Broke AF and In Debt

After reading 23 Way to Treat Yo'Self Without Buying or Eating Anything from Yes and Yes, I felt inspired to create a post about it. Maybe even just relisting what this article says and/or making my own list. We'll see how it goes...

As an almost mid-20's young adult drowning in large amounts of student loans and credit card debt, I'm constantly on the hunt for something to keep me entertained at the price of nothing. That's right. I'm just another broke 20-something year old trying to have fun in life without spending any money. Right now it's winter in Colorado, which means it's snowing, which means there isn't much outdoor activity to do unless you're a snowboarder, ice climber, snowshoer, etc. While I am a snowboarder, I'm also a coastal California chick that doesn't know how to drive in the snow aka I'm scared shitless to slide on ice in my vehicle and get into a tragic accident.This morning I made it to work although driving conditions weren't 100% safe. I can say it was the most terrifying and exhilarating experiene I have ever had in a car. You definitely need a 4WD or AWD living in this kind of weather. It makes me miss California so much, but also thankful I get to experience this kind of lifestyle. I don't know how long I'm willing to stay here, so we'll just keep that up in the air. While I'm here, I'll be hunting down ways to keep myself busy, have fun, and stay cool, calm, and collected without spending a penny.

1. Napping
Yesterday I fell asleep on my boyfriend's shoulder after reading maybe half a page of "Eat to Live." No it's not a boring book, it's something that I'm very interested in. I was just exhausted from what seems like nothing. It was a slow snowy day at work. I went home, returned some purchases from the Goodwill 3 blocks away from my house (where I ended up getting an extra $2.50 back.. thank you nice cashier lady!), and picked up some Thai food for dinner. I think it may have been a food coma that knocked me out or this winter hibernating weather or both. Either way, this nap was uh-maze-ing. I felt so energized that I even worked out right after I woke up. Note to self: MUST. NAP. MORE.

2. Self Mani/Pedi
I never thought of adding a few drops of essential oil AND body wash to a PRETTY bowl of warm water for soakage. I must invest in some more essential oils since I only have peppermint. It smells great, but it's nice to have some variety. As for a pretty bowl... I'm sure I can find something around the house. I've heard mixed reviews about pushing the cuticles back. I'm not even quite sure what exactly that does for the nail or how it helps. I should probably look that up. It's been a while since I've had a nice hand scrub. Wellness Mama offers a great 'Simple Sugar Scrub' recipe:
1/2 cup of sugar (white or brown)
1/2 of oil (olive or coconut)
Optional: essential oil
If you're itching for alternatives, click here.

3. Re-reading Books
I've always been a collector of books. I had to get rid of some since they were just collecting dust and being unread. I've got a good collection of books right now. I'd say about 2 cubbies full, half of which I haven't read yet. I would like to read the books I have before purchasing any more at my local Goodwill.

4. Play Hookie
I can't really take a day off of work being a nurse. I would feel way too guilty. I just gotta make the most out of my days off, which I usually do snowboarding, running errands, and doing absolutely nothing. Yes.

5. Bathing
Taking baths is one of my favorite things to do. The flower petals, the epsom salt, the essential oils, the candles. It's all so magical. My current bathtub is quite disgusting. 3 men lived in the apartment before my boyfriend and I moved in. It was cleaned 3-4 times before it was considered showerable, but I swore that I would never bathe in that tub. Just gotta wait until I'm blessed with a beautiful clean tub.

6. Netflix and chill
Netflix marathons is the ultimate lazy day. Lately we've been binging on Friends episodes with occassional X-Files in between. To be honest, X-Files used to scare me and still kinda does. I definitely wouldn't watch it alone. We're pretty lucky to have Showtime and HBO on the Apple TV too. We just use my boyfriend's parents account. We'll throw on some Shameless on sundays. We also get to stream sports, so that's pretty entertaining. Especially when the Warriors are on! Just waiting on Game of Thrones and Girls to come back on HBO...

7. Music
I go on download binges every now and then. I love creating playlist for a current time in my life. I can always listen to it in the future and be reminded of how things were in the past. That's what's great about music. It just automatically makes you feel some type of way.

8. Pet Shelters
Pet shelters always remind me of that one time I went to SPCA in San Francisco and adopted a cat when I was 18 with my ex-boyfriend. My cat's name was Charlie and he was an active little fella. I remember he was keep me up at night wanting to play and he would climb on top of my computer whenever I was trying to do any homework. I ended up having to give him away because I was working three jobs and going to school full time. I just didn't have the patience to take care of him, plus he wasn't allowed in my apartment. I gave him to my cousins who were living with my grandparents at the time. I don't think they liked him very much, so he ended up with my cousins stepfather who was a cat person. He's in a good hands.

9. Aimless walks without a phone
I used to walk around a lake down the street from my apartment in Oakland, CA. It was about a 3.4 mile walk with always gorgeous weather. I can't really do that in Colorado with all this snow snowin around. One thing I do want to work on and getting off my phone. I'm on it way too much. It's such a distraction.

10. DIY face mask
I used to experiment with homemade beauty regimens when I was younger. It was always messy and fun. I should probably get back into that so I don't have to spend $20 on a small tub of LUSH masks. They're smell so good and are so convenient though.. Winter can't end sooner here in Colorado. Apparently it lasts until April which I'm obviously dreading. So here's a list of 7 DIY Face Masks for Healthy, Gorgeous Spring Skin for a head start!

11. Go for a drive
Driving = using gas = spending money. I ain't got time for that. Although, I'll probably make exceptions when Spring and Summer come around. The scenery is too beautiful out here.

12. YouTube
I used to watch make up tutorials when I was younger, but I've been so anti-make-up lately. Sometimes I'll watch it just for entertainment and hope I remember what I'm doing when I actually do put some on. But for the most part I like to watch videos about veganism. what vegans eat, what to cook, DIY's, thrift hauls, fashion related stuff, etc. Whatever is floating my boat that day, I'll watch. Oooh, TED talks are great to watch too. You can never have too much education.

13. Bodies of water
Living in the Bay Area, you were always close to a body of water. It is one of the most relaxing things to go to the beach or lake and just sit. I've got to look for a list of places to see near Denver when all the snow/ice melts away.

14. Self-Pleasure
I definitely take part in this when my boyfriend is gone for a period of time. Other than that, he does a great job keeping me satisfied.

15. Bike Ride
I don't own a bike and I never have. One day I will though. It's on my list.

16. Podcasts
I've never been one to listen to podcasts. I remember downloading some of Tiesto's in my late teens when I listened to only house/techno. I had a rave phase. Maybe I should give some a try. This American Life and Awesome Etiquette were referred by Yes and Yes.

17. Window Shopping
It's highly unadvisable that I do this because I always get tempted and/or buy something, which only causes further stress. Thrift window shopping is the worst because you're just so tempted by the low prices. It also messes with my mind to see the things I don't have. Out of sight, out of mind. I vowed to only shop when necessary or as a treat every once in a while.

18. Free Museums
Museums are so fun to go to, but always out of my budget. I remember going to so many as a kid, espescially the De Young Museum and Academy of Sciences since I lived a few blocks away. The older you get, the more expensive tickets become. It's best to go every first Wednesday of the month if you're a local because you get in free, but it does get reeeeally crowded. I wonder if there's anything like that here in Denver. I'd love to see an art exhibit soon.

19. People Watching
I used to do this all the time with my ex-stepfather when I was younger. We would always go downtown San Francisco and people watch (and window shop). It's interesting seeing people habits and how people interact with one another. Sometimes we'd even dialogue peoples conversations.

20. Hair and Makeup
I always feel more confident after dolling myself up. I don't know, maybe it's the time I take to actually put effort into how I look. I'm torn between wanting to put effort and rocking my natural self. I often go back and forth and just feel out the day and act accordingly. I do miss getting ready with a girlfriend to go out. There's nothing like a Girl's Night Out.

21. Yoga/Dance Tutorial
I used to dance a lot and practice yoga a lot. What happened? I've been thinking about taking a dance class recently. Maybe I'll dabble into something new. I should start practicing yoga every day like I used to. My mind was much clearer and I felt relaxed and peaceful. Now I feel like my life is a hot mess (aka normal 20 something year old life) that I'm finally getting a grip on. Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube is my favorite. I'm going to look into it tonight.

22.Gym?
I stopped going to the gym to save money. I've actually been consistently working out for 3 weeks now and I feel stronger and more active than ever. I already see results as well. Just got to keep going and never stop. Kayla Itsines BBG Workout is killer! My boyfriend even gets tired doing it.

23. Shaved legs and clean sheets
I'm guilty of not shaving this time of year. I get too attached to my winter coat, plus my boyfriend doesn't mind anyways! I don't even know if he notices. Shaved legs and clean sheets is a must try. I've done it before, but I forget how marvelous it must been. There's nothing like smooth legs and a good smellin, comfy bed.

So there you have it. I guess this post turned into a commentary/reminscing my experiences with these activities. I'm going to try to do these things more often. There's nothing like free fun!

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