Looking To Broaden Your Horizons? Why Not Give These Hobbies A Whirl?

Are you stuck in a rut? Have you got spare time on your hands? Are you looking to meet new people or broaden your horizons? If so, there’s no better way to spend your time than taking up a new hobby. If you’re looking for ideas, why not give these suggestions a try?

Getting active

Many popular hobbies involve getting active and moving those muscles. If you’ve been inspired by the Rio Olympics, now is the time to take on a new challenge. Have you always wanted to learn to dance? Were you enthralled by the dressage or captivated by the cycling? Have you got ambitions to try the pole vault or take up a martial art? Nowadays, you can try a whole range of sports and activities without having to travel for miles or spend a fortune on kit. You can book a taster session at the track or organize a few riding lessons. You can look for local sports clubs and teams and ask about opportunities to learn more and give a new sport a go.

Trying something new can be daunting, so why not take a few friends or your partner along with you for moral support? If you’re desperate to learn to ballroom dance, for example this is something you could do as a couple.

Image from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3184026

Learning a new skill

Life is an experience and you don’t stop learning just because you finish school or graduate from college. It’s never too late to gain new skills and use your talents. Have you always wanted to learn a new language? Are you eager to improve your cooking or baking skills? Would you like to learn how to fix problems with your car or do you fancy yourself as an amateur circus performer? Whatever your interests and goals, it’s always possible to expand your skillset. The Internet is a fantastic resource for tracking down local teachers and tutors and finding courses and classes.

Image via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_school

Collecting

Collecting is very popular, and there are all kinds of different items you can concentrate on. You could form albums of stamps from all over the world or try and track down rare cartoon figurines. Look for rare currency, like 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollars for sale, or start a collection of sporting memorabilia. Think about your interests and use them to decide on your focus. Do you love computer or console games? Are you an avid fad of TV and film? Are you a follower of football or a keen traveler? There are various places you can look for items for your collection. The Internet is an excellent place to start. It’s also worth visiting yard sales and specialist independent stores. Forums are a great way to connect with others with similar interests and possibly set up some swaps.

Image by https://pixabay.com/en/stamps-collection-philately-1145652/

Appreciating the outdoors

When you’re busy, life can pass you by without you even realizing, and you miss out on what’s around you. Do you love spending time outdoors? Are you a bit of an intrepid explorer at heart? If so, why not take up a hobby that enables you to gain an appreciation of the world around you? Give gardening a go or take up orienteering. Learn to climb or join a hiking club. Take some sailing lessons or try your hand at fishing.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/fishing/

Expressing yourself

Any people are blessed with creative talents, which they’re unable to use in their day jobs. If you enjoy being creative, why not take up a hobby that enables you to express yourself? You can take classes to perfect your techniques, or learn as you go. Spend time drawing, painting, writing, or playing music. You don’t have to get top grades in exams or showcase masterpieces in a gallery. Even if you’re not brilliant, you’re doing something you enjoy, and that’s what is important. If you have a busy job, or you’re prone to stress, creative activities can be particularly beneficial. They often give you an outlet and provide a much-needed distraction.

Image credit https://pixabay.com/en/painting-artist-artist-painting-1081808/

When you have spare time, it’s beneficial to spend it doing something you find interesting, challenging or enjoyable. Taking up a new hobby is a fabulous way to expand your skillset, enjoy new experiences and meet new friends. There are countless pursuits, pastimes, and activities you can try. Start up a new collection or rediscover a love of painting. Learn to speak Italian, take cooking lessons, or join a local walking club. Sign up for dance lessons, swap stamps or become a green-fingered maestro. The choice is yours!

The Dos and Don'ts Of Keeping Your Home Safe

Your home is your castle. While for some fortunate people, that is literally true, for most of us it's a figure of speech. However, it is one that holds true. If you feel that your home is under threat, then you feel threatened to the core. After all, if you can't feel safe and secure in your own house, where can you? It is often said by people who have been burgled that it is the most invasive experience they can imagine.

As we can all agree, the prospect of it happening to us is a genuine nightmare. Many of us will do anything we can to prevent it. There are countless tips available - online, from friends and from law enforcement. Sometimes, the biggest question we have is which ones actually work, and which ones are not worth the paper they're written on.

Do: Purchase Strong Locks For Doors And Windows

Image Source: Wikipedia

Burglars look at the locks on a house, and often there and then decide whether or not to go ahead with an invasion. The idea that there are locks won't turn them off - they are used to picking and bypassing locks. But if they are of good quality, these locks can persuade them not to try.

Don't: Plant Large Hedges And Bushes

While some bushes wouldn't be a bad idea - anything with thorns near potential entry points can be a deterrent - there are drawbacks. A large bush provides a potential concealing place for an experienced burglar. Especially late at night, they can use any shade and structure to hide.

Do: Have A Motion Sensor Light Installed

Image Source: Pixabay

Darkness is a burglar's friend, and the moment it is fractured by light they become less at ease. When a light flicks on late at night, if you are at home you'll notice it. If you're not, your neighbors might well. Most burglars won't want to wait to find out. Certainly, they won't want to break in when they're all lit up.

Don't: Make Your House A Prize Target

If you have recently bought expensive appliances, dispose of all packaging yourself. Don't leave the cardboard boxes out for the recycling or garbage trucks. If you do that, you're telling burglars "my house contains some trophies for you - go right ahead".

Do: Buy An Alarm

Image Source: Wikipedia

A good burglar alarm will alert people far and wide if you're being burgled. One word of advice, though. If you have a sticker in the window saying the home is "protected by ADT Security", it gives burglars a clue to how they may disable an alarm. A generic sticker saying the house is alarmed is a better idea.

There are other tips you'll hear from speaking to people. Some of them are good, some bad. The key is to remember that there are simple things you can do - and others you should avoid like the plague - to keep your home safe. It's much more likely that you won't be targeted than that you will. But there are always things you can do to tip the balance further.

8 Sure-Fire Ways To Create A Grown-Up Room For Your Teenager

It’s hard to believe the baby you had is now a fully grown teenager. The years seem to fly by, and they are now an independent human being. Now they are a teenager, they feel like they are grown up (they will remind you so at least twice a day). They will want to change their bedroom, so it’s more ideal for their age. Here are eight sure-fire ways to create a grown up room for your teen that they will love.

flickr

You need to give them some seating

Your teenager will want their bedroom to be somewhere they can go with their friends and hang out in peace. You can make their bedroom the ideal place to do this by adding some great seating in there. You should add a sofa or a couple of chairs for them to chill out on. You could even go for some bean bags for some unique seating that they will love. They may now want their friends to stay over too now they are a bit older. You can ensure they can do this by choosing a sofa bed for their room, so their friend has somewhere convenient to sleep.

You need to create a study area

It’s so important that your teenager can study in peace at home. However, it can be hard to find somewhere quiet to do it with their siblings running around the home. They need to be able to concentrate as the work becomes a lot harder as they age. Therefore, you need to create a study area for them in their bedroom. You should find a good sized desk which will enable them to work with plenty of space for their books and worksheets. You can visit PlumGoose.com/arteriors/, and other sites, to find suitable desks for their room. You should ensure it has a drawer for storage so that they can keep all their stationery suppliers in there. As this feature on amara.com explains, you could go for a white desk which will suit any bedroom scheme and is easy to maintain. Your teen can then go for bright accessories to make the space more personal for them. You will also need to buy them a cool chair which will be comfortable to complete their work on.

You need to get them a larger bed

Although your kid loved their bunk beds when they were younger, it’s not very suitable for a teenager. The beds aren’t very big which is not good for your growing son or daughter. Their weight as a teen may also be too heavy for a bunk bed. You should look for a larger bed which will ensure they have a good night’s sleep. If you have space, you could get your teen a double, so they have plenty of room in the night to spread out. It also means they can have friends stay over without much inconvenience. However, if you can’t afford a double, you can still get some single beds which will look great in their room.

You should get them book shelves

As much as teens love their Kindles and eReaders to read the latest books, nothing does beat a traditional book. A bookshelf which can hold all their favorite novels is a lovely addition to their room. It will make the room look more sophisticated and grown up. They can also keep all the books they need for educational purposes in there. If there is limited room, you could add display shelves over their bed where they can put their books. That way, it won’t take up any floor space in the bedroom.

You need to give them plenty of storage facilities

You will be surprised how much stuff a teenager has. It ends up all over their room and can create a big mess. Therefore, you need to give them plenty of storage, where they can hold all their belongings. You should consider getting them some drawers for underneath their bed where they can put their stuff, so it’s not on the floor. You can also add some shelving above the bed and on the walls. You could also get them a double wardrobe so that they have more room for their clothes. If you have a teen daughter, you will know how many clothes they accumulate over time that they won’t get rid of!

You need to add posters and art

Having posters in your room is part of growing up. They will want to have pictures of their favorite movies and crushes all over the wall. You can create a memory wall for them, where they can have all their favorite pictures and mementos from their favorite films. It can make the room look personal and grown up. They can also add pictures of their friends and family on there to make it look even nicer. Also, let them have some art on the walls to make the room look more sophisticated and grown up.

You should change the paint and add some wall decor

They might want to change their room color now they are a teenager. Baby blues and light pinks are never good for their age. They will want to go for a darker color which they love. As much as they want the room to be bold, you should stick to natural colors which you know they won’t get bored of over time. You should consider adding some wall décor to their room. As this article from homedit explains, it can express a teen’s individuality without taking up loads of space.

You need to change the bedding

Your teen will also want to have a cooler bedding in their bedroom to make it appear more grown up. They will want to avoid characters and movies for now, so they can make it look more age appropriate. You may want to go for neutral colors bedding, and then they can add cushions to make it more fun. You can find more ideas to make the bed look more grown up on this site.

Remember if you have limited space in your home, so siblings have to share, you could put up a curtain or a screen to separate the room. That way, your teen will feel like, despite the fact that they are sharing, they have their own grown up area to chill out and have some privacy!

Quick Ways To Get Cash Without Borrowing

Life somehow manages to throw us a curveball when we least expect it. And that curveball often throws us off balance in a big way! A broken-down appliance, a big utility bill, or even getting sick will drain our financial resources in a second. But if you don’t have enough to cover an essential cost, you may find you need to borrow some money to get you through the tough times.

You might not need to borrow. Those of us with a bad credit rating would find it difficult to find an affordable loan in a hurry anyway. Fortunately, there are several alternatives that may suit you better. The first is to find the solution to some quick cash in your own home. Start by sorting through items you never use. This unwanted clutter can be sold to raise the cash you need. It might include unworn clothes, LPs, or even gadgets. You can learn more from Cards2Cash about how to raise some much-needed funds from unused store gift cards too.

It’s best not to sell anything that holds sentimental value. You simply can’t put a price on that. Jewelry may offer a lot of cash, but you may never get the piece back. Instead, you could put your art and craft skills to good use. Selling your own hand-made accessories and jewelry could raise much-needed cash. Of course, you may need to factor in the time it takes to make them.

This photo courtesy of 401kcalculator.org at Flickr.com

Could you live without your car? Most of us can comfortably walk a distance of 2 miles in about half an hour. If there are public transport routes that serve your commute, or you have a bicycle, why not sell your car? Cars cost a fortune in parking, maintenance and fuel. Not only could you raise some cash in a hurry but you may be able to save ongoing too.

If you have the time, and there’s one available, a second job could be ideal. Pick something that pays weekly so you can get your first paycheck in hand quickly. Alternatively, you may be able to ask your boss for a pay advance. This may leave you short for the rest of the month, though. Be sure you can afford to pay your bill this way. Why not offer to do some odd jobs around your neighborhood? A little cash here and there can soon add up.

Selling your hair or blood plasma is another option you might be interested in pursuing. Of course, this can feel quite invasive if you’re not entirely comfortable with these options. Taking back recently purchased items like gadgets, appliances and unworn clothing could help bring in some cash in a hurry too. Refunds are sometimes refused so check your terms of sale first. Did you know that metal is a valuable commodity? If you have anything ready for the scrap heap, try to sell it at the scrapyard first.

Earning or selling are the easiest ways to raise much-needed funds in a hurry. Borrowing can be expensive and unpleasant. How have you raised cash in the past?

Fun And Educational Home Activities To Keep The Kids Amused

When you have five kids at home like me, it's pretty challenging and expensive to go out all the time. That's why it's vital to do some fun activities with the kids at home as well. Activities at home are memorable and fun too. Read on for some great ideas on how to keep your little ones amused and out of mischief :-)

Peer-led teaching

The first activity is fun for the older kids, and the younger ones alike is a peer-led teaching exercise. That mean that the kids teach each other. There is no better way to learn something thoroughly, than having to explain it to someone else. So not only does the child being taught get the benefit, the one doing the teaching does too.

You can do this on any subject that you fancy. It might be better to assign topics so there is no arguing or the little ones don't end up picking something they already know lots about. Then you can be sure that they are using their trading and research skills. Good examples of how this can play out include asking the kids to find out five facts about a topic, or how something like a vacuum or a light bulb works.

You can get them to present their findings verbally, in pictures which they explain or even in a song or video format. Use whatever catches their enthusiasm. Then those that are listening can score the presenter on their facts, presentation style and question answering.

Quizzes

Another great activity for the whole family is a quiz. There are a few ways of doing this depending on how much time you have. The first is to download a ready-made quiz with answers from the internet.

Image here

The second is to come up with your own questions and answers. You can theme these around a certain topic, which works well for assessing their learning. Or you can make them about particular holidays like Christmas and Easter.

The last way of creating a quiz is to split the kids into two teams and get them to research and write a quiz for the other team. This is a magnificent way of getting the maximum amount of time and entertainment from one activity. To really up the ante you should offer trophies and awards to the winners. This will help to motivate the kids to do well and help them get into the spirit of friendly competition.

The catalog project

An incredibly fun and practical task that you can do with the kids is budgeting using a catalog. The idea is that you set them a scenario, like moving house or redecorating their bedroom. Then you get them to search through a catalog to find all the things they would like and need.

They then cut these out and stick them on a piece of paper with the price underneath. The aim of the game is to not go over the budget you have set them. Its teaches them all sorts of skills like budgeting, selecting and weighing up pros and cons. It also helps them to get to grips with the real value of money, which can be tough for children.