the days or even during the week. Its the weekends that are the killer. We don't really have anything that is free around here for weekend evenings. I will be helping out at a Halloween party this weekend at church. So, at least I have Saturday covered.
I think about all us 20 somethings are moving back home.
oh god, no. plus, my parents would charge me rent anyway.
i don't hate my parents, but i really hate being in their house. it's inexplicable.
maybe it just proves that I am boring, but I don't see saving money as boring at all.
I'm perfectly content to not have to leave the house for anything non-work or grocery-shopping related.
I geocache. If you can spend about $200 up front, you have years of fun for free! (Unless you buy a premium membership, which I did, that is $30/yr.)
But geocaching gets me out of the house, doesn't cost anything, is fun, gets me excercise and the opportunity to see places that I would never have known was there otherwise, such as cute little hidden away parks and such. I even take "geocaching vacations" (those arn't free) where I will fly somewhere for a few days and get a hotel and geocache. Geocaching will show you hiking trails that you never knew existed, museums, all kinds of things. I am so addicted to the sport it is rediculous. I am to the point where I go out during lunch to geocache! I am such a fanatic, but it is so fun! My avatar was taken during a mini-geocaching vacation when SnowBean and I (geocaching name) went to Montauk for the day. If you look closely, you can see my GPS in my hand. I am a total geek!
I geocache. If you can spend about $200 up front, you have years of fun for free! (Unless you buy a premium membership, which I did, that is $30/yr.)
But geocaching gets me out of the house, doesn't cost anything, is fun, gets me excercise and the opportunity to see places that I would never have known was there otherwise, such as cute little hidden away parks and such. I even take "geocaching vacations" (those arn't free) where I will fly somewhere for a few days and get a hotel and geocache. Geocaching will show you hiking trails that you never knew existed, museums, all kinds of things. I am so addicted to the sport it is rediculous. I am to the point where I go out during lunch to geocache! I am such a fanatic, but it is so fun! My avatar was taken during a mini-geocaching vacation when SnowBean and I (geocaching name) went to Montauk for the day. If you look closely, you can see my GPS in my hand. I am a total geek!
Well, I did major in geography in college. This may work. Thank You.
Yea I hate money right now. It is causing me stress.
I think I just made the executive decision not to go to the swing dance camp I've been dying to go to because the flights alone will be too much for me and I need to be saving a lot more than I am. I need to be earning more than I am! And I need someone to take over my lease so I can move out, move in with my parents for summer, and stop paying useless money for a house I don't want.
ARGH.
are you the named tenant on your flat, Theo? Can't you just give your 21 days notice and move out? Because you won't be going back there next year, right?
Money stress sucks though : ( And is probably the last thing you need, on top of sickness stress!