#i almost have enough in amazon gift cards to buy one for free so. considering the possibility

[paxful-account24]

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 What is Paxful?

 Paxful is a popular cryptocurrency-trading peer-to-peer finance platform.

Ray Youssef and Artur Schaback formed EasyBitz in 2014, which was later renamed Paxful, which comes from the Latin word "peace." When they developed it, they had one aim in mind: to make Bitcoin more accessible to all, from corporations to merchants.

Many of the world's major issues revolve around money, specifically how to earn and transport it. Sending money around the world is neither fast nor inexpensive, but Paxful has changed that.

Paxful is a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency marketplace that connects buyers and sellers for business. Paxful's availability of over 300 payment methods makes it extremely simple to find appropriate deals. Users have full power over their funds with us.Paxful is highly safe if you know how to mitigate risk and secure your account, in addition to our escrow system and dedicated 24/7 customer service. Paxful users get a FREE Bitcoin wallet when they sign up.

Paxful's peer-to-peer scheme eliminates boundaries and constraints. Consider your Paxful account to be your own personal financial passport. You can use it to submit money and purchase items from all over the world. With our Bitcoin affiliate program, you can start a company.

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Choose the amount of Bitcoins 

Choose the currency you want the exchange rate 

Select a payment method

Choose a seller and click “Trade”

Follow the payment directions and then press "Mark as paying."

Wait for the seller to release the Bitcoins.

 It's worth noting that depending on the payment system and whether or not the seller is online, certain trades can be completed immediately while others can take longer.

For example, Paypal and gift cards are instant. Bank deposits, Western Union, and Moneygram take time because you must leave your home to deposit cash at their place.

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 Paxful is a Bitcoin exchange that only buys and sells Bitcoin. The platform does not keep fiat currencies for users because the money is sent directly to the sellers.

 Paxful sellers accept over 300 different payment methods, with credit cards, PayPal, Amazon gift cards, wire transfers, and Western Union being the most common.

Keep in mind that the exchange rates for various payment methods can vary. Non-refundable payment methods (bank transfers, cash, etc.) have lower exchange rates, while payment methods that allow chargebacks (credit cards, PayPal, etc.) have higher exchange rates.

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 You won't have to pay any fees to Paxful if you buy Bitcoins from them. Depending on your payment method, as I previously said, different sellers can charge fees or a premium. Paxful charges a 1% commission to its sellers.

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 Paxful has 4 verification levels-

Level 1-Verification via email and phone. The maximum bet is $1,000.

Level 2 – Level 1 requirements + ID verification. Limit is $10,000.

Level 3 – Level 2 requirements + address verification. Limit is $50,000.

Level 4 – Level 3 requirements + enhanced due diligence. No limit for this level.

To trade on Paxful at all, users from the United States must complete levels 1, 2, and 3, while users from the EU and Canada must complete at least levels 1,2 & 3 if they wish to withdraw any funds.

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Sanctions against Burundi, the Central African Republic, Cuba, the Crimea zone, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, North Korea, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, and South Sudan Sudan and Darfur, Syria, and Yemen are only a few of the countries affected.

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 I wanted to point out some resources that may help you solve any issues when buying Bitcoins through Paxful.

It's preferable to buy from Paxful's recommended sellers because they have a better reputation and are less likely to be scammers.

Never communicate outside of Paxful, and make sure everything is recorded inside the system so that moderators can assist you if a disagreement arises.

Make sure the person you're trading with is online, since unanswered orders expire after a certain amount of time, and if the seller isn't online, this can be inconvenient.

Release the payment from escrow only when you have complete control over the payment you get, that is, when it has been verified and is in your account. For "Pending" or some other equivalent status, do not release the Bitcoin from escrow.

If you can't afford to lose money, don't send it. It doesn't matter what website, system, consumer, country, or anything else.

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Is Paxful a Scam?

 There are several online discussions on whether Paxful is legitimate or not. Paxful is, in my view, legitimate; but, there might be users on Paxful that are attempting to defraud you. This is true of eBay, LocalBitcoins, and OpenBazar, among other P2P marketplaces.

 Where is Paxful Located?

Paxful has offices in New York City, Hong Kong, Tallinn, Estonia, and Manila, Philippines, among other places. 3422 Old Capitol Trail PMB# 989 Wilmington DE 19808, USA is their mailing address.

 Final Thought

Paxful allows users to buy Bitcoins with almost every payment method imaginable. The user interface is highly intuitive, and while everything seems to be in order, there are a few things to keep an eye on.

First, double-check that you're getting a good exchange rate. The exchange rate will often hit 2x the “official” price of Bitcoin on conventional exchanges, depending on your payment process.

Second, to prevent being scammed, make sure your seller has a good reputation and has completed enough trades in the past. As long as you keep these two points in mind, the platform is a reliable way to buy (and sell) Bitcoins.

[arabellaflynn]

Holiday Housekeeping!

Hello all! The year is drawing to a close. FINALLY. I have good news and bad news, as usual.

The bad news is that my last steady gig sent me an email this morning telling me they won't be needing me after Thanksgiving. I am beyond pissed. Not at the lack of work; they essentially provide support services for ongoing events, so if there are no events, there's nothing to give me, and they have no control over that. What I'm pissed about is that these clients are supposed to be signing contracts for a fixed period of time/number of events, but they're letting people alter or cancel their contracts with basically no notice, and no penalty. They book me for a thing, I block off those dates and budget accordingly, then whoops! Event vanishes halfway through.

I was already looking for another job, but I guess now I have more free time to do it in. 

The good news is that I have some grant applications in process right now, and will almost certainly get one of them. The Mass Cultural Council offered recovery grants, with no strings attached -- the entire application was pretty much, "Are you an artist? Do you live in MA? Would you like some money?" Everything else is more merit-based and has to go through panels and committees first, but there is no Earthly reason that MCC would not award me that grant, so there is a good chance I will be getting $5000 somewhere in January. I realize this is not a huge amount of money to most people, but that's about six months' living expenses for me.

Unfortunately, January is still a ways away, so my Christmas list, for the third year in a row, is basically just "survival". Money is most useful and goes here or here. I do realize that you guys are here for entertainment, and "blogger pays rent!" is not very fun to read, but my Amazon Wish List is not much better. Mostly I wish someone would magically mail me shampoo and socks so that I don't have to worry about buying them. I did turn on the option that lets you ship other things along with Wish List items, so if anyone is dying to send me candy, have at.

If you wish to send the rats some holiday gifts... well, I don't blame you, they are almost criminally cute. Their Wish List is here. I put the kibosh on the 50 lb wheel of parmesan cheese, but it does include a lot of snacks, cuddly cage blankets, and the little hanging baskets they have so much fun with. You can also ship them random things, but please bear in mind that cage furnishings have to be either disposable, or made of something that is bleachable/boilable. Wood and other porous material will quickly become suffused with, shall we say, 'essence of rat' and will never be clean again. Rats, like dogs, are adorably disgusting.

Ratsgiving and Ratmas are not being canceled; they go up on Patreon, and are therefore work expenses. Plus it will force me to eat something other than beans and rice for a bit. I already bought most of the decorations before the bad news hit, anyway. I'm also running a promotion where anyone signed up to either this Patreon or my art/dance one by December 15th for $5 or more will get a Ratmas e-card, and $20 or more will be getting a physical Ratmas card, so keep an eye out for that.

I've tried to make the past few Advent Calendars more community-minded but this year I'm saying fuck it, I'm just going to spend a month writing about something I enjoy contemplating. Probably history of media/video games. I might also take another stab at streaming. I won't be on camera this time; the only private space I'd have to stream is in my bedroom, which is nowhere near big enough for a set, and unfortunately the gaming setup and the facecam setup in here are mutually exclusive. A Let's Play style stream with me on headset is the best I can do.

I'm just really tired, you guys. I want 2023 to be better.

from Blogger https://ift.tt/5m8sBq6 via IFTTT -------------------- Enjoy my writing? Consider becoming a Patron, subscribing via Kindle, or just toss a little something in my tip jar. Thanks!

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: Another article from R. Ann Parris to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share then enter into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a$300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies!

Drink mixes can check a lot boxes for us in both prepper pantries and bug-out/evac situations. Electrolyte drinks, vitamin and protein boosters, and meal replacement mixes would get top billing as a prepper supply, but instant mixes span far and wide. We have nearly endless options when it comes to stocking drink mixes, right on local supermarket shelves.

*I expect some “bah” with any article, especially the must-have’s and “frilly” subjects. If we go “bah” at every other concept in this article, please read and consider the sections on fiber and supportive care.

Caffeine

Related to fiber, remember: Caffeine isn’t just a night-watch or feel-good luxury. If we’re accustomed to caffeine and suddenly limit or eliminate it, our guts are likely to stop up.

Fiber

Many Americans are already lacking fiber in their diets. Eating heavily off gardens and buckets of beans will alleviate it, but if we’re heavily stocked in MREs and just-add-water camping meals – especially for bug-out bags – fiber is a huge issue.

Some tubs and packets of a high-fiber drink mix (NOT a “cleanse) can alleviate those problems, regularly with added benefits.

Gut-health drinks like Culturelle and others can also be a gentle way to ease stomachs during major changes in diet. They can be especially helpful for kids, seniors, and people who already have food sensitivities.

Condensed Calories

Almost all of the examples have a big benefit for preppers, whether we’re working out of pantries or a bag: They boost calories.

Whether we’ve invested in pre-packaged just-add-water food systems or slowly stacking up beans, rice, and wheat, food storage is regularly deficient in calories (and fats).

We have to have energy to get things done.

While many of us have some weight we could lose now, should we ever find ourselves doing more by hand, we’re going to shed some pounds. The gardens many plan to start and the wilds many plan to forage through, short-term on a bug-out or for weeks/months on end, tend to provide mostly lean diet foods. Very few preppers are growing calorie or fat staples.

When you see “diet” and “light” options and weight-loss drinks here, for the most part, they’re being presented as an add-on to our planned food storage meals, and a way to boost BOB supplies and caches without too much space and weight.

Some of the sugar-free and “light” options won’t boost them much, but most boost at least a little.

Feel Goods

Feel-good food supplies aren’t just about feeling “good”. It’s also about health. Personal reactions differ, but sudden changes create stress. Whether we recognize or acknowledge it, that stress affects our bodies and brains.

Pick-me-ups – both on a schedule we and ours can be looking forward to and periodic pop-up surprises – can ease transitions with goodies that would normally be “treats” and by maintaining some normal for households accustomed to a daily non-water drink.

K-Cups have taken over the supermarket aisles where powdered cappuccino types used to live, but those tins and small packets are still out there. Hot cocoa mixes are still prevalent, as are the mostly-just-flavor types that range from things like Nesquik to powdered “iced” tea and lemonade (well … sorta-lemonade and tea).

Electrolytes

There’s a reason the Gators developed their wonder blend. We have to have certain types of salts to function. Labor and heat require replacing those salts more frequently.

Most of us will find ourselves drinking more water and fewer soft drinks if we ever have to rely on our food storage. Even if we’re already mostly drinking water, the foods we’ll have access to will usually shift. That will change the minerals available to our bodies.

If we’re laboring, we’ll push water even more heavily, but “push water” can be a double-edged sword.

When we “dropped” Marines in support fields on exercises and forewarned marches, it wasn’t always from dehydration. Regularly, it was actually that they’d push water, push it enough with little balance, that they flushed the required electrolytes from their systems.

It doesn’t have to be a pricey brand and there are plenty of at-home mixes with ingredients that can be stored for people whose bodies are pure temples. This one is too important to ignore, along with…

Bedside Bottles

In many disasters, supportive care is all we’re going to be able to offer. It’s already sometimes all hospitals can offer, here and now. Sports drinks and alternatives like Pedialyte – or any reasonably balanced drink – can play a major role in that care. We already apply it combating and recovering from illnesses in everyday life with short-term stomach and head flues for both children and adults (and pets).

If for no other reason, snag some tubs of semi-decent drink mixes to stash with the medical supplies.

Protein

As with calories, a lot of food storage is seriously low in protein. Like whey as a protein source, there’s a lot of back and forth on just how much protein we need. Do some balanced research, but if you’re snagging some drink mixes, consider including the higher-protein version or a protein alternative, especially if the price difference isn’t significant.

Many protein shakes are pretty high cal. That adds to their value for sickbed support, jaw injuries, and injuries that prevent us from our usual hunting, livestock and garden and crop care, fishing, or even “just” cooking.

They can also help keep somebody drifting from food fatigue or depression “fed” enough to get them over their slumps and prevent the energy-loss that leads to a spiralling cycle (don’t eat, less energy, less activity, decreased appetite, less energy yet, further decreased activity and appetite, downward and downward).

When comparing options, hit the senior-citizen and diabetic sections of food supplements as well as muscle-building, athletic, and fad-diet aisles. It varies label-by-label, but general meal-replacement, weight-loss, and snack shakes can also regularly be good ways to boost protein, as well as calories and daily-need vitamins.

The calorie and protein energy provided makes those shakes and drink mixes something to also seriously think about for evac kits and bug-out bags, replacing or augmenting things like MREs, camping food, and ration bars that are common go-to’s.

Vitamin Deficiency

Further poking at common food storage, both MRE-type and just-add-water-kit preppers and the beans-and-rice preppers are skirting some vitamin deficiencies. A daily multivitamin can allay many of the factors and stores compactly, but if we can kill two birds with one stone…

Our changing society means there’s a whole wide world of drink supplements. We can go as crazy as we like with green and red juicing alternatives, happy-fad grains, coconut water, and super-foods.

Or, we can scale back and check out some of the old standby’s with a new eye. Many of those quickie drinks, from Hi-C to Hawaiian Punch, Wyler’s at the green-sign dollar stores to Crystal Light, have some valuable vitamins and minerals in them. Options like Slimfast, Boost, and Carnation also tend to check the box for vitamins.

Vitamin C is a big general health boost all on its own and especially in winter and spring, if we face lowered sanitation, and cold and flu seasons. Research where the term “Limeys” came from if you want an idea of just how important Vitamin C is when you’re on a repetitive diet low in fresh foods.

B-Vitamins also have widespread effects. Vitamin D, especially, is one to check for as it affects absorption of calcium and greatly influences brain health.

Buying Considerations

Some drink mixes are only available in single-serve packets. They’re convenient, but there’s a trash/waste aspect. There’s also space efficiency loss with many of the boxed packets. We can absolutely bust them out of boxes to repack more densely, but doing so decreases our ability to donate them later if they’re not something we’ll be rotating through in daily life.

Big-tub sizes tend to be friendlier on the wallet. Depending on family/group size, they can be very reasonable to consume once opened, and we can always repackage in bottle-sized portions for travel bags, and mix single-serve bottles (or jars) to help with portion control when we’re leaning on food storage in a permanent-home setting.

Food storage companies haven’t ignored the expanding interests in drink mixes. Pretty much all labels sell flavored milk substitutes, and most sell some version of a Tang or Kool-Aid level orange drink and apple drink. Some offer expanded options that vary in sugar content and actual vitamins.

When pricing those, make sure to weigh how “worth it” they are and our priorities.

The difference of storage in a steel can or Mylar bag really isn’t all that different from what we’ll get with plastic tubs and packets. #10 and #2.5 cans are a little more moisture and pest resistant, but those aspects are pretty easily mitigated by storing them in Rubbermaid totes or repacking in canning jars.

Supermarket options allow us to sample a smaller size for less outlay, even if the price per serving is much higher. That’s not just about “taste” and personal preferences. Some anti-caking components and certain types of sweeteners, especially, can lead to dry mouth, stomach upset, shaky hands, and headaches for some of us.

We also want to get the most bang for our buck.

Check mixes – especially for shakes – to see what the nutritional content is on its own. Many call for milk. Using water, milk substitutes, and non-fat whey milk can affect what we’re actually consuming.

On the dairy front, also compare apples to apples the common milk and milk-substitute options. Each has pro-con’s we’ll have to weigh, especially when it comes to calories, shelf life, number of same-sized servings per dollar and by can, and ease in mixing.

Protein-supplemented drink mixes and instant juices with actual vitamins tend to be more expensive, but have a great deal to offer. Even the inexpensive options we can snag incrementally from a green-sign dollar stare can make a big difference in health and mentality, though. Instant broth and creamed soups are a whole realm all their own, with their own range of benefits for preppers.

Drink Mixes

Priorities will always differ, as will our individual capabilities. That applies to stocking drink mixes, but they’re worth some consideration. Some rate a place in our pantries just to help maintain norms or transition to a new normal. Some fall into general nutrition and diet. Some offer the ability to soothe a really bad day. Some really shine in a bug-out or high-labor situations. Others have actual medical applications.

Drink mixes might not be an obvious must-have, but they’re too inexpensive, compact, and accessible to ignore.

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from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[nekojitachan]

AFTG Fic -Hang a Shining Star

This is my TFC-Net Secret Santa post for @twnyards - who wanted “I got u in an office secret santa and i no Nothing about u so now i have to get to know u so i can buy u a gift”. I hope this fits somewhat?

Andreil (well, pre-Andreil) secret Santa shenanigans, in NO WAY is Andrew low-key crushing on the new guy. Nope, nope, nope. Possible plotting Renee with a bit of Renison thrown in there.

*******

Andrew stared at the slip of paper which Renee had just handed him from the company’s annual ‘secret Santa’ exchange. “Not only don’t I care, but I don’t know who-“

“Ah,” she chided him before he could rattle off Josten’s name. “We’re not supposed to reveal who we have until the party next Friday.”

He gave her a flat look as he crumpled the slip of paper. “This is ridiculous. Why do we even bother?”

“Because it’s a nice tradition?” she tried before she sighed and went for the throat. “Because we spend half the day eating all the food Wymack buys for us and whatever anyone brings in while we exchange the gifts, so that means you don’t have to work for four hours while stuffing yourself with a lot of desserts.”

Renee knew him rather well, dammit. “You better bring your double chocolate cheesecake,” he warned as he barely resisted the urge to throw the slip of paper back in her smirking face.

“Of course! And lots of fudge, too.” She smiled at him, all too aware of his weak points after working together for the last few years. “I might even try this eggnog cake recipe, if I have the time.”

Sweets and alcohol, how could he resist. “Find the time if you expect me to buy something for this person,” he demanded before stalking away, done dealing with people for the day.

He should be used to the damn gift exchange after working for Fleet Foxes the last five years, it was just that he ‘somehow’ usually got Renee or Aaron or Nicky, whom he didn’t mind to buy something small for (the limit was twenty dollars). One year he got Kevin, which had been almost amusing to find the most historically incorrect DVD series he could find to gift the history fanatic, and then walk away whenever Kevin had ranted about the show’s many, many inaccuracies (or even better, to listen to his coworkers complain about being trapped in the breakroom during one of Kevin’s rants).

Except that year? He’d gotten stuck with one Neil Josten, which he remembered setting up access for the guy after running the basic background check (nothing out of the ordinary… in fact, almost suspiciously nothing at all in the guy’s background). No, the only thing that had stood out about one Neil Josten, hired to work on translating the company’s websites into a few different languages and assist in customer service in said languages was that he was only a couple of inches taller than Andrew’s five feet. That and the faded scars on his too-attractive face.

Andrew had never imagined that he’d one day be holding down a nine-to-five job… but he supposed that there was an exception somewhere for him to be working for a former guidance counselor who took on all the hard luck cases back in his old high school whom he’d fought for to get various scholarships to universities, only to quit his job upon finding out that he had a son of his own and go on to form a company which put together and sold sports equipment to children with special needs. David Wymack just didn’t know when to give up… but Andrew guessed that was in part why he held any amount of respect for the man, why Wymack had managed to not be driven away by a certain messed-up kid with more than enough anger issues after bouncing around various (abusive) foster homes before his ‘lovely’ mother had decided to take him back in.

All that really mattered in the end was that Wymack had hired him to put that criminal justice degree to good use on background checks to make sure that the employees he hired were on the up and up and that the various charities and organizations weren’t trying to pull a fast one on the company, and that his twin brother Aaron had a stable job while he worked on his pre-med degree, down in the free clinic which the company offered for the families which often couldn’t afford healthcare, let alone the fancy wheelchairs and bikes and other pieces of equipment that the Fleet Foxes (or FF, as most of the employees referred to the company), gave out to the poor kids in order to make their lives better.

Which was why he suffered through the stupid holiday parties and whatever else do-gooders like Renee organized, though the free food and generous plates of desserts always helped. That almost all of the employees had learned to leave him alone by then, with the exceptions of Bee and Renee and Wymack.

Except that now he had to figure out a gift for one Neil Josten, dammit. Part of Andrew was tempted to just throw together a bag of socks and a Starbucks gift card… but then he remembered a pair of icy blue eyes and auburn curls and high cheekbones and….

DAMMIT.

He blamed it all on the fact that his longstanding fuck-buddy, Roland, had found a boyfriend in the last few months, which meant that Andrew didn’t have a convenient means of release other than his own right hand. Which meant instead of creamy dark brown skin and honey colored eyes, lately he’d been imaging pale gold skin and fire-dipped curls and-

He needed to stop thinking about Neil Josten.

Except now he needed to get a damn present for the gorgeous enigma, it seemed.

He spent three days trying to figure out the quiet young man who came in early in the morning (too early for Andrew’s tastes), didn’t seem to talk much to the other employees and remained in his own little office before leaving hours before Andrew (who arrived well after 9am). Josten dressed as if he raided Goodwill for clothes, his outfits hanging from his slim frame.

Still, knowing that the redhead was an early riser and a loner wasn’t really much of anything, so Andrew braced himself for the worst and turned to his cousin Nicky, who also worked for Wymack in the marketing department, along with Aaron.

“Eh, Neil?” Nicky squealed during their shared ‘family’ coffee break on Thursday. “The cutie? The cutie with the gorgeous eyes and the tight ass?”

“The linguistic guy,” Andrew stressed as he gave his cousin a flat look. “Say anything else and you better have signed up for the high level insurance premium.”

Nicky laughed at that until he finally seemed to figure out that Andrew wasn’t kidding. “Okay, okay!” He held his hands up for a few seconds while smiling nervously. “Neil Josten, yeah!”

“The antisocial asshole,” Aaron murmured into his huge mug of coffee. “Wouldn’t take off his shirt while Katelyn did his physical.”

Andrew turned his flat look on his brother, unwilling to hear about the ‘girlfriend’ at the moment. “I like him better all of a sudden.”

Aaron gave him the finger for that comment while Nicky laughed again, just a nervous. “Neil, okay? He actually gets along with Matt, but I think it’s more because Matt doesn’t give him much of a choice,” Nicky confessed. “Matt seemed to latch on to him as someone who needed a buddy, and Neil will go out to lunch with him once or twice a week.” The more he spoke, the more Nicky calmed down and seemed interested in the topic. “He’s quiet and keeps to himself, but he seems to like tea and will eat a lot of different stuff for lunch, according to Matt, but no sweets. He never touches any of the donuts that anyone brings in or the birthday treats.”

In other words, the guy was a freak. “So bad taste in food, friends and clothes,” Andrew murmured as he put together a mental image of the new guy based on what Nicky had just said.

“You noticed, too?” Nicky perked up on that as he went to refill his mug with some more coffee. “He really needs some new clothes, he’s too hot to wear stuff that’s like, ten years old. At least? I mean, it’s all clean and everything, but he looks like he was dressed by his grandfather or something.”

“It’s work, not Eden’s,” Aaron said as he rolled his eyes as he mentioned the club where Roland bartended. “Who cares?”

“How are we related?” Nicky gasped. “Hot guys should always look hot!”

Andrew pushed away from the counter he’d been leaning against before the conversation degraded any further. “Anything else?” Checking his emails was more interesting than listing to Nicky’s inane prattle.

“Uhm… oh, yeah! Neil has a thing for cats,” Nicky offered up with a grin. “I overheard him say something about having to go out to buy cat food one day. Did that help?” He gave Andrew a hopeful smile, which Andrew ignored as he left the breakroom.

So, tea, something to do with cats, maybe a nice sweater or something – now Andrew had an idea of what to get the new guy. Yet instead of logging on to Amazon and finding something under the price limit, he spent the next few days lingering in the breakroom and outside of his office as much as possible, suffering Nicky and Renee and the others just so he could catch a glimpse of one Neil Josten.

The weather had taken a ‘cold’ turn for the end of the year (as much as it ever did in South Carolina), which meant that Josten showed up in overlarge sweatshirts and sweaters, all of them appearing old and faded and a few washes away from fraying – and none of them having anything to do with the holiday (that was one thing which Andrew approved of, considering how much grief he got over wearing black all through December). There was indeed traces of black and grey cat hair on his blue sweatshirt the one day, confirming that he had at least one cat, and Andrew watched him turn down a slice of Renee’s rather good coffee cake in the breakroom on Monday while he made himself a cup of what looked to be some sort of black tea. He was polite but distance, and seemed to miss her question about what he’d done over the weekend before he excused himself.

He was also quick on his feet, and quiet, too.

Andrew helped himself to an extra-large slice of the coffee cake since Josten hadn’t taken any. “Someone’s shy.”

Renee shrugged as she made herself some herbal tea. “He doesn’t like to be put on the spot, but if Matt’s around, he’ll open up a little. You should see the picture of his two cats, they’re adorable. He rescued them from a shelter.” She smiled at Andrew, the expression warm and inviting, which he knew better than to trust after digging into her background. “Said that it’s nice to have something to come home to each night.”

In other words, Josten was single, not that Andrew cared or anything. “I imagine the furballs are about as useful as Nicky,” Andrew drawled before he took a big bite of the slice of cake, his gaze locked with Renee’s.

“Maybe,” Renee answered with that damn knowing smile on her face. “You should talk to him at the party on Friday, I think you two have a lot in common.”

He didn’t answer that, he just ate the cake in steady bites before he topped off his mug with more coffee, sugar and milk and then left the room.

If he happened to eat lunch at the same Chinese place where Boyd took Josten on Tuesday? Pure coincidence. He sat at a table by himself and watched Boyd urge Josten to eat some more while the redhead poked at his noodle dish and nodded along with whatever his gregarious coworker said (the kids loved Boyd, who worked events with Wilds and Renee where they gave out the various pieces of equipment and made sure it met the kids’ needs and everything). Andrew noticed how Josten seemed to keep his head down, his hair falling onto his face and eyes, as if to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Yet he still drew looks, and not just because of the faded slashes on his left cheek and the burn on his right (which Andrew hadn’t found anything about, despite all of his digging), not when they failed to detract from the fact that he still was a very attractive young man.

… Andrew really needed to stop thinking things like that.

Still, he finally had an idea of what to get the guy (and if it went over the price limit a bit, who the hell cared?), and placed the order along with some more thick socks for himself and a new mug which read ‘I don’t like MORNING PEOPLE. Or mornings. Or people.’

The next couple of days he had to put up with Nicky babbling about the present he got for his secret Santa and Aaron whining about if his present for the annoying girlthing would be good enough (Andrew didn’t give a shit about either, but most especially the latter), and spent most of his time at work playing solitaire since there was so little to do now that the holiday rush was over. Friday finally came, and all he cared about was the one conference room on the second floor filled with food and the fact that they had the next week off, per Wymack’s ridiculously generous holiday package (something about spending time with loved ones and family – Andrew planned to be barricaded in his room as much as possible to avoid seeing Nicky and Aaron).

Most of the staff had shown up in horrendous holiday sweaters, Nicky included, which made Andrew want to grab some food and retreat back into his small office until it was time to leave for the day, but Wymack insisted on everyone spending some time together, the bastard. The old man wore a bright red and green sweater with the words ‘Oh Snap’ on the front and the image of a broken gingerman cookie, of all things, with Abby standing next to him with a sloth wearing a Santa’s hat on hers.

The worst part of it all? No real alcohol at the damn event. At least Renee had made the eggnog cake, so Andrew headed straight for it and cut himself a huge slice.

“I want to thank you all for another great year here at Fleet Foxes, for all the kids we made happy and the wishes we’ve fulfilled,” Wymack said as he smiled at everyone gathered in the conference room. “I couldn’t have done it without your hard work, and I look forward to another successful year.”

People cheered and clapped to that bit of trite nonsense, while Kevin glared at Andrew for eating cake through it all. Wilds was quick to take over and start calling out names so people could come and collect their gifts while everyone helped themselves to the food (Andrew remained by the cake since Renee had outdone herself on it), and Josten was one of the first few who went up to fetch his.

Andrew munched on the cake while Josten accepted the large bag and would have stepped away with it, except that Wilds made him show everyone what was inside. Clearly nervous with all of the attention, Josten pulled out the dark blue hooded sweatshirt with the saying ‘Carry On and Keep Ignoring Me’ across the front, which made him smile as he read it.

“That’s really cute,” Wilds said as she gave him a pat on the back. “You’ll look great in it, too!”

“Yes, something new for once, and not three sizes too large,” Reynolds called out from where she stood next to Renee.

Andrew had gotten it a little large, but not so much that it would swamp Josten’s lean runner’s figure. Josten gave Reynolds a bland look for her remark, but he took care to fold the gift before he put it back in the bag, and after reading the tag attached to it, he glanced around the room and gave Andrew a shy smile.

A few minutes later it was Andrew’s turn, and Wilds had a huge grin on her face when she handed him a small gift bag. Figuring that maybe Reynolds had gotten him again and it was another lump of coal inside, he opened it to find what was a small box of gourmet truffles from the one chocolate store downtown which he tended to patronize on a regular basis.

The only thing more surprising about the contents was the name on the bag’s tag, which informed him that his secret Santa for the year was one Neil Josten.

He walked away while Wilds was still talking about something, over to where Josten and Abby seemed to be discussing whatever dish Bee had brought to the potluck. Abby smiled at him as he drew near and nodded in greeting. “Have you tried Betsy’s new casserole yet? It’s pretty good.”

Andrew glanced at what looked to be some sort of cheesy potatoes and shook his head. “Not yet.” He held up the small gift bag while he gazed at Neil Josten. “Who told you?”

Neil set aside the small plate of food he held in his left hand and smiled, the expression slight but evident with that full bottom lip of his. “Well, everyone here talks about how much you like sweets, so a few people told me about that one shop.” The smile faded as he nodded over to Renee, who had her right arm wrapped around Reynolds. “Renee gave me ideas about some flavors in particular, though.”

Andrew had to wonder just how much ‘chance’ had to play in the two of them ending up as each other’s secret Santa that year. “You probably spent too much,” he argued since he knew that those truffles weren’t cheap.

“And you didn’t?” Neil nodded to the large bag near his feet. “That’s a nice sweatshirt. Thank you.”

Abby glanced at the two of them before murmuring something and walking away. Meanwhile, Andrew gave the new guy a flat look and clicked his tongue. “I was doing everyone here a favor. It’s time you showed up in something decent for once.”

“Ah, well… I guess I still appreciate it.” Neil’s expression was a little wistful as he swiped his right hand down the front of his worn grey sweatshirt.

“I know Wymack pays a decent salary, so why don’t you buy some new ones?” Andrew knew more than that, actually, considering the access he had.

Neil shrugged. “Old habit, I guess.” His pale blue eyes narrowed as he looked over Andrew. “Why do you always wear black?”

“Old habit, I guess,” Andrew shot back, and told himself that he didn’t feel anything when Josten’s smile strengthened at the retort.

“Hmm… so… how about this? It’s a new year, so if I show up in something new, you show up in something not black?” Neil offered with a slight tilt of his head. “A resolution for us both?”

Andrew considered that for a moment, about seeing Neil in something other than the baggy clothes he always seemed to wear. “It has to be something other than what I got you today.” Neil hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. “And I get to pick it out.”

Those blue eyes went wide and for a moment Andrew thought Neil would say ‘no’… but Neil looked him up and down again before he began to fuss with the hem of his grey shirt. “Uhm, okay? I guess you’ll just bring it to work and-“

“We’ll go shopping together.” Andrew told himself that it would get him out of the house and away from his brother and cousin and their ‘respective others’, not that he was trying to spend time with a cute coworker and… it was nothing. Nothing.

Just like it meant nothing when Neil peered at him through those overlong bangs with his big blue eyes then stuttered out a yes. They exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet up before New Year’s Eve, then Andrew watched Neil all but stumble over to Matt, who took to grinning while the much shorter young man talked while motioning about with his hands.

Renee waltzed all over a couple of minutes later with a large plate of her double chocolate cheesecake and a pleased smile on her face. “I told you that you had a lot in common.”

“I’m just doing everyone a favor and preventing an eyesore at the office.” Andrew was determined to stick with that story.

“I’m sure everyone will greatly appreciate it, whatever it is you’re doing,” Renee agreed as he snatched away the dessert. “That blue will go very well with his eyes.”

“It was the only color available,” Andrew said. Well, the only acceptable color available.

“Hmm.” He hadn’t thought it possible, but her smile grew even brighter. “Merry Christmas, Andrew. I wish you all the peace and happiness possible for the new year, which you truly deserve.”

“Yeah, well, it’s too late to wish you anything good, Reynolds already has her claws sunk in you,” he told her, which made her laugh as she walked away.

Besides, Andrew didn’t believe in things like nice wishes or holiday spirit or ‘goodwill to mankind’, not after everything that had happened to him as a child. He was responsible for his own happiness and future from now on, and that wasn’t going to change any time soon.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t wait to see what role a certain quiet, mysterious redhead played in that future, though, right?

*******

I hope you enjoyed your holiday gift fic and it’s a wonderful holiday for you!

[lubbuthedigitalnomad]

Light and Breezy

Greetings from Nepal. I hope you are happy and healthy. The air quality in Kathmandu has cleared just a bit. For the past week it had gone from bad to worse due to a dry winter and accompanying wildfires. We earned the dubious honor of being the most dangerous place on Earth to breathe.

With great admiration and respect for humanity, I continue to see folks move along through trauma after trauma with strength and perseverance that most often includes a smile. It is a shame that all that strength and perseverance has to be mustered up to deal with trauma after trauma. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to spend all that energy fixing things that are already broken instead of dealing with so many increasing and additional troubles? The continuing propaganda, gaslighting, manipulation, misinformation, and intentional confusion provided the public, as well as the very real plagues, ecological disasters, political mismanagements, and other malfunctions influence almost everyone’s mood. So much energy is spent rising above bullshit that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

As they say in the old country, “This too shall pass.” Meanwhile, I guess there’s no common sense in doing anything but trying to create, within and without, the positivity we’d like to be swimming in.

Tourist traffic is still sparse, but there is talk of that changing soon. Many of the small businesses here are struggling to stay afloat. While many of the less expensive hotels go out of business, the upscale hotel construction continues everywhere. Controlling interests continue building up to the gentrification of the Eastern hemisphere that is happening in coordination with the de-gentrification being forced upon the West.

I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia for three months before coming to Nepal. Here are some short excerpts from what will be the Cambodia section of the new book. They were written before the world got so complex and heavy. To me, they are a welcome bit of light and breezy. I hope you find some light and breezy here too. Thanks very much for reading and for clicking on the backlinks.

Be well. Love to all there, Tenzin

p.s. If you find the reading at all enjoyable, please — it literally takes only seconds — click one or more or all of the highlighted backlinks following this paragraph. This simple process is completely without risk, cost, or difficulty. All it does is bring you to the site that is highlighted. Each click is a big help in pushing Fearless Puppy up in the Google rankings. Whether you browse the sites or close the windows immediately, your help has been delivered when you click. Thank you!

FEARLESS PUPPY WEBSITE BLOG

FEARLESS PUPPY ON AMERICAN ROAD/AMAZON PAGE

REINCARNATION THROUGH COMMON SENSE/AMAZON PAGE

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The Local Market

The local neighborhood market is a miniature version of the downtown Night Market, but with a very noticeable lack of bars and massage parlors. There is a lot more concentration on food, clothing, and cosmetics. Cosmetics are a big thing in Cambodia.

This is a neighborhood venue that caters to a few long-term tourists, but mostly to locals with families. Fresh produce, meat, and live fish are available. The live fish sit on wet tables until someone buys them. At one of these fish tables, two live ones jump off the table and onto the floor right in front of me — and start walking down the floor! I shit you not. These fish have feet! There are no toes, but where a dog or cat’s front legs would be there are flipper/feet type appendages that allow the fish to actually walk!

The Peace Cafe

One of the cleanest and most beautiful bits of jungle in the neighborhood is the Peace Café. It sits about a half mile up the road and across the river from The Royal Dragon Apartments where I live. Gorgeous exotic fresh flowers of various purples and oranges grace each table. The place is spotless and the servers are in uniforms. As soon as a customer sits down, the server arrives with a smiling face and a cold, wet, very refreshing mentholated towel.

The food is some of the best in Southeast Asia or anywhere else. The Peace Café is strictly vegetarian. They don’t even use eggs. But they can make vegetable dishes taste like anything! Their vegan version of the nationally famous Amok fish rivals the original. They also offer meditation classes.

If this sounds more like a fancy uptown restaurant than an ordinary mom-and-pop place, you are right. The prices reflect it. But that only means that a two dollar meal downtown (that would cost fifteen dollars in most of America) costs four dollars at The Peace Cafe. It is worth it. The atmosphere, as well as the food, reflect the value of the place.

There is a card displaying a wisdom saying on each table at the Peace Café. Here is a sampling.

If you are depressed, you are a living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.

There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.

If you want peace, stop fighting. If you want peace of mind, stop fighting with your thought.

Death Defying Dragon Drivers

I grew up in New York City and have since been in major metropolitan areas around the world. Cambodian drivers are by far and away the craziest and bravest I have ever seen. It is a miracle that half the population doesn’t die daily in traffic accidents! Tuk-tuks, motorbikes, some cars, and the occasional truck weave around each other with very reckless abandon. It is common to see someone driving on the wrong side of the road as if it is their personal one-way street and the opposing traffic is part of a video game obstacle course. Like Grand Theft Auto, drivers seem to treat the driving process as a form of entertainment instead of a potentially dangerous form of transportation. Rules are fluid. Folks have no trouble bending them. I have seen tuk-tuks going north while motorbikes go south in the same lane. As this goes on, a car tries to use the very same space to go from east to west. The situation is a bit more tame but still prevalent in my little suburban neighborhood. Downtown is flat-out batshit crazy. Pedestrians are always at risk. Looking both ways before crossing may not be enough.

Laughing Girl

A few blocks walk from the Peace Café is a free standing hut restaurant with seventy-five cent coconuts. They chop the top off and stick a straw in one for me. A few blocks past that, down a side street, is a stand with a dozen kinds of natural juices. Half of the juices are made from fruits I have never heard of before. I get the Aloe Vera. Downing both juices would give a good rush all by itself. The monstrous amounts of sugar that Cambodians put in everything possible adds to the jolt.

On that same side street, a block past the juice place, is a thirty foot tall, ornately carved, stone gateway. This is most often a sign that there is a temple, probably with an elementary school attached to it, behind that gateway. The gate itself is an incredible piece of art containing finely crafted scroll work as well as images of goddesses, elephants, and crocodiles. If a singular craftsman of his day did this, it may have taken a whole lifetime to finish.

Getting closer affords a view of three orange-robed monks walking in the distance behind a hundred screaming children at play in a schoolyard. My juice buzz and I wander through the gate into a hectic schoolyard full of the sweet, noisy chaos of happy children, and then on to the serene silence of the temple/monk-residence section. Wandering into a small side temple gives a big surprise. Half of it is cordoned off into sections of orange robes hung over rope lines acting as room dividers. Three or four monks are actually living in this shrine!

The main temple is much bigger. It is spotless and beautiful, as most of them are. It is considered a blessing to clean the temple. Monks and locals alike take very attentive care of the area. After a half hour of meditating/day dreaming in the temple, I go back to the school area to write up some notes. There are a few stone steps behind a woman that sells ice cream from a cart by the schoolyard. She has a crying three-year-old daughter with her. The child is perched in a basket on the handlebars of the bicycle that hauls that cart around.

Many times, all that children need is to be distracted from their crying for just a minute in order to completely forget what the crying was about in the first place. (It can work with whining adults too.) I stroke the child’s hand while giggling and smiling at her. She starts giggling back. Giggles turn into uproarious laughter and the kid is on a roll! I’m ready to play. I start laughing and smiling right back at her. A half-dozen kids waiting for ice cream think this is hilarious. They start laughing along with us. This goes on for twenty minutes. Every few minutes the baby takes a break. As soon as she catches her breath and starts to laugh again, I give her a big smile and laugh in return — and then everyone waiting for ice cream breaks into laughter as well.

At six feet and two inches tall, I may be the biggest, whitest thing this kid has ever seen in her short life. She may be the sweetest person I have ever met in mine.

About the Author

Doug “Ten” Rose may be the biggest smartass as well as one of the most entertaining survivors of the hitchhiking adventurers that used to cover America’s highways. He is the author of the books Fearless Puppy on American Road and Reincarnation Through Common Sense, has survived heroin addiction and death, and is a graduate of over a hundred thousand miles of travel without ever driving a car, owning a phone, or having a bank account.

Ten Rose and his work are a vibrant part of the present and future as well as an essential remnant of a vanishing breed.

Follow him on Facebook, Doug Ten Rose

Travel Adventure Books can be an excellent gift to your friends and family, buy from Amazon.com

#traveladventurebooks #keepreading #kindlebooks

Many thanks to our wonderful friends at Pema Boutique Hotel for their help and support.

The books Fearless Puppy On American Road and Reincarnation Through Common Sense by this same author are also available through Amazon or the Fearless Puppy website, where there are sample chapters from those books. Entertaining TV/radio interviews with and newspaper articles about the author are also available there. There is no charge for anything but the complete books! All author profits from book sales will be donated to help sponsor an increase in the number of wisdom professionals on Earth, beginning with but certainly not limited to Buddhist monks and nuns.

If you missed the Introduction to the new book that will be titled Temple Dog Soldier, or would like to see several chapters of it that are available for free online, go to the Puppy website Blog section. This is a book in progress. You will be reading it as it is being created! Just like you, I don’t know what the next chapter is going to be about until it is written. As the Intro will tell you, this is a totally true story — and probably the only book ever written by and about a corpse journeying completely around the world!

[kamdynydma475-blog]

Here Are 4 Movieboxapk Me Strategies Every Person Counts On. Which One Do You Prefer?

What Makes a Great Mobile App?

Cost: Free on iOS Application Shop

If you desire to, it's a cost-free download as well as you can buy themes for it. Various other attributes consist of a specialized number row, SwiftKey Flow which permits motion typing, multiple language support, cross-device syncing of your collection and far more. It holds true that Microsoft now has SwiftKey, yet thus far they have taken care of not to mess it up. Gboard, Google's key-board app, is likewise extremely good as well as is an excruciatingly close 2nd place below. Totally individual/ subjective, yet I "detoxed" away from FP a couple of years earlier.

India is responsible for a 3rd of all downloads of the Chinese-owned short-form video app, adhered to very closely by Brazil at 10.4%. Four applications surpassed 150 million installs in Q1 2019, consisting of Facebook-owned WhatsApp, Carrier, and also Facebook. ByteDance's TikTok was once more the No. 3 Google Play app. YouTube Kids joined YouTube and YouTube Music among the top 20 Google Play applications. YouTube Children had 29 million downloads in the quarter, an increase of 291 percent quarter-over-quarter.

Find out to take much better mobile phone photos with this discounted eCourse for $10.

You can rock bent on full cds, specific tracks, playlists, as well as radio-style streams. You can build your personal collection by favoriting tracks, complying with artists, as well as connecting with pals, and also also obtain suggestions based upon your paying attention tasks.

Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Mark Zuckerberg's company may be experiencing its first actual crisis. This contributes to other troubles experienced by the social network in recent years.

What is one of the most downloaded application in Google Play?

What is TikTok app?

The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro aren't fully waterproof, but are water resistant enough to survive a splash of coffee or get dunked in the pool. According to Apple, the iPhone 11 is rated IP68, which means it's water resistant in up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) of water for 30 minutes.

Android, iphone and also Windows all maintain hassle-free running listings of every app you have actually ever before downloaded and install. It is a total video viewing and sharing an application that works on mobile and also desktop computer tools. The specialized mobile application has some added attributes such as offline downloading.

There is likewise a second Google Aide application for those who want a quick launch symbol on the home screen. The equipment things prices money, however Google Assistant is free. Amazon.com Alexa is an additional excellent application in this room, yet it does not support Google Android fairly as high as we would like, yet. Right here are the best Android apps that function offline, whether you don't have a data plan or are in an area with no service. It took the company a long time to make severe invasions into the mobile market (we won't mention Windows Phone), however it's currently lastly starting to locate some grip.

Google Maps

Both apps get stacks of new updates and features regularly. The end of 2018 is upon us and if you really did not download and install any new apps, then you're missing out. I understand-- it's sometimes surprising that 10 years into the App Store, there are still sufficient fresh suggestions to make it worth downloading an unfamiliar name. This number only represents brand-new downloads, not re-installs or app updates, the report kept in mind.

Maps by Google is a full place app with attributes like GENERAL PRACTITIONER tracking, address sharing, navigating, real-time web traffic updates, lane guidance, regional place search and also even more. App growth is helpful not only for monetary objectives however also to extend the reach of a business/website to the mobile users. Billions of individuals worldwide are making use of smartphone gadgets currently, and one precise method to get to those individuals is producing a mobile app for your business. Mobile applications are one of the reasons that mobile phones are so much popular today. These applications are what make your tablet computers and phones wise, in regards to functionality and attributes.

What makes a great mobile app?

SwiftKey is additionally excellent in a various sort of way and also we suggest it if Gboard isn't helping you. Blue Mail is just one of the best cost-free Android apps for email.

The leading 10 apps were the same as the previous quarter, with the top 5 all retaining their positions from Q4 2018. Video editing app Biugo as well as picture editing application PicsArt got in the leading 20 applications worldwide for the first time in Q1. First-time users in India assisted both applications achieve brand-new install highs in the quarter. In the following couple of days, we'll be sharing a couple of excerpts of our Q Data Digest Report.

What is the most popular app 2019?

Since January 2019, TikTok has been installed more than 104.7 million times, which is an increase of 46% in the span of a year, making it the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide, according to Sensor Tower, a mobile app store data analytics firm.

Apple apple iphone SE 2/iPhone 9.

Pulse SMS uses a web server structure while Android Messages live streams your messages. Both techniques have their benefits and drawbacks, yet they're both still exceptional choices to access your texts anywhere. Textra is an additional great option if you do not require desktop texting. It's a password supervisor that lets you conserve your login credentials in a safe, safe and secure method. In addition to that, it can assist generate almost difficult passwords for you to make use of on your accounts. It is an OTT service offering ad-supported full-length feature movies for free. The Application is possessed by Display Media Films (SMF), so you can anticipate a consistent inflow of movies dispersed by the SMF. The solution additionally organizes web collection as well as initial shows which can be streamed without paying a single dime.

What is replacing Showbox?

Crackle. Sony's Crackle is one of the most popular free movie apps on mobile. It boasts a bunch of hit titles, various TV shows, and a bunch of genres to choose from. It even has Nielson tracking software so you can Movie Box Download Android be a part of the stats when it comes to popularity.

I was looking for free IPTV solution for flicks, boxsets and also live TV. It has a built-in library readily available to conserve your preferred films and also view it later. Without using HDD or data manager area of your smart device you can conserve movies or dramatization right into the library of the application. This application is the heart of countless customers as well as boosting day by day because of the most effective service supplying. Furthermore, it lets you see motion pictures trailer and recognize other needed information concerning the film.

Download And Install Most Current Variation of Truecaller APK.

The appeal of the portal is the leading search box which is prompt as well as easy. One can easily find the episode number which they desire to see. There are lots of video services, legal ones, there not a lot of cash and some have advertisements to spend for some web content or there is subscription. SHOT FILM HUB. FROM GOOGLE PLAY SHOP. SHORT 15 SECOND ADS BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE FILM. NO TV REVEALS BUT ALMOST Comparable To SHOWBOX MOTION PICTURE COLLECTION AND ALL LEGAL. ShowBox is Dead for good, the developers have actually quit the assistance of the App.

Despite which kind movie you love to watch, you are going to discovered right here all style flicks like Activity, funny, journey, Bio, and also animation and so on . If you can tolerate that, then My Download and install Tube can be your noticeable option. Else, you can consider my other choices for top totally free movie streaming websites no Register. TorOWL is a new movie streaming site, no join needed. Thus, you can arrange flicks conveniently making use of various filters like groups, layouts, rating, votes and more.

The services of Hulu right into Live TELEVISION began in 2017, before that it just use to organize a collection of TELEVISION programs both old and also brand-new, film and various other infomercial programs. It functions as a hybrid of Sling TV and also Netflix, offering both TV Reveals along with Online TV to its individuals.

Can you go to jail for streaming movies?

One more method to use Netflix without a Credit card is by using a Netflix gift card. You can buy Netflix gift cards on Amazon or eBay and you can also get them as a gift from your parents or friends. After grabbing your gift card, you need to enter your voucher id to activate it and use Netflix.

Titanium TV as well has a large brochure of films and also TELEVISION programs. From the just recently released movies to the latest episodes, you will certainly find everything here. I am likewise impressed with the top quality of video playback this app uses.

How can I watch movies online for free on my phone?

Technically, yes, movie box is illegal. You are streaming a movie/tv show without the original owner's permission. MovieBox does not have the rights to show owner's copyrighted material. As for getting caught, however, the chances are slim to none.

I needed to assemble this list since Showbox recently got shut down forever. Showbox APK was among the most extensively utilized streaming apps for movies and TELEVISION shows. Considering that Showbox is not functioning anymore, it only made sense to locate its replacements.

[kennethherrerablog]

45 Fun Inexpensive Hobbies to Try this Year

What are some of the best fun inexpensive hobbies out there right now that won’t break the wallet.

I get it: hobbies can be expensive. A quick Google search for hobbies will pull up things like ballroom dancing, auto racing, parachuting, boating, aviation, scuba diving and rock climbing.

The one thing all of these things have in common: they are expensive.

But what about other hobbies that aren’t going to break the bank each month?

Best Fun Inexpensive Hobbies Right Now

This list is for you. Yes, there are hobbies out there that aren’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. Actually, we found some fun little hobbies that actually help you make money!

In fact, this very blog you are reading right now started as an online hobby for me before turning into a blogging business. With that said, let’s start off with fun inexpensive online hobbies.

Online Hobbies

We start with online hobbies since you’re actually online right now. These are hobbies you can start today from the same device you are reading this right now.

1. Start a Blog

Since my hobby was and still is blogging, I’m going to open up with blogging to start.

Do you happen to love writing? If so, wouldn’t it be cool to start your own blog where you are free to write about whatever you want and put it out there for the world to see?

Here’s the secret to blogging as a hobby: write about whatever makes you happy. 

Your mind is swirling with ideas and things you want to say, so say them through a blog.

Do you love being a mom? Then blog about it.

Do you love woodworking? Then you should blog about it.

Do you love coaching your kid’s sports? Then start a blog about it.

Or, do you love something no one has ever heard of? Then yes, you should definitely blog about that as well.

If you are ready (and I hope you are) to start you very own blog, I have personally put together a step-by-step guide so you can easily get started writing today for about $5 per month. I even included screenshots of the process to walk you through it step-by-step so you don’t have to worry about any of the tech issues.

In fact, if you can post something to social media or even ask Siri to call Grandma, then you can definitely start a blog.

Okay, I’m ready to start my blog now.

  2. Fill Out Online Surveys

There are dozens of these sites popping up that claim to pay you money for taking surveys online. Some of them are sketchy, however some of them are legitimate and will actually pay you in cash via PayPal or in gift cards. You can see our full review of all the different survey sites we have researched here Best Online Surveys right now.

Survey Junkie has been around since 2005 and is the most trusted in the survey industry with a Trustpilot Rating of 4.4/5. 

If you’re going to spend your time on a free hobby, start out with Survey Junkie and they will send you cash to your PayPal, Amazon or Target gift card for taking surveys on your time!

  3. Buy and Re-sell Things Online

There are so many re-selling websites to choose from these days, which can help you get the best prices for your “treasures”. OfferuUp, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook buy/sell/trade groups, Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark more are just a few that I’ve used to sell stuff in the past.

We have a full list of the 21 best apps to sell stuff online here.

  4. Listen to a New Podcast

There are podcasts about every topic under the sun. Surely you can find one that interests you.

You can start listening to the Money Peach Podcast in your car, at the gym, or on the go right here.

    5. Watch Cat Videos

There are some pretty funny cat videos on YouTube that can keep you entertained for hours. (Or maybe that’s just me?)

Let the record show that Peach does NOT watch cat videos on YouTube.

    6. Play Free Games Online

You may be surprised to learn that there are health benefits to be had from playing video games. There are so many websites where you can play games online and there are tons of different kinds of games to choose from too. There are even some sites that will actually pay you to play their online games.

Financial Hobbies

What’s better than making money? How about a hobby that actually pays from extra pocket money all the way to full-time income.

7. Become a landlord

You can start renting out a portion of your house on a site like Airbnb. If you find out you like being a landlord, you could always expand into owning rental properties.

  8. Investing

Learning about investing and then actually doing it are two things that could almost be separate hobbies in and of themselves. Investing is a smart hobby to take up once you have a little extra income to put toward your investments. If you are already there and want to get started, here is our updated investing for beginners guide..

  9. Thrift Shopping and Garage Sale-ing

When I lived in a bigger community I loved going to thrift stores and garage sales on the weekend. This is a fun activity, especially if you go with a friend. You can also save money as long as you avoid buying things you don’t really need.

  10. Couponing

Again, couponing can be fun but you might end up spending more than you planned on if you aren’t careful with your purchases. One of our favorite couponing tricks is using the Honey App. Instead of searching the internet for promo codes, Honey searches for you in real time and automatically applies the promo code for you at checkout.

  11. Volunteering

That’s kind of financial since time is money, right? Give some of your time to your favorite charities, or join a group or board in your town to give back to civic organizations.

  12. Start a Business

I’ve kind of touched on this before, but almost anything on this list can actually be turned into some kind of a money-making business or money-making side hustle. Starting a business is fun and it’s a good way to make some extra money.

  13. Budgeting Cash Flow Planning (that sounds better)

How to Start a Cash Flow Plan

What list of hobbies on a personal finance blog would be complete without listing budgeting? It may not sound fun at first, but I actually love working on my projected budgets for future months now that I’ve gotten good at budgeting.

And if you would like to get started with your own budget, you can get started with the Cash Flow Formula for FREE.

The Cash Flow Formula is the #1 tool to start saving more money and stop overspending each month…and it’s a GREAT hobby!

Bonus: If you like the idea of making money as a hobby, then check out 39 other ways to make money right now.

Outside Hobbies

Let’s move our fun inexpensive hobbies away from the computer and out inside the fresh air. Here’s a list of the top (and often free) hobbies that get you outside.

14. Gardening

Depending on how you go about it, gardening can be a pretty inexpensive hobby to try. If you get good enough at it, you might even be able to lower your grocery bill by growing more of your own food.

  15. Camping

Camping is another hobby than be just as expensive, or frugal, as you make it. I truly enjoy camping and waking up to a brisk morning. It’s almost like a vacation, only cheaper. 🙂 Also, camping should be FREE and we have the best ways to find free camping here.

  16. Hiking

I consider just about any walking around off the beaten path to be a “hike”. In that sense, hiking is a pretty cheap hobby to take up. A bonus is that hiking is a good way to stay in shape, which might be one of your New Year’s resolutions.

  17. Become a Master BBQer

There are actually whole weekends devoted to BBQ competitions in my neck of the woods. If you are good with a grill, this might be a fun hobby to consider.

  18. Geocaching

Geocaching is basically a high-tech treasure hunt. Find out how to get started here.

  19. Rock Collecting

Pick up all those shiny things. If you call it a “collection” no one will judge you for bringing home random rocks anymore. 😉

  20. Bird Watching

Just don’t become a crazy bird lady (or guy)!

  21. Hunting

The equipment can be expensive if you don’t already own it, but you may also be able to borrow from a friend or family member to try out this hobby if you’re a beginner. Most hunters enjoy sharing their hobby with newbies to keep the sport alive.

  22. Fishing

Same goes here! Most avid fishermen are more than willing to take along new people who don’t have their own equipment. Just don’t wear out your welcome if you fall in love with this hobby.

Intellectual Hobbies

After exercising your body in the fresh air, here are the best fun inexpensive hobbies that only require brain power.

23. Reading

This is pretty much the ultimate frugal hobby. Almost every community has a library you can use for free as long as you follow the rules and return your books on time. You can also start a book club, or swap books with friends to find more reading material.

  24. Writing

Writing can be a fun hobby and it doesn’t have to turn into more than that. You can write in a diary, write short stories for fun, or write even write to make money like I mentioned earlier. If you love writing and actually want to get paid for it, there’s currently a shortage of freelance writers. If this interests you, check out this post on getting paid to be a freelance writer.

  25. Drawing

A pencil and paper is all you need to get started with this frugal hobby. Even if you expand your artist supplies later on, this hobby shouldn’t be too costly.

  26. Learn a New Language

Is there a language you’ve been dying to learn? There are lots of resources online and books at your library that you can use to learn a new language.

  27. Learn to Play an Instrument

Learning to play a musical instrument doesn’t mean you have to take expensive lessons. Many instruments can be self-taught, especially now that you can learn almost everything you need to know on YouTube.

  28. Learn to Sew

Learning basic sewing skills is a good idea. Knowing how to sew has actually saved me money. For example, my sewing skills have helped me save my clothes from being thrown in the rag bin a few times when they only needed minor repairs.

  29. Learn a New Game

Playing games is one of my family’s favorite hobbies, especially is the weather is crappy outside. We don’t discriminate, we like to play board games and card games. They can also be a good way to meet new people if you go to community game nights. You might be able to find some at your local library, churches, or on meetup.com.

  30. Read the News

Doesn’t sound very exciting, but you might be surprised what you can learn when you start reading the news regularly. Don’t just keep up on local news either, the world is bigger than that. Make sure you find out what’s going on elsewhere in the world too.

  31. Explore Your Genealogy

Ask your family members for help with this project, or start looking online. When I put together my family genealogy, I was surprised at how much information I could find online.

Exercise Hobbies

First we started online, then we started making money with your hobby, then we moved outside and after that we started using our brain power for our hobbies. This next list is the best fun inexpensive hobbies that will also burn a few calories.

32. Biking

Most people have a bike sitting in their garage or storage shed. If you have an old unused bike, it won’t cost you much to give it a tune-up so you can start riding it again. Biking around your neighborhood is free.

  33. Running

Running is probably the cheapest form of exercise out there. All you need to get started is a decent pair of shoes.

  34. Get in Shape with Body Weight Exercises

Some you know that Peach is a Crossfit enthusiast. I’m a former Crossfiter myself, but I cut it from my budget to pay off my debt faster. One good habit I picked up from there that I still continue in my home workouts is doing bodyweight exercises. Like running, all you need for bodyweight exercises are good shoes and maybe a few standard household items. You can do things like air squats, pushups, situps, lunges, etc. without spending money.

  35. Dance

I’m not talking about paying money and going to a dance studio – those things can be very expensive. Instead I’m talking about turning on your favorite music and using it to make up your own workout routine.

  36. Swimming

If you live near a public beach, lake, etc. you can probably swim there for free. Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and it’s fun!

  37. Join a Club Sports Team

Most communities have a Recreation Department that hosts sports leagues for kids and adults. They’re usually fairly inexpensive to join and offer lots of different sports to choose from.

  38. Try Yoga

There are lots of free yoga video on YouTube. All you need to get started is a mat.

  39. Practice Meditation

Exercise for your brain. 🙂

Skilled Hobbies

Lastly, it’s time to apply your skills to your hobby list. From cooking, to home-brewing, and even woodworking, we have you covered with this last bunch of fun inexpensive hobbies.

40. Cooking

For some cooking is truly a hobby. Even if you don’t love to cook, it’s definitely a good skill to have because cooking and eating at home is way cheaper than going out to eat. If you need some ideas for cooking, try out Erin Chase’s $5 Dinners – the site dedicated to helping you make each meal a $5 total…not five dollars per person.

  41. Canning and Food Preservation

This old-fashioned skill can actually help you save money, especially if you are preserving food from your garden bounty to eat later on.

  42. Furniture Restoration

I know several people who’ve taken up furniture restoration as a frugal hobby and they’ve also managed to furnish their homes with one-of-a-kind pieces they re-did themselves. You can also sell your restored furniture as a great side hustle hobby!

  43. Home Brewing

There are lots of online resources that can teach you how to get started brewing your own beer, wine, or cider at home. It might a little equipment to get started, but if you regularly enjoy these beverages instead of buying them at the liquor store you’ll definitely save money in the long run.

  44. Animal Husbandry

Growing up we raised many different kinds of animals on my parents’ farm. I still love animals and taking care of them today and it’s definitely a good skill to have.

  45. Carpentry

Even if you don’t learn how to make fancy things, basic carpentry skills can be good to have as they can save you money when you know how to fix things around the house.

  Next time you can’t think of something to do besides spending the day on the couch watching Netflix, check out this list instead.

  Related Posts You May Like

13 Different Hacks to Cheap Last Minute Flights

150+ Freebies You Can Get on Your Birthday: Food, Retail, & Experiences

19 Ways to Get Free Gas This Year How to Avoid Those Free Gas Scams

  45 Fun Inexpensive Hobbies to Try this Year published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[darcyfarber]

45 Fun Inexpensive Hobbies to Try this Year

What are some of the best fun inexpensive hobbies out there right now that won’t break the wallet.

I get it: hobbies can be expensive. A quick Google search for hobbies will pull up things like ballroom dancing, auto racing, parachuting, boating, aviation, scuba diving and rock climbing.

The one thing all of these things have in common: they are expensive.

But what about other hobbies that aren’t going to break the bank each month?

Best Fun Inexpensive Hobbies Right Now

This list is for you. Yes, there are hobbies out there that aren’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. Actually, we found some fun little hobbies that actually help you make money!

In fact, this very blog you are reading right now started as an online hobby for me before turning into a blogging business. With that said, let’s start off with fun inexpensive online hobbies.

Online Hobbies

We start with online hobbies since you’re actually online right now. These are hobbies you can start today from the same device you are reading this right now.

1. Start a Blog

Since my hobby was and still is blogging, I’m going to open up with blogging to start.

Do you happen to love writing? If so, wouldn’t it be cool to start your own blog where you are free to write about whatever you want and put it out there for the world to see?

Here’s the secret to blogging as a hobby: write about whatever makes you happy. 

Your mind is swirling with ideas and things you want to say, so say them through a blog.

Do you love being a mom? Then blog about it.

Do you love woodworking? Then you should blog about it.

Do you love coaching your kid’s sports? Then start a blog about it.

Or, do you love something no one has ever heard of? Then yes, you should definitely blog about that as well.

If you are ready (and I hope you are) to start you very own blog, I have personally put together a step-by-step guide so you can easily get started writing today for about $5 per month. I even included screenshots of the process to walk you through it step-by-step so you don’t have to worry about any of the tech issues.

In fact, if you can post something to social media or even ask Siri to call Grandma, then you can definitely start a blog.

Okay, I’m ready to start my blog now.

  2. Fill Out Online Surveys

There are dozens of these sites popping up that claim to pay you money for taking surveys online. Some of them are sketchy, however some of them are legitimate and will actually pay you in cash via PayPal or in gift cards. You can see our full review of all the different survey sites we have researched here Best Online Surveys right now.

Survey Junkie has been around since 2005 and is the most trusted in the survey industry with a Trustpilot Rating of 4.4/5. 

If you’re going to spend your time on a free hobby, start out with Survey Junkie and they will send you cash to your PayPal, Amazon or Target gift card for taking surveys on your time!

  3. Buy and Re-sell Things Online

There are so many re-selling websites to choose from these days, which can help you get the best prices for your “treasures”. OfferuUp, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook buy/sell/trade groups, Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark more are just a few that I’ve used to sell stuff in the past.

We have a full list of the 21 best apps to sell stuff online here.

  4. Listen to a New Podcast

There are podcasts about every topic under the sun. Surely you can find one that interests you.

You can start listening to the Money Peach Podcast in your car, at the gym, or on the go right here.

    5. Watch Cat Videos

There are some pretty funny cat videos on YouTube that can keep you entertained for hours. (Or maybe that’s just me?)

Let the record show that Peach does NOT watch cat videos on YouTube.

    6. Play Free Games Online

You may be surprised to learn that there are health benefits to be had from playing video games. There are so many websites where you can play games online and there are tons of different kinds of games to choose from too. There are even some sites that will actually pay you to play their online games.

Financial Hobbies

What’s better than making money? How about a hobby that actually pays from extra pocket money all the way to full-time income.

7. Become a landlord

You can start renting out a portion of your house on a site like Airbnb. If you find out you like being a landlord, you could always expand into owning rental properties.

  8. Investing

Learning about investing and then actually doing it are two things that could almost be separate hobbies in and of themselves. Investing is a smart hobby to take up once you have a little extra income to put toward your investments. If you are already there and want to get started, here is our updated investing for beginners guide..

  9. Thrift Shopping and Garage Sale-ing

When I lived in a bigger community I loved going to thrift stores and garage sales on the weekend. This is a fun activity, especially if you go with a friend. You can also save money as long as you avoid buying things you don’t really need.

  10. Couponing

Again, couponing can be fun but you might end up spending more than you planned on if you aren’t careful with your purchases. One of our favorite couponing tricks is using the Honey App. Instead of searching the internet for promo codes, Honey searches for you in real time and automatically applies the promo code for you at checkout.

  11. Volunteering

That’s kind of financial since time is money, right? Give some of your time to your favorite charities, or join a group or board in your town to give back to civic organizations.

  12. Start a Business

I’ve kind of touched on this before, but almost anything on this list can actually be turned into some kind of a money-making business or money-making side hustle. Starting a business is fun and it’s a good way to make some extra money.

  13. Budgeting Cash Flow Planning (that sounds better)

How to Start a Cash Flow Plan

What list of hobbies on a personal finance blog would be complete without listing budgeting? It may not sound fun at first, but I actually love working on my projected budgets for future months now that I’ve gotten good at budgeting.

And if you would like to get started with your own budget, you can get started with the Cash Flow Formula for FREE.

The Cash Flow Formula is the #1 tool to start saving more money and stop overspending each month…and it’s a GREAT hobby!

Bonus: If you like the idea of making money as a hobby, then check out 39 other ways to make money right now.

Outside Hobbies

Let’s move our fun inexpensive hobbies away from the computer and out inside the fresh air. Here’s a list of the top (and often free) hobbies that get you outside.

14. Gardening

Depending on how you go about it, gardening can be a pretty inexpensive hobby to try. If you get good enough at it, you might even be able to lower your grocery bill by growing more of your own food.

  15. Camping

Camping is another hobby than be just as expensive, or frugal, as you make it. I truly enjoy camping and waking up to a brisk morning. It’s almost like a vacation, only cheaper. 🙂 Also, camping should be FREE and we have the best ways to find free camping here.

  16. Hiking

I consider just about any walking around off the beaten path to be a “hike”. In that sense, hiking is a pretty cheap hobby to take up. A bonus is that hiking is a good way to stay in shape, which might be one of your New Year’s resolutions.

  17. Become a Master BBQer

There are actually whole weekends devoted to BBQ competitions in my neck of the woods. If you are good with a grill, this might be a fun hobby to consider.

  18. Geocaching

Geocaching is basically a high-tech treasure hunt. Find out how to get started here.

  19. Rock Collecting

Pick up all those shiny things. If you call it a “collection” no one will judge you for bringing home random rocks anymore. 😉

  20. Bird Watching

Just don’t become a crazy bird lady (or guy)!

  21. Hunting

The equipment can be expensive if you don’t already own it, but you may also be able to borrow from a friend or family member to try out this hobby if you’re a beginner. Most hunters enjoy sharing their hobby with newbies to keep the sport alive.

  22. Fishing

Same goes here! Most avid fishermen are more than willing to take along new people who don’t have their own equipment. Just don’t wear out your welcome if you fall in love with this hobby.

Intellectual Hobbies

After exercising your body in the fresh air, here are the best fun inexpensive hobbies that only require brain power.

23. Reading

This is pretty much the ultimate frugal hobby. Almost every community has a library you can use for free as long as you follow the rules and return your books on time. You can also start a book club, or swap books with friends to find more reading material.

  24. Writing

Writing can be a fun hobby and it doesn’t have to turn into more than that. You can write in a diary, write short stories for fun, or write even write to make money like I mentioned earlier. If you love writing and actually want to get paid for it, there’s currently a shortage of freelance writers. If this interests you, check out this post on getting paid to be a freelance writer.

  25. Drawing

A pencil and paper is all you need to get started with this frugal hobby. Even if you expand your artist supplies later on, this hobby shouldn’t be too costly.

  26. Learn a New Language

Is there a language you’ve been dying to learn? There are lots of resources online and books at your library that you can use to learn a new language.

  27. Learn to Play an Instrument

Learning to play a musical instrument doesn’t mean you have to take expensive lessons. Many instruments can be self-taught, especially now that you can learn almost everything you need to know on YouTube.

  28. Learn to Sew

Learning basic sewing skills is a good idea. Knowing how to sew has actually saved me money. For example, my sewing skills have helped me save my clothes from being thrown in the rag bin a few times when they only needed minor repairs.

  29. Learn a New Game

Playing games is one of my family’s favorite hobbies, especially is the weather is crappy outside. We don’t discriminate, we like to play board games and card games. They can also be a good way to meet new people if you go to community game nights. You might be able to find some at your local library, churches, or on meetup.com.

  30. Read the News

Doesn’t sound very exciting, but you might be surprised what you can learn when you start reading the news regularly. Don’t just keep up on local news either, the world is bigger than that. Make sure you find out what’s going on elsewhere in the world too.

  31. Explore Your Genealogy

Ask your family members for help with this project, or start looking online. When I put together my family genealogy, I was surprised at how much information I could find online.

Exercise Hobbies

First we started online, then we started making money with your hobby, then we moved outside and after that we started using our brain power for our hobbies. This next list is the best fun inexpensive hobbies that will also burn a few calories.

32. Biking

Most people have a bike sitting in their garage or storage shed. If you have an old unused bike, it won’t cost you much to give it a tune-up so you can start riding it again. Biking around your neighborhood is free.

  33. Running

Running is probably the cheapest form of exercise out there. All you need to get started is a decent pair of shoes.

  34. Get in Shape with Body Weight Exercises

Some you know that Peach is a Crossfit enthusiast. I’m a former Crossfiter myself, but I cut it from my budget to pay off my debt faster. One good habit I picked up from there that I still continue in my home workouts is doing bodyweight exercises. Like running, all you need for bodyweight exercises are good shoes and maybe a few standard household items. You can do things like air squats, pushups, situps, lunges, etc. without spending money.

  35. Dance

I’m not talking about paying money and going to a dance studio – those things can be very expensive. Instead I’m talking about turning on your favorite music and using it to make up your own workout routine.

  36. Swimming

If you live near a public beach, lake, etc. you can probably swim there for free. Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and it’s fun!

  37. Join a Club Sports Team

Most communities have a Recreation Department that hosts sports leagues for kids and adults. They’re usually fairly inexpensive to join and offer lots of different sports to choose from.

  38. Try Yoga

There are lots of free yoga video on YouTube. All you need to get started is a mat.

  39. Practice Meditation

Exercise for your brain. 🙂

Skilled Hobbies

Lastly, it’s time to apply your skills to your hobby list. From cooking, to home-brewing, and even woodworking, we have you covered with this last bunch of fun inexpensive hobbies.

40. Cooking

For some cooking is truly a hobby. Even if you don’t love to cook, it’s definitely a good skill to have because cooking and eating at home is way cheaper than going out to eat. If you need some ideas for cooking, try out Erin Chase’s $5 Dinners – the site dedicated to helping you make each meal a $5 total…not five dollars per person.

  41. Canning and Food Preservation

This old-fashioned skill can actually help you save money, especially if you are preserving food from your garden bounty to eat later on.

  42. Furniture Restoration

I know several people who’ve taken up furniture restoration as a frugal hobby and they’ve also managed to furnish their homes with one-of-a-kind pieces they re-did themselves. You can also sell your restored furniture as a great side hustle hobby!

  43. Home Brewing

There are lots of online resources that can teach you how to get started brewing your own beer, wine, or cider at home. It might a little equipment to get started, but if you regularly enjoy these beverages instead of buying them at the liquor store you’ll definitely save money in the long run.

  44. Animal Husbandry

Growing up we raised many different kinds of animals on my parents’ farm. I still love animals and taking care of them today and it’s definitely a good skill to have.

  45. Carpentry

Even if you don’t learn how to make fancy things, basic carpentry skills can be good to have as they can save you money when you know how to fix things around the house.

  Next time you can’t think of something to do besides spending the day on the couch watching Netflix, check out this list instead.

  Related Posts You May Like

13 Different Hacks to Cheap Last Minute Flights

150+ Freebies You Can Get on Your Birthday: Food, Retail, & Experiences

19 Ways to Get Free Gas This Year How to Avoid Those Free Gas Scams

  45 Fun Inexpensive Hobbies to Try this Year published first on https://mysingaporepools.weebly.com/

[professorpalmarosa]

Two Essential Oil Labs Programs (and Three Vendors) Worth Checking Out

It’s really hard to find a legitimate and cost-effective Essential Oil. Some of the best ones on the market (DoTerra and Mountain Rose Herbs) make amazing products, but they’re quite expensive.

Considering I once spent nearly $300 on essential oils in a Whole Foods (and I haven’t even been as pleased with Aura Cacia), the cost can add up really quickly.

My friend Christine also has a tendency to buy in bulk with Brambleberry: the company behind the super-helpful “Soapqueen” blog, which contains lots of free DIY tips and recipes for more than just bath bombs—but also soaps, bath gems, sugar scrubs, and more.

I really like Brambleberry and will typically buy a few things to include with her order. Brambleberry’s perfect for buying in bulk, but their shipping is a beast. You have to factor shipping into it, too, otherwise you may end up spending $20 more than you expected!

During my research, I found a few companies on Amazon that are more within my price range (at least for most things). Some (like First Botany and Majestic Pure) don’t make a pure product and sell sketchier alternatives for some things (such as Clove Leaf Oil instead of Clove Bud Oil, which has a higher risk of increasing your sensitivity to that oil).

So here’s my two go-tos:

Essential Oil Labs

Essential Oil Labs is cost-effective and makes a really nice-smelling product. I always keep a 4 fl. oz. bottle of their Lemon and (Bulgarian) Lavender oils in the house and have had a grand time with my 1 fl. oz. bottles of Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Rosemary, and Rose Damascena.

They have all kinds of free user guides you can print, as well as remarkable customer service. I even use a couple drops of their Bergamot Essential Oil in my black tea to turn it into a homemade Earl Grey!

They also have this free “VIP Club” where flash deals and other cool promos are available. You can also take selfies with your oils and tag them on social media to have your name thrown into a monthly drawing for a free essential oil. I haven’t won yet, but guess what’s going on this blog?

Plant Therapy

Plant Therapy has several cost-effective essential oils (my Palmarosa Essential Oil was less than $10) and are constantly expanding their already massive list of products. You can find almost everything you need (except maybe Tagetes) there, as well as other cool stuff you’ve probably never heard of (like Niaouli, Cajeput, and Fragonia). Plus, they’re constantly running sales and promos.

Unfortunately, not all of their oils are cost-effective. A 1 fl. oz. bottle of Neroli Essential Oil (one of my all-time faves) would cost me nearly $250! Their Boronia, Helichrysum, Rose Otto, and Blue Tansy all come with a high price tag, so I tend to keep my eye out for those—and not-so-privately hope some of the fans of this blog like it enough to send me gift cards!

I’ve subscribed to their “Oil of the Month” club, which I pay $15 a month to have a free mystery essential oil shipped to my house. This past month, it was CO2 Supercritical Bulgarian Lavender, and Nepalese Rhododendron the month before.

So far, I’ve loved both very much and can’t wait for them to put Rhododendron up for sale the way they did for Blue Cypress and Palo Santo.

[blogbuzrushmarketingcommuni-blog]

Make Money On Instagram

Make Money On Instagram

You’ve almost certainly found out experiences of Make Money On Instagram which are cashing in around the snap shots they snap and publish on a regular basis. You might've even investigated your personal good sized thought and following, “Maybe I can accomplish that too”.

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In concert, these two matters deliver the chance of Make Money On Instagram designers to discover a number of streams of capability earnings, whether they need to grow an empire or just acquire a little bit more profit and free things.

The amount of fans must you generate income on Make Money On Instagram?

The short answer is “not as many as you think” if by now you're wondering how many followers you need to make it happen.

The very long solution varies according to aspects that range between:

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100 % free Webinar: Easy methods to Flourish and Generate income from Your Make Money On Make Money On Instagram Accounts

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How to make money on Make Money On Instagram in 2019

According to your unique kind of Make Money On Instagram subject matter, your viewers, plus your degree of commitment, you can make money on Make Money On Instagram inside the adhering to alternatives:

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Consult with companies on sponsored content material

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Countless brand names just can't contend with that and they also companion with influencers instead for subsidized articles that will help spread the word concerning systems.

But it is not only for the dimensions and attain to your Make Money On Instagram credit account that companies want. It is your audience’s engagement and trust with your material.

It usually is not easy to equilibrium your revenues as a possible influencer along with your dependability as being a founder, in case you’re not depending on your Make Money On Instagram income to stay in profitable, you generally offer the freedom to generally be discerning around the makers you work with, as makes will probably be particular about the Make Money On Instagrammers they deal with.Brand names of all sorts are employing influencer promotional to get their solutions out there (using Fohr Greeting card).

How to establish what things to request as an influencer

These influencer deals involve the creation of content-an Make Money On Instagram post, video or Story-and will sometimes include permission for the brand to use this content on their own site or in an ad, typically.

A good number of special offers are negotiated and can also come with just one publish or even an complete strategy in return for a charge, a free of charge program, services, a great gift, the commitment of publicity, or some combined these.

Always remember when discussing that you are not only offering posts but ability to access your target market, a perhaps larger get to on by far the most preferred societal programs approximately, and usage liberties as well.

From a research of 5,000 influencers, near 42% reported they billed $200 to $400 in each submit-just to supply you with a solid idea of what some makers are likely to pay back, and ways to discuss based on the notes you are holding.

Lastly, it's significant as an influencer to also know your own private viewers.

What is the makeup of this viewers and what the heck is your engagement fee (comprehensive proposal categorised by the variety of supporters)? You can dig up numbers to back this up in your Make Money On Instagram Analytics report, if you've switched to a business account. This will assist you get ready in regards the perfect time to make a deal.

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How you can find makers to use

Chances are brands will find you if you're big enough. But you might also locate companies to work alongside that will be for a equivalent amount when it comes to values and personality, which means that your clients won’t feel like you are “selling out”.

You can reach out to them directly to try to work out a deal, but you can also list yourself on one of the many influencer marketplaces out there to increase your chances of being discovered:

•Fohr Card: Join your Make Money On Instagram, website, You tube funnel, in addition to personal systems to construct an influencer “card” that programs your distinct user profiles and comprehensive take makes shopping around for any relationship. Additionally you gain access to a summary of brand names together with their would like, so you can take the initiative to reach out way too.

•Grapevine: You can list yourself in the Grape Vine marketplace for the opportunity to work with like-minded brands if you have 5000 or more followers.

•Group Faucet: Do little content and articles creation assignments to make returns. This is great if you've got a smaller audience. Found in the U.S only.

•indaHash: Brand names build ads that one can participate in. Put up a picture while using particular hashtags on Make Money On Instagram and then get paid back. You require 700 engaged visitors to remain entitled.

The rules vary when it comes to sponsored content, but to be on the safe side and respect your audience’s trust, consider adding a #sponsored hashtag to indicate sponsored posts. About 69% of influencers in one report said that being transparent about sponsorships didn't affect how consumers perceive their recommendation if you need reassurance.

You can buy kinds of subsidized blog posts and how Make Money On Instagrammers combine brandnames in their storyline or caption by exploring up #sponsored on Make Money On Instagram, similar to this a from How He Wanted to know, a merchant account that offers wedding ceremony proposition partners and stories using a jewlery firm:

Make Money On Instagram has got a "Compensated Relationship with" label that prominently detects sponsored articles, which some famous brands may ask you to use to reveal your union using them.

End up an affiliate

Compared with an influencer, an associate is more devoted to creating income with the spouse make-not only for creating attention-in return for a commission fee.

This is certainly often through with a trackable website or special discount code to make sure that clicks genuinely translate into profits. Since Make Money On Instagram doesn’t yet allow links anywhere outside of your bio, you can only focus on one product at a time if you choose to rely on affiliate links, making promo codes a better option for Make Money On Instagram since you can actually incorporate them into your posts.

Be aware: Make Money On Instagram has wants to roll out back links for Make Money On Instagram Accounts, that may open up new programs suitable for you being a influencer.

Think of reaching out to among the numerous internet vendors which offer affiliate products which you can participate in. Or also investigate sought after marketplaces like:

•ClickBank: An associate foundation using a level-depending commission fee that's offered to all of us.

•RewardStyle: An invite-only fashion and lifestyle influencer community which gives 20Percent commission rates.

•Amazon's Affiliate Marketing Program: A trendy preference that can pay out a 10% fee.

Though it sounds like a numbers game, affiliate marketing is also an art, and you’ll have a better chance at success if you have a plan going into it and expand your online presence to include a website and other marketing channels.

Idea: If they're going in your Make Money On Instagram bio, Affiliate links can be long and ugly, so I recommend a URL shortener like bit.ly, especially.

Open your own personal web shop

Nowadays it will seem like the only way to have an Make Money On Instagrammer to make money is usually to offer for sale out and interact with other models.

But inventors of all sorts tend to be inside of a fine job to "easily sell out" making use of their own personal merchandise: bodyservices and goods, or online digital equipment that may be an extension within their make, having a enterprise by using an viewers at its focus.

You need to invest some time upfront, but in today’s world it’s almost natural for creators to make the leap into entrepreneurship.By selling your own stuff, you don't need to worry about integrating messages from other brands into your posting strategy. Better yet, you can find your very own model nowadays to the solutions and products you offer.

Enthusiasts can present their support and love your projects by buying on your part-an investment they will feel good about.

There are still strategies to start this:

•You can use a print out-on-high demand company to ship and print your own private tpillows and shirts, coffee cups, divider craft, and others.

•You can easily market companies along the lines of taking photographs or talking to, using your biography to steer curious consumers to a communication e mail or maybe a url to your skilled professional website.

•It is easy to offer electronic services for example programs, ebooks, or model web templates.

•You can use your Make Money On Instagram account to launch a business selling your own original products, or even a book.

You can also make purchases through Make Money On Instagram possible on your website using one of the available Make Money On Instagram gallery apps if you plan on selling several items in your own Shopify store.

Accept it a step further more with your gift buying on Make Money On Instagram integration to permit supplement product and tags decals which make the experience from Make Money On Instagram posts and Stories for your private systems extra easy and fluid. To employ it, you'll also need to move to an Make Money On Instagram online business accounts, have a nice Facebook or twitter web site, plus an accepted Twitter browse (all of which you will created for no other set you back).

Promote your pictures web based or on important things

Make Money On Instagram is a photo-sharing app at its core, even though someone might get famous on Twitter by telling 140-character jokes. And snap shots are assets that could beprinted and licensed, and sold in many different simple ways.

If photography is what got you into the Make Money On Instagram game in the first place, you can list your photos in marketplaces like 500px or Twenty20 where brands and publishers might license them.

You can also sell your photos as prints and on other physical products using a similar methods described in the last section, however. Offerings like Teelaunch and Printful let you set your portraits on images, cell phone circumstances, pillows, and better, attending to pleasurable orders and customer service so that all you should keep worrying about is helping to make earnings.

Take the story of Daniel Arnold who went from “eating toast 3 meals a day”, according to an interview on Forbes, to making $15K in a single day by offering to sell prints of his popular-but-controversial photos. If you've already got the demand, all you need to do is take the initiative and offer your audience the opportunity to buy your photography from you.

Do it for your 'Gram (and receive fee based)

What setup being a past time-building most people laugh, doing foolish photoshoots together with your family pet or discussing shots of food items-can snowball into the ability to rotate Make Money On Instagram straight into a source of income fuelled on your involved subsequent.

There's a an entire world of alternatives in existence for a designer along with a big on-line audience made of individuals who can't allow but avoid after they scroll prior your posting for their nourish. It's this distinctive attraction that you have that opens the door. You need to simply go throughout it.

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[siliconwebx]

Customer Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

Let’s get right to it: loyal customers are more valuable to your business than not-yet-acquired or un-loyal customers. Well-executed customer loyalty programs pay themselves back over time. Unfortunately, a lot of brands set up loyalty programs and convince customers to sign up, but they don’t see any results.

There are a ton of stats out there about customer loyalty and satisfaction. I read them. They all boil down to these points:

It’s less expensive for a business to keep a customer than to acquire a new one.

Satisfied and loyal customers spend more.

More satisfaction leads to more loyalty and more spending.

Satisfied customers tell other people about the brand, which leads to more satisfied-turned-loyal customers.

Bottom line: customer loyalty can help a business scale faster than sales and marketing can.

The Difference Between Customer Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction

Let’s define customer loyalty and customer satisfaction to understand the difference:

Customer Loyalty: The customer’s willingness to purchase from a company multiple times.

Customer Satisfaction: How pleased a customer is thanks to their positive experiences with a brand and the value they receive from interactions and purchases.

While they’re related, customer loyalty is the result of customer satisfaction. Loyal customers have decided that they get the most value from sticking with one brand, even if there are lower prices or different benefits offered by a competitor.

Customer satisfaction is driven by customer experience and customer service, and brands have to keep those experiences positive. According to American Express, 33% of American say they’ll consider switching companies after just one poor experience.

The Customer Loyalty Program

Brands create customer loyalty programs to reward loyal customers with coupons, freebies, advanced-release products, VIP treats, etc.

The problem is that some brands are wasting time and money on their loyalty programs. According to The Loyalty Report from 2017, which sampled over 28,000 consumers in North America, the average consumer is enrolled in about 14 loyalty programs but only participates in less than half of them. In one way or another, half of those programs aren’t offering enough value to the consumer or they’re too complex to figure out. The program is so not worth it that the consumer went through the trouble of signing up but never feels like taking advantage of the perks.

Don’t create that kind of loyalty program.

5 Types of Loyalty Programs

1. The Point System

The point system is possibly the most common type of loyalty program out there. Customers earn points when they make a purchase. The more frequently they shop, the more points they accrue. Those points can eventually buy them a reward, like a discount, freebie or VIP service.

The point system is best for brands that have short-term products (coffee, makeup) and that want customers to make frequent purchases. However, points (and miles) are also used in the travel industry, possibly because the purchase amounts are so high that customers can accrue thousands of points with just one purchase, adding to the program’s appeal.

How the points are acquired and how they can be redeemed for an award can be too confusing. “For every dollar spent, you’ll get 1.5 points, and 1.5 points are equal to 50 cents, and once you get $20 dollars in points, you’ll get 15% off your next purchase.” Thanks, but I’ll pay the extra 15% to not have to listen to that again.

Starbucks has one of the better loyalty programs, but I still think it’s too confusing. Plus, they don’t just say “rewards,” they also talk about “stars,” which I guess are points, but it’s an extra level of stuff to understand. It’s also unclear how many stars/points actually translate to rewards:

Make the conversions simple. Speak the customer’s language. I had a hard time finding an example of a company that does this well, but the closest I came was this travel rewards card from Wells Fargo. The numbers make sense in relation to one another – $3,000 gets you 30,000 points, which is $300 cash value.

PayPal also does this well. If you use your PayPal debit card, you get 1% back on certain types of transactions. At the beginning of every month, the cash back is deposited into your account. Couldn’t be easier to understand, and they handle the reward collection component for you.

2. The Tier System

At first, the tier system sounds almost exactly like the point system because points (or rewards) are given to customers. However, the tier system starts off with small, base rewards and then increases the value of the rewards as the customer becomes more loyal and buys more. Customers get short-term value from the program no matter how little they spend.

Source: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

The tier system is best for brands with high price points and high-commitment customers, like travel and insurance companies. The goal is to hook the customer as early as possible so they keep returning.

I see the same problem with the tier system that I see with the point system: it can be hard to figure out. However, brands that have expensive offerings may find it easier to hook customers with this type of loyalty program. I may not be willing to figure out the tiers for saving on cosmetics, like with the Tarte program, but I’ll definitely sit down to figure out the tiers when I’m spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on travel. The stakes are higher, and therefore my commitment is higher.

3. The Upfront Fee Charge

This type of loyalty program requires the customer to buy-in to reap the benefits. There’s a one-time, monthly or annual fee serving as a paywall to the loyalty program. This program is best for companies that need frequent, repeat business, and that want to make it more convenient for customers to buy regularly.

This program sounds terrible at first, right? Then I realize I’m doing it with Amazon Prime, and that I love Amazon Prime and order from them constantly.

I want to walk through a mini case study to illustrate how companies can do this well. This is based on my experience with Amazon Prime, and even if you’re an anti-Amazon-er, there’s wisdom to be gleaned from how I became so loyal:

Competitive prices plus free 2-day shipping mean that I will stand in a store, holding the item I want to buy, and still order it from Amazon. I save money on the item and don’t pay for shipping – Amazon has solved two purchase barriers for me (and the mobile app couldn’t be easier to use).

The other Prime freebies are highly valuable to me – free movies, TV shows and books. I take advantage of them weekly.

Since I’m already watching and reading with Prime, if I do want to rent a movie or buy a book, I do so through Amazon – I’m already there, they’re giving me a great experience and my credit card information is ready to go.

Solve the purchase problems your customers have, throw in extra perks that complement the products you sell and make it super easy for the customer to take advantage of everything.

4. The Values-Focused Program

For brands with customers who have strong values, a loyalty program can tap into those beliefs.

I wrote about this in our Marketing to Millennials: What You Need to Know to Close the Sale article, so I’m going to quote myself here to give you an example:

“My favorite example of this is BoxLunch and their Get Some Give Back initiative, which provides a meal to someone in need for every $10 spent. BoxLunch sells unique pop culture clothing and gifts, with bright colors and cartoon characters kids would love. You only have to spend $10 to have that meal donated, and being surrounded by so much fun makes me think of all the families that don’t even have that much to spare. Without fail, I make a purchase every time.”

This type of program is ideal for the millennial buyer because they tend to choose brands based on shared values.

Brands can approach this from either direction. They can get customers in the door with the products they sell (like BoxLunch does), or they can put their value-based message front-and-center, like TOMS does. Even though I’ve never owned a pair of TOMS, I’m well aware that they donate a pair of shoes for every pair purchased.

5. Honorable Mention: The Coalition Program

Brands can partner with complementary businesses to expand the reach of their loyalty program. When I ran digital marketing for a bakery in North Carolina, I encouraged them to partner with a nearby coffee shop to promote each other’s businesses. The bakery sold individual treats but didn’t serve coffee, and the coffee shop had limited baked goods available. Is there anything better than something sweet and bready paired with a cup of hot coffee? There isn’t.

A co-branded deal is beneficial for both companies as well as their customers. The companies will reach each other’s customers, who are all part of the same audience. Customers will trust your brand because they see that you care about what’s best for them, not just getting another sale.

Loyalty Program No-No

There are some brands that seem to always have coupons for loyalty program members – DSW, Bath and Body Works and Bed, Bath and Beyond are three of them. On the one hand, this is great for the company because if I’m going to buy shoes, candles or household items, I’m going to these stores because I have a coupon for them. On the other hand, I don’t value the products for their quality, I value them for the money they save me – and if I’m shopping during a rare time when I don’t have a coupon, I’m not shopping there at all.

All three of these companies could do more to gain my loyalty, and none of the improvements have to do with discounts:

DSW could have more sizes available and check customers out faster so the lines don’t take forever.

Bath and Body Works could lower the price of their large candles (almost $30 for a fast-burning candle is too much) or make product changes so they burn for longer.

Bed, Bath and Beyond could have a less-cluttered store and better customer service. Even thinking about walking in there feels like a time-suck.

These are perfect examples of where customer satisfaction would lead to more customer loyalty. The customer loyalty program would then just be the cherry on top for an already-committed customer.

The #1 Way to Create a Successful Customer Loyalty Program: Generosity

The more you give away, the more your customers will appreciate you.

I’m a member of the REI Co-op, and the day I joined, I was on the phone with a hiker friend of mine – we were signing up at the same time so we could take advantage of a discounted outdoors class. “That can’t be right,” I kept saying. “It must be $20 every month. How can that be right?” It was right – for a one-time fee of $20, REI gives you lifetime benefits. Fantastic benefits, like 10% cash back, seriously-discounted garage sales and wilderness classes, and even more discounts off purchases and new products.

Give away as much as you can, as often as you can. Show your customers you care about them. Throwing a generic 10% discount at them isn’t going to gain you any loyalty.

Final Thoughts

There are a couple of different sides to customer loyalty, and the way customers express their loyalty may be based on customer satisfaction. A customer may spread positive word-of-mouth about your company, but they may not make frequent purchases – maybe they like the experiences they’ve had, but they don’t find value in having too many of them. Or, the customer may be a frequent buyer because you’ve made the process easy in some way, but they could be neutral about or displeased with the experience. You want the customer to be both loyal and satisfied.

Here are the key takeaways:

Loyal customers are the most valuable customers you can have.

Customer satisfaction has to precede customer loyalty if you want the biggest ROI for your loyalty program. Don’t try to gain loyalty through rewards alone.

The best loyalty programs are simple to understand and/or simple to take advantage of. For example, a well-designed mobile app can make it easy for the customer to collect, view and use points.

Loyalty programs should solve some problem for the customer or make their life better in some way.

Be as generous as you can possibly be.

Like any marketing program, a customer loyalty program has to be tracked and assessed to make sure it’s working. Surveys, data and tuning in to online mentions of your brand will help you determine if and why your customers or loyal. Check out my article about identifying the best KPIs to track for your goals to help with this part.

The post Customer Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

😉SiliconWebX | 🌐ElegantThemes

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: A guest contribution from David Hoes to The Prepper Journal. I love this. Goes well as a supplement to the recent post on Prime Locations for Post Disaster Salvage. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share then enter the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards  with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today.

Okay, I admit it. I am a scrounger. I don’t do it out of necessity; I do it because I enjoy getting a bargain and building my prepping stockpiles. Now, I need to clarify that I do not steal things. I do not take towels from hotels or silverware from restaurants. I do not find and keep items such as wallets, credit cards, or electronic devices that can be traced to an owner. I do not keep anything that someone is likely to try to reclaim. Such items I will turn in somewhere. If I see someone drop something, I will tell them.

I’m also not going to discuss using coupons or discounts. These are both good ideas, but have already been covered.

That said, I do take items that are unlikely to ever get back to their original owner, and things that I am allowed to take or that are come with something I have purchased. If in doubt – I ask. Here are some ideas:

Personal protective equipment: Most hospitals and some doctor’s offices now offer free respirators to visitors. I’ve picked-up several of these. Protective gloves are often available in the ER or in patient rooms, and some give-out small bottles of hand sanitizer. I have a little psoriasis on my hands, and they are happy to give them out. In the quantities a hospital purchases them, they are almost free.

Wipes and anti-bacterial solution: Doctor’s offices and medical facilities often have solutions or wipes available for free. They bill your insurance $150 for a few minutes with a doctor. They don’t sweat the little stuff. Heck, ask your doctor for appropriate medical samples while you are at it. You never know what you may get.

Gauze, wipes, Band-Aids, and surgical tape: I have asked if I could take a few gauze pads, alcohol wipes, and mostly used rolls of tape when I have gone to labs and imaging facilities. They are normally okay with it.

Salt, pepper, sugar, condiment packets, and straws: These all have survival and medical uses. Grab a few each time you go to a fast-food place. During the depression in the 1930’s, those down on their luck would go to a diner and order a cup of hot water for a few cents. They would then add ketchup and other condiments to make a sort-of tomato soup. There is actually enough vitamin C in a few packs of ketchup to prevent scurvy. Is this stealing? If taken in reasonable quantities, I do not believe so. If I order a cup of coffee, part of the price I pay goes to cream and sugar. My ex used to take her coffee with 4 creams and 4 sugars. I do not use either, so I do not think taking one or two of each is stealing. Now, taking a handful? Yes. That is stealing. Asking for salt and condiments at a drive through? Nope. What they put in the bag is yours.

Soaps and shampoos: Yes, in a motel I take what they put in my room. I do not consider it stealing; I believe that I have paid for it and can take it. When I or a loved one is in the hospital, I take whatever they give as well. Hospital staff has told me on numerous occasions that insurance paid for it and if I don’t take it they will throw it out. Also, many hotels provide courtesy tooth brushes, tooth paste, and combs upon request. If they give it to you, it isn’t stealing, even if you don’t really need it. But no, I don’t take towels or rolls of toilet paper.

Candles at church: Many churches toss-out candles after one or two uses, and may give-away the used ones for free if you ask. Although some now use propane or natural gas simulated candles, those that still use candles tend to use ones of very high quality. Small stubs can be melted down and used to create larger candles. My church had a Christmas Eve service where everyone was given a candle to hold. They were lit for about 10 minutes and not reused. Hundreds of good candles were thrown out.

Community events: Where I live, they have several free community disaster planning, home and garden, and wellness events each year. They give-out items such as samples of seeds, dental floss and toothbrushes, band aids, energy bars, bottled water, samples of vitamins, water bottles, and other swag. At one event, the first 50 people through the door got a bag with some very nice stuff.

Food banks: I have been fortunate enough to have survived without going to one. However, if you are looking to build a small emergency stockpile, why not go and pick-up a few cans of food? They will probably mostly have items near or past the expiration date, but canned food is generally safe to eat long after the expiration date. I have eaten MRE’s and canned foods that were 10 years past their expiration dates and suffered no ill effects. The exceptions are if the can is damaged, in poor condition, or if the can contains acidic products such as tomatoes. Is it wrong to take food from a food bank if you are not immediately facing hunger? I think the answer is, it depends. If you are sufficiently wealthy to purchase your food and have plenty of money to stock-up on prepping supplies, I would say that it is wrong. However, if you can buy all you now need but are unable to afford to purchase a enough for a 72 hour emergency supply of food to see you through a disaster, I would say not. I donate money to food banks, and I give so that people do not go hungry. As a donor, I am not bothered by those who use the food bank to prepare for future hard times.

Wooden Pallets: I live near a business that sells pools and hot tubs, and another that sells paving stones. They dispose of dozens of wooden pallets each week. I have used them to create raised garden beds, for firewood, and for woodworking projects including building a bed frame for a futon.

Road Debris: When I drive, I keep an eye on the shoulder and medians. I frequently find bandannas, bungee cords, tools and knives, Bic Lighters (still good), coolers, storage totes, thermoses, 5-gallon plastic buckets, gas cans, and a variety of other items. Bandanas are my favorite find; I have found 30 or more. Bikers lose bandannas like crazy. Wash and reuse them. They have lots of survival uses. One of my favorite finds took place a few weeks ago. I found a Camillus Titanium folding knife lying in the road. It was a bit scuffed-up and not very sharp, but I cleaned it up, sharpened it, and it has become my EDC knife.

Post-disaster giveaways: Here in Florida, following Hurricane Irma, the County and many different organizations gave-out a lot of food and water to anyone who came by. No questions were asked. A friend of mine got dozens of bags of cookies, boxes of Pringles chips, ten cases of Civilian MRE’s and ten cases of bottled water. It is unfortunate, but the ones who give and the ones who distribute often have very different goals. Churches, civic groups and charities may raise money for 1,000 meals. They want to see 1,000 different people get food. Those who distribute the aid may not care. If one person arrives with a truck that can carry 1,000 meals, they may let them have it all. They don’t want to carry it back at the end of the day. They will report back that the food was distributed and everyone will be happy. Don’t be a pig, but if you can put it to good use, do so.

Free bicycles: I am only speaking about Florida, but I think this is true for other areas. Law Enforcement departments recover a huge number of bicycles that have been abandoned, discarded or stolen and that are not claimed by owners. In some places jail inmates repair them as part of a work program. It is not widely advertised, but there may be periodic giveaways where serviceable bikes are distributed on first come basis. I once had two bikes stolen in a particular county. One of the two was recovered, but I had already replaced it, so I donated it to this program.

Why am I mentioning bicycles? Well, because I believe that in a TEOTWAWKI situation, they may become the most important method of transportation.

Complaining about lousy stuff: I wrote a negative review about a pair of gloves I bought on Amazon. I included a photo clearly showing the defect. They sent me a new pair without making me return the old pair. The old pair went into my preps box.

I have complained about the quality of canned or packaged foods. They sent me coupons for free products. I DO NOT invent complaints to get free stuff. In some cases, the original product was so nasty I did not want coupons for two free ones. That was the case where I bought a can of collard greens that contained a large cockroach. Still, if you pay for a product and you really get something nasty, complain. Then add it to your preps. If SHTF and you have nothing else, you may be willing to risk eating a cucaracha. Even sending a suggestion may earn you a coupon for a free product. I told a company that sells crackers and tuna snacks that the crackers crumbled too easily. They send me a coupon for a free package. I did not lie and I did not steal.

Garbage day: I’m not going to go into the finer points of dumpster diving, but the finds possible on garbage day are incredible. I have changed residences 18 times since leaving High School. Many were interstate moves. When your car and U-Haul are packed to the max and there is still more stuff, you put it on the curb. I once had a Saturn so overloaded it could barely make 50 mph on an Interstate. I left a lot of valuable stuff behind that could have really helped some prepper. If you see a big pile of stuff waiting for the garbage truck, most of it probably still works.

I realize that my suggestions may be distasteful to some. It is much more fun to purchase prepper items from Amazon or WalMart. In America, second-hand, discarded and used are bad words. Nevertheless, if SHTF, scrounging skills will become more valuable than shopping on-line with a credit card skills. And if you have some more ideas, I would appreciate hearing them.

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from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[alicesyrene]

Weekend Update (9/17/2018)

So I’m still trying to nail down an upload schedule for my blogs. I’m thinking since I don’t usually do a whole lot of spending or writing on the weekends, I’ll take Saturday and Sunday off unless I feel like posting or something crazy happens. For now I think my work schedule will allow me to stick to daily updates, though I’m not sure I’ll need them. We’ll see how it goes, I’ve never blogged before!

This weekend I ended up spending less than I anticipated at certain points, and more than I anticipated at other points. I still haven’t bought the extra supplies for my class, but I think I may have at least one or two of the fabric samples needed already, and the other two items came out to $40 on Amazon, but since I have the credit card with the points automatically added, I only have to pay $5! I’ll have to check my old sewing box when I get home for the fabric samples and see what I’ve got on hand. I had to work this Saturday, which is definitely not my favorite, for a couple reasons. Reason one: I hate working on the weekends. At least at my current job. Mostly because it throws off my whole schedule, and I like to sleep in. I look forward to it all week. Reason two: there is not a direct route to work on Saturdays. I work out of a different building, and I know I’ve talked about this before, but if I want to get to work on time within two hours, Uber or driving are my only option. I can take the ferry home, but that means I have to wake up early enough to remember to drive to the ferry building and order my Uber from there. It also means it will take me almost two hours to get home.

So in response to that, I missed my alarm on Saturday, making me have to take an extra expensive UberX instead of Uber express or pool, and then made the decision to Uber home as well, since I would have to Uber at some point anyway, because I did not drive to the ferry building. It just seemed logical at the time. I did take express, and after I got in there was a couple who decided instead of asking me to switch seats(which I would have done begrudgingly) or splitting between front and back seat, instead squeezed in next to me and proceeded to grossly make out all the way to their stop, which was somewhere on Bay Street in the Marina. Thank GOD their stop was first. I was so uncomfortable, and I could tell the guy kept giving me side glances, and maybe was receiving a handy? I was afraid to look. Needless to say, after pointlessly working that Saturday and already feeling lonely, I was less than enthused by the time I got home. I was disappointed in myself for spending almost $60 on transportation, and in general feeling very lonely and frustrated by the day. I made myself some chicken patties(I really wanted a burger and fries) and called it a day. The silver lining was my brother who has the A/C unit in the window at the head of his bed was out of town, so I slept in his bed.

On Saturday I was completely bored at work, and decided to go through some of my cards and see if I had any punch cards I forgot about or memberships I could cancel. I found my Barnes&Noble card, which renewed back in May, and went ahead and cancelled the auto-renewal on that so it will just run it’s course, and then remembered I have about $12 left on my Safeway gift card I received at the holiday luncheon last year, and a random gift card from my old boss after I moved here he sent me my final check and a nice letter with a little extra money, presumably because he knows I am poor and just moved, and he sent out my paycheck late, and because I wrote him a nice note before I left. I’m a pro at thank you notes, I’ve been known to make people cry. Anyways, that’s been hanging out in my wallet for about two years, and it has $4 on it, so I went down to the vending machine and got myself a snack on my lunch(since I ate my lunch for breakfast and didn’t have time to pack a real breakfast), and worked on my assignments for my drawing class that were due on Sunday. I was tempted to spend my $7.70 I have left on my Starbucks account on Saturday, but decided against it since I only had a half hour lunch, and I wanted to save it for a rainy day. Overall, no money spent on food on Saturday, or at all since I went shopping last Wednesday.

On Sunday, I was able to sleep in(finally) and I really took it out of proportion. I went to bed on Friday around 10, and woke just before 8 or 9, transferred back to my own bed to plug my phone in, and hung out there for awhile. I then made myself some breakfast by stealing the last of the raw eggs and some of my brothers frozen hash browns and the last of the smoked brisket my uncle gave me and made breakfast burritos. Then, like every breakfast burrito fiasco I’ve ever done in the past, I promptly fell asleep again. I think I stayed down for at least another two hours. After that I took my time getting ready for the show I was going to in Napa(Craig Ferguson: Hobo Fabulous Tour). I decided against going to V. Sattui beforehand, mostly because I’m lazy and didn’t want to get up, but also because I felt weird going there for free tastings without actually buying anything. Instead I left around 6 to give myself enough time to be able to make a stop at Dutch Bros. before the show, got about five miles before realizing I forgot MY TICKET, turned around and then came back around. I didn’t buy a T shirt at the show because they weren’t selling T shirts at the show that I could see. I think they are only available online, which means I have to consider if I really can’t live without the shirt. I also didn’t buy the California exclusive travel mug I’ve had my eye on because I really wanted the Idaho one, which my brother’s girlfriend was supposed to pick up and bring down to me, but I don’t know if she actually did. They’ve been living it up in Disneyland for the past couple of days and I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to talk to her before she leaves. I checked online a couple days ago and the Idaho one is sold out, but the California one remains. Decisions decisions…

The timing all worked out perfectly for the show, I got my drink and got to the show with about ten minutes to spare. Craig was great, he yelled at us and spoke directly to me a couple of times. The crowd average age was probably over 40, but there was a kid with his parents at the show as well. Afterwards I drove back home, finished submitting my work for class about a half hour before it was due, started a couple loads of laundry, ate some leftover orange chicken and rice(which tasted wayyyyy better leftover than fresh), and finished up my current journal. I had done my hair and make-up, so I took a few selfies and stayed up way to late jacked up on 20 ounces of coffee. Overall, it was a great day.

Today, Monday, I’m back at work. I did not hear my alarm again, probably because I was up past 2AM, and drove to work. Not a great way to start out the week. That will be another $27 commute, which is almost $10 more than it needs to be, and coming directly out of my pocket rather than the money I’ve already put into my Clipper Card. UGH! Tomorrow will be better. That’s my mantra and I’m sticking to it.

On the plus side, I remembered everything I wanted to bring to work, with the exception of my earbuds. Which means I packed my breakfast, lunch and snack and I’m ready to tackle the day. I’ll have to hang out in the parking garage until after 6:30 to get the discount rate, but I’ve got plenty to do, including a new journal, a magazine I still need to cut up, and a new week’s worth of assignments from my online class.

The first day of a new journal is always a good one. I get to number all the pages and pick out one from my collection to either continue or start anew. I picked a new one this time, one that I found recently at TJ Maxx. I’ll post a picture along with one of my selfies from yesterday. I have built up a good collection of journals, so I’m not worried about having to buy any more in the foreseeable future.

I’ve ran out of my food prep supply today, so tonight I’ll be taking inventory and see just how long I’ll have to go before making another major grocery trip. I’ll likely need to grab more milk and eggs soon if someone else in the house doesn’t do it first, but I don’t necessarily need either for what I can remember is sitting in the pantry. We will find out.

I will also need to get gas soon, thanks to all the extra driving I’ve been doing. That will be another $40 on the way home. I’m not going to miss those California gas prices.

[afoolsingenuity]

The Serpent // Sarah Fine Smashes It, Who Knew Card Magic Could Be So Good?

The Serpent (The Immortal Dealers #1) – Sarah Fine

Published: 24th July 2018 Source: Netgalley/Pure Textuality PR Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal My Rating:

One woman is in a world of otherworldly trouble—and she’s going to have to bet her life to save humankind.

Ernestine “Ernie” Terwilliger has put her dreams aside to look after her eccentric mother. Case in point: saving her from a mysterious stranger who’s just stormed the terrified woman’s antique store wearing a rattlesnake tattoo, leveling threats, and brandishing the weirdest deck of cards Ernie’s ever seen.

When Ernie grabs some of the cards and runs, she’s launched into a world she never knew existed—one her mother may know more about than she’s revealing. With a handful of stolen cards, Ernie has just been made an unwilling player in a game of good versus evil. But she’s not even playing with a full deck, and its original owner is more than happy to kill to get his cards back.

Suddenly Ernie’s matching wits and plays with the supernatural Immortal Dealers, who can raise empires, damn souls, and shape the world’s destiny. It’s up to Ernie to defeat the most brutal member of their order. And if her roguish new ally isn’t bluffing, he can help. The mystery is all in the cards, and to save her life—and humanity—Ernie had better learn how to deal.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

So, who knew Sarah Fine had a new book coming out? I didn’t until Nick told me, she is brilliant at giving me the heads up for new releases. I’ve read a few different Sarah Fine books, they are fun and I always like the romance. I mean, I liked Sarah Fine back when I was reading the Guards of the Shadowlands books and I have liked the stuff she’s come out with lately (and I know there are two series of hers I’ve still not finished!) so I was excited for The Serpent coming out.

I was completely right to be excited. This first book in The Immortal Dealers books was amazing. Her books aren’t ground-breaking but they almost always suck me in and keep me happy reading. I don’t know why I don’t talk about Sarah Fine’s books more because I love them. I may just have to start reading them all again because I know I need to finish the Reliquary books and I’ve only read one Servants of Fate books and that’s a shame.

This time around it’s a duology (I think) whilst she usually has trilogies, but that just means more fun in fewer books, I’m cool with that because I’m more likely to finish them then. The Immortal Dealer books are original, I don’t think I’ve seen a magic system revolving around cards since Cardcaptor, and I don’t even remember what that was about! It was unique and very well thought out, it was impressive, really. It’s often difficult to create a unique and interesting magic system so I definitely appreciated that in this. I do wish there was further explanation to the magic system, though, but considering Ernie is learning about the cards right along with us it makes sense why there wasn’t further explanation to it all. Fingers crossed the next book explains further, especially as there was going to be an interesting development between Ernie and the sexy mystery stranger, Gabe, who helps her out. I am down for that.

That’s the other part which worked for me was the characters. I was a little wary going in, Ernie didn't seem like a character I would like at first. She's sporty and driven (in some ways) and her biggest thing is dealing with her mother who needs mothering. I quickly learnt Ernie has the typical humour I come to expect from Fine heroines and quickly grew to like her. She was fun and made me smile. She was funny, with a dry sense of humour and I just liked her. I admit, her sportiness and practicality made me wary at first, but we soon got past that. And there is Gabe, the guide to the Immortal Dealers for Ernie, he was a real charmer. I admit Sarah Fine’s books can seem a little formulaic if I broke it down to the bare bones, but I don’t even care. Gabe is the old hand at all things and the bad boy with the backstory and I loved it. I adored him and his Irish accent and his cute little things to make sure Ernie’s ok without revealing too much. The two of them were adorable together and I’ll have no one bad mouth them.

I really enjoyed this book, a one-day binge read is always a good sign for a book and that’s exactly what I did. I will be buying myself my own copy soon enough and I predict some rereading of Sarah Fine because I like her books and I can’t believe I forgot that fact!

Giveaway

Click the link to enter: https://goo.gl/5fk8YQ

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Sarah Fine.  Giveaway ends 8/4/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted.

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[kennethherrerablog]

Top 7 Cheap Hobbies and 40 More You Will Need to Try

  Looking for some fun cheap hobbies?

Just to make sure we are on the same page, let’s take a look at the definition of the word “hobby”:

Hobby: may include almost any regular activity one does for pleasure – typically during one’s own free time.

Now, what are some of the best cheap hobbies people are doing right now? 

This list is for you. Yes, there are hobbies out there that aren’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. Actually, we found some fun little hobbies that actually help you make money!

In fact, this very blog you are reading right now started as an online hobby for me before turning into a blogging business. With that said, let’s start off with fun inexpensive online hobbies.

The Top 7 Cheap Hobbies

Here are the best hobbies on the cheap. Most of these literally don’t cost any money at all.

1. Reading

This is pretty much the ultimate frugal hobby. Almost every community has a library you can use for free as long as you follow the rules and return your books on time. You can also start a book club, or swap books with friends to find more reading material.

2. Running

Running is probably the cheapest form of exercise out there. All you need to get started is a decent pair of shoes.

3. Cooking

For some cooking is truly a hobby. Even if you don’t love to cook, it’s definitely a good skill to have because cooking and eating at home is way cheaper than going out to eat. If you need some ideas for cooking, try out Erin Chase’s $5 Dinners – the site dedicated to helping you make each meal a $5 total…not five dollars per person.

4. Home Brewing

There are lots of online resources that can teach you how to get started brewing your own beer, wine, or cider at home. It might a little equipment to get started, but if you regularly enjoy these beverages instead of buying them at the liquor store you’ll definitely save money in the long run.

5. Garage Sale-ing

I love this hobby because you get out of the house, you meet people, and you can make money. I have a friend who started with $30 and a few months later she was making $1,000 per month garage sale-ing. She would buy things for cheap at the garage sale and re-sell online and make a profit. Her first buy was buying a Little Tikes playhouse for $30 which she cleaned up and resold for $200!

6. Explore Your Genealogy

Ask your family members for help with this project, or start looking online. When I put together my family genealogy, I was surprised at how much information I could find online.

7. Start a Blog

Since my hobby was and still is blogging, I’m going to open up with blogging to start.

Do you happen to love writing? If so, wouldn’t it be cool to start your own blog where you are free to write about whatever you want and put it out there for the world to see?

Here’s the secret to blogging as a hobby: write about whatever makes you happy. 

Your mind is swirling with ideas and things you want to say, so say them through a blog.

Do you love being a mom? Then blog about it.

Do you love woodworking? Then you should blog about it.

Do you love coaching your kid’s sports? Then start a blog about it.

Or, do you love something no one has ever heard of? Then yes, you should definitely blog about that as well.

If you are ready (and I hope you are) to start you very own blog, I have personally put together a step-by-step guide so you can easily get started writing today for about $5 per month. I even included screenshots of the process to walk you through it step-by-step so you don’t have to worry about any of the tech issues.

In fact, if you can post something to social media or even ask Siri to call Grandma, then you can definitely start a blog.

Okay, I’m ready to start my blog now.

The Online Hobbies

We start with online hobbies since you’re actually online right now. These are hobbies you can start today from the same device you are reading this right now.

8. Fill Out Online Surveys

There are dozens of these sites popping up that claim to pay you money for taking surveys online. Some of them are sketchy, however some of them are legitimate and will actually pay you in cash via PayPal or in gift cards. You can see our full review of all the different survey sites we have researched here Best Online Surveys right now.

Survey Junkie has been around since 2005 and is the most trusted in the survey industry with a Trustpilot Rating of 4.4/5. 

If you’re going to spend your time on a free hobby, start out with Survey Junkie and they will send you cash to your PayPal, Amazon or Target gift card for taking surveys on your time!

9. Buy and Re-sell Things Online

There are so many re-selling websites to choose from these days, which can help you get the best prices for your “treasures”. OfferuUp, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook buy/sell/trade groups, Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark more are just a few that I’ve used to sell stuff in the past.

We have a full list of the 21 best apps to sell stuff online here.

10. Listen to a New Podcast

There are podcasts about every topic under the sun. Surely you can find one that interests you.

You can start listening to the Money Peach Podcast in your car, at the gym, or on the go right here.

11. Watch Cat Videos

There are some pretty funny cat videos on YouTube that can keep you entertained for hours. (Or maybe that’s just me?)

Let the record show that Peach does NOT watch cat videos on YouTube.

    6. Play Free Games Online

You may be surprised to learn that there are health benefits to be had from playing video games. There are so many websites where you can play games online and there are tons of different kinds of games to choose from too. There are even some sites that will actually pay you to play their online games.

The Financial Hobbies

What’s better than making money? How about a hobby that actually pays from extra pocket money all the way to full-time income.

12. Become a Landlord

You can start renting out a portion of your house on a site like Airbnb. If you find out you like being a landlord, you could always expand into owning rental properties.

13. Investing

Learning about investing and then actually doing it are two things that could almost be separate hobbies in and of themselves. Investing is a smart hobby to take up once you have a little extra income to put toward your investments. If you are already there and want to get started, here is our updated investing for dummies guide.

14. Thrift Shopping and Garage Sale-ing

When I lived in a bigger community I loved going to thrift stores and garage sales on the weekend. This is a fun activity, especially if you go with a friend. You can also save money as long as you avoid buying things you don’t really need.

15. Couponing

Again, couponing can be fun but you might end up spending more than you planned on if you aren’t careful with your purchases. One of our favorite couponing tricks is using the Honey browser extension. Instead of searching the internet for promo codes, Honey searches for you in real time and automatically applies the promo code for you at checkout.

Install Free Honey Browser Extension

16. Volunteering

That’s kind of financial since time is money, right? Give some of your time to your favorite charities, or join a group or board in your town to give back to civic organizations.

17. Start a Business

I’ve kind of touched on this before, but almost anything on this list can actually be turned into some kind of a money-making business or side hustle idea. Starting a business is fun and it’s a good way to make some extra money.

18. Budgeting Cash Flow Planning (that sounds better)

How to Start a Cash Flow Plan

What list of hobbies on a personal finance blog would be complete without listing budgeting? It may not sound fun at first, but I actually love working on my projected budgets for future months now that I’ve gotten good at budgeting.

And if you would like to get started with your own budget, you can get started with the Cash Flow Formula for FREE.

The Cash Flow Formula is the #1 tool to start saving more money and stop overspending each month…and it’s a GREAT hobby!

Outside Hobbies

Let’s move our fun inexpensive hobbies away from the computer and out inside the fresh air. Here’s a list of the top (and often free) hobbies that get you outside.

19. Gardening

Depending on how you go about it, gardening can be a pretty inexpensive hobby to try. If you get good enough at it, you might even be able to lower your grocery bill by growing more of your own food.

20. Camping

Camping is another cheap hobby than doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may think. I truly enjoy camping and waking up to a brisk morning. It’s almost like a vacation, only cheaper. 

21. Become a Master BBQer

There are actually whole weekends devoted to BBQ competitions in my neck of the woods. If you are good with a grill, this might be a fun hobby to consider.

22. Geocaching

Geocaching is basically a high-tech treasure hunt. Find out how to get started here.

23. Rock Collecting

Pick up all those shiny things. If you call it a “collection” no one will judge you for bringing home random rocks anymore. 😉

24. Bird Watching

Just don’t become a crazy bird lady (or guy)!

25. Hunting

The equipment can be expensive if you don’t already own it, but you may also be able to borrow from a friend or family member to try out this hobby if you’re a beginner. Most hunters enjoy sharing their hobby with newbies to keep the sport alive.

26. Fishing

Same goes here! Most avid fishermen are more than willing to take along new people who don’t have their own equipment. Just don’t wear out your welcome if you fall in love with this hobby.

Intellectual Hobbies

After exercising your body in the fresh air, here are the best fun inexpensive hobbies that only require brain power.

27. Writing

Writing can be a fun hobby and it doesn’t have to turn into more than that. You can write in a diary, write short stories for fun, or write even write to make money like I mentioned earlier. If you love writing and actually want to get paid for it, there’s currently a shortage of freelance writers. If this interests you, check out this post on getting paid to be a freelance writer.

28. Drawing

A pencil and paper is all you need to get started with this frugal hobby. Even if you expand your artist supplies later on, this hobby shouldn’t be too costly.

29. Learn a New Language

Is there a language you’ve been dying to learn? There are lots of resources online and books at your library that you can use to learn a new language.

30. Learn to Play an Instrument

Learning to play a musical instrument doesn’t mean you have to take expensive lessons. Many instruments can be self-taught, especially now that you can learn almost everything you need to know on YouTube.

31. Learn to Sew

Learning basic sewing skills is a good idea. Knowing how to sew has actually saved me money. For example, my sewing skills have helped me save my clothes from being thrown in the rag bin a few times when they only needed minor repairs.

32. Learn a New Game

Playing games is one of my family’s favorite hobbies, especially is the weather is crappy outside. We don’t discriminate, we like to play board games and card games. They can also be a good way to meet new people if you go to community game nights. You might be able to find some at your local library, churches, or on meetup.com.

33. Read the News

Doesn’t sound very exciting, but you might be surprised what you can learn when you start reading the news regularly. Don’t just keep up on local news either, the world is bigger than that. Make sure you find out what’s going on elsewhere in the world too.

Exercise Hobbies

First we started online, then we started making money with your hobby, then we moved outside and after that we started using our brain power for our hobbies. This next list is the best fun inexpensive hobbies that will also burn a few calories.

34. Biking

Most people have a bike sitting in their garage or storage shed. If you have an old unused bike, it won’t cost you much to give it a tune-up so you can start riding it again. Biking around your neighborhood is free.

35. Get in Shape with Body Weight Exercises

Some you know that Peach is a Crossfit enthusiast. I’m a former Crossfiter myself, but I cut it from my budget to pay off my debt faster. One good habit I picked up from there that I still continue in my home workouts is doing bodyweight exercises. Like running, all you need for bodyweight exercises are good shoes and maybe a few standard household items. You can do things like air squats, pushups, situps, lunges, etc. without spending money.

36. Dance

I’m not talking about paying money and going to a dance studio – those things can be very expensive. Instead I’m talking about turning on your favorite music and using it to make up your own workout routine.

37. Swimming

If you live near a public beach, lake, etc. you can probably swim there for free. Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and it’s fun!

38. Join a Club Sports Team

Most communities have a Recreation Department that hosts sports leagues for kids and adults. They’re usually fairly inexpensive to join and offer lots of different sports to choose from.

39. Try Yoga

There are lots of free yoga video on YouTube. All you need to get started is a mat.

40. Practice Meditation

Exercise for your brain.

Skilled Hobbies

Lastly, it’s time to apply your skills to your hobby list. From cooking, to home-brewing, and even woodworking, we have you covered with this last bunch of fun inexpensive hobbies.

41. Canning and Food Preservation

This old-fashioned skill can actually help you save money, especially if you are preserving food from your garden bounty to eat later on.

42. Furniture Restoration

I know several people who’ve taken up furniture restoration as a frugal hobby and they’ve also managed to furnish their homes with one-of-a-kind pieces they re-did themselves. You can also sell your restored furniture as a great side hustle hobby!

44. Animal Husbandry

Growing up we raised many different kinds of animals on my parents’ farm. I still love animals and taking care of them today and it’s definitely a good skill to have.

45. Carpentry

Even if you don’t learn how to make fancy things, basic carpentry skills can be good to have as they can save you money when you know how to fix things around the house.

The Not-So-Cheap Fun Hobbies

Maybe you’re just curios about the expensive hobbies? If so, here are a list of the top 10 hobbies that will absolutely break the bank.

46. Scuba Diving

Not only is scuba extremely fun, but it’s also extremely expensive. You can plan on $300 – $400 every time you throw the tank on and dive in and don’t forget it’s also extremely dangerous.

In fact, you will even have a hard time getting life insurance if you scuba dive on a regular basis.

47. Sky Diving

Technically their are statistics to prove you’re more likely to die in the car on the way to skydiving than actually jumping out of an airplane. As much as that is supposed to make me feel better, I still don’t like the $300 – $400 fee to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

However, if you have the extra coin to take part in this extremely intense hobby, then let us know how it goes in the comments below.

48. Flying

I don’t know if I need to go into a huge explanation here: flying as a hobby is expensive.

To even be certified as a pilot to fly your own plane will cost you $7,000 – $10,000. Then once you are certified, you then need to buy a plane or rent one at the starting cost of $125/hour. Then add on fuel and maintenance costs and you have an extremely expensive hobby.

49. Mountain Climbing

Where I live (Phoenix), mountain climbing is a very popular hobby. While getting started in this hobby is not extremely expensive, it will be eventually.

From the people I have talked to, you start off climbing the mountain near your home. After you climb that one, you start to travel to the next thriller of a mountain. Sooner than later you find yourself booking a trip to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro at a cost of about $4,000 not including travel expenses.

50. Ballroom Dancing

My wife and I actually looked into ballroom dancing lessons because we were told it was a fun inexpensive hobby. We were told wrong.

Thanks to Dancing with the Stars, this once inexpensive hobby will now set you back about $150 – $200 for each lesson. My wife and I went into ballroom dancing as something to bring us closer together. However, after seeing the cost we both realized it would only push us further apart (kidding).

Final Thoughts

Yes, you can always sit on the couch and Netflix and chill as a hobby. But, chances are since you’re reading this far down the page, you’ve been there and done that.

So what’s it going to be? Blogging, sewing, running, couponing, or are you going to dive into a more expensive hobby and jump out of an airplane?

Whatever you decide to do, please let us know about your new fun hobby in the comments below.

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