60 Of The Best Things In Life Are Free

Over the years, it has been reinforced in my own life that “physical things” only bring us short-term joy. I’ve learned that activities with family and friends, or even some quiet time alone doing things we love, bring lasting happiness as we fill our bucket with memories. I wanted to write about 60 Of The Best Things In Life Are Free to help remind us how blessed we are. Do Not Miss These.

I hope I’ve touched a pleasant nerve and that you’ll have fun when you enjoy reading and then doing some of them. Every time I go to the grocery store, the prices seem to increase. I don’t know how people can feed their families when grocery prices are so high. Because the food we need to eat is becoming more expensive, we all have had to cut back in other areas of our budgets.

As we approached the Christmas holidays and were tempted to spoil those we love, and maybe ourselves too, hopefully, we were able to evaluate our priorities and see if all those gifts were worth all the shopping time and strain on the budget. Consider how you spend your time and money and see if some of these things aren’t as important to consider when we have other ways to show love for those we care about.

Some of the best things in life are FREE….

60 Of The Best Things In Life Are Free

1. Listen, I mean listen when you’re with a friend or family member. Don’t interrupt. Just listen. This one is tough for me because I get so excited when people tell me something extraordinary happened to them. I want to jump in and say, “Oh my gosh, that is so awesome!!”

2. Doodle: I never realized how vital doodling is. I had an excellent coach/friend named Lyn Christian who introduced me to “doodling.” I know; we all doodled when we were younger, right? Well, she introduced me to Sunni Brown (via the internet) from The Doodle Revolution by Sunni Brown. 

If you doodle, you’ll create something truly remarkable and bring out more of the creative side of your personality and talents. Take a pencil, crayon, or pen and doodle. Yes, doodle. Then look at what you doodled. It’s awesome. I quote Sunni: “To doodle is not to waste time or to be distracted. Instead, doodling is a powerful technique people use worldwide to help themselves THINK.” I LOVE LOVE LOVE this.

3. Tell a friend how much they mean to you. Can I say that I don’t like funerals? I hate funerals. It’s just me. I need to tell people before they die how much they mean to me, particularly those I consider old and faithful friends. I want a celebration in a park as my “non-funeral.” Just think about the people you love or admire. Tell them how you feel and why they mean so much to you NOW. Friendship is such a priceless thing we should all cherish!

4. Take a walk around the block in the fresh air. Oh man, this one is for me. I write daily and need to walk around a block or two. Life is so invigorating outside in the sunlight. Besides being able to clear the air, it is beneficial for your overall health to walk and makes a great start to the rest of the day. I envy those who can go on a long run, I’m way passed that time in my life. Going for a brisk walk has been shown to improve our mood and to reduce the amount of anxiety and depression some of us are prone to experience from the stresses of life. Yep, the best things in life are free.

5. Offer to walk someone’s dog. This would be perfect for my sister. She loves dogs. Lots of dogs. I’m too afraid of larger dogs I’m not familiar with. Don’t you love seeing cute dogs walking with their owners down the street on a leash? Mark enjoys taking our dog Izzy for a neighborhood walk, but isn’t as consistent during the cold winter months.

Oh my gosh, I saw the cutest little dogs strolling down the street the other day. They were running from the owners. I think the owner opened the front door and the dogs ran outside. They ran to me and my husband. Luckily, they were sweet puppies looking for someone to pet them.

6. Hug someone special to you. Hug someone every day. We’d all be surprised how many people are genuinely starving for that sincere hug. I really enjoyed our grandkids when they were younger and you could get away with giving them a hug and kisses. Yep, the best things in life are free.

7. Tell someone you love, “I love you.” This might seem like a given, but sometimes, we forget to tell those we love that we sincerely love them and they need to hear it. Also, show them you love them by treating them and doing something special for them often. Don’t let a day go by without telling them they mean the world to you. Human beings crave love and need to know others do love and respect them.

8. Go to the park, or visit the mountains if you have them close by. Just take a few minutes and look at the scenery around you. Take a water bottle to drink, relax, and smell the roses or other flowers in the landscape. We have a “river walk” path close to our home. I see families going for walks and a bike ride together. How fun!

9. Watch a Hummingbird or two. Oh my gosh, I love the Hummingbirds when they come around in the spring. We’ve had hummingbird feeders in the yard for years. It’s funny to watch them “fight” for a spot to eat the yummy syrup. Yep, the best things in life are free.

10. Watch for the first bloom in your flower beds. I can’t wait until spring. I go outside and check for new buds; life is good. I love the feel and sound of rainfall in my garden, particularly in the spring months. Having a garden has been one of the most important things in my life.

11. Catch your child or grandchild doing something right, and tell them. I wish I had heard that statement when my children were young. Think about it. Catch them doing something good. They will smile from ear to ear and make bonding with them stronger and longer lasting.

12. Hold hands with someone you love. Something is amazing about the gesture of holding hands with my husband. You know how you feel the palms and fingers. It’s all about love. What can I say? Holding hands rocks! You feel connected and so loved.

13. Write a note to someone you admire and deliver it by hand, if possible. Something so simple will make someone’s day. I promise. There is something about reading kind words from a loved one or special friend. It sure beats getting a text!

14. Watch the sunrise, I mean watch it. Get up early and be ready when the sun comes up. Wear your bathrobe, get a chair and a glass of orange juice, and wait. You may want hot chocolate if it’s cold outside. That combination will warm your heart!

It’s also fun to set time aside for some stargazing after a long day. It can be a quiet way to relax and wind down. You might also want to have some soft music from your phone’s playlist playing your favorite song from times past.

15. Sit outside at night and follow the sunset as the sun goes down. Trust me, this is amazing. Don’t hurry. Just relax and enjoy the moment. Yep, the best things in life are free.

16. Rock a baby; I still have the rocking chair I rocked my grandchildren in. I don’t think I can ever part with it. It’s genuinely sentimental to me. There is something about rocking a baby. I wish I could rock my 31-year-old grandson. I’m just saying I love those grandkids. Update: I just gifted the rocking chair to one of my daughters because her granddaughter is coming soon!

17. Offer to sit with someone with Alzheimer’s to give their caregiver a few hours to run errands or go to lunch with someone. This one means a lot to me because we used to have a lot of older people in our neighborhood. The husband or wife who is the caregiver is truly a saint. They love their spouse even though the spouse often doesn’t remember who they are. What blessing kind caregivers can be as they assist those they love.

18. Take your dogs to the dog park. Oh, I must share the funniest story about dog parks with you. I only took my dogs to a dog park once. One of my Shih Tzu’s, Pepsi, would run along the edge of the park’s entire circumference of the fence to find an escape route.

Boston, my other Shih Tzu, wouldn’t get off my lap; he was shaking too much. I bought a dog stroller because I knew Boston wouldn’t fare well at the dog park on his own.

Out of the blue, a dog out of nowhere lifts his leg to pee on my new doggy stroller. I was shocked but started to laugh because the dog had about 1/4 acre to pee anywhere he wanted to, but no, he darts to pee on my doggy stroller. Trees everywhere, bushes everywhere. Nope, he wanted to pee on the dog stroller. LOL!

19. Trade babysitting duties with a friend. I remember doing this with friends when my kids were younger. Oh man, every young mother needs a break every once in a while. Remember, some things in life are free.

20. Pull a few weeds for a friend, laugh, and talk to them as you pull the weeks together. I love pulling weeds with neighbors unless they are 12 inches high…yeah, it’s not so fun. Pull weeds with friends when the plants are small. I’m just giving you the heads up here. As I get older, I can’t physically do this anymore.

Once, I had a neighbor who owned his own business. He struggled to keep up his yard, particularly the weed detail. Mark and I decided to surprise him by pulling the weeds when he had to work one weekend.

To my surprise, others in the neighborhood came over and pitched in, pulling weeds. I couldn’t believe how many people came over to help. What a blessing!

21. Sweep a shut-in couple’s front porch without them knowing you are doing it. This is truly a blessing to them. They are not steady on their feet for this kind of activity. Also, consider raking their leaves. They can become a little overwhelming this time of year.

22. Pick up prescriptions or groceries for a neighbor in need. Sometimes, a neighbor or friend could use some extra hands or wheels for errands that need to be run.

23. Pray for a friend. If you have a worried friend, say a little prayer for them. God will listen. I promise. It will also increase the strength of your soul and faith to do so.

24. Pray with a friend. I remember praying with a friend about a year before she died. We both knew the illness was taking over her body. We prayed and asked God to ease her suffering. That was a prayer I will always cherish.

25. Volunteer at your local school. Check with the front desk at a school near you. They would welcome some help, I’m sure. The teachers can use help during class time as well. In Utah, our school classes are 30-35 kids per classroom. That’s a lot of kids to supervise and teach. Yikes!

Take a few minutes and check out the website, Just Serve. It provides a list of local volunteer opportunities available for long or short-term service.

26. Join a civic club in your city, like Rotary, Lions, Elks, and Kiwanis. Mark has been a member of The Exchange Club in our area since 2002. They help so many people in silent ways. Their motto is “Unity for Service,” and they perform excellent service of all kinds in our community.

27.  Sweep your street’s curb and gutter area, and while you’re at it, do the same for a few of your neighbors. This little chore makes all the difference in how a neighborhood looks. Do your part to make the neighborhood a place everyone can be proud of.

28. Keep your yard neat. This is very important because you’re not only doing it for yourself but also for the appearance of your neighborhood. Take pride in where you live; this effort will give you so much satisfaction.

29. Do what you can to stop the bullying around you. It starts with what we teach our kids at home and often the bad side of our kids’ actions seem to travel to the schools. With all the social media options available to our youth, bullying has become very pervasive. Put together a plan outlining how you can help to limit it in your area.

30. Write a book. It can be an e-book that doesn’t require the cost of printing. Share what you know about something unique. Please share it with the world. Others want to learn new things, and your interests could become their new passion. I was asked to write a book about how you should prepare for disasters and other emergencies. It was a challenge for me, but has proved to be a blessing as I try to help others.

31. Start a bucket list if you haven’t already. Write down 1-100 things you would like to do on this earth in your lifetime. Mark and I hope to do more short trips than we have. Maybe not precisely free, but pretty close if you plan right.

32. Volunteer at the Soup Kitchen in your city or county. So many people need a meal. Take your kids and have them help serve. It’s an eye-opener. These people are so thankful for a hot meal. The best things in life are free. Give your time to those less fortunate.

33. Start a journal. My husband’s mother wrote a journal her whole life. The family transcribed it after she died. It’s a treasure to family members. Do your kids know who your best friends were years ago?

Have they learned about your college experience or your military service? Do they understand how you and your spouse met and courted? These are memories worth sharing with those you love.

34. Volunteer at your local animal shelter; of course, you might be tempted to take a bunch of dogs or cats home. These animals deserve to be loved and cared for. Learn how to get the word out so more of them are adopted; it could save their lives.

35. Make a menu for the week and stick to it. Make a grocery list and stick to it. See how much money you will save. I’ve found that menu planning and shopping follow-up are critical to simultaneously eating well and saving money.

36. Write down where you’re spending your money each month. Are the purchases based on a want or a need? I call this my monetary diary or journal to track my spending.

Be in control of finances, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much more you can have at the end of each month. Get the whole family involved and maybe set a goal to use the savings for worthwhile activities.

37. Start a food storage wishlist. Take baby steps. Don’t go into debt for food storage. Start with a #10 can a month. Just start and see what you can accomplish. The food isn’t free, but you must buy food anyway. With your wishlist, you’re becoming more aware of the cost of things and how to set some emergency storage goals without paying out more.

38. Make a list of essential items you feel you need that will reduce your grocery bill over the long term. This might include a bread-making machine. Yes, you have the outlay upfront, but you save over time by baking your bread.

I’ve always enjoyed sharing my breadmaking skills with my kids, friends, and neighbors. There’s nothing like a meal with warm bread!

39. Learn to make bread; ask a neighbor to teach you. Do you know anyone in your neighborhood that would teach you how to make bread? Please check out my archive for a number of bread making posts, you’ll be glad you did!

40. Teach someone to make bread. If you learn to make bread, you will save $$$$$ in grocery money. I promise.

41. Plan a garden of vegetables, herbs, or flowers. Be ready before you need to plant. Make a drawing of the rows you want to grow with certain seeds. I can hardly wait until the first seeds sprout. Yep, the best things in life are free. I do spend some money each year purchasing seeds from SeedsNow, but the memories of growing that garden are free.

42. Check out your family’s heritage online or through family contacts. You will love seeing your history and lineage. This is becoming very popular and has been shown on TV to clear up cold cases. Amazing! I submitted my DNA to Ancestry.com, 23AndMe.com. Go to Family Search for their free app to perform genealogy for free.

43. Go to the library and check out some books. Some of the best things in life are free, like books at the library. Don’t wait until you think you’ll have more time. Believe me, your days tend to fill up after you retire. Enjoy those books now. Reading good quality books can become a worthwhile daily ritual that can also become a compass to guide you to learn so many new things.

44. Walk around your neighborhood and enjoy the scenery all around you. You may even get some ideas to improve your landscape. Pick up trash that you see and put it in a garbage can. Mark’s dad walked every morning and took a little probe stick. He’d gather up what others had left behind. He did that right up to when he passed away at nearly 96! Let’s keep our world beautiful.

45. Call an old high school or college friend. I wanted to track down my BFF from high school. We reconnected through Facebook. We exchanged phone numbers and called each other. We know to this day we are best friends forever. There is something about a BFF that never changes, even 50 years later.

46. See if your local city or county has a FREE museum you can visit. Call a neighbor and walk through the museum. Stroll as if you have all day. Take it all in and share your experience with others. Hopefully, they’ll follow your lead and try it for themselves.

47. Go on a hike. I am not a hiker, but hiking is very popular where I live. I have two close friends down in Southern Utah. One I call my hiker/biker friend. One friend was always on vacation; life is good!

I once asked my hiker/biker friend how many miles she rides her bike weekly. She is in her 70’s now. She prefers 50-100 mile rides. She repels canyons, too. I wish I could do those things. I used to enjoy walking around the neighborhood. I see folks who are strangers at first that I wouldn’t otherwise talk to. It’s fun and good for my health too.

48. Go window shopping and come home without purchasing anything. I used to love trying on clothes and dreaming.

49. Laugh: I can always find something to laugh about (in a good way). I have been known to giggle. Experts say a sense of humor and the ability to find laughable things around us are vital to living a long life.

50. Sing a song. Turn on the radio, sing to the rooftops, and love it. When our girls were young, we’d always sing in the car with them. I fondly remember singing Neil Diamond’s “Coming to America” as we drove around town. Fun times.

51. Be happy. Wake up with a smile on your face. Today is going to be a good day. I promise. There seem to be so many things to concern us these days. Trying to follow today’s suggestions for free things to do should help you forget all the negative junk, be grateful, and make the most of life.

52. Turn off all electronics for the day. Listen to the birds sing outside or watch the snowfall. We all get so caught up with what’s happening on our phones. You see people out to lunch or dinner who don’t even talk on that date night. So many stare at their screens. I shake my head.

53. Think positive; it’s such a good habit. The best things in life are free. Hang out with positive, happy people. Happy people are positive people. Negative people drain us. You don’t need that in your life right now.

54. Play cards with some friends or family. Get those cards out and call a neighbor or two. I grew up playing Liverpool Rummy. It’s free, and you laugh!

55. Get up early on Saturday morning and watch cartoons. Yep, the best things in life are free. Grab a blanket and chill as you laugh while watching the cartoons. If you have kids, think how excited they’ll be when you share that experience with them!

56. Do nothing and realize it’s okay to do nothing because it is OK and you are doing something for yourself. We all need some “me time.” I promise.

57. Watch the raindrops fall and smell the beautiful fragrance of rain. Do you love the smell of fresh rain as much as I do? Life is good when we observe Mother Nature do her magic.

58. Wash your car. Do you love driving a clean car as much as I do? I feel happy when driving a car that’s looking its best. It’s just me, but I feel much better tooling around in a clean, shiny car. It will also have to save the exterior as you get that dirt and salt junk off the surface.

59. Go to the park and swing on some swings. Let your feet dangle, your hair blow in the wind, and smile. Even giggle if you want to.

60. Faith, whatever faith you believe in, follow it. Pray always, attend worship services as often as you can, and show kindness and loving mercy to all those around you. It can change your life.

Final Word

Remember the best things in life are free, yes they are. I hope you enjoyed my 60. One of the best things in life is free ideas; you can have fun, make connections, bless your family and friends with your time, and be the best you can be. May God bless this world. Linda

Copyright images: Friendship Day Depositphotos_28971935_S