Ladies: How to Get The Things You Want for Free
By: Sadie Lee
Tags: Money Mindset, Money, Saving Money, Money Management, Saving

No, this isn’t an article about sugar daddies…

Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio

My biggest money issue? Buying the gym membership, the language program, or the outfit thinking it would convince me to do those things or be that person. As I have gotten older, I have realized it’s more about investing the time upfront first, before sinking the funds into the hobby. I have recently become very tight with my money, thus I have found ways to get almost all the things I love for free. Here’s my guide:

Learn a Language

Download Duolingo. It’s a free app and it helps to work on a language even just for 5 minutes a day.

Watch Netflix in the language you want to learn with English subtitles. I am trying to learn Spanish so I have been watching Netflix’s “Money Heist.” When I am feeling confident sometimes I turn off the English subtitles!

Listen to the radio or Podcasts in your car. There are tons of radio or free podcast channels. I listen to Spanish radio on my drive to and from work. I can actually pick up a fair amount! The biggest part of learning a language is committing yourself to the learning, and spending a lot on an expensive program won’t push you to do that. There are free language resources all around us!

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Free Family, Spouse, Engagement, or Portrait Photos

I am an amateur portrait photographer. I even ran a photography club for a while. Our group practiced TFP, or Trade for Photos. This meant that quality photographers who were trying to build their portfolios will take your photos for free. Photos of couples are often a great spectacle for those photographers looking to shoot weddings in the future. You can search Facebook in your area and find “Trade for Photos” and respond to a meetup or a photographer's request for a model. There are some great newbie photographers who are just looking for willing models!

Pexels: Javon Swaby

Free Drawing or Craft Classes

YouTube has almost any and all craft classes one could hope for! Knitting, drawing, or fun crafts? It’s all there. When you want to get more technical it might be good to go to a paid class. But until you’re at that point, invest your time first, before the money.

Pexels: Javier Gonzalez

Free Yoga Classes

Try Yoga with Adriene. It’s at home free yoga via YouTube. It’s quarantine, you shouldn't be going to a studio anyway. I bought a lavender diffuser and salt lamp to help give my space “yoga” studio vibes. Save yourself the COVID exposure and that $100 a month membership. Turn up your heat if you’re into Bikram or call a friend to join you. Studio yoga is way overrated, especially if you’re not using it!

Pexels: Elly Fairytale

Free Guided Meditations

There are tons of free meditations again via YouTube. I have been doing short 5 minute daily meditations working on building myself up for a longer sit session. There are tons of free ones. Don’t use the app subscriptions. Save yourself the $5 a month on those “mindfulness” apps. Just commit yourself to the meditation. There are also free podcasts that offer guided meditations too!

Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio

Free “Gym Workouts”

Kiss that gym membership goodbye. Type in “Pamela Reif,” on YouTube. Just try and get through her 7 Minute Plank Challenge. She wipes out the very muscular Jason Derulo in her 8 Minute abs video. Her stuff is extremely hard! She has some beginner content too. I will never go back to a gym now that I have found her videos. Her stuff is free, unlike my $147 CrossFit style membership, and I haven’t been injured once. I used to injure myself with weights all the time. Bodyweight workouts significantly decrease the rate of injury.

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Free Clothes and Accessories

Host a clothing swap! I did this in high school and again in my twenties. It’s never too late! Here’s how it works: collect the clothes you don't want and tell your friends to bring the clothes they don't want, then host a party. Toss all the clothes into a pile and go through them. Take the ones you want home with you. One woman’s trash…

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Almost Free Massage and Beauty Care

Okay, so this is the only one that isn’t really “free.” But it is a way to get cheap beauty care! Look into beauty and massage schools in your area. New beauty technicians are often practicing their craft and are looking for people to practice on. Get a facial, an eyebrow wax, or a quality massage at a fraction of the regular cost!

Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio

Trade Services with Others

I once took Boudoir photos for my friend who was a massage therapist. I took the photos and afterward she gave me an amazing massage. Best trade ever! I also love to organize in my free time, I organize for my friend and she buys me a meal. Resist capitalism, trade more!

Pexels: Helena Lopes

Use Your Friend as a Teacher

My friend majored in Economics. My other friend majored in Political Science. I have been using them for education on these issues. How? We meet via Zoom, or outside, once a week. I use Crash Course videos. Crash Course covers big topics really quickly. They are too fast and cover too much. But having someone break down all the theories and explain them once prompted? It’s a great platform to pause the video and then discuss questions or comments with my friend when they arise. What is federalism? What are the benefits of a bicameral congress? I know that stuff now! People love to talk about their college majors and interests, and it helps me learn too.

Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio

Free massage? Free college course? Free gym membership? I just shared how to get all this and more, for free! The best things in life are free. There’s a lot of information and opportunity out there, and now you know you don’t have to break the bank for it!