99 Things to do when you are skint

I came across a fantastic post today at http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/07/14/101-dirt-cheap-ways-to-enjoy-yourself/. The title was "101 dirt cheap ways to enjoy yourself" and it really struck a chord with me. I am a natural skinflint but as with everyone I flop in front of the TV when I come home from work and then splurge every little while on a meal, a night at the pub or a night away. This sort of lifestyle is both expensive and somewhat dull and boring!

The original post had some negative comments saying that half of the options would actually be pretty expensive to do, so I thought I'd take the chance to strip out some of the costs here.




The next time you have a spare weekend - but also want to save some cash, refer to this list, stick a pin in your monitor and go for it!

1. Get up to your local library, take out a few books and enter the world of pure imagination. Check out http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/08/11/30-books-everyone-should-read-before-their-30th-birthday/ for ideas.





2. Rake out your old tapes and CD's to rediscover the songs you loved. Make yourself up a new mix tape. See if you've got anything that beats this (I doubt it) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKTiwCez6Zs





3. Go for a picnic. Get inspiration here, http://www.waitrose.com/summer08/picnicspots.aspx but keep it local to bring the cost down.





4. Bake some biscuits. I love this one! If you don't know how to do it, nip across to http://www.scottishrecipes.co.uk/shortbread.htm





5. Start blogging. Nobody keeps a boring old diary nowadays when you can bring it bang up to date at http://www.blogger.com/. You'll even get paid if visitors click the little adverts (so I'm told!)





6. Head for the hills. Rambling is a fantastic pastime because it is fun, healthy, cheap and takes up a long time. I love the Ochil Hills in Central Scotland, but it doesn't matter where you are in the UK, there is always somewhere to have an adventure. Visit http://www.ramblers.org.uk/ to learn more, or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochil_Hills if you are anywhere near the Ochils. If you (unfortunately) live in Southern England, visit Wikipedia to find the highest point in your county. I did this for Northants and had a lovely trip to find it and climb it (took 5 minutes!)





7. This one is a straight scrape from the original article, "Head downtown with a friend and two digital cameras. Shoot as many funny and interesting photos as you can. Then go home and sort through them all". I couldn't put this better myself. In the past I've played similar games - I recall going through Edinburgh with my mates trying to spot people who looked like they were famous. It's surprisingly fun! See if you can spot any better lookalikes than the frankly disappointing ones here: http://www.celebritylookalikes.co.uk/default.asp





8. Put all your belongings on EBay! Sell everything that isn't nailed down. Clean out the loft and all your cupboards. Spring clean your life! http://www.ebay.co.uk/





9. Have a family board games championship (unless you've sold them on EBay already - see point 8). They may seem like old hat now but Risk, Monopoly, Cluedo etc were all fun in their day. Chess is perennially fantastic! (I LOVE CHESS). http://www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/intro.html





10. Happen on reddit. I've just discovered this site and am strangely intrigued. Content is posted and then voted up or down a chart by followers. At the moment, "Would you vote for an atheist president" is No.1. I like the controversial section best.





11. Become a conversationalist. I'm not much of a talker but there has been occasions when I've got into some really deep conversations. I remember chatting for hours about how life on Earth started, and also why did the ball move when Gary McCallister ran up to take a penalty for Scotland against England at Euro 96. Here are some conversation starters: http://www.conversationexchange.com/resources/conversation-topics.php. Avoid politics and religion unless you want it to turn into a fight. Here is the Uri Geller website, where you'll see how he claimed to rob Scotland of their rightful win! http://uri-geller.com/newc.htm





12. Have a romantic bath. Go for it. Fill the bath with bubbles. Get the candles out. Soft music. Aromatic oils. Even have a Flake if you want! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCLggnjbsqQ&feature=related, This is utter luxury - but within everyone's budget!





13. Learn to play a musical instrument. Start with "Smoke on the water". Supposedly it's really easy to learn but I know I'd be impressed. http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/guitar-song-chords/smoke-on-the-water.html





14. Go swimming. I personally hate swimming but I can see how it is a good, cheap way to pass the time. Can you swim a length under water? Can you do a handstand on the bottom of the pool?




15. Wii championship. I've not got a Wii but there is a PS2 lying in a drawer somewhere. Get it out, dust it down and invite the friends around for a classic gaming championship. Paperboy anyone? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paperboy_(video_game)




16. Fly a kite. This a three pronged adventure. Firstly, making the kite http://www.my-best-kite.com/how-to-make-a-kite.html. Secondly, getting to your chosen windy hilltop and thirdly actually flying it!




17. Discover new music. Take the songs you loved the most from point 2, visit http://www.last.fm/ and search for artists like your favs. I'll wager you'll find something you've never heard before in your life.... and love it!




18. Look at the stars. I found an amazing website at http://www.galaxypix.com/Stargazing/, but the real thrill for me would be looking into the skys and spotting a UFO. Imagine the fame and money you cold make if you caught a UFO on camera. There was a famous UFO hunter from the same village as I was brought up in. You can join up with him and his gang to spend an evening skygazing with a difference. http://www.spookystuff.co.uk/HowToGoOnAUFOSpottingTrip.html gives good details on how to go about it.




19. Watch a classic movie. http://www.lovefilm.com/browse/collections.html?node_id=6550 is a list of the BFI top 100 movies. I'm not sure about the Third Man being tops but it takes all sorts.




20. Play poker. Do you remember the TV programme called "Roseanne". I remember thinking how great it looked when Dan used to get all his mates around for a Poker evening. Why not do the same? It doesn't have to cost anything. http://www.entertainmentexpert.co.uk/PokerParty.html




21. Play other card games. I'm not really from a card playing family, but when I visit my in-laws they love to get the cards out.




22. Find some wildflowers. I remember when I was small, I could pick up any book from my Gran's bookshelf only for a pressed wild flower to fall out. This seems to have died out nowadays but it could still be a cheap way to spend an afternoon. Once again, this hobby has many parts. Going for a country walk, finding the flowers, pressing them. Visit http://www.wildflowers.co.uk/ to find out more.




23. Test drive a really expensive car. I don't know if I'd have the guts to ask for a test-drive of a car I'd have no intention of buying but if you do then more power to you! http://www.my50.com/goal.php?goal=e806b0b4613f8115




24. Get drunk on cheap lager. Relive your teenage days by drinking the old favourites like Kestrel lager and Electric White Cider. A nightout at the pub nowadays would cost upwards of £50 all in but you can still have a rare time with £5 worth of gutrot!




25. Have a BBQ. This can be done on the cheap, and still be as much fun as if it was a professional chef leading the way. Try some of the recipes at http://www.bbq.co.uk/bbq-recipes/index.aspx




26. Go on a Charity Shop Safari. Spend the day browsing all the charity shops in your town. Challenge your mates to who can make the most tasteless purchase, or who can make the most profit on EBay from a purchase. You could even help the charity shops of your town by knocking together a review page like this, http://www.timeout.com/london/features/2503/5.html



27. Go for a moonlight stroll. Very romantic indeed. I couldn't find a suitable website to suggest for further investigation, so option 27a is construct a website for the UK's Best Moonlit Walk locations.



28. Make a pizza from scratch. This is too easy and boring so I'd like to pimp this into making a "Pizza Crunch" from scratch. http://blog.23x.net/13/what-is-a-deep-fried-pizza.html#comment-409 has the lowdown. If you like it, tell your mates - the World needs to know the goodness that is deep fried Pizza.



29. Get crafty! I used to snigger at craft fayre types but you've got to take your hat off to some of the things these guys knock out. Take a peek at http://www.craft-fair.co.uk/Learning.cfm. As a fan of money I'd like to try soap making to see if they could then be sold on at EBay.



30. Write a poem. I love Robert Burns but I know I could never be in his league however I'm sure that with a bit of practice I could write the best poem on my street. Discover Burns at http://www.robertburns.org/ and get started writing poetry at http://www.poetry.com/. Once again I have a slight hidden agenda in recommending the latter site as there is a $100,000 prize to be won.



31. Eat Strawberries. Not one for me, I'm more of a pizza crunch man but the fruit lovers out there will appreciate this. Dip them in sugar, dip them in cream, pretend you are at Wimbledon. More info at http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_strawberries.shtml.



32. Go camping. This is an all time classic. If you sit at home watching TV, bored out of your skull, when you could be in the Great Outdoors then you are missing out on life! Get prepared so that you can get out in the tent next summer. All these sites can help: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=13780391 (hat's off to the guy's at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ - that's activity 32a; spend a day exploring Martin Lewis' site), http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/ and best of all, learn some camping ghost stories for the kids at http://www.skyatdusk.com/ThisOldTent/index2.html (nice site).



33. Take a bike ride. Once again not one for me, however I do like having a go on the Exercise bike - to extremes! If you're handy then visit http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-an-exercise-bike-into-an-energy-bike/ to see if you can turn your exercise bike into a power source. If you really want to go for it then try pushing yourself to the limit. Pushing the limits of your body clears your mind. See if you can emulate these guys - http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2001/8/30/172627.html.



34. Learn body language by people watching on the street. I loved doing this, without actually knowing I was doing it on Edinburgh's Princes Street in the 80s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoplewatching



35. The original articles says "build a backyard bonfire and roast marshmallows" but I'd suggest tying this in with the camping suggestion and getting out into the Countryside. I've never done it myself but it looks fun. If you're too embarrassed to ask how to do it then please see http://www.ehow.com/how_1164_roast-marshmallow.html (p.s. I'd have to refer to this!)



36. Feed the ducks at a local beauty spot. This is one of my favourite things to do with my kids. It is a very loving and caring thing to do. Visit http://wwt.org.uk/visitus/4/visit_us.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SSSIs_by_Area_of_Search and http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080716132329AA6dkyn, Take your crumbs in a Sunblest bag.



37. Have a funny movie marathon. I suggest Fletch, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Graduate and Weird Science. Classic night in. I just found out they are making a Fletch prequel! This is the best FREE night ever!! Join the cult of Fletch by starting at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletch_(film)



38. I didn't understand post 38 on the original article so I'm adding in: go to a pub happy hour. When I lived in Dundee it was still possible to never pay more than a £1 for a pint of beer if you timed your drinking correctly and made sure you hit each pub as the Happy Hours were commencing. Get out there and see if any pubs in your town have a happy hour. Imagine how popular you'd be if you could make a guide to your town like this one for Covent Garden in London, http://www.coventgardenlife.com/specialoffers/specialoffers.asp?type=drinking.



39. Make the most of local carnivals, fetes, festivals etc. There is always something on in your area - ALWAYS. Even the most tucked away hamlet in the Highlands of Scotland has a hooley now and again. If, when you read "festival" you think "beer festival" then hop over to the good fellas over at http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=yearofbeer.



40. Make a Knickerbocker Glory. I've never done it but I'd love to do something like this to impress my family and friends. It looks easy but then again so did the little exercises on the Generation Game! http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Knickerbocker-Glory shows you how.



41. Recreate Pulp Fiction by giving your girl a seductive foot massage! Once again, a new one for me but always worth a try (and free). Make sure you get permission first though unlikesh our Dutch friendsh: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200408/s1171170.htm



42. My biggest talent is talking rubbish according to my Mrs. (and my mum, and a few other people actually). I can tell stories about me and my showbiz mates including Stephen Fry, Keith Chegwin, Dave Gorman and Ross Davidson (The Admiral - may he rest in peace) despite never meeting any of them for more than 5 minutes. If you've got time on your hands take this chance to improve your tall stories enough to enter the National tall story contest.............. did I ever tell you about the time I was in a pub fight with Joe Calzaghe, I had the better of him until it got split up.



43. Option 43 of the original post was go canoeing or kayaking but in my opinion that costs cash so I'm going to suggest going for a midnight skinny dip! Now this is one I have done! Not the most sensible thing to do BUT you will remember it for a long time. Here are three suggestions - http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/jun/13/uk.skinnydipping.swimming. I did it here - http://www.stanwicklakes.org.uk/. An experience not to be forgotten even in a lifetime of odd experiences.



44. Skim stones. A classic. Pretend you are Huckleberry Finn by chewing on a bit if straw and seeing how many skims you can get. If you beat seven I'll pop your picture on this site!



45. Chase a sunset. I like this one. It doesn't matter if you live in rural Cornwall or a tower block in Glasgow City Centre, sunsets are beautiful. Combine this with camping to top off a stunning, cheap weekend away. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/photos/sunset_sunrise/1.shtml shows some of the most beautiful sunsets in Cornwall. Could you compile a similar compilation for your county? it may be possible to make cash by listing the pictures on a stock photo site.


46. Play 5 a side football. Good exercise, fun and cheap. 5 a side is the game of choice for the 30-something British male. Get your mates together and have a game this week.



47. Sit in on a University Lecture. This suggestion is naughty but nice. Go to your local university. Wait for a crowd of first years to gather outside a lecture hall and just join in. Pretend you are a student for the day. The super long scarf is an optional extra.


48. Learn a magic trick. Magic is always impressive so imagine how popular you'd be if you could reel off a few tricks to stun your friends and family. There are literally thousands of magic tricks to try your hand at at http://www.learnmagictricks.org/.


49. Discover the tricks of the trade needed to win a Street Fight. Whatever you do, don't go out and start one! Learn the tricks here, http://www.wikihow.com/Win-a-Street-Fight. Then learn how to make your own punchbag for practice here: http://www.tipking.co.uk/punch_bag.shtml.


50. Go Ten Pin Bowling. I don't know if this should be included in a dirt cheap list because I used to get told it was really expensive by my mum! However it could be really cheap if you go as a group, save up vouchers or go on a deal night. Start with AMF who are the biggest Ten Pin Bowling company in the UK, http://www.amfbowling.co.uk/landing/frenzy.aspx.


51. Strictly Come Dancing may sweep the UK off it's feet every year but you'll never turn me into a dancer. I'd look like Dumbo in a tutu. However if I had time on my hands I'd give the Charleston a try. http://www.ehow.com/how_2071535_dance-charleston.html gives the basics. Enjoy the fact that you're looking like a fool whilst learning. It's all part of life's rich tapestry.


52. Start growing your own veg. There is a fantastic post over at Frugal Dad (http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/) that shows in the simplest details how to start off your own Vegetable patch.


53. Reminisce. Crack open the old photo albums and think back to the days of wine and roses.


54. Now take your favourite photos and create a digital slideshow with them. Add a groovy sidetrack.


55. The original post suggested going fishing but I don't think that is a very cheap pastime at all. Instead I suggest visiting the excellent http://www.randomthingstodo.com/ and clicking through until you find the first free activity.


56. Go to a Show House and get some "ideal home" ideas. Post them on your blog.


57. Do you like playing Paper, Scissors, Stone? I know you do, because everyone does. It is good, harmless fun. Have you ever seen Derren Brown play it? Supposedly he has never been defeated. Learn how he does it and then challenge your mates to a contest. http://www.ebook-maniacs.com/derren_brown.pdf.


58. Surfing is not necessarily a cheap thing to do unless we skinflint it down to the bare bones. Go to http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/wales/hostels/Port-Eynon/index.aspx to find cheap accomadation and then build a surfboard from foam http://www.ehow.com/how_2286589_cut-surfboard-out-foam.html.


59. Have a water bomb fight. Fun for all ages. No need to purchase any super water pistols at £15 from Woolworths, just fill up normal balloons at the tap. If you are adventurous, make a homemade version of this baby - http://www.urbanjunkie.co.uk/product.php/247/0/wild-sling-water-bomb-launcher.


60. I've never done a "slip and slide" like that suggested in the original post so I'm going to suggest good old fashioned Cheese Rolling http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/. Only attempt this if you are brave (or incredibly stupid). For the rest of us, watching is more than enough entertainment.


61. PYO soft fruit. Pick Your Own seems a very 80s thing to me nowadays but if it get's you outside then it is a good thing. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article4565138.ece has some of the UK's favourite PYO locations.


62. Letterboxing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterboxing) is a new one on me, but it is basically a posh Treasure Hunt. It doesn't have to be a full Aneka Rice number. Even a small scale Treasure Hunt can be free and excellent fun!


63. I watched a program once about Astral Projection and have been strangely obsessed with it ever since. I don't know if it could be possible to master on a rainy Sunday afternoon but it wouldn't do you any harm to try. http://www.psychics.co.uk/astraltravel/ gives you an idea on how to get started.


64. How far can you throw a paper airplane? Ken Blackburn made a paper airplane that stayed afloat for 27.6 seconds, and he has a cracking website. Visit it at http://www.paperplane.org/.


65. Why do women hate jokes whilst men love them? Don't spend your time worrying about this trivial fact. Instead LYAO at some of the best jokes on the web. Start at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World.


66. For activity 66, don't bother rollerblading as suggested on the original post. It is expensive, and a tad childish for me. Rather than making like a kid from FAME, try tracing your family tree. I am informed that genealogy is the second most common pastime on the net ( I assume porn is number 1, and with tongue in cheek you know that surfing for porn goes before all my 100 suggestions here!)


67. "What is this life if, full of care,We have no time to stand and stare." William Henry Davies. Find the quietest place you know and learn the meaning of chilling out.


68. This activity is a bit black hat but get down to your local train station and nab a paper that someone has left on the platform. I assure you that a FREE paper is a much better read than one you've paid for!


69. Enough said. The greatest free pastime - a meal for two.


70. Re post 67. "We are the boys from Alloa, we drink your beer and wine, for all your conversation, your XXXX's not bigger than mine." Ross Taylor. Crack out the wines of the world from Tesco and savour the greatest vineyards without leaving the house. No need to spit in a bucket. The Tesco wine range may not be the cheapest but use your clubcard to get the points, ideas here: http://www.tesco.com/winestore/controller.aspx?Ntt=Mixed+case&Ne=60177&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=70032&catTitle=Mixed%20case%20wines&Ntk=Descriptors&Nr=70002.


71. Have you ever seen Rocky, when he is training to beat the big Russian and he runs to the top of the mountain and screams at the top of his voice? That is what being a man is all about. Do it now. Each year there is a hill race in Alva, Clackmannashire, and on a number of occasions I've stood in awe as I've watched the runners charge non-stop to the peak and back. Real men! http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0164


72. Visit a website you've never been to before but everyone else knows about. Go to http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?cc=GB&ts_mode=country&lang=none and scroll down until you find a site you've never seen before. You don't know what you're missing out on.


73. Make one of these items: http://www.makegizmos.com/things%20to%20make/things%20to%20make%20index.htm. If they are any good then list them on EBay. You may make a few pennies!


74. I've never played Twister but it looks like fun. Give it a go. Whilst we're thinking about classic games, introduce your kids to Ker Plunk. Unbeatable.


75. Do a group text to everyone on your phone: "Hello. How are you?"


76. Climb a tree. I know, I know..... I knocked out rollerblading for being childish but kept in tree climbing - but it's fun!
77. Toss Pancakes. Pancakes taste nice, and the fun of tossing them should be an experienced shared between all parents and children. No need to wait until Pancake Day, try it this weekend. Here's how - http://www.deliaonline.com/cookery-school/how-to/how-to-make-pancakes,25,AR.html.
78. The original post is learn to juggle but I've always found juggling a bit "Sylvia Young theatre school". Instead settle down to a little gem on Youtube called "Money as debt" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkFb26u9g8. It is a total of 47 minutes but will have you asking questions for hours. I love it. Infotainment, if there is such a word. This is a bit like "Marx for Beginners" by Rius, which I also heartily recommend.
79. Explore you local area. There are Acres of Diamonds in your own backyard - no need to travel the world for thrills. Get the ordnance survey map for your local area and make a point of visiting all the special features. Every place of worship, every cairn, castle and earthwork. http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education/pdf/25knewEGMlegend.pdf will show you all the symbols to learn.
80. Book a break at a Youth Hostel. Cheap and cheerful - the best way to discover Scotland, England and Wales. Start here: http://www.syha.org.uk/SYHA/web/site/home/home.asp.
81. Enter all the items you have in your cupboard into http://www.recipematcher.com/ and surprise your family with your amazing culinary skills.
82. Knock your heart out to the all-time best Karaoke hits ever... but with a twist! Here is your choices: 1. Angels - Robbie Williams2. Dance The Night Away - The Mavericks3. Dancing Queen - Abba4. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen5. Delilah - Tom Jones6. My Way - Frank Sinatra7. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley8. Summer Nights - Grease9. If Tomorrow Never Comes - Ronan Keating10. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor . The twist is that you have to dress up like your chosen star AND it has to be filmed and played back later!
83. Read this book, http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0878301178/ref=dp_olp_2, learn the skills and then relist the book back at Amazon.
84. Create a vision board. This is basically a collage showing the wish list of your life. Learn all about it at http://www.visionboardsite.com/ and http://www.mastermoves.com/products/vision-boards.html. There is magic in vision boards.
85. Try some new drinks. I recommend Belhaven Best. You will love it!
86. Click here: http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADBR_enGB273GB273&q=tim+ferriss+&meta= and enter the world of my current role model, Mr Tim Ferriss, author of the 4 Hour Work Week.
87. Take a dog out for a walk. Note I say "a" dog rather than "your" dog. Remember - we are keeping this cheap or FREE.
88. Get involved with http://randomactsofkindness.org/. Take it to new levels.
89. Have a walk round your area and note anything of interest in the local skips. Don't get caught!
90. If it snowing then don't bother sledging or building a snowman or anything so boring. Do it in style - http://www.igloobuilding.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=28.
91. Do people still turn the mattress over? For one night only, pile up all the mattresses in your house, bring all the duvets together and get snuggled up for the comfiest sleep of all time!
92. Play this crazy game - http://www.addictinggames.com/keepyuppy.html, but be aware that it is more addictive than heroin!
93. Take a trip down memory lane by arranging a School Reunion. http://www.ehow.com/how_135373_organize-high-school.html has the details.
94. Run a mile (then run back).
95. Can you climb ropes? Go for it this weekend. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_climbing.
96. Get down to the beach and do absolutely nothing other than watch everyone enjoy themselves.
97. Sample the low life by trying America's most unhealthy dish - http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/20-Worst-Foods/1_The_Worst_Food_in_America.php.
98. Treat the person you love to a super duper cuddle.
99. Play Hide and Seek!