BY NICOLE, FUNBERGER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
HOW TO FEEL RICH WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY BROKE
If you've ever chased a dream by risking it all, this post is for you. If you've ever gone through a rough patch financially, this post is for you. If you've ever struggled to get by in a new city, this post is for you. This post is for anyone that feels like they've been at the bottom of the barrel financially or, to put it bluntly, been flat out broke.
Just because you're broke doesn't mean that you can't live like you're rich. Here are some tried and true ways to turn those days when you're struggling into days when you'll feel like you're thriving.
PICNICS
When's the last time you had a picnic? Maybe it's been years. Maybe it's been hours. Whatever the case, picnics are a great way to feel like you're rich. Go to your favorite grocery store and buy some of your favorite inexpensive snacks. If you have the resources, pick up a bottle of wine and picnic away in a beautiful park or spot in nature.
MUSEUMS
Did you know that most museums offer one free admission night a week?
The
MOCA in Los Angeles, the
MoMa in New York
and the
Art Institute of Chicago are just a few of the museums that offer free admission one night a week. Even if you can't afford normal museum admission prices, you can afford
free admission prices. Right? It's impossible not to feel rich while looking at fine art. Dress up and make a night of it! Take pictures and post them on Instagram! You'll be amazed at how great getting dressed up and going out to do something classy like visiting a museum can make you feel. Google your favorite museums and see if they offer free nights - odds are they do!
FREE EVENTS
Every night in every city there is free live music, film and/or comedy events happening. Check out your local paper to see where these awesome events are taking place. You can see DJs, bands, comedians, films and much more for
free. There are free concerts and movies in the park in most cities during the warmer months. There are open mics that you can check out almost every night in every city. You'll really be surprised by the variety of entertainment available at no cost. So, don't just sit at home moping over the fact that you don't have much... instead go out and get inspired by fellow creatives. Set your mind on your creative goals and stay positive. They're closer to becoming reality than you think!
THRIFT STORES
Even if you've only got a few bucks, you can look like a million by shopping at thrift stores. Shopping at thrift stores is the cool thing to do these days. Long gone are the days of embarrassingly shuffling into a second-hand shop to buy jeans because you couldn't afford a new pair. Today it's all about vintage and flaunting your thrift store wares. Bring a friend along with you and shop to your heart's content.
Savers,
Salvation Army, and
Goodwill are all national chains that probably have a location near you. You can also check out local thrift shops. Some thrift stores even offer reduced pricing for clothing items with a particular tag colors, so you could walk away with a one-of-a-kind look for even less.
The benefits for being in nature are countless.
It's been proven that being in nature can improve your outlook on life, calm you down, increase your positive vibes and, if you're hiking, get you in better shape. Hiking is the perfect way to get your mind off of what's troubling you. There's a reason why Charlie Brown took so many walks. It was the only way he could clear his mind and shift his focus from the negative to the positive.
Julia Cameron, author of
The Artist's Way, urges readers to walk. She says that "as you walk, you come into a solution". Try this out the next time that you're feeling worried or anxious about money. Being in the beauty
of nature is sure to make you feel rich.
VISION
Collage by Beth Hoeckel
Oprah Winfrey said that you should “create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe". It's true. You are what you think. Your thoughts are things. If you believe you are poor, broke, and incapable of acquiring wealth, then this will become your reality. If you believe that you are rich, abundant and capable of a life grander than your wildest dreams, than this will become your reality.
Think and Grow Rich is one of the most powerful books of the 20th century. The book's author, Napoleon Hill, says that "
all the breaks you need in life wait within
your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of
turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth". If you can think it you can live it.
As a means of holding the vision for the things, experience, lifestyle and relationships you want for yourself, try creating a visual reference for your desires. Pinterest is an incredible tool for organizing your intentions in a visual way. If you don't have an account, sign up for one and start pinning. You can make boards for every area of your life (i.e. Love, Home, Travel...) or just one board for everything that you want to manifest in your life. Look at your board a few times a day and really focus on what it will feel like to have the things that you desire. The more you can feel like you've already attained these goals, the faster they will become reality. Of course, you can't just sit in front of your computer and wish for the life you've always dreamed up. You have to go out into the world, work hard, stay positive and keep your eyes opens for signs from the Universe. To learn more about visualization, check out this awesome video with positive thought leaders Marie Forleo and Gabrielle Bernstein on how the Law of Attraction works and how you can make it work for you!
GRATITUDE
This one goes hand in hand with vision. Gratitude is an incredible thing and something that everyone should practice every day. "But I don't have anything to be grateful for..." you say. I beg to disagree! Here's a really fun exercise to bring out your gratefulness - grab a friend or someone you trust and take turns saying all of the crap that's worrying, upsetting, tormenting, and annoying you. Get it all out. Like everything, really. After you've done that throw it all away by literally motioning like you're throwing water out of a bucket. Yes, it sounds cheesy, but it works. Trust me. After you've done that, take turns saying everything that you can think of to be grateful for in this very moment. That delicious pizza you ate last night... Your health... Having a family that loves you... Your cat... whatever it is. You'll be amazed at how many things you can find to be grateful for.
Listing off all the things you are grateful for in your life will automatically make you feel wealthier and more abundant. Keep a journal of all the things you're grateful for from the previous day and watch even more things to be grateful for begin to pour into your life. Here's an inspiring and powerful video with the Master O herself, Oprah on gratitude:
Oprah on Gratitude. Enjoy!
*BONUS! TIPS FOR GETTING BY WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NOTHING*
If you are in serious trouble and don't have enough money to eat, please know that you don't have to go hungry. I've been in situations where I could barely scrape two dimes together and didn't know where my next meal would come from. It sucks. No one should go hungry. Here are some easy ways to make sure that you won't:
FOOD STAMPS
If you don't have money for groceries, there is help out there for you. There is no reason to feel ashamed if you need assistance to buy food. Gone are the days of embarrassing paper food vouchers and shameful glances. Today most food assistance programs offer you a card for purchasing food that looks just like a debit or credit card. Here's a complete list of food assistance programs by state:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Contact your local branch today for help.
RESTAURANT PROMOTIONS
I cannot go one enough about this one. There have been times when I've had nothing... like not even enough for Del Taco... and I've been able to find promotions online from restaurants that allowed me to eat free. You have to do a little research, but if you put in some time you can find free meals all over the place.
A lot of restaurants offer free birthday meals if you sign up for their mailing list or rewards program. Sign up for as many of those as you can!
Starbucks,
Jamba Juice,
Einstein Bro Bagels,
Au Bon Pain, are just a few of the many national chains that offer free food on your birthday. Now, if you're really in a bind, you can fib a bit and make that birthday stretch beyond your birthday month. It's risky, because some restaurants want to see your ID to confirm your birthday, but desperate times call for desperate measures, am I right? Here's a list of over 100 restaurants that offer free birthday rewards:
Happy Birthday!
Other restaurants offer you a free side, drink or small entree simply for signing for their mailing list or rewards program. You just sign up and show the coupon at the register when you order. Here are over 75 restaurants that offer free food when you sign up with them:
Yum!
FAMILY AND FRIENDS
If you don't have money for food, there's no shame in being honest with your friends and family. They're there for you when times are good and bad and I'm sure that they will be more than happy to bask in your company in exchange for a meal. Accept invitations to parties, events, and gatherings with friends. Odds are that there will be food available and no decent friend or family member is going to judge you for partaking in the food being offered. That's what it's there for! If you feel awkward about showing up empty handed, check out
these cheap and easy DIY hostess gifts on Pinterest that will probably mean more to the host than a bottle of wine or plant.
