There’s nothing worse than getting to a week before payday and realising you have nothing left in your bank account. Sure, the bills are paid, and you have food in the fridge, but you don’t have any money for anything fun. Whether you’re home alone or with the kids, being at home doesn’t have to feel like a bore.
If you’re trying to be mindful of your budget and you’re trying to avoid expensive outings, there are countless ways that you can keep yourself and the family entertained without breaking the bank, just from staying inside. In fact, we’ve got plenty of opportunities for you to have a fun day without spending any money at all in our list below. Take a look.
Get stuck into a book.
How big is your TBR pile right now? Reading is a fantastic way to while away the hours and escape into a completely different world. You can do so without spending any money, especially if you need a new book, and you already have things like a Kindle. There are so many options for free downloads online, which means that even if you haven’t got anything in your TBR pile at home, you can certainly build on it very quickly on Kindle. Free E books are available online from classic literature to contemporary novels, so try and read something different if you can’t find something to your usual taste. You never know, you might open up a whole new world that you didn’t expect.
Get online and play games.
The online gaming world is massive, and it’s become one of the most affordable ways to have fun at home. You don’t even have to have an expensive gaming console or even pay for games to enjoy an engaging experience. There are plenty of platforms out there that offer free games, from poker tables and chessboards to trivia games and word puzzles. You could even jump on board to free games on your social media and play with your friends if you don’t want to play by yourself. Most of these games have been optimised for both mobile screens and laptop screens, which means that you could even just stay tucked up in bed and play games on your phone while you’re under the covers.
Learn to cook a new recipe.
Ah, the beauty of YouTube! One of the most budget-friendly activities that you could do is home cooking, and you can get really creative by plugging all of the ingredients in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry into ChatGPT and asking it what you should cook. If you have all of the ingredients you need to follow a YouTube recipe, you can do a step-by-step option online and come out with something delicious to eat for dinner. If not, try the method we just mentioned and ask ChatGPT to set it up for you. It will be able to run down your ingredients list for you and come up with a recipe that fits. There are endless online resources for finding simple and affordable recipes, and the best part is that cooking at home saves you a lot of money and gives you a chance to create something new with your own hands. Maybe there’s a recipe you’ve seen in a restaurant or you’ve tasted before that you want to try to recreate. If your pantry is packed, then why not start batch cooking up some of those delicious recipes and get them in the freezer?
Start a movie marathon on a streaming channel.
There are so many options for streaming these days, and you’ll find that a lot of box sets of movies like Lord of the Rings are found on individual streaming platforms. Get yourself set up with a blanket and some snacks and work your way through some of your favourite movie genres. If you’re a Marvel fan, the Disney+ app has all of the Marvel movies in the correct order for you to watch them.
Start a new project.
Are you feeling creative? Do you have the tools to be able to do a new project? The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to crafting, and there are plenty of DIY projects that require little to no money. Pinterest is a fantastic resource for finding affordable DIY craft ideas, and many projects use supplies that you may already have at home. Whether you want to make something like a new pair of earrings or you want to make a new photo frame for your living room, crafting can be a good way to spend a day and feel wholly satisfied at the end.
Get some exercise.
You don’t have to go to the gym to get some exercise, you know. YouTube can come to the rescue again with plenty of free workout videos. Whether it’s Zumba that you like or you want to do body weight exercises like pushups and squats, you can stay fit while boosting your mood all at the same time. As long as you have a soft area to be able to rest your legs and without bruising your knees as you work out, you’re going to find it helps your overall mood as a result.
Learn how to meditate.
If you’re looking for a way to truly relax, meditation can be everything that you need. There are various free online resources to guide you through the meditation sessions, and these practices can help you reduce your stress levels, improve your focus, and promote emotional well-being all at the same time. You don’t have to be an experienced meditator or somebody who already knows what mindfulness is. In fact, there are plenty of beginner sessions out there that can give you your start, and you don’t need hours of time to do it either. You may end up being the type of person who tries this once and can’t wait to try it again, so it happens to come into your daily routine.
Declutter your house.
Sick days and lazy days at home are the perfect opportunity to tackle all of the organising you’ve been putting off. Not only will it make your house more pleasant as a space to live, but it can also be surprisingly satisfying to finally sort everything and pull everything out. You can start withdrawals, your closets, or even a single room, and start focusing on organising the space properly. Go through your old clothes, your paperwork, or even items that you no longer need, and consider donating them properly. By the end of the day, you’re going to feel so much more organised and productive doesn’t result, and you may even uncover other hidden gems!
Learn something new.
There are so many skills that you can pick up in a day at home. There are free coding lessons, you can download Duolingo and start learning a language, and you can look at things like photography courses and graphic design courses. You could even use YouTube yet again to learn how to play an instrument. Whether you want to take an online class or you want to watch an instructional YouTube video, you can spend time learning something new, which is both fun and enriching. You’re going to be able to get so much out of learning something that could add to your daily life.
Having to stay at home while you’re on a budget doesn’t have to be a negative thing. In fact, it could be a great way to catch up with yourself and recharge a little bit while you do some new things at home.
