25 things to do instead of going shopping

There was a time when me and my other half got into a habit of going to our local shopping center every Thursday night...we would wonder around aimlessly and waste our money on things we didn't need. One day we decided to watch a movie instead and haven't looked back ever since. I still do more shopping then required so I am trying to recover from my shopping addiction and occupy myself with other more useful activities (esp. during my Frugal February challenge)...So I've compiled a list of things to do instead of shopping.



  1. Do a workout - either take advantage of that gym membership, do some exercised at home following YouTube videos or go for a walk/jog outside.
  2. Explore - discover a new suburb or park in your city or go for a drive to see cool places you have never been to.
  3. Pamper youself - give yourself a mani/pedi, do a face mask and put a treatment in your hair (even using your regular conditioner, leaving it for 15+ min), you can do it all at home by-yourself!
  4. Create nice dinner - with desert! Light few candles and enjoy it alone, with someone special or few friends.
  5. Chillax - take a bath, read some magazines (you can get some for free on iPad, library or from your friends).
  6. Get creative - draw, paint, sculpt or even make a jewellery
  7. Pinterest - start pinning things that interest you like art technique, home decor or hair styles
  8. Get in touch with friends and loved ones - call your grandma, sms good friend or send and email to someone you haven't been in touch for a while.
  9. De-clutter - not only it will make your place look better, cleaning easier and create more space but it will also make you realise how much stuff you already have!
  10. Embrace your hobbies - I am sure all of us had hobbies we once loved but put on hold due to lack of free time...
  11. Hang out with friends - invite them over or go for a walk and talk in the park
  12. Hang out at your local library - air-con, free books and magazines...great way to hide from heat ad relax
  13. Explore blogs - catch-up on your favorite blogs and discover new one based on your interest. I currently can't get enough of Apartment Therapy
  14. TED talks - I love watching TED talks on subjects that interest me, some speakers really changed my point of view.
  15. Self-development - work on qualities you want to improve upon
  16. Education - there are plenty of free or low-cost courses you can do...anything from art to science. I am currently enrolled in two free courses through coursera.org
  17. Edit you wardrobe - come-up with new combinations and get rid of things you don't see yourself wearing
  18. eBay away - we all have things that are no longer used or needed. It is free to list on eBay so you will be surprised what can sell for quite a bit of $$$. I remember I got over 30 bids once on some random Tupperware plastic cookware I've never used.
  19. Read a book - I love spending half of my free day in bed with good book (either from my collection or Kobo e-reader)
  20. YouTube - I can spend hours watching my favorite music, how-to and trash TV (Extreme Cheapskates is my favorite ATM)
  21. Get Creative - draw a picture, write a poem or write a blog post...I love reflecting back on my creations of the past
  22. Clean your place - clean and clutter-free environment instantly lifts my mood
  23. Edit your email subscriptions - get rid of those email subscriptions you no longer need. I also unsubscribes from all tempting emails of sales and special offers. I am yet to regret a missed sale.
  24. Organise your photos- make a photo book or arrange them into online album.
  25. Take photos - I take my DSLR on one of my walks and take cool photos around my neighborhood (flowers, animals, cool buildings). Then upload them onto Instagram. My overseas friends often appreciate it as they miss those places.

Comments

  1. Unknown24 February 2015 at 11:34

    What a great list of things to do instead of shopping! I too, love The Apartment Therapy website :-)

    ReplyDelete

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