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Treasury Reveals New I Bond Rate of 1.30%, But Your Bond May Pay Less6 Ways to Enjoy Life – For Free
We all like to get free stuff. Free helps you save money, leaving more in the banking – working on your behalf. It’s easy to forget some of the options we have available to us when it comes to getting free stuff. Here are 6 ways to enjoy what life has to offer without paying anything:
1. Home Entertainment: TV Shows
So far, I haven’t had luck convincing my husband to give up the satellite TV (he likes the sports too much). However, I know that if I could convince him, we’d be able to enjoy our favorite TV shows for free. First of all, you can get your local channels for free. Many TV stations also have high definition over the air. So, as long as your TV has an HD tuner on it, you can get local HD TV for free.
You can get access to free TV shows on Hulu.com, and many cable networks provide their TV shows for free online. Watch on your computer, or use your TV or gaming console to help you watch without paying for TV.
If you want free movies, you can try checking them out at your library. Many public libraries offer access to movies, and even TV show series. If you don’t mind paying a little bit, you can rent movies from Redbox for only $1 a night, or pay for an online streaming service that charges a relatively low rate.
2. Eating Out: Free Food
You can enjoy free food at restaurants in a number of ways. Many restaurant chains have “eat free” days at least once a year. You might limited in terms of what you can choose from, but it’s free. You can also sign up to receive free food on your birthday. And, of course, you can also look for “kids eat free” deals. You can avoid paying for your child’s meal if you pay for your own.
In addition to eating free food at restaurants, you can also attend events that provide free food. There are usually plenty of community events that offer free food, or operate on a potluck principle. You can bring something to share with everyone, and then receive free food in return. This can be a fun way to get out of the house, meet new friends, and sample tasty food – for free.
3. Culture and Arts: Museums and Exhibitions
Keep an ear to the ground about free exhibitions in your town. Many communities offer free summer concerts in the evenings, or offer free community plays. There are art galleries and museums that offer free admission. Even they don’t offer free admission year round, there are some that have special days once a week, each month, or every year that anyone can get in free. Check to see what’s available in your area.
You can also take advantage local historical sites. Learn about your area’s history and enjoy a fun family outing. Many of us forget about the historical sites in our hometowns. You can visit these sites, learn something, and enjoy a little local culture. Some historical sites feature demonstrations and activities.
If you live in a college town, take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy student exhibitions and recitals. These are often free, and can provide you with a nice evening out. Even if they aren’t free, most of these student exhibitions are very low cost, costing only a few dollars for attendance.
4. Outings: Enjoy the Great Outdoors
Perhaps the best way to enjoy life for free is to spend time outdoors. My son and I love to picnic. We make a lunch at home, then head to the park. After we’re done eating, he can enjoy the playground equipment, and I can enjoy a book on the park bench. And, of course, there are a number of great outdoor activities to enjoy, from bike riding, to hiking, to water activities. Find out what’s available near your home, and enjoy an afternoon in the great outdoors.
You can even go camping for free if you have the right equipment. There are some campgrounds that don’t charge, and others that charge very little. Consider what you can do outside, from nature walks to window shopping in your town’s downtown, and you might find an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
5. Staying In: Family Fun at Home
Staying in doesn’t have to automatically mean movie night with the family. There are plenty of fun and free things to do at home. If you like being outside, go out for a fun family game of baseball, basketball, badminton, hide and seek or croquet. Do outdoor chores as a family. It’s more fun to tend the garden or rake leaves when you do it together.
If you are staying in, you can play games together. Get some snacks out and play board games, or have a game of charades. Put together a puzzle. You can go on a scavenger hunt around the house, or cook dinner together. Even young kids can help with food prep. There is no reason why you can’t do some things together as a family to enjoy your time at home. In many cases, it is these great memories that you can make together that will stick with you and help you enjoy life more.
6. Lifelong Learning: Classes and Books
Learning new things can provide your life with purpose and enjoyment. If you want to learn a new skill, see if you can find a class for it. Many retailers, including Home Depot and Michael’s offer free classes on different subjects. Sporting goods stores sometimes offer clinics and maintenance classes. A local kitchen supply store, and a local grocery store, both offer free cooking classes. If you want to learn something new, check to see what classes are available at no cost to you.
Even if you can’t attend a free class, you can get access to free books. The Gutenberg Project offers free books for download (most are classics whose copyrights have expired). You can also find many free audiobooks online, and free ebooks. And, of course, you can find almost anything at the public library. Many libraries even offer ebook rentals.
What’s your favorite free way to enjoy life?
This superior attitude is one reason we are a country of selfish uncaring people.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Ken, these "throwaway" articles lessen the credibility of your good work elsewhere on the site. I don't come to your site to read fluff like this.
Miranda, on a serious note, please stop posting: irrelevant. outdated. uncommon sense, well known tricks, public knowledge, stuff we all know about, stuff we can all find online and anything not connected with money.
On a positive note, your ideas are welcome as long as you stick to the guidelines above.
Personally I think that we (meaning those who live in this era) are way way to much on material matters (money, CDs, retirement savings, RCAs - yeah, I am in it, too, deals, stock market...). There is the other (much more meaningful) side of living which includes cultivating our inner beings, families, socierty, our next generation, and real meaning of life. Thus we become a shallow group of poeple who love to criticize and just want be cranky toward everybody or anything that is not up to our standard or likings.
Even in the 70s, people were not like this. It is sad that we seem to advance in technology and comfort level of living, but we really went backward in our humanity and caring for one another. I am really shocked that an article like this would raise so much controversy and hostility toward one another and toward MM.
Back on topic: (1) TV show: I rarely enjoy any TV stuff any more. I think people should throw out their TV sets just to stay healthy mentally and physically; way too much TV! (2) Food: OK, way too much junk food. How about spend some time to research what it means to eat healthily (we are, after all, what we eat); meanwhile enjoying one's family and neighborhood. (3) Museums, etc.: I have no genes for such matters; but some obviously enjoy them. The intention was correct: family time, mingle with the people (it is not an accident that God places us here on this earth, in this country, at this particular time; so care of one another. (4) Outdoors: Yes! Take a walk with your love ones, talk to your children while doing that. Do some sports together. We are sitting/lying on the sofa too too much. Go to outside and breath the fresh air (it is totally free!). (5) Family: Right on, sister:D. (6) Books/Classes: Again, we are way too busy with near-term boring stuff, like bills, CDs, RCAs, credit cards. Life is much more than that. Try to read a good book a week. Try to take a class every six months. Invest in your brain before it all gets wasted on stock market, TVs, arguing with people, etc.
Just my two-cents without liability:D Point of article:The simple and enjoyable things in life is often cheap or free. Why is it in the Finance Forum: Hello!? Try to wake up those who are too much into finance:D
I dont mind at all the content of the post; it's just unusual to place it here. C'est tout.
Irene is over-rated. Just a small amount of rain; nothing more.
Now the Boston streets are only filled with reporters looking for any slight accumulation of water (they really overdid it this time).
Anon. #18: no criticisms; just two "mistakes" you rightfully corrected me:D I meant to include myself (and a sober reminder to myself) in all my comments above, not you, they, we, or me.
Peace.
Peace.
"I find it interesting that all the critical comments come from anonymous posters."
Which means (1) There may be only a few (1-2?) that cry "off-topic." (2) Those few, while delaring intense interest on financial topics and long-time faithfuls on this website, do not even bother to register for this finance-centric website.
Further, nowhere do I see these respectable people post or contribute in the finance forums at all. They only care about keeping this blog 100% financial so that they can do casual reading.
To those: Points well-take:-) Happy reading/lurking.
I agree with the others who say leave this type of post for websites designed for them. Let's stick to the financials, Ken. Just my opinion, not being rude. See, here in America, we enjoy something called freedom of speech.
I, too, visit Ken's website for banking information. Hope this is not a new trend.
Also, re the article itself: obvious stuff. IOW: fluff.
I'm not anonymous, and I agree that I don't typically find Miranda's articles useful. Perhaps Ken should have a poll to see if the majority find these articles interesting or helpful.
I have no problem with Miranda's postings. If she does a subject that I have little interest in, then I skip them. I do the same thing on Ken's postings. Just because I don’t read all the posting’s doesn’t mean they don’t have value to others.
Keep up the good work Miranda & Ken!!!!!
1) I don't believe in paying to watch TV. Most of cable and satellite TV programming is rehashes of many programs previously aired on network TV and most of the cable produced shows are not worth watching.
2) There is no free lunch in my area other than those "informerical" sponsors who offer a free dinner to sell you something. There is no free food sampling offers in my area. I don't have kids so I can't get free meals that way.
3) My area (DC) is the free museum capital of this country. Nuff said.
4) I don't do the camping route, but have visited numerous national parks across the country.
5) I don't have free time to do any recreational activities of late, but I did use to do family activities in the past.
6) You can read massive amounts of information online and you don't even need to go to the library to look for the Encyclopedia Brittanica.
The biggest part of my spending budget is on taxes (income and property) and insurance (auto) and not food, clothing, entertainment, or even commuting. If I can reduce those expenses, I would save quite a few bucks.
We responded to Miranda’s article because we are mostly frustrated with such waste of time and like to send a message to Ken to stop Miranda from posting such irrelevant 1st grade ideas, I feel like big sis Napolitano lecturing the ignorant and low life masses.
47 posts (many from the Anon. in hiding), I would call this article a success:D