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12 Low-Stress Ways to Spend a Rainy Day

June 7, 2024 By Alyssa Serio Leave a Comment

Don’t let the rain ruin your day! There are plenty of fun ideas and low-stress ways to spend a rainy day. The constant noise of the drizzle creates a serene, contemplative environment that can be perfect for unwinding and taking things slow. Here are twelve low-stress activities that can make any rainy day even better.

1. Curl Up with a Good Book

There’s nothing quite like the comfort of a good book while the rain patters outside. Choose a novel you’ve been meaning to read or revisit an old favorite. The immersive experience can transport you away from any daily stresses, allowing you to get lost in another world. Don’t forget a comfort snack, a blanket, and a warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa.

2. Try Out New Recipes

Cooking or baking can be a wonderfully therapeutic activity on a rainy day. Bake bread from scratch, make a new type of soup in the slow cooker, or whip up delicious strawberry cupcakes. Trying new recipes keeps your mind engaged. As a bonus, you get to enjoy the delicious treat you made afterward.

3. Start a Creative Project

Use this time inside to your advantage! You can engage your creativity by starting a new project like painting, knitting, or crafting. Artistic activities are relaxing, and you get the pride of a job well done when you’re finished. The gentle rhythm of rain can provide the perfect backdrop for sparking creativity and imagination.

4. Watch Classic Movies or TV

Rainy days are perfect for a movie marathon or catching up on a TV series you’ve been meaning to watch. According to a recent study, 70% of Americans like to binge-watch shows, making this one of the perfect ways to spend a rainy day. Whether it’s old classics, romantic comedies, or thrilling documentaries, watching content you enjoy can be a great way to relax and pass the time comfortably. You can even invite friends or a new love interest to share in the watch party.

5. Listen to Music or Podcasts

Is the sound of the rain driving you bananas? Drown out the noise by listening to music or episodes of your favorite podcasts. You can even put together a rainy day playlist that you save especially for downpours. Combine this rainy day activity with others on this list to make them even better!

6. Meditate or Practice Yoga

One of the healthiest ways to spend a day is by engaging your mind and body in meditation or yoga. YouTube has plenty of videos with routines for everyone from beginners to seasoned pros. Just put the sound on mute so you can enjoy the calming sound of the rain in the background. By listening to nature, you’ll stay focused and find peace in the present moment.

7. Organize or Declutter

After the pandemic in 2020, two-thirds of Americans claimed they wanted to become more organized. This feeling persists even years later, but since we’re no longer in lockdown, people don’t feel as though they have as much time. Use a rainy day to your advantage by tackling a small organization project. Rearrange your bookshelf, color code your wardrobe, or go all-out and put together a donation box to bring to charity later.

8. Write in a Journal

Journaling can be a powerful way to reflect and decompress. Write about your thoughts, feelings, or future plans. If you’re feeling more creative, there are also many fun writing prompts online for you to try. This activity can be particularly reflective and therapeutic on a day filled with the calming sound of raindrops.

9. Have a Spa Day at Home

Go ahead and treat yourself! A spa day at home is a fun way to spend a rainy day. Carve out some “me” time by taking a long bath, painting your nails, or just lounging in a face mask, complete with a cozy robe. The calming sound of the rain is just like the ambient music you hear at professional spas.

10. Take a Nap

The Mayo Clinic claims that napping offers a myriad of benefits for adults, from reduced fatigue to a boost in your mood. Despite those facts, many people still don’t hit the hay during the day. Embrace the gloomy, cozy weather by allowing yourself a guilt-free nap. Rain creates a natural lullaby that can help you fall asleep quicker and enjoy a more restorative rest.

11. Play Board Games or Do Puzzles

Are you looking for a rainy day activity for kids? Playing board games or assembling a jigsaw puzzle can result in fun memories, all without the power of screens. Put together a platter full of snacks and come up with playful bets to make the games more interesting. These activities are not only entertaining but also create a shared experience that can be enjoyed without stepping outside.

12. Clean Your House

No more excuses. It’s finally time to clean the toilets, sweep the kitchen, and vacuum the entire house from top to bottom. A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to catch up on chores that have fallen by the wayside. Put on music and dance around to make the process more exciting.

Save It For a Rainy Day

Whether you use the weather as an excuse to be lazy or you feel inspired to be creative or clean the house, there are a million fantastic ways to spend a rainy day. The serene sound of rain, coupled with a fun, indoor activity, is a power combo that can make the day surprisingly fun. Don’t worry if you get bored inside the house. You can always put on a raincoat and galoshes and grab an umbrella to go splash around in the puddles!

8 Fun, Frugal Family Activities to Enjoy This Fall

Alyssa Serio

Alyssa Serio has been a writer and editor since graduating from Aurora University in 2014. In her free time, she loves reading, playing volleyball, and watching any horror movie (even the bad ones) with her husband.

10 Things the Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore

May 15, 2024 By Catherine Reed Leave a Comment

The economic landscape for the middle class in many countries has undergone significant shifts due to factors like inflation, stagnating wages, and changing societal norms. This has resulted in a reevaluation of what is considered affordable for the average middle-class family. Here, we explore ten items and experiences that have become increasingly out of reach.

1. Single-Family Homes in City Centers

Owning a home in the heart of the city has become a distant dream for many middle-class families. Urban real estate prices have skyrocketed, driven by high demand and limited supply. The dream of a backyard and a white picket fence now often requires a move to the suburbs or accepting a smaller living space, such as a condominium or an apartment, as urban single-family homes drift out of financial reach.

2. College Education Without Debt

Higher education costs have risen dramatically, far outpacing the inflation rate and middle-class wage growth. As a result, attending college without incurring significant debt is becoming increasingly unrealistic. This financial burden often forces students and their families to rely on loans, which can have long-lasting impacts on financial stability and wealth accumulation.

3. Comprehensive Health Insurance

Healthcare costs have become one of the biggest financial concerns for middle-class families. Comprehensive health insurance plans that cover a wide range of medical needs without high out-of-pocket costs are becoming rarer and more expensive, pushing more people to opt for high-deductible plans that only provide basic coverage.

4. Retirement Savings

Saving for retirement is a growing challenge as many middle-class individuals live paycheck to paycheck. Factors such as higher living costs, the need to support aging parents or adult children, and the lack of employer-sponsored pension plans contribute to the difficulty in setting aside adequate funds for the golden years.

5. Leisure Travel

Leisure travel is becoming a luxury that not all middle-class families can afford. The costs associated with vacations, including flights, accommodations, and activities, have increased, making it harder to budget for travel. This shift has led many to seek alternatives like staycations or short, local trips instead of more extended or exotic vacations.

6. New Vehicles

The average price of new vehicles has increased substantially, making it difficult for middle-class buyers to purchase them without taking on burdensome financing arrangements. Many families now opt to keep their older vehicles longer or are turning to the used market, where prices have also been rising but remain more manageable compared to new cars.

7. Private School Education

Once a staple for the aspiring middle class, private education has become prohibitively expensive. With tuition fees climbing each year, many families are forced to rely on public schooling, which varies widely in quality depending on geographic location, further exacerbating educational inequalities. The escalating costs have made private schools an option only for the upper echelons, pushing many families to seek alternative educational opportunities or supplemental programs to enhance public education offerings.

8. Investment Properties

Buying a second home as an investment or for rental income is increasingly unrealistic for the middle class. High property prices, tighter credit conditions, and the substantial initial investment required make this wealth-building strategy less accessible than in previous decades. Additionally, the ongoing property management and maintenance expenses can deter middle-class families from investing in real estate as a secondary income source.

9. Long-Term Care Insurance

As life expectancy increases, so does the potential need for long-term care, which can be incredibly costly. Long-term care insurance, which can help cover these costs, has become increasingly expensive and out of reach for many in the middle class, leaving them vulnerable to future financial strain.

10. Disposable Income for Luxuries

With the rising cost of living, disposable income has shrunk, limiting non-essential purchases such as high-end electronics, jewelry, and dining out. Middle-class families focus more on saving and budgeting for necessities, reducing spending on items once considered routine indulgences.

The Middle Class Can’t Afford What It Used To

The shifting economic conditions that make these ten items less affordable reflect broader challenges facing the middle class. As the cost of living continues to rise without a corresponding wage increase, the middle class has to adjust expectations and reconsider what it means to live a “middle-class lifestyle.” Addressing these challenges will require not just personal financial management but also broad-based policy solutions to restore affordability and economic security.

How to Find an Affordable Apartment in a Big City

Catherine Reed

Catherine is a tech-savvy writer who has focused on the personal finance space for more than eight years. She has a Bachelor’s in Information Technology and enjoys showcasing how tech can simplify everyday personal finance tasks like budgeting, spending tracking, and planning for the future. Additionally, she’s explored the ins and outs of the world of side hustles and loves to share what she’s learned along the way. When she’s not working, you can find her relaxing at home in the Pacific Northwest with her two cats or enjoying a cup of coffee at her neighborhood cafe.

Excuse Me? 12 Sayings You Think Are Compliments That Actually Aren’t

April 19, 2024 By Catherine Reed Leave a Comment

Navigating social interactions can often feel like walking through a linguistic minefield, especially when it comes to giving compliments. What’s intended as a gesture of goodwill can sometimes backfire if the underlying message doesn’t match your intentions. This deeper dive into the world of seemingly benign sayings reveals why certain “compliments” can carry unintended negative connotations, urging a more thoughtful approach to how we express admiration and respect in our increasingly diverse and socially conscious society.

1. “You’re so articulate!”

On the surface, this seems like praise for someone’s eloquence or clarity in speaking. However, when you direct this comment towards individuals from particular racial or ethnic backgrounds, it carries an underlying implication of surprise that someone from their group can be well-spoken, perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

2. “You clean up well!”

This backhanded compliment is an attempt to express admiration for someone’s appearance at a particular event or gathering. However, it insinuates that the person’s usual state is less than presentable, inadvertently casting their everyday appearance in a negative light.

3. “You’re not like other girls/boys.”

Intended to set someone apart as special or unique, this phrase, unfortunately, demeans others. It suggests there’s something inherently negative about being ‘like the rest.’ As a result, it perpetuates stereotypes and creates unnecessary divisions.

4. “I wish I could be as relaxed about my appearance as you are.”

Though it might sound like praise for someone’s confidence or carefree attitude, this statement implies a lack of effort or concern about one’s appearance, subtly critiquing the person’s grooming or fashion choices.

5. “You’re pretty for [a specific attribute].”

This qualifier undermines the compliment by suggesting that people with a specific attribute (be it race, size, age, etc.) are usually not considered attractive. As a result, it makes the “praise” feel more like an exception to an unwritten rule rather than genuine admiration.

6. “You’re so brave for wearing that.”

What’s often intended as a celebration of someone’s fashion risk can instead imply that their outfit choice is somehow daring or unconventional in a negative sense. Essentially, it hints that it falls outside acceptable norms and requires courage to pull off.

7. “You’ve lost weight, you look great!”

Linking someone’s attractiveness to their weight loss not only suggests they were less attractive before but also perpetuates unhealthy body image standards. It’s a reminder that our society often equates thinness with beauty, overlooking the diverse range of healthy body types.

8. “You’re doing well for your age.”

While many use the phrase to applaud someone’s accomplishments or vitality, this backhanded compliment reduces their achievements to a mere function of their age. Essentially, it’s insinuating that their success is surprising or abnormal for someone of their years.

9. “It’s so easy for you; you’re naturally smart/talented.”

This statement, though seemingly laudatory, diminishes the hard work and dedication behind someone’s achievements. How? By attributing them solely to innate talent and overlooking the effort, practice, and perseverance that contribute to success.

10. “You must have your hands full with those kids.”

Often directed at parents in a tone of faux admiration, this remark suggests that their children are a handful or troublesome. It undermines the parent’s efforts and can come off as patronizing rather than complimentary.

11. “It’s great how you don’t care what people think about you.”

Most people say this phrase to praise someone’s independence or confidence. However, it implies that there’s something about them that should warrant concern or that their choices defy social norms in a way that’s not entirely positive.

12. “You’re so exotic-looking.”

Usually an attempt at appreciating someone’s good looks, this phrase exoticizes the individual, reducing their attractiveness to their perceived “foreignness” or novelty. It objectifies and others the person, creating a tie between appeal and how “different” they are from the norm.

Avoiding Compliments That Actually Aren’t

These examples highlight the nuanced nature of language and the importance of considering the implications of what we say, especially in compliments that may carry hidden biases or stereotypes. The evolution of societal norms and increasing awareness of diversity and inclusivity call for a more mindful approach to communication. By critically examining the words we use and their potential impact, we can foster more positive and genuinely uplifting interactions. This careful consideration ensures our compliments are well-received and contributes to a more respectful and empathetic social discourse.

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Catherine Reed