rainy day

7 Easy Money Moves to Make on a Rainy Day

Rachel Slifka — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 08:00:07 +0000

Rainy day keeping you stuck inside the house? Take advantage of the down time by being productive with your finances. Start with these easy money moves.

1. Start an emergency fund

If you don't have an emergency fund, a rainy day is the perfect time to start one.

An emergency fund is money set aside for a major unexpected and urgent expense, such as a car repair, medical bill, or job loss. One rule of thumb is to save between three and six months' worth of daily living expenses. If you have a lot of daily living expenses, or a job that would be hard to replace, you should aim to save closer to a year's worth.

A bigger emergency fund will always offer more protection for your finances, but you can start an emergency fund today even if you can only contribute a few dollars. Start by creating a new savings account specifically for your emergency cash. By keeping it in a separate account, you are less likely to use the money for non-urgent needs. (See also: 5-Minute Finance: Start an Emergency Fund)

2. Up your retirement contributions

Have five minutes to spare? Log in to your retirement account and increase the percentage of your paycheck you are having withheld for your 401(k). By increasing it by even just one percent, you are ensuring you have more cash for retirement. It's likely you won't even miss that cash in your paycheck.

3. Fine tune your budget

When's the last time you gave your budget a tune up? Use a rainy day as an excuse to give it a makeover. Are you spending your money like you planned? Do you need to make any adjustments?

If you don't have a budget at all, now is a great time to make one. You can get started by listing your income, expenses, and savings goals for the month. Add information as time goes on and you become more familiar with your spending and money habits. (See also: 5-Minute Finance: Track Your Spending)

4. Sell items around the house

If you're stuck inside, take inventory of the clothes, electronics, dishes, and more you have lying around your home that you no longer use. Don't just throw everything out; you may be able to sell your stuff for cold, hard cash.

You can post your items for sale on an app like OfferUp or LetGo, or upload a listing on Craigslist or eBay. And as an added bonus, you can use the cash you earn from selling household items to jump start your emergency fund. (See also: 5 Things You Can Resell on eBay That Make the Most Money)

5. Create a filing system

What does your desk look like? If you tend to leave bills and financial documents piled up, it's probably a good idea to take some time to create an easy organizational system. You may as well get started on a rainy day.

To cut back on an influx of paper bills, you might find it beneficial to sign up for autopay so you don't have to worry about papers cluttering your space or getting lost. You'll want to be sure to store important and confidential files away in a locked drawer or safe.

6. Cut a bill

Once you've taken a look at your budget, you may have noticed a bill or two that is higher than usual. Or, maybe you realize you are still paying for a service you no longer use. Whatever the reason, take advantage of a rainy day by calling your providers to see if they can lower or cancel the service.

Since most bills are a regular monthly expense, lowering or eliminating them entirely can save you hundreds of dollars, if not more, every single year.

7. Read or listen to financial resources

There are a ton of free financial resources available at your disposal. If you need an excuse to take it easy on a rainy day, why not learn something while you relax? Try kicking back with a personal finance book, magazine, blog, or podcast. (See also: These 10 Money Podcasts Will Help You Save Tons)

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This article is from Rachel Slifka of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

14 Fun Ways to Spend a Snow Day Indoors

Emily Guy Birken — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 11:00:10 +0000

I'm what you would describe as the "indoorsy type." Not only is my skin capable of burning within five minutes on sunny days, but I am also a complete and utter wuss about any and all inclement weather, and my teeth tend to chatter when the temperature dips below 60 degrees F.

Suffice it to say, I prefer to spend the long winter months holed up inside, particularly now that I have moved to the wintry tundra that is Wisconsin. Thankfully, staying indoors over the winter doesn't have to be a drag. In fact, all the frugal and fun indoor activities can make winter the best season of all.

Here are 14 fun indoor activities you can enjoy while the wind is howling and the snow is falling outside.

1. Enjoy a Movie Marathon

There's no better time to watch movies at home than on a cold winter day. While you could just pop in your favorite DVD or pick something to stream on Netflix, it's even more fun to create a themed movie marathon. Some movie themes to consider:

Watch every film in a franchise. Maybe you've always wanted to see all of Freddie's Nightmare on Elm Street adventures or watch every single movie in the The Fast and The Furious franchise.
Watch several films by a specific director. Check out early, midcareer, and recent films by a director you love to see how their talents have grown and changed over the years.

Watch a remake back-to-back with the original.

Watch films from a best-of list.

Watch several of the most popular films from the year you were born.

2. Have a Spa Day at Home

A luxurious bath is a staple of indoor winter relaxation, but you can do much more than just stretch out in a hot tub with a book. Why not treat yourself to a mani/pedi, deep condition your hair, exfoliate your skin, and give yourself a facial while you're at it? These are all spa treatments you can easily give yourself at home without breaking the bank. You'll feel refreshed, and you'll be helping to protect your skin and hair from winter dryness.

3. Teach Yourself to Draw

You can probably remember spending hours at a time drawing when you were a child, but it's likely you haven't done so in a while. Pull out some pencils and paper, and you'll soon remember just how fun drawing is. Whether you simply find pictures online that you'd like to copy (which is how art students learn, after all), or you take the time to learn the fundamentals of drawing, your reintroduction to being an artist can be a thrilling way to spend your indoor hours during winter. The key is to let go of any perfectionist tendencies and draw the things that feel the most fun to you, whether that's unicorns, chain saws, or chainsaw-wielding unicorns.

4. Bake Some Treats

Nothing is more homey than the smell of fresh-baked cookies. Even if you have never made anything more complex than slice-and-bake cookies, following the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips or oatmeal canister is an easy way to get started as a from-scratch baker.

If you're willing to try other types of baking, the time you spend indoors on a long winter day is perfect for allowing bread dough or pizza dough to rise. There is something very satisfying about spending the day working on something you can eat and share with others.

5. Put Your Photos in Albums

Whether you have physical photos stored in old shoe boxes, or a computer full of photo files, a winter day spent indoors is the perfect time to organize your pictures into albums. It will be fun to walk down memory lane looking at your old photos, and you'll end the day with an enviable sense of accomplishment.

6. Have a Dance Party

You may be cooped up inside, but that doesn't mean you can't get some exercise in. Move your couch out of the way, turn on your favorite station on Spotify, and get down in your own private dance club. This is also the perfect time to learn how to do all of your favorite dance moves. Find some tutorials on YouTube and hone your moves at home.

Finally, you probably still have that old Dance Dance Revolution video game and mat stashed somewhere. Dust them off and make your dance party an actual game challenge.

7. Break Out a Jigsaw Puzzle or Board Game

Whether you're rocking the snow day solo or with the whole family, you can have a lot of old-fashioned fun by dusting off a puzzle or board game.

8. Read by the Fire

One of my most cherished memories from my first house with my husband was the day I spent rereading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the living room while snow fell just outside the windows beside me. There is something so cozy about curling up with a book on a cold day, especially if you are lucky enough to have a roaring fireplace next to you (not to mention a cup of hot chocolate).

9. Write a Letter

Receiving an actual letter in the mail is such a rare occurrence these days that we rarely think to sit down and write one ourselves. Taking the time to think of someone special you could write to and putting your thoughts into a handwritten note will make you (and them) feel great.

10. Take a Nap

Napping is one of life's pleasures, and adults don't often get to indulge. The only problem with napping is that it can sometimes leave you feeling groggier than you did beforehand. If you need to get anything done on your winter day inside (even if it's just making dinner later), then plan on following these scientifically approved tips:

Aim for a nap during your natural energy slump in the afternoon. This is usually between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Thirty- to 60 minutes is the length of naps most likely to make you groggy after you wake up. Try to sleep either longer or shorter than 30-60 minutes.
If you don't have more than an hour, plan on a quick 10-20-minute snooze, which will leave you feeling awake and alert afterward.
If you've got plenty of time to nap, a 90-minute siesta lets you go through a full sleep cycle, which will allow you to wake up easily and feel refreshed.

11. Catch Up With Friends and Family

Extroverts who might otherwise be climbing the walls on days they are stuck indoors now have many different ways to stay in touch with their nearest and dearest, no matter how frightful the weather might be. Phone calls, Skype, and FaceTime all give you the opportunity to connect, as do Facebook and Twitter. A day of nowhere-to-be is a great time to reach out to those you may have been thinking about but haven't had the time to connect with.

12. Rearrange Your Furniture

Not only does swapping your couch with that chair and moving your TV into a different corner help your home feel new and improved, it also gives you a chance to clean some neglected spots. It's likely that you'll unearth some stale Cheetos and pet hair tumbleweeds from beneath the couch, which you can easily sweep up when the couch is pulled away.

While cleaning is no one's idea of fun, rearranging furniture can bring new life to a tired room — and you can't help but clean while you go. It's immensely satisfying to throw yourself down on your newly moved chair and enjoy the new layout in your much cleaner living room.

13. Create Music Playlists for Your Every Mood

Putting together mix tapes is getting to be a lost art, but you can recreate the fun by creating playlists of tunes you love on your favorite digital music provider.

14. Channel Your Inner Bartender or Barista

Being stuck at home doesn't mean you have to miss out on happy hour or your favorite elaborate coffee drink. Use your indoor time to learn how to mix your favorite cocktails or brew your favorite coffee treats. You can find recipes and video tutorials online.

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 Productive Things to Do on a Rainy Day

Meg Favreau — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:24:40 +0000

As I'm writing this, I'm staring out at one of the dreariest days I've seen in a while — it's early fall cold outside, with a consistent driving rain that'd be perfect for the protagonist in a romantic film to stand in, yelling at the man she loves so fiercely.

There are, however, more productive (and drier) things to do on rainy days than simply standing in the cold rain and shouting heavenward. If you're stuck inside on one of those gray, drizzly days, here are 25 ways to make the most it. (See also: 25 Frugal Changes You Can Make Today)

1. Make a Savings Goal, and Start Working Towards It

This can be as involved as taking a long, hard look at your finances or as easy as putting $5 in an envelope labeled "vacation fund."

2. Reorganize Something

From straightening up the house to getting your computer in order, this list of 25 organizational changes you can make today should give you plenty of ideas.

3. Try a New Hobby

Research how to start a new hobby you've been interested in, and if possible, go pick up supplies and dive in.

4. Or, Pick Up an Old Hobby

My knitting and embroidery supplies have been sitting untouched for entirely too long. If you have an activity you enjoy but haven't touched in a while, a rainy day is the perfect time to pick it back up.

5. Cook Ahead

Get ready for the upcoming week or month by preparing some soup, bread, casseroles, or other foods that can be stored in the fridge or freezer until needed.

6. Refamiliarize Yourself With Your Pantry

Pantries can be incredibly useful...or they can easily become homes to forgotten ingredients. Take stock of what you have in your pantry, and either cook something with what's there, or make plans to use the items in the upcoming week.

7. Weed Out Your Closet

How many outdated, ill-fitting, or otherwise unused pieces of clothing do you have in your closet? Take a ruthless look, and pull out the items you don't wear. Then make plans to have a clothing-swap party with your friends.

8. Try Some New Exercises

From yoga to body-weight strength-building exercises, there are plenty of indoor exercises you can try.

9. Make Life Plans

Take the time to clearly write out your life goals, whether they're for career, family, health, or even just little projects you want to work on. Defining what you want to do is the first step to getting it done.

10. Journal

It might seem unproductive, but journaling can help you take stock of where you are, decide where you want to be, and work out tough problems.

11. Catch Up on Correspondence

Owe someone an email? Dragging your heels on thank-you notes? Just thinking of someone who might appreciate a call, letter, or even something as simple as a text message or Facebook post? Make it happen.

12. Clean

It's a classic. You should do it anyway. If you're already good at keeping things neat and tidy, give a deep scrub to a room or two.

13. Try a New Recipe

Rainy days are especially great for recipes that take a while — even if it's not active cooking time. Bake a yeast bread, whip up some sugar cookie dough that has to sit in the fridge, or set some baked beans to slow-cook in the oven. Or make something fancy and complicated that you always feel like you don't have time for. Plus, if you make enough, you'll have leftovers for the rest of the week.

14. Order In, and Use the Time You Would Be Cooking to Do Something You Don't Want To

Indulge in a bit of comfort food — always nice on a rainy day — and then use the time you would have been cooking to do something not-so-fun, like scrubbing the tub, reorganizing a particularly persnickety junk drawer, or sorting through a big pile of papers.

15. Let Someone Know You Care

This effort can be big or small, difficult or easy. Tell someone you care, or show it by doing something nice.

16. Make Appointments

Get on the phone or internet and get appointments scheduled — whether it's for the doctor, at your salon, or with a friend you've been meaning to meet up with.

17. Pay Your Bills

This is pretty straightforward. Get your bills together, and get them all paid. If there are any bills you could put on auto-pay that you haven't already, consider switching them over.

18. Review and Update Your Budget

Take the time to see if your budget has been working for you. Adjust accordingly.

19. Start Preparing

Start preparing for anything. A race. A trip. A task. Just because you're not on deadline doesn't mean you shouldn't start now. Get things done early, and worry less later.

20. Move Your Living Space Around

If you've been feeling tired of your living space, trying moving around what you have before buying something new.

21. Bake Cookies

They warm, they're comforting, and they're classic. Don't want an entire batch? Freeze a log of the dough — cut into individual cookie-size slices — so whenever you want just one cookie, you can pull it out of the freezer and pop it in the oven.

22. Make Cards or Gifts

Don't be surprised by birthdays you didn't realize were coming up — if you keep a supply of homemade cards and gifts around, you're always ready to celebrate someone's special day with frugal, from-the-heart gifts.

23. Work on a Side Gig

If you already have a way to bring in extra money, spend some time working on it. Or if you don't, research ways that you could earn some extra cash.

24. Weed Out Your Facebook or Twitter

If you have no idea why you're following certain people on Twitter or are sick of your acquaintance's constant bragging updates on Facebook, go through your social media and unfollow accounts or set Facebook to not show updates from people you aren't interested in.

25. Sleep

Not productive, you say? Okay, if you get enough sleep every night, no, sleeping more isn't productive. But if you're the type of person who's chronically under-rested — which can negatively affect your weight, your alertness, and your productivity levels — a rainy weekend day is the perfect time to sleep in. Then, after you wake up well-rested, attack the rest of this list!

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This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: