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10 Fun, Free Ways to Spend Your Day Off

By U.S. News & World Report

Your kids are in school. Your errands are complete. You’ve taken the day off work. The world is your oyster.

But when you’re used to jam-packed workdays and busy weekends, you may feel uneasy or even daunted by the prospect of a day with absolutely nothing to do.

To help you relax, recharge and rejuvenate your passion for life, we’ve included a list of 10 inspired things to do with your day off. The best part? They don’t cost a dime.

[See: 12 Frugal Ways to Save on Vacation.]

1. Be a tourist in your own city. You don’t have to fly to Rome for the day to have an adventure. Explore your own city as a tourist would to discover new places, sights and activities. Start by heading to a local hotel, raiding the brochure kiosk and checking out a couple of the featured activities that pique your interest. Explore a neighborhood you’ve never been to, or climb the highest building or hill in your city to enjoy the skyline. Bring your camera and have pedestrians snap pictures of you in front of tourist spots.

2. Visit an animal shelter. Most animal shelters will let you play with pets awaiting adoption. Grab a leash and spend the afternoon cuddling with shelter dogs. Teach pups new tricks and help them learn how to better socialize with humans. Not only will you be making a difference in shelter animals’ lives, you’ll be giving your own happiness and health a boost. Spending time with animals can come with a variety of health benefits, including exercise and stress relief.

3. Tour a brewery, winery or distillery. Many breweries and wineries offer free tours with complimentary or low-cost tastings. Explore the facilities and learn how your favorite libations are made. Sample unique blends crafted from local ingredients.

[See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.]

4. Start a blog. Got a niche you’re passionate about? Do you get excited when you talk about your favorite foods, your unique hobby or your world travels? Consider creating a blog so you can share your knowledge with the world. Start one for free using a beginner-friendly program like WordPress, TextPattern or Nucleus.

5. Take a kickboxing class. Kickboxing studios often offer a free-trial class or weeklong pass to first-time visitors. Kickboxing workouts are engaging and diverse in addition to being an efficient full-body exercise. Learn a combination of boxing, martial arts and aerobic exercises while torching calories and toning muscle. Not your thing? Many boot camps, Zumba classes and gyms offer free passes as well.

6. Take a free online class. There is an ever-increasing array of open online courses available from prestigious institutes around the world. Today, you can access classes and lectures via the internet for free. Coursera is a popular platform that offers classes in music, business, data science and more from top universities like Stanford and Princeton. Then there’s Udacity, which features a variety of free courses in Web development, entrepreneurship and math. There’s also iTunes U, which hooks iPhone and iPad users up with thousands of online courses in topics like language, education and arts. Use your day off to expand your mind from the comfort of your pajamas.

7. Get lost in a library. Not only are they treasure troves of captivating novels and fascinating nonfiction reads, libraries can be a great resource for magazines, DVDs, audiobooks and music. Get lost in a new book or read a newspaper front to back (when was the last time you did that?). Many libraries host film festivals, concerts, yoga classes and craft fairs, so don’t forget to check out the calendar for more wallet-friendly activities.

8. Try out a new recipe. Scroll through cooking blogs, leaf through food magazines or call up your great aunt to hunt down a new recipe to try. Grab ingredients from your pantry, fire up your stove and try cooking a childhood favorite or foreign cuisine. Delight your family and coworkers by surprising them with a fancy cake or gourmet pie.

[See: 10 Meals to Make When You’re Trying to Save.]

9. Feng shui your home. Arranging your home according to the principles of feng shui can help you feel more balanced and relaxed in your living environment. All it takes? Making little changes like banishing clutter, concealing electronics and cleaning up your yard. Rearrange your furniture to create natural pathways and reduce crowding.

10. Declare a no cellphone day. If you’re attached to your cellphone like the rest of us, you may want to take this opportunity to temporarily cut the cord. Frightening as the idea may sound, ditching your cell phone can be liberating. For one day, you can free yourself from the urge to compulsively check emails and comment on Facebook statuses. When you turn off your cellphone, you allow yourself live in the moment and truly enjoy your day to yourself.

More from U.S. News

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10 Fun, Free Ways to Spend Your Day Off originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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