Money-free activities

12 Mar 2014

Sometimes it’s just a matter of looking around your home and neighbourhood to see what you can do to keep your mind and body active without having to shell out the cash.

Spring clean

There’s no better feeling than just after you’ve spring-cleaned the house. Everything’s less cluttered, surfaces are shining and you end up seeing exactly what you have accumulated and what you’ll be keeping. It’s a stocktake on life. Plus, you may even make some money out of this activity. Head to the streets and set up a table for a good old-fashioned garage sale. Or alternatively, head to the computer and put things up on eBay – you’ll be surprised at how much you manage to sell.

Bake

Chances are you have loads of ingredients in your pantry and fridge. Rifle through your cookbooks to see what you can make with the ingredients you have and become a chef for the day. You could probably make a three-course meal without spending anything on extra ingredients.

Head out for a walk

Pack an esky with some lunch and water and stroll around the neighbourhood. Explore your own backyard where there’s bound to be some beautiful sights, even if it’s just the foliage surrounding you. Find a local park and relax in the fresh air with your delicious lunch.

Train your brain

Sit down on the couch, on the balcony or in the backyard with a crossword and a nice cup of tea, and start on the newspaper crosswords. Not only will you actually relax, you’ll train your brain. If you don’t have access to the newspaper, whip out your tablet or laptop and find some puzzles online. 

Turn your lounge room into a gym

Move a bit of the furniture if you feel you don’t have enough space, and turn your living room into your very own home gym. There are plenty of resistance exercises that can be done at home that will build up your muscles and get your blood moving. Alternatively, pop the radio on and dance like nobody’s watching.