After being stuck for months, the last thing you probably want is a staycation. If the budget doesn’t allow more than that though, let’s spice stuff up and get creative so you can still enjoy.
What better way to do that than throw some challenges in there?
Challenge #1 – Start a Triathlon
You don’t have to be a pro-athlete or even really physically fit for this. You can set your own goals and work away at them. Do you have a bike? Do you have a pool, a friend’s pool, or a body of water near you? Then you can do this! If you haven’t really exercised much at all, start your goals small and work your way up. Run half a block, then walk half a block, then run half a block again. Do this until you’ve made it around a couple blocks to back home. Jump on your bike and ride around five-ten blocks and back. Then head to the water and do 20 laps. If finding water is too difficult or too far away, try a biathlon instead. Just a bike and run. Then jump in the shower to cool off!
Challenge #2 – Baking Competition
Do you enjoy baking? Pretend that you are the next Martha Stewart or Gordon Ramsey (minus the attitude).
Now this is a finance post, so my rule is that you aren’t allowed to splurge on baking ingredients. If fact, to raise the bar, you have to create and bake something with the ingredients you already have in your house. No buying any groceries for this. Time to let the creativity flow.
If you find this challenge a little too tough, I will allow you to spend $10 on some essentials. You could do this challenge on your own or with a friend.
Challenge #3 – “Art Attack”
Are you artsy? Are your walls getting crowded with all the paintings you’ve done the last few months? Or perhaps your kiddos are getting stir crazy for something to do? This might be a good family project.
Have any of you seen the British show, “Art Attack” growing up? For an idea of what I’m talking about, click here. The artist would take basic household items and create a large picture of something out of them. In one episode, he took different sized cardboard boxes and made the pyramids out of them on the ground. You could make something large scale, or, you could try making a miniature design of something.
Challenge #4 – Read A-Thon
This is a pretty common one. Most people are challenged to read a book a month, week, or day, depending on how avid a reader you are.
If you’re looking to up-the-anti, try choosing books of different genres or ones you haven’t tried before. For example:
Monday – action based
Tuesday – memoir
Wednesday – business or finance
Thursday – hobby based
Friday – children’s novel
Saturday – Drama
Sunday – A story in the Bible you haven’t read
If your local library is open, you could rent the books. If it isn’t, scan the books on your shelves. Are there books that you haven’t read yet or finished? Does someone else in your family like different styled books than you? Try some of theirs out. Or swap with a friend
Challenge #5 – Help Someone Every Day
Do you need a reason to get out of the house and into the community? Do you know of some people in need of help or encouragement? Pick a different person each day and find a way to bless them. Do his gardens need some help? Would they appreciate a meal and a backyard visit? I’m sure a card in her mailbox or some hand-picked flowers would brighten her day.
Even though this may sound like an odd challenge compared to the rest, it will be the most satisfying one of all. By being resourceful, you can actually keep this one quite low on the budget as well.
If you want an even greater challenge with this, do it all anonymously. Incognito giving can be a blast!
Challenge #6 – Try All of the Above Challenges
If you’re really in the mood for some fun and trying something different, incorporate each of these challenges into the week you have off. Wake up and train for your triathlon. Pick healthy baking options to try. Create an art piece in the afternoon and enjoy a good read. Then finish your day by blessing someone. It’ll be a full week of fun, blessings, and competition.
My final challenge to you is to post some pictures of what you’ve tried on this list. Let’s have some fun with this!
