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A no spend challenge is an awesome way to save money, but it can also make life a bit boring.
After all, without spending money, what is there to do??
Before you say nothing, I promise you there are ways to keep yourself busy and entertained without having to dip into your savings.
There are actually quite a few things you may not have thought of that you can do for free.
Spending money is great, sure, but I’ve been a lot happier since I started living a more frugal lifestyle. Not only have I been saving a TON more, I’ve gained healthier spending habits and a better understanding of what truly matters to me.
Today I want to show you 10 free things to do during your no spend challenge. Or even if you just want some options for when you don’t want to spend your cash.
And don’t worry, we’ll skip over the usual trip to the library or catching up on TV shows. Not that there’s anything wrong with these! But today I’m going to focus on unique and fun ideas you can do.
Sound good?
Without further ado, here are some fun and free things to do with your time while you’re trying to save money.
Related posts:
— 12 Lessons I Learned During a No Spend Challenge
— 16 Best Frugal Living Tips To Save Serious Money
— How To Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck in 2022!
1. Take a Hike (In The Nicest Way)
There’s no need to spend a lot of money to get some exercise. So if you’re tight on cash but still need to get your steps in, never fear!
There are plenty of places to take a hike (not the unkindly kind😆) that won’t cost you a dime. In fact, you might even be surprised at how many scenic (and free!) walking trails are right in your own backyard. So pull on your sneakers (make sure they’re super comfy) and explore some of these budget friendly walking destinations.
For stunning views without the price tag, head to your local park. Most cities and towns have at least one park with walking trails, and many also offer free programming like concerts or movie screenings in the park during the summer months.
If you’re looking for something a little more challenging, try hiking one of the many nature trails that can be found in most states.
And for the ultimate in cheap thrills, take a stroll around your neighborhood – you never know what interesting sights and sounds you’ll discover close to home!
2. Organize Your Photos
Do you ever look at your smartphone and wonder how on earth you have thousands upon thousands of photos stored? Photos that you don’t even need or know what to do with?
If you’re anything like me, this is a regular occurrence! I’ll take 20 slightly different photos but really, there’s no huge difference and I tell myself I’ll cull them later and keep one or two, then never do. So instead of letting those photos take up space on your phone, why not put them to good use?
There are a number of ways to do this, but one of the easiest is to create a photo album. You can do this digitally or in hard copy, and it’s a great way to preserve memories and keep your photos organized.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few tips:
1. Decide on the format of your album. Will it be digital or physical?
2. Choose a theme for your album. This could be based on a specific event, such as a vacation, or it could be a collection of your favorite photos.
3. Gather your photos. This is the fun part! Go through your old photos and select the ones you want to include in your album.
4. Organize. Once you have all of your photos, it’s time to start organizing them. You can do this by date, event, or any other system that makes sense to you.
5. Add captions. This is optional, but it can be fun to add captions to your photos and keep a record of where they were taken and who’s in the photo.
6. Enjoy your album! Now that you’ve created your album, it’s time to sit back and enjoy it. Flip through the pages and relive all of your favorite memories.
Creating a photo album is a great way to organize your photos and preserve your memories.
So next time you’re looking at your phone and wondering what to do with all of those photos, give it a try? You’ll be surprised at how organized you feel and like you’ve accomplished something!
3. Have a Picnic at the Beach
Give me an outdoor picnic any day, which is usually in the park, but the beach is my next go-to spot. You can time it and have an early picnic dinner at sunset, or a late morning lunch in the sun.
If you’re ever feeling stressed out or just need a change of scenery, I recommend a day out at the beach with a picnic. You can forget any money woes you have while you’re by the sea. There’s something about being close to water that resets your state of mind, provides oxygen to your brain and helps to ground you.
When you’re trying to save, a picnic at the beach is a perfect frugal activity. So pack your picnic basket with delicious food and drink and get down to the beach.
To spend even less money on your picnic outings (without having to give up on quality) you can use the following cash back offer on groceries.
This makes things that much more cheaper with minimal effort.
Fetch Rewards is a FREE mobile app that lets you earn points on your grocery receipts. You can then redeem those points for gift cards from your favorite retailers.
The app is available for both Android and iOS devices and they have over a million 5 star reviews making it one of the best cash back apps out there. It’s a great way to save money on your groceries, as you can earn points without any restrictions.
All you need to do is purchase products from participating brands and scan your receipts into the app.
Fetch Rewards makes it easy to save money on your everyday purchases. If you’re looking for a way to cut down your grocery bill, Fetch Rewards is definitely worth checking out.
4. Take up Inline Skating
Another great activity to try while you’re trying to save money is inline skating!
This activity is something you can pretty much do anywhere.
There are a lot of health benefits that come with skating as well. It’s a great way to get some exercise and it’s also been shown to improve mental health.
So if you’re looking for a fun and free activity to do during your no spend challenge, why not give inline skating a try?
There are so many benefits to spending time outdoors, including reducing stress, improving mental health, and even boosting your immune system.
Get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer with your new (or used) wheels! 🛼
5. Work on a Puzzle
Puzzles are a great way to pass the time and they can be very therapeutic! They’re also fun to do with family or friends.
There are puzzles for all different skill levels, so you can search for one that’s perfect for you. And if you get stuck, invite a friend or family member over for company and maybe they can help you out.
I find puzzles a good activity to do to switch off from the usual busyness of life. They’re simple and traditional but nice and challenging too.
So if you’re looking for a free indoor activity to do during your no spend challenge, give puzzles a try!
6. Teach Yourself a New Skill
Skillsets are super valuable and help you to become more employable, or allow you to charge for your services and make money online.
There are plenty of skills you can learn for free such as cooking, gardening or learning a new language.
But if your goal is to make money, there are many invaluable short courses you can take for a small price.
When it comes to earning money, it’s important to continuously invest in yourself. Whether you’re taking a course to learn a new skill or attending conferences to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, making small investments to enhance your skillset will pay off in the long run.
Not only will you be more marketable and qualified for new opportunities, but you’ll also be able to charge more for services.
⭐ Fiverr offers very affordable, high quality courses in areas from Freelancing to Social Media to SEO and so many more. You can check out their highly rated courses and best sellers here and learn a brand new skill in as little as 2 hours!
⭐ Skillshare is another affordable course platform that offers more than 35,000 courses to its members. I recommend this option if you want ongoing access to various courses throughout the year. You can sign up for a FREE trial here.
So if you’re looking to save money in the long run by furthering your career or making some extra cash, investing in yourself is the best place to start.
7. Write in a Journal
Sometimes all you need is a thorough brain dump when your mind is racing.
Writing in a journal is surprisingly therapeutic and a good way to fill in time.
Grab a cute notebook and start jotting down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. You can even use your journal as a way to track your progress during your no spend challenge.
Not only is journaling a great way to pass the time, but it’s also a great way to reflect on your saving money journey.
You can write down what’s working, what’s not, what you’ve learned and what goals you’ve achieved.
8. Bake Your Own Bread
There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread filling the house! It has a special way of drawing people in no matter where they are in the house, one whiff and bam, they’re suddenly in the kitchen.
I know people who get up early every single morning to bake delicious sourdough bread for their family. Baking bread is a bit of an art so if it’s a completely new activity to you, you can start with something simple. Then move on to more complex recipes.
One of the best things about baking your own bread is the many different varieties you can create. From a delicious cheesy boule to a herb and olive sourdough, you can keep yourself busy in the kitchen while having fun baking all kinds of bread.
9. Become a Volunteer
Volunteer work is a great way to help others while you’re trying not to spend. It’s also good for physical and mental health.
You can search for local volunteering opportunities in your area, or find national organisations that are always in need of volunteers.
Not only will you be helping out a good cause, but you’ll also be getting out of the house and meeting new people. A win-win while trying to save your pennies!
If you’re an animal lover, you could volunteer at your local animal shelter. Shelters always need extra help to walk the dogs, clean out cages, and socialise the animals.
Some other ideas for volunteering are:
- Making meals for the homeless
- Donating blood
- Foster a pet from your local shelter
- Completing odd jobs for your elderly neighbors
- Offer translating services if you have the means
10. Go Stargazing
Stargazing is a great way to spend a clear night. It doesn’t cost anything except time, and you can do it anywhere there’s an open view of the sky.
All you need is your eyes and maybe a blanket if it’s cold outside!
There are all sorts of things to see when you go stargazing. The moon is always a popular choice, and you can also see planets, stars, constellations, and even meteors. If you’re patient and have a good pair of binoculars, you might even be able to spot some distant galaxies.
The best time for stargazing is usually after midnight when the sky is at its darkest. However, you can still see plenty of things even if it’s not a perfect night.
Tip: Make sure you give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness before you start looking for things.
FINALLY
I hope you enjoyed this post and got some good ideas from it! Let me know what you’ll be getting up to during your no spend challenges 🙂
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