Tag Archives: money

Dec2

How To Better Protect Your Money

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How To Better Protect Your Money

If you want a secure life, then you need to look after your money. Money buys security and can prevent you from a lot of stress and worry. It is not a good feeling wondering if you can pay the heating bill this winter. As we get older, this security is ever more needed. We are going to have to retire with no real set income coming in and making do with the money we protected in our youth. So, let’s discover a few ways we can protect our money better:

Get Out of Debt:

If you have debts, then you must get out of debt and stay out of it too. There is nothing worse for your finances than paying interest rates. This is a great way to have nothing. If you can, contact your creditors and increase your payments to get rid of the debt as fast as possible. For some of you, it may be wise to enlist the help of a financial planner. You may be able to consolidate all your debts to make them far easier to understand and more manageable. 

Learn to Live Within your Means:

A lot of people spend more than their wages every month, which means they dip into their overdraft. If this is a continual thing, you will end up further and further into your overdraft and this leads to debt. It is not like a mortgage where you will have something at the end of it, it is simply wasted money. So, you need to start living within your means. There are many methods to do this. First, you need to become more financially aware so you need to track your spending better. You can download a banking app if you have not done this already and keep an eye on your balance. You can even set alerts to message you when your account is running low. Other methods include disabling the contactless feature on your bank card, trying to save your income that is not used for essentials, and only using a set amount for spending cash. You also need to learn how to practice delayed gratification. Instead of caving into your urges to buy something, you need to wait and see if you still want it in thirty days or once you have saved the cash for it.

Invest:

Investing wisely is one of the best ways to protect your money. Unlike savings, you can actually invest and keep up with inflation. One of the best ways to do this is invest in property. Buying your own home is wise. It can actuary end up being a lot cheaper than renting. A dual occupancy home from Meadan Homes, for example, allows you to rent out part of your home and make money on it too. Other ways to invest are with bonds, either corporate or government, the stock market, and collectibles. Investing in yourself is another great one, meaning paying for a higher education. You can do things like side hustles too, which is essentially running your own business and giving you valuable experience.

Spending money is an obvious part of life but you need to be smart about it to keep increasing your savings. Get started with the tips above today!

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Nov18

Essentials To Boost 2023 For Your Children

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Essentials To Boost 2023 For Your Children

2023 is on the horizon, and there are a lot of factors that you need to think about when it comes time to try to improve the year for your children. There are loads of things that you can do in the family that will help to make the coming year better and more exciting for your kids, and it’s important to think about the different ways in which you are able to do this.

Being the head of the family these days comes with its fair share of struggles and challenges, and the more you can do to deal with these effectively, the better it will be long-term. There are plenty of things that you have to think about that are going to play a big role in this, and being able to boost the coming year for your kids can play a huge role in making family life better. These are some of the key essentials that you can use to help you achieve this:

Extend the home:

Making positive changes to your property is something that plays a massive role in allowing you to improve the year for your children, as well as giving them more space and comfort. There are a lot of ways in which you can extend your home more effectively, and this is even something you can discuss with your kids in advance as well. Maybe you could turn the attic into a reading nook? Or, perhaps, finish the basement and turn it into the ultimate game room!

Look after finances better:

As a modern family, there are a lot of responsibilities and considerations to make, and one of the biggest things you need to get right as a parent is to make sure you manage money better. With the cost of living crisis beginning, it is essential for a lot of families to look for ways of being able to tighten their purse strings. The more you can do to help you look after your money, and ensure the family is more financially comfortable, the better. There are a lot of different ways in which you can achieve this like focusing on cutting costs, saving money little by little, and making better financial decisions.

Improve family health:

Working on improving family health is absolutely vital and you can do a lot to make sure 2023 gets off on the right track for the family, health-wise. One of the key things that can help you when it comes to achieving this is to swap your family’s diet for something healthier and more nutritious. It is also important to think about some of the best ways of being able to create a healthy family dynamic. This means you need to think about boosting mental health and well-being, and this is something that plays a massive role in helping you work on boosting your family health.

Plan more activities:

One of the best ways of making the most of 2023 is to plan more activities. How about visiting some adventure centres? Weekly family hikes? Cooking a meal all together? Being able to enjoy multiple different activities and keep your children active and engaged gives the opportunity to bond and have lots of fun too!

2023 will be here before we know it and you can make it the best year yet for your family! Spend time together, make improvements where you can, and continue to move forward as a strong family unit.

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Sep20

How Do Social Media Influencers Make Money?

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How Do Social Media Influencers Make Money?

As we look at the current and future job market, we can identify a few career paths that will seemingly become more and more popular. Certainly, the rise of social media influencers has carved out a brand new path that didn’t exist before. These days, thousands of young kids and teenagers are desperate to have a job as full-time influencers. While this initially seems like a poor career choice, it quickly becomes an idea that can provide a lot of success.

Influencers can earn a lot of money without even being one of the biggest and most well-known creators on the planet. Sure, you have Charli D’amelio, Addison Rae, and Khaby Lame who amass millions of dollars per year. But, they have millions of followers across multiple accounts. An influencer with just a few thousand followers can still earn a lot of money. How? Here are the main ways most influencers make their cash:

Sponsorships:

The majority of money comes in the form of sponsorships. Brands pay the influencer to promote their products, services, or just the brand itself. This is usually in the form of sponsored posts, with payments made per post. Alternatively, influencers can have sponsorship contracts where they represent a brand. This means that they regularly post about them, wear their clothing, and so on. It’s more of a long-term thing with money paid regularly as part of the contract.

Ad Revenue:

Most influencers will also make money from advertising revenue. It’s rare that you will see an influencer only work on one platform. In most cases, they’ll have a YouTube account or another platform that allows them to monetize their content. The more views they get, the more advertising revenue they earn. As they become more popular, advertising companies pay more money to get their ads shown on their videos. Why? Because these companies know that thousands of impressionable eyes will be watching, which is a huge opportunity for them.

Merchandise:

Finally, you have money earned through merchandise sales. Once an influencer gains a following, they’re in a very unique position. They will have thousands of people who pay attention to them and want to support them. So, the influencer can create merchandise or other products to sell to their followers.

The followers want to show support or represent the influencer, so they’ll be more than happy to make purchases. In a lot of cases, influencers use their platform to create products that extend beyond brand merchandise. Many will develop their own clothing lines that attract attention from people outside their following, helping them make even more money.

You see, the money making opportunities are very diverse here. This is why smaller influencers are still able to earn decent wages. Of course, one benefit of this career choice is that you get back what you put in. The more effort you make to grow your brand and the bigger you get, the more money you could end up making. Just remember to work hard because influencing doesn’t become an instant career over night!

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Jul22

Get Started On Monetizing Your Blog

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Get Started On Monetizing Your Blog

We all love the idea of making money by doing something we actually enjoy. Well, blogging genuinely gives you this opportunity. You can write about topics that are close to your heart, pouring out the thoughts that you keep inside your head for most of the day. At the same time, you can start earning a lot of money – if you know how.

Don’t just rely on ad revenue – it won’t be enough. The key to making your blog a money making machine lies in eCommerce. It’s very simple; you set up your blog to allow people to buy things from you. Meanwhile, you still post content and make money through adverts and sponsors, but you’ve got this extra hustle going on in the background.

Of course, there’s a tactic to this that will make it work. You can’t just sell anything and everything! Let’s look at how you can start monetizing your blog:

Sell things that are valuable:

Choose to sell things on your site that are valuable and relevant to your blog. Merchandise is always a good idea, giving your audience a chance to support you and wear your branding everywhere. At the same time, consider what your blog is about and how you can create products/services linked to it.

For example, imagine your blog is all about marketing. Here, you could sell marketing programs or ebooks that help people improve their skills. It’s an extension of your content, but you go into more detail and reveal your secrets. Alternatively, a fitness blog would be excellent at selling things like branded water bottles, fitness equipment, etc. If you sell things that your audience will be interested in, there’s a lot of money to be made.

Make everything look professional:

Nobody will buy anything if your site doesn’t look good enough. A regular blog is not an eCommerce site; you need to make some changes. Thankfully, there are companies like WEBX360 that can help you create an eCommerce website. This will ensure that you have all of the features on your blog to allow people to add things to their carts and check out securely.

Optimize your content:

We’re not talking so much about your blog content here – though that can be relevant. Rather, we’re thinking about the content on the eCommerce portion of your blog. Write good descriptions and have excellent landing pages to help your site rank well in search engines. This can bring in customers that aren’t from your blog audience, letting you make more sales.

Similarly, speaking about your content, you can use it as a way to link to certain products/services for sale. Sometimes, you could even build content around new product launches to generate hype!

As you can see, your small blog can very quickly grow into a healthy side hustle. If you utilize eCommerce on your site, it gives you a new way of earning income to add to your monthly blog revenue!

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Jul8

Downsizing Your Expenses: What Can You Do To Cut Costs?

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Downsizing Your Expenses: What Can You Do To Cut Costs?

In these tough economic times, it is more important than ever to be mindful of your expenses. If you are finding yourself in a situation where you need to downsize your spending, don’t panic! There are a number of things that you can do to help ease the transition. In this post, we will discuss some tips on how to reduce your expenses without sacrificing too much quality of life. Follow these steps, and you will be on your way to financial stability in no time:

Take a Closer Look at Your Budget:

The first step to reducing your expenses is to take a close look at your budget. Where are you currently spending the majority of your money? Are there any areas where you can cut back? For example, if you are spending a lot on eating out, try cooking more meals at home. If you have a gym membership that you never use, cancel it and start working out for free at home or in the great outdoors! Once you have identified some areas where you can reduce your spending, it will be easier to make the necessary cuts.

Get Rid of Unnecessary Subscriptions and Memberships:

Another way to save money is to get rid of any unnecessary subscriptions or memberships. Do you really need that cable TV package with 500 channels that you never watch? Chances are, you can live without it. Ditch the gym membership that you never use and cancel any magazine subscriptions that you no longer read. These are all expenses that can be easily eliminated from your budget without having a major impact on your life.

Cut Back on Shopping and Entertainment:

If you want to save money, you will need to cut back on shopping and entertainment. Instead of going out to eat every weekend, try cooking at home more often. Go for a walk or bike ride instead of going to the movies. There are plenty of ways to have fun without spending a lot of money. Get creative and see how much you can save!

Save on Transportation Costs:

Transportation costs can add up quickly so it is important to find ways to save in this area. If you live in a city, try using public transportation instead of driving everywhere. This can save you a lot of money on gas and parking fees. If you live in a rural area, see if carpooling with friends or family is an option. There are many ways to reduce your transportation costs, so do some research and see what works best for you.

Moving to a More Affordable Home:

One of the most drastic ways to reduce your expenses is to move to a more affordable home. If you are currently renting an apartment, see if you can find a cheaper place to live. Looking into apartments for rent or finding a roommate to split the cost of rent with can be great ways to reduce your monthly expenses. If you own your home, consider downsizing to a smaller house or condo. This may not be an option for everyone, but it is something to consider if you are looking for ways to save money.

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Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

These are just a few tips on how to downsize your expenses without a ton of sacrifice. If you are struggling to make ends meet, try implementing some of these suggestions and see how much they can help! Remember, every little bit counts when it comes to saving money.

Featured Image By: Andre Taissin on Unsplash

Apr7

Moving Abroad? Make Sure To Do The Following!

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Moving Abroad? Make Sure To Do The Following!

Moving abroad can be an exciting new adventure that you are ready to embark on. When you are there, it will be worth it and you will have an amazing time. However, to ensure you enjoy your time abroad, whether you are looking to move away for a few months or permanently, there are several important things that you need to have in place because the process can get pretty complicated. If you can get organized and sort these documents in advance, you can relax knowing that you have a smooth journey ahead.

To help you get started, here are some vital things that you need in place before your move:

Research the country:

You should always start by researching the country that you are moving to. This is because rules and regulations can be very different so you should never assume that you know everything. The best and most reliable source of information can be found at the embassy or consulate. They will be able to advise on the rules in the country, the documentation you need to complete before traveling, the documentation you need on you to travel, and much more.

Important documentation:

You will need a range of documents to be able to travel and live abroad. You should have these ready to go in a folder for protection before you intend to travel. You should also make copies of all of your documents and take a picture on your phone, in case you lose them. Some official documents can take a few weeks to arrive if you have to request them, so make sure you do this step well in advance to avoid disappointment. Some of these documents include:

  • Passport
  • Driving license
  • Birth certificate
  • Proof of citizenship
  • Insurance policies
  • Proof of residence
  • Vaccination record
  • Medical record

Finances:

Of course, your finances will need to be in order before your move. The best way to do this is to research the cost of living in the country that you are moving to. For example, if you live in New York and are moving to Dubai, you may find that living is much cheaper. Not only do you need money for living expenses, such as food and commuting, but you will also need to consider your accommodation and utilities. If you are moving to Dubai, there are plenty of apartments for rent in Palm Jumeirah that are affordable and located in a great spot. You will need to research the prices for apartments before you travel.

You should also consider insurance policies that will protect your money if you lose it, as well as your belongings. The last thing you want is to pay to replace your items if the worst happens!

Make sure you consider everything you need before you move abroad and do it with enough time to spare. You may wish to use this information and create a checklist so that you don’t miss anything important!

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Dec6

Getting By In Money & Mindset: 3 Methods To Incorporate

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Getting By In Money & Mindset: 3 Methods To Incorporate

It is not easy in the slightest to get by in the modern world. But whether you are trying to make extra money through numerous practices, or you are consciously trying to downgrade your life, there are so many different approaches that you could take to get by. Let’s show you a number of practices that could prove beneficial, and how you could use them:

Method One: Embracing a Minimalist Mindset

Minimalism has become very popular, not least because it can help you to make the most of very little. A lot of people are talking about minimalism as an antidote to what the modern world offers. If this appeals to you, you could sell your house quickly through companies like Offer Pear and start to live a more off the grid lifestyle. Being minimalist has a number of benefits for our mental health. We live in a world dominated by stuff. It seems that if we have to get ahead, we need more stuff, which means more money. A minimalist mindset means that you are effectively training yourself to get by with less.

Method Two: Becoming a “Slashie”

Also known as a portfolio career, this is where someone will make multiple income streams from different careers. A relatively new term, however, it appears to be essential to get by. Over the last couple of years, people have found that living off one income stream is not enough. Therefore, they’ve had to find ways to achieve extra income. There are naturally many approaches to doing this. If you already have a full time job, you may find having an extra part time role on top of what you do sufficient enough to help you live the lifestyle you want. But it is important to be aware that this approach can be difficult to maintain, depending on what your lifestyle entails.

Parents will struggle to maintain this approach if they don’t go about it in the right way. This is partly why many people try to find passive income streams. This is another very popular approach, but one of the downfalls of going with a popular approach to earning money means that it is already over saturated. If you want to become a slashie, the most important thing to consider is doing it in a way that doesn’t cause you to burn out. Many people feel that they need to maintain their lifestyles, and despite rising prices, rather than reappraising everything they have, they find they need to work more. The result? More stress, anxiety, and a whole slew of health problems! But, that being said, if you want to go down this route, the best approach is to do things that will actually make you happy and fulfilled.

Method Three: Addressing Your Expenditure and Income

Part of the problem in getting by in the modern world is that we believe that we need to earn more to maintain a current lifestyle. We’ve already talked about the importance of becoming a minimalist, but this may not be for everyone. You may think that your income is the first thing to address, but you need to look at what your income is actually going towards. If what is coming into your account is going out straight away, you need to look at the things you’re spending your money on.

One of the simplest things we can all do is to make a couple of downgrades. There are plenty of things that we can do for free, but rather than actually thinking we’ve got to completely get rid of everything to live a better life, it is about playing the odds and the balances. You can still go out for meals with your friends, as long as you find other ways to cut back on your day to day life. A very common example is daily takeaway coffee. If you opt for a homemade coffee, you will see how much this adds up.

These three methods can work together in tandem whether you are looking to save up for a big purchase or just cushioning your savings. The most important thing is to keep your mental health in check to avoid burn out. It is always okay to treat yourself!

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Oct20

Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

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Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

Nothing is more disconcerting than a customer who refuses to pay for quality services rendered. You’ve worked hard, but you’re not getting the reward. It can be heartbreaking. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to ensure that you get the money you’re owed, no matter what your industry. Check out our ideas below:

Stop Working:

If a client refuses to pay you according to the schedule you initially set out, stop working immediately. Don’t continue toiling in the hope that you will eventually get paid. The reason you should stop working is because it helps you set clear boundaries. Clients who believe that you are a pushover may continue to ask you to work, even in the absence of any pay.

Leaving a project unfinished puts the client in a tricky position. They could try to find a workaround, but usually that’s not possible. It improves your bargaining position and makes it clear that their actions are unacceptable.

Charge Late Fees:

You can also try charging late fees. Late fees encourage clients to get their act together and to pay payments on time, instead of waiting for fines to accrue.

Work With An Industry-Specific Collection Service:

You can back up your efforts by working with a company that specializes in recovering payments. Many CBD firms, for example, use a cannabis collection agency since they understand how the industry works. Collection agencies reduce the hassle of collecting payments yourself. You don’t have to personally call clients and demand money (which can be emotionally draining). Instead, experts do it all for you.

Use Factoring:

You can also use a factoring model. Here, third-party companies buy your accounts receivable off of you and then pursue money collection themselves. Prices for this can be quite high. Usually, you’ll receive around seventy percent of the value of the invoice. However, at least it provides you with cash immediately, instead of having to wait for months, meaning that it is great for cash flow.

Make Contracts:

Making contracts in advance helps you to avoid late payment problems. By spelling out precisely what each party can expect, you have legal recourse should your customers fail to pay you at a later date.

Ask Why:

If customers won’t pay you, find out why by asking them. They could provide all manner of reasons – and you won’t necessarily know what they are in advance. In some cases, they might cite their own poor cash flow, in which case, debt collection might be the only option. In others, they might tell you that they’re not happy with the quality of the service. If there is a problem, try to find out specifically what it is so that you can correct it. Often, once you solve customers’ problems, they are more than willing to pay you.

Non-paying customers can be stressful. But, fortunately, you have many options. You can explore the issue more, find out what’s gone wrong, create incentives to pay on time, and even hire legal help.

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Oct19

Cost Effective Ways Of Losing Weight And Being Healthy   

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Cost Effective Ways Of Losing Weight And Being Healthy   

One of the main reasons why people struggle to lose weight today is because they deem it to be too expensive. You only need to take a trip to a supermarket to see that the processed, unhealthy foods are exceptionally cheap, while it costs a lot more to get your hands on the good stuff, like fish, organic fruit and vegetables, and white meat. Plus, you then have the likes of a gym membership and exercise equipment to add into the mix. It’s not hard to see why the expense can be off-putting. Nevertheless, you can lose weight healthily without spending a fortune, and here are some ways to do so:

Embrace free exercise options:

Yes, joining the gym is going to cost you money. However, there are many different ways that you can lose weight. You don’t need a personal trainer, nor do you need to buy expensive exercise equipment. What about a good old-fashioned run or power walk? This is one of the best ways to exercise and it doesn’t cost a dime. Also, thanks to the Internet, you can gain access to so many different exercise videos free of charge. All you need to do is a quick search on YouTube or another video site and you will see all different types of exercise videos you can follow, from Zumba to yoga. You no longer need to pay to go to a class.

Rethink your commute:

Another easy and effective way to incorporate free exercise into your lifestyle is to rethink your commute. If you live within a few miles of your place of work, how about biking or walking there? If this is not an option, small changes can make a massive difference. For example, take the stairs and stop using the elevator.

Skip ‘healthy’ convenience food:

Not all healthy foods are expensive – carrots are probably one of the cheapest things you can buy in a grocery store! What is expensive, however, are those convenient ‘healthy’ foods. You know, those 100-calorie snack packs, and the ‘healthy’ ready meals that are available in supermarkets. These are nothing more than budget drainers. You would be much better off buying a packet of dried fruit and nuts and making your own snack packs with sandwich bags. Weight loss has a lot to do with budget control, but do you really need to spend way over the odds for someone to give you the right quantity? You can do this yourself. In fact, if you’re worried that you will overeat, all you need to do is carry a measuring cup with you, and this will ensure that you are always on the right track.

Buy in bulk:

One of the best ways to save money when you are shopping is to buy in bulk. You can buy the likes of frozen vegetables, wholemeal rice, and oatmeal in bulk, and this will save you a lot of money. Another option is to buy a whole chicken instead of buying chicken pieces. You can easily cut the whole chicken up yourself into portions for the week. This will save you a good deal of money over time.

Are you eligible for surgery?

If you are deemed morbidly obese, you may be eligible for surgery. This is something that you may have to fund yourself or you may be entitled to some form of monetary assistance from the government. This all depends on your unique circumstances and where you live. Nevertheless, it is something that is worth exploring further, and this is certainly a case of money well spent if your weight is having an extremely detrimental impact on your health. You can’t put a price on living longer, but as any medical malpractice attorney will tell you, selecting a surgeon carefully is critical.

Ditch the red meat:

Ditching the red meat is not only good for your diet, but good for your bank balance too. Lamb and beef can cost a considerable amount of money and they contain more calories than white meat, such as chicken and turkey. Instead of embracing the red meat one night a week approach, why not go meatless? Turning veggie, even if it is for one night every week, will make it a lot more cost efficient for you to lose weight.

Make the most of vouchers and coupons:

Last but not least, one of the best ways to save money on your grocery shopping is to make the most of vouchers and coupons. Nowadays, you only need to do a quick search online to find hundreds of vouchers for different stores. You can also make the most of money saving apps too. Also, a lot of supermarkets and grocery stores offer you a discount on your first purchase so it’s worth exploring the option of buying from different stores from time to time. Don’t forget to make the most of loyalty cards as well; those reward points certainly add up over time.

If you follow the advice that has been discussed above, you should be able to lose weight without it impacting your bank balance. While there are a lot of companies that profit from exploiting people’s want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, you don’t need to buy into what they are offering. Being healthy doesn’t need to cost a fortune!

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Sep21

DIY Projects For Your Home

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DIY Projects For Your Home

If you are handy, completing DIY projects in your home is a great way to get creative and save some money. This is especially nice as the holiday season is fast approaching and there are gifts that need purchasing! Today, we are going to discuss some DIY projects that range from a beginner skill set to advanced to spruce up your home and fatten your wallet. Let’s get to it:

Painting:

Of course, you can hire a professional house painter but you can also do it yourself! From painting your house to freshening up a couple of rooms, completing a painting project on your own can be lots of fun. You can get creative with the colors and patterns that you choose and you can even turn it into an event. Gather some friends and have a painting party. Music, pizza, and a movie night afterwards will turn a chore into an absolute blast.

Painting doesn’t just have to be limited to rooms and the exterior of your house. If your walls are looking bare, try your hand at painting your own unique artwork to hang up. You can watch tutorials on YouTube or attend a Paint Night with friends to help you get inspired.

Refurbishing:

Refurbishing old and used furniture is an awesome way to save money and even make money if you’d like to sell your completed pieces on the side. It is also eco-friendly as you can purchase used pieces from a secondhand store and give them a whole new life. From sanding and painting to upholstering and adding on to the existing piece, there are lots of possibilities based on your skill level. You will end up with a one of a kind table or chairs that no one else in the world will have.

Landscaping:

If you have a green thumb, landscaping projects could be the DIY for you. Hiring a landscaping company to do it for you is easy but doing it yourself will be so much more rewarding! You could build your own raised planters, make a fountain out of terracotta pots, or simply lay down that mulch that you have been meaning to do for forever. Spending time outdoors is so good for your mental health and is even better when you are with friends. Garden party, anyone?

While your DIY skills may not be HGTV worthy, it never hurts to try something new. Who knows, you might just end up finding your new favorite hobby!