59 free things to do

Be a Smart Cookie

In this economy, the Almighty Dollar seems more elusive to obtain and even harder to hold on to. Here's a random list of things to do that won't cost you a dime.

1. Go for a walk (bring a friend!)
   


2. Walk a pooch at your local Humane Society.
   


3. Sew something out of some of that fabric you bought so long ago with all the best intentions...
   


4. Drink a cup of tea.


5. Read a book (remember when you were a kid and you went to the library? Yeah, it still exists. Or you can swap books with a friend!)


6. Write a letter to someone you love (if you don't have any stamps, a heart-felt email is always nice, too.)


7. Read Real Simple online... it's a great site full of fun tips!
   


8. Window shop on Etsy.


9. Pull out those old cans of paint and give some furniture, frames or walls a new coat.


10. Have a lunch swap with a friend: instead of going out to eat, do the Elementary school thing and swap your bag lunches.


11. Organize your photos (both on your computer and in that old shoebox in the closet...)
    


12. Rummage through your closet and find some clothes you hardly wear: if they still fit, try to encorporate them into your attire. If they don't fit, donate them to Goodwill or a friend.


13. Have a diy mani/pedi with a friend


14. Watch a free movie on Hulu.com


15. Go to allrecipes.com and find new dishes to make with ingredients you already have on hand.
    


16. Have a garage sale.


17. Volunteer.


18. Join Cut Out & Keep and find cheap and easy things to make, plus you can add your own tutorials.


19. Look up new uses for old items on realsimple.com.


20. Blog.


21. Start a journal: if you already have one, keep it up! It can be an amazing stress relief and fun read to look back on your life in later years!


22. Embrace your inner artist and draw, paint or sketch instead of sitting in front of the TV or spending countless hours online.
    


23. Play FreeRice and increase your vocab while helping to end hunger via the UN World Food Program! Win-win situation!


24. Go through your overflowing file cabinet and sort what needs to stay, go and be re-filed.


25. Clip coupons online from coupons.com (or from your Sunday paper) and check your local grocery store's coupon policy- most offer double or even triple coupons during special promotions


26. Shop for free stuff online at craigslist.com in the free stuff section. You never know what you may find!


27. Offer to walk an elderly neighbor's dog, and think of other ways to help them out, too: such as cooking, cleaning, or just giving them your time


28. Think of ten things you love about someone and tell them. It'll make their week!


29. Have a craft party with friends: have everyone bring any projects they're working on, as well as supplies to swap and share.


30. Change your bed sheets to a different set for a fresh new feel: if you don't have another set, hang your sheets outside for a few hours on a sunny afternoon so they can soak up some sunkissed freshness.


31. Play Iron Chef with some friends and whatever random ingredients you have in your kitchen.


32. Forget the spa: pour a bath, light some candles and put on a face mask.


33. Make a list of things you're grateful for.


34. Instead of meeting a friend at Starbucks, go "out" for coffee at your local park: one of you can bring a thermos of coffee and the other can bring something tasty to snack on.


35. Make a household binder. Some useful things to include: emergency info & contacts, utility companies & contact info, landlord/mortgage company numbers, takeout menus & coupons to local restaurants, cleaning hints and tips from your favorite magazines and websites, monthly calendar with notes for bill due dates, cleaning schedules, grocery shopping, etc.


36. Make a list of things you love about yourself.


37. Start a cooking club.


38. Free babysitting: arrange to swap babysitting nights with a friend.


39. Forgo the pet salon and give Bingo a good ol' fashioned brush and bath at home.


40. Look up free outdoor movies in your area. Most cities have summer events featuring free movies, concerts or other forms of entertainment in local parks.


41. Attend a free poetry reading, open mic night or talent show.


42. Go through your sock drawer and try to match up those errant socks. Convert any loners into dust rags and free up some drawer space.


43. Play a team sport with friends.


44. Help out at a soup kitchen.


45. Make homemade candles out of leftover wax and stubs of old candles.


46. Rearrange your furniture to give your living space a free makeover.


47. Learn French with Coffee Break French (also available in other languages!)


48. Try to find homes for the mismatched debris in your junk drawer (you know you have one!)


49. Make a note of all your friends' birthdays (facebook is a great tool for doing this!)


50. Join the Cold Stone Creamery or Baskin Robbins birthday club and get free ice cream on your birthday! While you're at it, sign up at birthdayfreebies.com for even more free birthday goodies!


51. Change the pictures you have displayed in frames around your home to give it a fresh new feel. Or even just change the location of certain pictures - it's amazing what a small change can do!


52. Pick some flowers (not from your neighbor's yard!)


53. Download some awesome desktop wallpaper from design*sponge!


54. Write a poem.


55. Dance around in your undies when no one is around... it's surprisingly liberating!


56. Give something away.


57. Print out some free printable goodies from love.obsess.inspire!


58. Do some at-home yoga.


59. Start a book club.