But the fact is, some of the most effective ways to impress a woman don’t require a fortune. In fact, expensive gifts are often a sign of a lazy bum – it’s the easy way out that doesn’t require effort and thinking. To really stand out of the crowd, all you need is a bit of creativity to show that you care.

How do you do that? Let’s find out.

1. Strategic Compliment

How many times do you think a professional pianist have heard her audience praise her skills with the piano? How many times do you think a vocalist heard her friends praise her voice?

Now think about this: how many times do you think a beautiful woman heard a man praise her looks? You’re right: more than she cares to count.

As such, these kinds of compliments mean little to nothing. Does that mean you shouldn’t compliment at all? Of course not. You do, however, need to compliment strategically. Here is an example:

Let’s say you like a beautiful dancer. Complimenting her for her looks or a dancing skills won’t make you stand out from the crowd, so what do you do? You find out what her other hobbies are. Perhaps she likes rock-climbing – and is very average at the sport. How many times do you think she’s heard people complimenting her for her rock-climbing skills?

That’s right: few, if any.

2. Being great with her kids

This is one of the most effective ways into a woman’s heart. Here’s the hard truth: men are seldom good with kids, especially kids that are not theirs. So if you are, you can be sure you’ll be the odd one out – and that’s a good thing.

It’ll show her that you are a family guy, not just out to take advantage of her.

3. Having a passion

Nothing turns a woman off more than a man without a passion. And by passion, I don’t mean putting her on a pedestal or throwing her on a table and make love right then and there.

By passion, I mean do you have a purpose in life, something that keeps you going on a day to day basis. A man who dedicates his life fighting against sex-trafficking is a great example, but you don’t have to go that far if you don’t want to.

Raising your children on your own or volunteering at the local orphanage still counts so don’t hide it, thinking that she might accuse you of being pretentious!

4. Taking care of yourself, physically

It may not be politically correct, but we all judge a book by its cover. And one of the tell-tale signs of a loser is someone who doesn’t take care of himself physically – and that includes personal hygiene, your weight and how you dress.

Want to impress a woman? The first step is to keep your nails short, your hair well-combed and dress decently – whatever that means to the woman of your dream (this one varies). Second, start exercising and keep yourself fit.

5. Doing the unexpected

Strategic compliments work, in large part, because of its unexpectedness. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to stop there. You can also DO the unexpected. Here’s a simple example: calling to say I love you.

Not at that stage? Perhaps plan a surprise weekend-getaway? Remember, however, not to cross the line between unexpected and just plain creepy.

6. Listening

Have you ever listened to what the woman of your dreams is saying? No, I don’t mean hear, I mean listen. When a man listens, he is interested – engrossed even. He leans forward, he nods and he maintains eye contact. If you’re a third-party observing the conversation, he looks like a child listening to a story.

And he’s not there to offer solutions either – most of what you have in mind she probably thought of anyway. He’s there to understand.

Most men make the mistake of trying to be interesting, when all he has to do to impress a woman is be interested.

7. Humor

Here’s the best investment you’ll ever make in your quest to impress women: a joke book. Spend your money learning to be funny instead of all those protein powder to bulk up. Why? Because laughter causes a surge of good hormones, not unlike sex, and if you can make a woman laugh enough times, she’ll associate that feeling with your very presence.

8. Being romantic

And last but not least, step out of your comfort zone and be a little bit of a romantic. A couple of candles and the ability to cook are all that you need to make yet another night-out eating in a fancy restaurant into a romantic dinner – even if what you cook turns out badly.

Similarly, a simple picnic over the weekend is all you need to turn yet another movie-filled Saturday into something unforgettable.

The choice is yours.

Ally is part of  a team managing  personal finance blogs in Sydney, Australia. They provide tips about Budget Planning and How to Save Money Fast . Previously she was a Media Planner working on famous campaigns including the Levi’s 501 “Live Unbuttoned” global campaign.

Related posts:

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2. 8 Simple Ways To Be Energy Efficient At Home And Save
3. 4 ways to be green AND save money with your HVAC system

1. Take a Nature Hike

A great way to spend some time with your loved one during the day and help save the environment is to appreciate the wildlife that surrounds you—no matter if it’s simply taking a walk in the park, having an “outdoorsy” adventure can be really romantic. If you happen to live in an area that gets particularly cold in February, just make sure to bundle up and wear warm, comfortable clothing. Indulge in a cup of hot coco made with free-trade chocolate or some organic herbal tea stored in a thermos to help keep the two of you warm on your journey. After a short hike or stroll, pick a spot where the two of you can enjoy a picnic that is made with nothing but organic and free-range products—sandwiches and soups are easy to pack.  If the two of you happen be free the following day, you might also consider camping in the woods under the starry night. Make sure to only use reusable containers and cloth products if this idea seems plausible.

2. Prepare a Home Cooked Dinner

Going to a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day is a pretty generic date idea—but unless you plan on eating at a sustainable restaurant and taking a bike or bus to get to your desired location, you’ll most likely be better off cooking a romantic dinner for two at home—not to mention that it’ll save you a few bucks and reduce your carbon footprint in the process.  Go to your local farmer’s market to pick out some of the freshest ingredients and prepare your meal (and dessert) using seasonal ingredients. Set the mood by dimming the lights and lighting some candles made of beeswax, vegetable oil, or organic soy since these are the best kind of candles for the environment. Playing some soothing music in the background is also another great idea. You can even create a “theme”—for example, you could make an Italian dish and play traditional Italian music in the background or make a Parisian dish and play French music.

3. Register for Sustainable Classes

If you don’t want to cook at home because you don’t know how to, a really neat idea is to register for sustainable cooking classes—most are offered through your local farmer’s market, culinary school or an organic grocer like Whole Foods. The two of you can brush up on your cooking skills and enjoy a meal the two of you prepared under the supervision of a professional while learning a whole bunch of vital eco-information along the way.

4. Have an Organic Spa Night

A great date for the two of you to enjoy is to book a massage and or facial at an organic spa—there are several located around the United States that use non-toxic organic lotions, scrubs, and oils and are quickly growing in popularity. While typically a couple’s massage will run you about $100 or more, if this isn’t in your price range you can easily do one at home—buy your own natural organic oils and lotions and convert your home to a relaxing and tranquil environment.

5. Create a Garden, Plant a Tree

Lastly but certainly not least, a fun “green” experience the two of you can enjoy together is planting an herb garden or tree—either by volunteering for an organization or doing so in your very own backyard. You can start off by planting your own flowers in a pot and presenting them to your date—these will live longer than a bouquet of flowers anyway.

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

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Unfortunately, when they expire or need to be replaced, many people just chuck ‘em. However there are some crafty ways you can bring new life to your old credit card. Here are 5 ways you can re-use them for something else.

1. Jewelry

That may sound crazy, but do a Google search for “credit card jewelry” and you will see there are tons of pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that can be made from them. But more surprising is that many of them actually look pretty cool! Many make creative use of the person’s name that was embossed on the credit card. Meanwhile, others make a pop-culture statement on status by crafting American Express Gold and Platinum cards into chic accessories.

2. Ice Scraper

Have you ever been caught in a snowstorm without an ice scraper? As someone who grew up in Michigan, trust me, it’s not fun! Thankfully the time it happened to me, I had a couple credit cards in my pocket. Obviously they aren’t the ideal tool for the job, but I was successful nonetheless in using them to scrape ice from the windshield. You never know when your spouse, relative, or friend might borrow the scraper from your car and forget to put it back. So if you live somewhere it snows, you may want to shove a couple old Visa or MasterCards into that glovebox.

3. Artwork

At the Graphic Design Museum in the Netherlands, there’s an astonishing mosaic that’s completely made of credit cards. It takes up an entire wall and the cards are arranged by color. But if you think mosaics are the only thing you can make, think again. Check out the mosaic and more to see the dozens of different ways people have incorporated these pieces of plastic into their artwork.

4. Phone Stand

I love my iPhone, but what I don’t love is the fact that there’s no built-in stand. Fortunately it’s as simple as folding a credit card in two different places and voila! You have a fully adjustable stand. Best of all, this cheap and quick iPhone stand can be assembled in a matter of seconds, wherever you may be. The author on the aforementioned link notes that it’s the perfect stand for flying, since it’s so compact and portable.

5. Construction

This is another use I can personally vouch for, because I’ve used old credit and debit cards on a number of occasions. How so? Well it’s the perfect rounded edge for caulking and a straight edge for plastering (i.e. fixing nail holes in your wall with a dash of plaster). In fact, during the last occasion, I actually found my old Bank of America debit card to work better than my $6 edging tool from Home Depot.

So there you have it… 5 ways to give your old credit card new life. It’s worth pointing out that not only will these uses work for bank cards, but also just about any plastic card you can think of. Everything from an old Walmart gift card to an expired YMCA membership card. So next time you find yourself with one that’s no longer needed, save it for later use.

Mike owns and operates CreditCardForum, which is a message board for comparing credit card deals and what people are saying about them. His most recent review was of the Walmart Money Card, which he gives a big thumbs down to. Rather than paying the high fees on it, he recommends using it for any of the five purposes above!

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3. 8 Ways To Impress A Woman Without Spending A Fortune

While parents might feel just fine “throwing something together” for their office party, children can be very sensitive about homemade costumes. They want to be their favorite movie character and impress, or at least blend in, with their friends.

So, we’re not suggesting gluing a cotton ball to your child’s rear end, calling her a bunny and sending her on her merry way. But there are many ways that you can add a little green to your holidays this year.

Compromise With Your Children or Yourself

There’s something about the psychology of wearing a store bought costume and, as much as your frugally focused mind might not want to admit it, you have to compromise with your children to get them on board. But this doesn’t mean that you have to go out and buy an expensive full costume. Especially with movie Halloween costumes, there’s usually one defining piece of the costume that makes the whole thing come together. So, you might consider buying the one defining piece at the store and frugally handling the rest. For example:

• Leonidas from 300 – The Spartan Helmet
• Jason from Friday the 13th – The Hockey Mask
• Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean – The Pirate Hat

Always think of ways to cover both ends of the problem with Halloween costumes. While you might want to save money on your Halloween costumes, there’s nothing wrong with purchasing a single item for your child to help preserve their self esteem.

Holiday Costumes Entirely From Scratch

There are also movie costumes that can be made entirely from scratch with a bit of ingenuity, like:

• Indiana Jones from Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Harry Potter from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz
• Woody from Toy Story 2

For portions of a costume (or entire costumes) that you would like to treat frugally, use the following techniques to put together costumes that look good, without requiring you to shell out that $56.31.

Make a list of what you need: Ask your child (or yourself, of course) what he or she would like to be for the upcoming holiday. Ask him or her to make a list of the possibilities. Then, use these to start on your own list. Find a picture of the character and start making a list of all the items that make the costume come together. For example, if you want to be Jack Sparrow, you might make the following list:

• Pirate Hat
• Red Bandana
• Long Black Wig (with multicolored beads)
• Black Makeup
• White Shirt
• Blue Vest
• Belt with Large Buckle
• White and Brown Sash
• Brown Pants
• Black Boots (or spats)
• Sword and Sheath

You now have a shopping list (or scavenger list) for all of the costume items. If you have multiple people to dress up, consider convincing them to wear complimentary costumes (like a vampire and his victim) to cut down on both costs and shopping time. Take this list and a picture of the character with you as you hunt for the necessary items.

Check your own closet first: You’d be surprised what you can find in the forgotten depths of your own closet. A loose white shirt can easily become part of Jack Sparrow’s ensemble. That old berry picking basket would be perfect for Dorothy or Little Red Riding Hood.

Visit the local thrift shops: Thrift shops are obviously a gold mine for Halloween costumes. While you would never wear or own a frilly white shirt, for example, you might be able to find one at the thrift store. Keep an eye out for extra items that you didn’t think of in the first place too. For example, you might find some garish rings that look like the ones Jack Sparrow wears in the movies. But be careful – it can be easy to accidentally spend much more money than you anticipated at the thrift store. Sometimes you can even end up going over the original store-bought budget.

Alter existing items: If you have a hard time finding one item, consider using a bit of creativity to make another one work. You might not find boots that fit you for your costume. But, by cutting out the bottoms, you can make some spats to wear over normal black shoes. This works best with boots that don’t have laces. Along the same lines, if you can’t find a cheap whip for your Indiana Jones costume, consider simply wrapping a piece of rope in a loop on your belt. It doesn’t have to be a fully functioning whip to be an effective accessory. If all else fails, try just going without. Can you look like Captain Sparrow without donning a black wig?

Take advantage of seasonal sales: If you just can’t get creative, ask around to see if anyone has old Halloween costumes in their attics. Or, buy your costumes right after the holiday, when they are priced up to 80% off. This tactic is best for costume accessories rather than whole costumes (children grow out of clothes quickly). Also, you very well might find yourself wearing that Indiana Jones hat to keep the sun out of your eyes while you work in the garden during the year – giving you an extra bonus.

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1 – Eat less meat

Most nutritionists will tell you that cutting down on eating meat is better for your health, and the spend at the butcher would easily be the biggest portion of most family budgets each week. Therefore, with so many benefits already, the fact that eating less meat is also good for the environment is a bonus.

Research has shown that if we all ate less meat, we could reduce the cost of fighting climate change by $20 trillion. This research takes into account the consumption of beef and pork, and if land was not needed to farm these animals, vegetation would be able to thrive in these areas. Even though additional farmland would be needed to grow the alternatives to meat, less space would be required than is used to farm meat producing animals.

As well as the extra vegetation which would be allowed to grow, millions of tonnes of methane would be saved thanks to reduced emissions from farms. This would negate the need for expensive carbon saving technologies such as clean coal power plants. The methane is also released from the animals themselves, where cows in particular release methane when flatulent, and as their manure decays.

You wouldn’t need to give up eating meat all together, and instead need to look at how meat can accompany other foods, rather than be the star of every meal. If the global population were to eat a low meat diet of 70 grams of beef and 325 grams of chicken and eggs per week , 15 million square metres of farmland could be used for more vegetation to absorb more carbon dioxide. The farmland could also be used to grow bio energy crops which could replace fossil fuels.

2 – Downsize your home

It is easy to think that you need a big house with a games room, three bathrooms, a separate study, guest room and formal dining room. However, if you were to downsize your home to accommodate your family in a bedroom each and one or two living areas you will be able to not only save money on mortgage repayments, heating and cooling costs but you’ll also find more time to spend together as a family for a richer lifestyle outside of your bank account too.

Plus, even if you do remember to turn the lights off when you leave the room, turn the air conditioner up in summer and down in winter and turn off your standby appliances, when your home and living areas are smaller and more compact, you are using less power in less space, and producing fewer emissions.

3 – Look in your own backyard

Your own backyard presents numerous opportunities to be frugal, for example, growing your own vegetables and collecting rainwater for use in the garden and in your home. However, as you’re saving money in your backyard, you can also be landscaping in an environmentally sensitive way to reduce your carbon footprint.

To design a backyard which is affordable to maintain, and also beneficial to the environment around it:

• Design your yard so it requires little or no mowing so you can get rid of your petrol powered lawn mower.
• Plant varieties which are native to your area and so require little to no watering or fertiliser.
• Research companion planting so you can grow your garden without using harmful chemicals, and can instead use natural ecosystems to control bugs.
• Make your backyard a relaxing and inviting place to be and you and your family will be able to enjoy evenings and weekends at home together and save on costly family outings.

4 – Renovate instead of moving

In many cases, reusing materials from old properties and refurbishing existing homes can save more carbon dioxide than building a new home. For example, the construction of a new house generates approximately 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide; however, the renovation of an existing home emits just 15 tonnes.

Plus, there is often little difference between the performance of an old house, compared to a new one, and it can take decades for the operational savings of a newer more energy efficient home to offset the carbon emitted during its construction. As a result, there is almost no difference in the average emissions of a new house, compared to a refurbished house over a 50 year period.

Therefore, while it is more environmentally friendly to renovate your existing home, compared to building a new home from scratch, it can also be much more affordable. When you renovate a home there are many materials you can reuse, even if not in their original capacity, for example, structural timbers taken out to open up a living area could split and sanded to be used for floorboards, a kitchen bench top or a dining table.

5 – Build a new sustainable home

If you don’t have a home you can renovate, building your own home is often more affordable, and better value than buying established where you are paying for landscaping and all of those expensive finishing touches, which might not all be to your liking anyway.

Instead, you can plan for a sustainable and energy efficient new home, which will be affordable and environmentally friendly to build and to run. You can do this by:

• Choosing a passive design. If you can get the design of your home to work to heat and cool your home, then you can save yourself turning on the air conditioning and heating. For example, using glass in measured architectural designs can mean warmth is admitted in the cooler months, and kept out during the summer months with modern glazing methods.
• Heating and cooling ratings. When you purchase the heating and cooling system for your new home, look at its energy star rating as the more stars it has, the more energy efficient it is to run. Another environmentally and financially friendly option is to choose a ducted system, with individually controlled vents, which allows for the system to be turned off in any room which is not being used.
• Solar or gas hot water. Solar and gas hot water systems are the two most energy efficient systems to heat the water in your home, and you can make your unit even more efficient by insulating around your hot water pipes – the first two metres from the hot water system in particular. You can also choose a hot water system based on its Renewable Energy Certificate which determines the performance of the system – the more RECs the better the system.
• Lighting. In your new home, make sure you install energy saving light bulbs, and choose the lowest wattage you can for an area to save power. Also, while down lights have become very fashionable in new homes, try and avoid them when building as you will need a lot to light up a room, and a lot of heat can be lost through the holes in the ceiling where the lights are housed.
• Solar power. When you build a new home, consider running it on solar power from the beginning as panels on your roof can collect enough sunlight and convert enough electricity to power your home, and have power left over to send back into the grid to power other homes and businesses.

6 – Your free time is free

If you are looking for ways to save the environment, and some money, start by looking at home – and staying there. Spending time with your family at home or around your neighbourhood can reduce your carbon footprint, and save you money in fuel and long distance family holidays. Consider the emissions you would produce going on long road trips or towing a caravan around the state, or even towing your boat down to the shore. Instead, find affordable holiday destinations closer to home, or rent a caravan at a caravan park when you arrive, instead of using gallons of fuel to tow your own, or fish from a jetty or the beach instead of towing your boat to the ocean, and then burning fuel all day out on the water.

7 – Creative clothes shopping

Have you ever looked at every item in your closet and thought about how many times you’ve worn it? Chances are that while you have your favourites, there are dozens of pieces which you’ve only worn once or twice, and others you haven’t worn at all. So the next time you see a skirt on sale, or a pair of shoes you think would be perfect for your son, think of all the clothing, materials, time and money which have already gone to waste in your wardrobe, and consider whether this really is a smart purchase.

To reduce the impact of your clothing purchases, look for more creative ways to expand your family’s wardrobe. For example, if you get together with friends to swap hand-me-downs, it doesn’t matter if your daughter doesn’t like the top you chose for her, because it is being reused, not wasted from new.

8 – Stop using your car

This doesn’t mean you have to start walking everywhere – although you would certainly be able to save on a gym membership – but instead, simply consider whether you really need to drive to where you’re going. With a little planning and organisation, you can cut down your vehicle usage, and save on the wear and tear of your car, fuel costs, and fuel emissions.

For example, make a list before you go shopping so you don’t have to go back to the supermarket for forgotten items, wait to go to the post office until it is time to pick up the kids from school so you can make one trip.

Your family may even be able to look at getting rid of a second car with some organisation and timetable scheduling. You might even donate a car to charity to help transition the process.”

9 – Switch your car’s fuel

Petrol is one of the most expensive and environmentally damaging fuels you can be running your car on, and if you are able to convert your car to gas or to run on bio-ethanol, the financial and environmental savings can be worth the investment. If you are already looking at buying a new car, consider the fuel it runs on as a priority, right up there next to power windows and Bluetooth, and look for vehicles which produce less harmful emissions running on alternative fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen, electricity and even diesel.

10 – Save your paperwork

Whether you run your own business, work from home, are part of a corporate office environment or are just looking at the contents of your home filing system, you are probably surrounded by paperwork. Curbing your paper use is just one way you can save money and the environment in your office and you can start by:

• Printing double sided when you print documents, or reusing old printed pages.
• Having bills sent electronically, rather than posted as paper printouts, you also often save several dollars for receiving electronic bills and bank statements.
• Making notes electronically on your computer desktop, your email manager or your smartphone to save on note paper and Post-its.
• Think twice and three times before you print a document or email.
• Organise the files on your computer for easy access to electronic documents as this will retrain you to search electronically for the information you need, so you can avoid printed copies of your work.

Alban is a personal finance writer at Home Loan Finder, a home loan comparison site.

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For those of you that might not be privy, a staycation is exactly the same as a vacation except for one major aspect – you don’t go anywhere.  At least, you don’t go very far.

I’m a huge fan of staycations and take advantage of them on a regular basis. They’re a great way to get away without the hassle and expense of actually getting away, never mind the ecological benefits of a vacation close to home.

However, the staycation is a bit of an enigma.  When I tell people how much I like them, I usually get an eye roll followed by something like “Why would you use your time off to sit at home?”

This is how most people look at the staycation, so it continues to lack the respect it deserves.

Enjoying a a truly gratifying staycation is an art form.  It takes practice and, believe it or not, an adventurous spirit.  When done right, it can be a really lively and refreshing experience.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can experience a truly awesome vacation in your own backyard.

Be a tourist

When people from out of town come to explore your city, what do they do?  Where do they go?  Do those things and go to those places!

When you’re living your every day life, you probably overlook a lot of the things that people find really fascinating about your home.  A staycation is a great way to reconnect with your city or rediscover the things that drew you to where you are in the first place.

When I staycation here in Portland, I might go to the zoo, have a picnic at the rose garden, or go for a hike in our famous Forest Park. These are things I vividly remember  falling in love with when I moved here, but rarely take advantage of anymore now that I’m settled.

What is your place known for?  How can you reconnect with it?

Find a new hole-in-the-wall

Life at home can really become routine with your day to day responsibilities. Does your typical day looks something like this?

• Wake up and go to work
• Eat the same lunch you did yesterday
• Go home and eat the same dinner you do every night
• Distract yourself with the same thing you do all the time
• Go to bed, wake up, repeat

If it does, take the time during your staycation to slow down and open your eyes to the places you pass by every day, but never notice.  When you’ve got a routine down, every day becomes getting from Point A to Point B with fewer and fewer interruptions.

This kind of efficiency can be great for productivity, but you’re likely missing out on some great stuff that is right in front of your face.  Spend a day biking or even walking your commute to work or other places you commonly go.

The slower pace is like turning up the resolution of life. There are likely all kinds of shops, restaurants, and cafes that you pass by all the time and today is the day to discover them.  Take it slow and enjoy.

Is there some interesting place you pass by all the time, but you’ve never been inside?

Reconnect with friends and make new ones

Life is all about relationships and a staycation is the perfect time to nurture them.  Just like all the things at home you miss during your day at work, there are people you probably miss, too.

Take a second to give them a call and let them know you’ve got some free time coming up and would like to spend it with them.  You’ll probably have to work around their busy schedule since they’re still working, but that’s OK since you’ve got your free time during the day to take care of other business.

Also, don’t pass up an opportunity to strike up a conversation with some new faces at your new favorite hole-in-the-wall. You never know who you could meet.

Quick.  Who’s just a hop, skip, or jump away that you’ve lost connection with?

Explore a new neighborhood

A staycation is a great time to get outside the comfort of your neighborhood and see what other parts of your city has to offer.  Sure, you probably make your way around town once in while, but do you really know what’s going on in other neighborhoods?

When I was in college, I took a few courses in urban planning and one in particular required that I acquaint myself with a different neighborhood each week and report out in class.  In just ten weeks, I had learned more about my city than the previous 2 years that I’d spent hanging out on campus.

Don’t forget that learning a new neighborhood is a great opportunity to find that hole-in-the-wall cafe and meet interesting people. Better to not miss out.  Double up wherever you can.

Where’s the one part of town that you keep hearing about but never get to?

Finish a project

This is probably the most highly contested piece of advice for a staycation, but I firmly believe in it.

Critics say that to make the most of a staycation, you need to do all you can to leave your daily life behind.  That’s fine for some people, but not for me.

I take on all kinds of projects in my free time (this site is one of them) because I really like them and want to spend time doing them.  Most of them get finished, but some of the harder, time consuming ones end up by the wayside when work and responsibilities get in the way.

A staycation is the perfect time to focus your energy on that project you started but haven’t made time to finish yet.

A word of warning, though – I do not recommend you use this time to work on projects you started because you had to.  Use it on one you started because you really wanted to.  This can be extremely liberating and fulfilling.

Those projects you still have to do?  Don’t worry, you’ll still finish them because, well, you have to.

Which project have you been dying to finish? If none, which one have you been dying to start?

Perfecting the art

It should be noted that your perfect staycation might look completely different from mine.

Before you embark, take some time to think about how you can really make the most of it.  The perfect staycation is more of an art than a science.  It’s very subjective, so try not to worry about what your friends think of your plans.  That’s why they’re yours.

What does your perfect staycation look like?

~~~~~

If you think hanging out at home is as cool as I do, leave a comment, or subscribe get free updates.

Connect with me on Twitter: @tylertervooren

Image of backyard playground by trbpix

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Seriously.

We do all sorts of things every day because we think we have to.  We go to work every day to provide for our families and our futures.  We offer our resources to causes we rather wouldn’t because we feel obligated.  We do this kind of stuff all the time and it’s draining.

When was the last time you really wanted something, but didn’t buy it because you thought it was the responsible thing to do?  “Oh my god, I want it so bad, but I can’t afford it.”

Are you pushing yourself beyond comfort to squeeze the last little bit of elusive sustainability into your life?  Why? Because you feel guilty?  Are you afraid the Earth police are going to come kick down your door and check your thermostat?  If it’s set above 60 degrees, you’re going to be awfully embarrassed.

If you’re trying to green your life because you feel guilty, you’re doing it wrong.  Seems harsh, but I think the sooner people start realizing this, the sooner we can actually start making some meaningful changes in our lives.

There are at least one million different ways to make this world a better place.  There are least one million ways to live a financially sustainable life.  I quit counting at about three-hundred-thousand, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

With all of the options out there, anybody should be able to find something they can do without resorting to guilt as motivation.

What do you care about?  What turns you on?  When you wake up in the morning, what do you wish you were heading off to do?  Why not focus on those things?  There’s no limit, really.

Do you love watching the smurfs and care about the environment?  Make a parody cartoon where the smurfs band together to stop a neighboring tribe form chopping down the forest between them.  Start a website and post your episodes on Youtube.

Love going out for sushi but hate all the disposable chopsticks?  Why not design a beautiful, functional, and indestructible chopstick and start selling them to your favorite restaurants?

If you really want to make a difference, you have to do something you care about.  I really don’t think there are any shortcuts.  When it comes to environmentalism, the difference you make is in the influence you exert on others.  Wiping your ass with one sheet of single-ply instead of four sheets of two-ply toilet paper is never going to fix our environment unless it really excites the hell out of you.

Environmental experts and economists like to argue about what the biggest impact changes we can make are and, if biggest impact changes are what excite the hell out of you, then pay close attention and do what they tell you to.  If that doesn’t describe you, then quit paying attention to the experts and go do your own thing.

Life is too damn short to do a bunch of crap you don’t care about, especially when it’s not going to make a difference.

Here’s the bottom line:

If it doesn’t excite you, you’re going to half-ass it.  If you half-ass it, no one is going to pay attention.  If no one pays attention, you’re wasting your time.

So forget everything you’ve been told about what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to do it.  Start making your own rules and empowering others to make theirs.

~~~~~

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Waking up Sunday morning, I had no plan to spend the whole day out and about, let alone leave the house (yes, sometimes I’m quite the hermit).  So how did I find all these things to do on such short notice and no real plan?  I have to hand it to a local blog I frequent, PDX Pipeline, for keeping me in the loop about all sorts of less publicized things going on around town as well as a few community bloggers at The Oregonian.

I think the lesson here is that to find the small, fun and free events in your area, you really need to stay in touch with the local community.  All the big, paid admission events with sizable advertising budgets are easy to find.  They’re also full of people.  I’ve found it’s a lot easier to hang out and connect with interesting people at smaller events.  I think you let your guard down a bit more when you’re not being bombarded by other people.

Let’s dissect my Sunday escapade.  There’s likely some useful info in there that will apply where you live and can help you find free, local events to learn more about sustainability and meet interesting people.

Farmer’s Market

Every weekend I get up at the crack of dawn to help Jessie load up her car for the farmer’s market.  Sometimes I’ll tag along and sometimes I’ll just go back to bed or sit around in my underwear until I feel like greeting the day.  On Sundays, she’s pretty close by so I’ll ride my bike out to make a quick appearance, eat a cupcake and wander around. This week, my mom was in town with no bike, so we took her car.  It’s easy to spend a few hours here shopping for fresh, organic produce, talking with booth owners and market goers, and listening to the live bands that are practically obligatory for every open-air market.

I recommend anyone interested in sustainability and food spend a little time at their local farmer’s market.  Vendors are usually more than happy to chat about their farms and what they’re doing to help promote the local food movement. This weekend I had no need to buy anything, so I simply sat at one of the open tables at the center of the market and tapped my foot to the music in the air.  Drop a dollar in the open guitar case and I’m off to the next adventure.

Sunday Parkways

While driving out to the farmer’s market, I couldn’t help but notice that the police were blocking the street at a number of intersections (thinking “oh great, what’s this protest about), allowing what appeared to be a sea of bicycles to cross uninterrupted as cars backed up for blocks, waiting their turn.  As soon as we got home, I hopped on the Oregonian site to see if there was any news about it.

Sure enough, there was an article explaining that 3 times a summer, a huge swath of streets are shut down in different neighborhoods around town to allow bikers to ride around, just for fun, without the hassle of cars for a day.  The pathway normally leads to a number of different parks where people can mingle, learn about local clubs and organizations that serve the community, and, presumably, talk about bike stuff.

Awesome! I hop on the road bike I bought in 6^th grade (cue memories of the bear riding the tricycle at the circus) and head out to see what it’s all about.  Along the way, I engage other riders with thought provoking statements like, “Hey!”, and “What’s up?”

Bike Share Demonstration

While searching for info on the parkways, I happened upon another article explaining that the City of Portland was planning to implement another really cool program that we have no funding for: a bike share program!  They promised it would be different from the free program we tried in the 90s that ended with a bunch of vandalized and stolen bikes and everyone scratching their head asking, “What happened?” A demonstration of possible solutions was being held all day at a nearby park for public comment.

Turns out, there are a number of cities embracing this idea now.  Lots of places in Europe have functioning systems, Washington D.C. has a small program, one was just installed in Montreal, Denver is putting one in, and now Portland is interested again.  “Cool,” I thought, “I’ll take the Sunday Parkway down and check it out.” Synergy.

The event was much more than I expected.  I must have spent about an hour talking to representatives about their programs and how they could work in a city like ours.  There was a band playing that I sat and watched for awhile, and I made my way around the park, stopping to chat with the local clubs and programs promoting themselves at booths set up along the walkways before hopping back on the bike and heading home.  And I almost didn’t go, thinking it wouldn’t be worth the ride all the way over to the park.  Glad I took the opportunity.

Hawthorne Street Fair

Thinking that my day couldn’t possibly be filled with any more free entertainment, I rode home and hopped back on the internet to read a few blogs.  Lo and behold, PDX Pipeline kindly reminded me that the Hawthorne St. Fair was taking place all day today.  There would be more vendors, neighborhood programs, art, music, and likely a few tall bikes cruising around, pissing off drivers.

I was kind of tired, but how could I pass it up? Unfortunately, I had to abandon the bike to get my mom and Jessie over there with me, but it was a short car trip and completely worth it (it would have been better to ride the bus, but we were in a hurry to get there before it ended).

Two hours later and I had met about 15 more awesome neighborhood artists and businesses, won a button spinning a big wheel, and found a new favorite street band – The Bellboys.  Here’s a link to their myspace page.  I’m sure they could use a few new fans.

How to make (and keep making) your own frugally green weekends

Wow, what a day! Waking up I never would have imagined what it would turn into. I had lots of fun and learned about sustainability for a total of $3 that I left in tips for artists and musicians that I appreciated. Looking back, I think I picked up a few basic ideas that anyone can use to find these kinds of events and then keep finding them.  They all boil down to staying in touch with the community around you.

• Read local newspapers. They don’t come out frequently, so this is better for events you can plan ahead for.  If your city has neighborhood rags, they’ll be your best bet for finding the cool little things that slip through the cracks of the bigger publications.

• Social Media is key. For last minute ideas, city/community specific blogs are awesome for keeping you up to date.  You can also rely on friends to clue you in on sites like Twitter and Facebook.

• Don’t miss an opportunity. If you know something is going on and you’re just not sure about it, go check it out anyway.  The worst that will happen is you’ll skip it the next time it comes around.  In my case, I wasn’t expecting to run into all that I did at the park, but I’m sure glad I did.

• Sign up for email lists. If you run into something or someone you find interesting and they offer email updates, sign up!  Nobody likes spam, but my experience has always been that there is an inverse relationship between the size of an event and the amount of worthless advertising they send out.  Most of the groups you run into at these small-time events just want to let you know what they’re up to.  Lots of times they’ll even point you to other groups doing interesting things that you’ll be happy to know about.

This kind of entertainment is not exactly mainstream or conventional. It’s not as easy to find as a nightclub downtown or a movie ticket to this weeks blockbuster hit.  But you know what?  I think it’s a lot more fun.  In all my years, I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone new or interesting at the movie theater, but I probably met 20 new and interesting people just this Sunday.

What kind of free entertainment do you enjoy? How do you find (or create) it? Please join in the conversation.

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