How to Enjoy Life Without Money

It is very possible to enjoy life without money with a little effort and brainstorming. You can trade and swap for things like clothing and books, and shop cheaply for other items. With some creativity you can enjoy a host of free or inexpensive activities with friends and family. Even travel without money is a possibility with ridesharing and couchsurfing communities. Make the most of every opportunity to enjoy life without spending a dime!

EditSteps

EditFinding Free, Fun Activities

1. Go for hikes on free trails in your area. Many cities have walking trails that people can enjoy safely and free of charge. Look online or contact your local municipal government to see what scenic nature trails are accessible in your area. Be sure to wear athletic shoes, comfortable clothing, and sunscreen for your hikes, and bring water to stay hydrated.^[1]
   
   • Avoid hiking on unmarked trails, where you may get lost or injured.
2. Play outdoor sports with friends. Sports like soccer, football, frisbee, and rugby can easily be played for free. Bring together a group of friends to play occasional or regular games in a nearby park or field. If you want more players, post game times and locations on your social media accounts to look for additional players.^[2]
   
3. Visit free, public-access beaches. Relaxing on a beach is the ultimate fun, leisure activity outdoors, and it can also be budget-friendly. Look online for free access beaches in your area that you can visit with friends or family. Pack towels, food, drinks, sunscreen, and flip flops and you're good to go!
   
4. Spend time at your local library. A membership at your local library is a great way to keep yourself entertained and stimulate your intellect. Visit the librarian's desk to sign up for a free library card, which will allow you to borrow books, as well as magazines and DVDs in some locations. Some libraries also feature free activities like book clubs or poetry readings to keep things interesting.^[3]
   
   • Bring a proof of your current address with you when you sign up for your library card, like a utilities bill.
5. Visit museums, aquariums, or zoos on free admission days. Taking advantage of free days is a great way to experience your city's culture without spending money. Check the websites for your local museums, aquariums, or zoos to see if they have any special free admission days coming up. These days will be especially busy so be sure to arrive early to ensure that you beat the crowds to access the exhibits.^[4]
   
6. Play board games with family and friends. Game nights are a great way to spend quality time with loved ones without spending money. Invite people over to play a group game that is fun, interactive, and lively. For extra fun, make it a BYOB night and provide some inexpensive snacks to enhance the evening.^[5]
   

EditEating Well

1. Visit farmer's markets before closing time to negotiate prices. Fresh produce can be expensive, but it is an important part of a healthy and satisfying diet. Shop for deals at you local farmer's market, buying only what is in season and inexpensive. For greater savings, visit the market near closing time and ask vendors if they'd be willing to sell some of their remaining stock at a discounted price.^[6]
   
2. Dress up affordable meals to make them seem fancier. Having a limited food budget does not mean that you can't enjoy your dining experiences. Dress up basic foods with extra spices and garnishes to make them more interesting and appetizing. Set the mood for a more luxurious dining experience by plating your food in interesting ways or lighting candles.
   
   • For instance, dress up boxed macaroni and cheese with garlic flakes and oregano and serve it with a fresh parsley garnish.
3. Host potluck gatherings. Potlucks are parties where each guest brings a favorite dish to create a large, eclectic feast. Host potluck gatherings at your home for friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to benefit from their culinary offerings in exchange for your hospitality. Ask guests to share what they will be bringing ahead of time so you can keep track of what foods will be served.^[7]
   
4. Visit a local food bank if you can't make ends meet. Food banks offer groceries to economically disadvantaged people living in the area at no cost. If you are having difficulty affording food, visit a food bank in your area to seek assistance. Food banks are often hosted by churches or other non-profit organizations.
   
   • Visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank/ to find a food bank near you.

EditGetting New Things

1. Update your wardrobe at clothing swaps. Clothes swaps are meetups where you can bring clothing you no longer want and trade it for garments brought by other people. They are a great way to freshen your look and meet friends without spending any money. Look online for clothing swaps in your area, or organize one with friends or social media contacts.^[8]
   
   • Organize larger clothing swaps by handing out tickets or vouchers for each item a person brings, which can then be used to procure another item.
2. Visit garage sales and flea markets for inexpensive new decor. Garage sales and flea markets are a great way to find unique, interesting items to add to your home for next to no money. Keep an eye on local newspaper listings and social media for events like this happening in your community. Be sure to arrive early to ensure that you get the best selection of the day's deals and offerings.^[9]
   
3. Trade books online or at a book swap. If you have read books that you are ready to get rid of, look for book swapping events in your area. If no live events are happening, visit an book trading website to barter books. Certain sites will find people interested in your books, then send you credits for what you've traded to obtain other books listed on the site.^[10]
   
   • Look for a book swapping website that provides easy-to-print shipping labels, like http://www.paperbackswap.com/.
4. Practice extreme couponing. Extreme couponing involves combining coupons and promotions to get hefty savings on in-store items at grocery stores, department stores, and pharmacies. Look online for coupons for your favorite products to print out and use. Compare prices and weekly sales at different stores to make sure that your coupon savings will go as far as possible.^[11]
   

EditTravelling Frugally

1. Get a ride to travel destinations with family, friends, or acquaintances. If people you know are driving to a location you would like to visit, take advantage of the opportunity to ask them for a lift. Offer to help with gas money or, if you don't have any cash, offer a trade or service instead. Be a polite and respectful co-traveller to show your appreciation for their generosity.
   
   • For instance, offer free babysitting or guitar lessons to a friend in exchange for a ride to a city they are visiting.
2. Get to new destinations with ridesharing services. There a many ridesharing websites and apps that allow budget travellers to find a shared lift to their destination. These sites will also screen and identify the drivers, making the ridesharing experience safe and simple. Search for available rideshares in your area, which may vary in cost but will cost significantly less than traveling alone.^[12]
   
   • For instance, visit https://liftshare.com to search for rideshare opportunities near you.
3. Practice safe hitchhiking to get around. Hitchhiking is a free way to travel, but you need to take precautions to make it safe. Ask each driver several questions before getting in the vehicle, including what their name is, where they are heading and why they are going there. Follow your gut instinct and avoid getting into a car with anyone who gives you a bad feeling.^[13]
   
   • Wait near a stop sign or stop light to give drivers a chance to pull over.
   • Stick out your thumb, which is a universal signal for hitchhiking, to attract attention.
4. Join a free hospitality-sharing community. Find free accommodations in other cities and meet new friends by joining a couchsurfing community online. You will be able to chat with participating members living in the area you are travelling to and arrange accommodations before travelling. In addition to being able to sleep on someone's couch or in their spare room, you may find someone to show you around the city.^[14]
   
   • Visit https://www.couchsurfing.com/, the most popular couchsurfing community, to sign up and find future accommodations.
5. Camp at inexpensive campsites. Camping can be a budget-friendly activity if you find the right park or site. Search online for camp sites near your travel destination. Visit http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ for a comprehensive list of North American campgrounds, which indicates sites with a rate of $12 or less per night.
   

EditSources and Citations

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How to Read a Sundial

Sundials have been used to measure time, based on the Sun, for thousands of years. This simple device can be made up of nothing but a flat dial and a gnomon (the “pointer” that casts the shadow), but can still be tricky to read if you’re just starting out. By setting up your sundial correctly and completing a few simple calculations, you can synchronize your sundial to clock time and know the hour no matter where you are.

EditSteps

EditPointing Your Sundial

1. Place your sundial on a flat, horizontal surface. A sundial will only work correctly when it’s on a perfectly flat surface, like the ground, a stand, or a table. Place yours down in a safe spot where it won’t get knocked down or moved.^[1]
   
2. Make sure your sundial will be in direct sunlight all day. This may seem obvious, but it’s crucial! If you want to be able to read your sundial from dawn to dusk, keep it out in an open, unshaded area where sunlight can reach it for as long as possible.
   
   • You may notice that some sundials show only 12-hour measurements, since they won’t work for the hours that the sun is down.
3. Point the gnomon north if you’re in the northern hemisphere. Use a compass or look for the North Star at night to find true north. Then, rotate the face of your sundial until the gnomon, or the pin of the sundial, is pointing straight north.^[2]
   
   • The 12:00 noon notation is aligned with the gnomon, so it will be pointing north as well.
4. Face the gnomon south if you’re in the southern hemisphere. If you live below the equator, you’ll need to point the gnomon of your sundial towards the south, rather than the north. You can use a compass or look for the Southern Cross constellation to find true south and adjust your sundial accordingly.^[3]
   
   • To find the Southern Cross, look for 4 stars shaped like a small kite. The farther south you are, the higher it will be in the sky.^[4]
5. Use a vertical sundial if you’re at the equator. The angle of the sun makes it very difficult to use a traditional horizontal sundial along the equator. Instead, use a vertical sundial and follow the packaging instructions to set it up and point the gnomon correctly.^[5]
   
   • At the equator, the sun rises along the eastern horizon and moves straight up, then sets on the western horizon. If you used a horizontal sundial, the shadow would fall mostly west in the morning and mostly east in the afternoon, instead of rotating slowly.

EditCalculating Clock Time from a Sundial

1. See where the shadow line falls on your sundial. Once you’ve set up your sundial, take a look at it when it’s casting a shadow in the sunlight. Note the line that the shadow’s outer edge lines up with and use it to read your sundial like a regular clock.
   
   • You might see different line denotations based on your sundials, but it should be split into even sections by 5 minutes or 10 minutes so you can get an accurate estimate.
2. Find the center longitude of your time zone. Your sundial can be off by up to an hour compared to clock time depending on your longitude. To fix this, first figure out how many hours you are ahead or behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is at 0° longitude. For every hour that you’re ahead, the center of your time zone will shift by 15° east; for every hour you’re behind, the center of your time zone will be 15° west.^[6]
   
   • For example, Pacific Standard Time (PST) is 8 hours behind GMT. Multiplying 8 hours by 15° gives you 120, so PST’s center longitude is 120° West.
   • You can find the current GMT time by searching online.
3. Find the distance between|your longitude and the center of your time zone. You can find your own longitude by looking it up online or with a GPS device. Then, calculate the distance from your longitude to the central longitude of your time zone, and note whether you’re to the east or west of it.
   
   • For example, Seattle is at 122.3° West longitude. The central longitude of its time zone (PST) is 120° West, so Seattle is 2.3° away from it.
4. Add or subtract 4 minutes for every degree away from the center. Now, use your calculation to get a more accurate estimation of the time from your sundial. Multiply the difference between your longitude and the central longitude by 4. If you live west of the central longitude, add your answer to the time; if you live east, subtract it.^[7]
   
   • In Seattle, for example, you’d multiply 2.3 by 4 to get 9.2. Since Seattle is west of the time zone’s center, sundials in Seattle are 9.2 minutes behind clock time, so you need to add 9.2 minutes to make them equivalent.
   • If your sundial reads that it’s 1:40 pm in Seattle, then, you’d add 9 minutes to estimate that it’s 1:49 pm.
   • Why 4 minutes? Since most time zones are 15° of longitude wide, or 1 hour long, you can divide 60 minutes by 15° to see that it takes about 4 minutes for the sun to move through 1 degree.
5. Add 1 hour if it’s Daylight Saving Time. You’ll need to adjust your time even more during Daylight Saving Time, which runs from early spring to mid-fall. Simply add 1 hour to your sundial’s time to match it to the clocks during this period.^[8]
   
   • Search online to see when Daylight Saving Time starts and ends in your region.
6. Calculate the Equation of Time to find the exact time. The length of one day varies slightly on any given day, which can add up to make your sundial’s time differ from clock time by as much as 15 minutes. If you want the most exact time estimate from your sundial, adjust your measurement using an Equation of Time table. Search for one online and either add to or subtract from the time as instructed.^[9]
   
   • Most calculators require you to enter in your year and longitude or time zone. The calculator will then give you a table telling your how to adjust your sundial time throughout the year.^[10]

EditTips

• If you don’t have a sundial, you can make your own with as little as a paper plate and a straw.

EditSources and Citations

(Quick Sum:)

To read a sundial, first point the gnomon (or pointer) north if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, or south if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere. See where the outer edge of the shadow matches up with a measuring line to get the solar time. To convert to clock time, find out how far away you are from your time zone’s central longitude. Multiply the distance, in longitudinal degrees, by 4, then add it to your sundial’s time if you’re west of your time zone’s center, or subtract it if you’re east. To make your time even more exact or use a vertical sundial, read on!
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How to Replace Eggs in Your Cooking

If you're avoiding eggs, you can still prepare many dishes without sacrificing too much in the way of taste or texture. Bananas and applesauce can be used to add moisture and thickness to recipes. Use baking powder, ground flax seeds, or agar to replace eggs in baked goods. When eggs are the main ingredient, substitute with tofu.

EditSteps

EditEgg Replacements

List of Egg Replacements for Baking

List of Egg Replacements for Main Dishes

EditReplacing Eggs in Baking

1. Replace 1 egg with 1/4 cup (30 g) of banana puree to add moisture. Banana is one of the most popular choices for egg replacements in sweet recipes like muffins, breads, and cake. Use 1/2 banana to yield 1/4 cup (30 g) of puree.^[1]
   
   • The banana will alter the taste of your baked goods, so make sure you like banana-flavored muffins, breads, etc. before you add it to your recipe. Otherwise, look for something with a milder taste.
2. Use applesauce to add moisture, density, and sweetness. Applesauce works great with recipes like brownies and chocolate cake, because the chocolate hides the flavor of the applesauce. Use 1/3 cup (43 g) of puree to replace 1 egg.^[2]
   
   • Applesauce and other fruit purees will add heaviness and density, so if you want something lighter, use 1/4 cup (30 g) of puree with 1 Tsp baking powder for a lighter, fluffier product.^[3]
3. Try 1/3 cup (43 g) of pumpkin to replace 1 egg in muffins and breads. Pumpkin can also leave a distinct flavor in baked goods, so it's best to incorporate it in a recipe that works well with pumpkin. Bread, muffins, and spice cakes will all benefit from the moisture, binding properties, and taste of pumpkin.^[4]
   
   • Make sure the pumpkin is pureed so that it is smooth and won't make lumps in your baked goods.
4. Make use of baking soda and vinegar to help your recipe rise. Substitute 1 egg with 1 Tbsp. vinegar plus 1 Tsp. baking soda, whisked together. Baking soda will give your baked goods a warm, golden brown color.^[5]
   
   • Baking soda will react with acids in your recipe (like vinegar, buttermilk, cream of tartar) and release carbon dioxide, causing your baked goods to rise.
5. Try baking powder and vegetable oil to help baked goods rise. Substitute 1 egg with 2 Tbsp. water plus 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil plus 1 Tsp. baking powder. Whisk them together thoroughly. Using baking powder will result in a lighter, fluffier product.^[6]
   
6. Substitute egg whites with agar powder. Mix 1 Tbsp agar powder in 1 Tbsp water. Whip the mixture, then let it chill in the fridge. Whip it again and it will be ready to use. This is equivalent to 1 egg white, so increase as necessary for the recipe.^[7]
   
   • Agar powder is also known as agar-agar, Kanten, Japanese isinglass, or Ceylon moss.
   • Agar is vegan and can also be used to replace gelatin.
7. Replace 3 eggs in boxed cake mixes with 1 can of soda. This isn't exactly the healthiest egg alternative, but it will leaven your cake and can add an interesting flavor! A can of soda (12 ounces) is equivalent to adding 3 eggs to your recipe. When using soda, omit the oil in the recipe to avoid runniness.^[8]
   
   • You can choose the type of soda based on its flavor and how well it combines with your cake. For example, you could combine French vanilla cake mix with orange soda to create a creamsicle cake. Ginger ale would pair well with spice cake mix. Chocolate cake mix and root beer would result in a chocolate root beer float cake.
8. Use finely ground flax and chia seeds to add a nutty flavor. Grind the seeds as finely as possible in a coffee or spice grinder. Mix 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed or 1 Tbsp. ground chia seed with 3 Tbsp. of water to replace 1 egg. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes, until it thickens and has a jelly-like consistency.^[9]
   
   • Flax seeds have a slightly nutty flavor, so use it in recipes that would benefit from this flavor.
   • Chia seeds will deepen the color of your baked goods.
   • If the eggs are meant to bind and leaven, add an additional 1/4 Tsp. of baking powder.^[10]
9. Use gelatin to bind sweet recipes like cookies and muffins. Gelatin will not alter the flavor in things like cakes and cookies. 1 Tbsp. gelatin plus 3 tablespoons warm water will replace 1 egg.^[11]
   
   • Be aware that gelatin is not vegan. If you're looking for something vegan that will give you similar results, try agar powder.

EditReplacing Eggs in Main Dishes

1. Use store-bought egg replacer products for recipes with lots of eggs. Look for egg replacers, not egg substitutes, since egg substitutes can sometimes still contain egg. Use egg replacer products in dishes that are mostly eggs, like scrambles.^[12]
   
   • Ener-G Egg Replacer is a popular vegan product you can try out. Check for it at your local health food store.
   • Follow the directions on the box for each product. Generally, you mix the egg replacer with water and add it to your recipe.
   • Avoid products like Egg Beaters and Better’n Eggs. These are egg substitutes, and they still contain egg!
2. Use tofu to replace eggs when they make up the majority of the dish. Tofu makes a great egg substitute in breakfast scrambles, quiches and custards. Puree the tofu to make sure there are no lumps or chunks in your dish. Use 1/4 cup tofu per egg.^[13]
   
   • Use silken or soft tofu -- firm tofu won't blend very well.
   • Make sure the tofu is plain and neither baked nor seasoned.
   • Tofu will not fluff like eggs, but the texture is otherwise very similar to eggs.
3. Use mashed potatoes as a binder. Starchy mashed potatoes work especially well in savory dishes like meatloaf, a veggie loaf or burgers. Add 1/4 cup (30 g) of mashed potatoes to replace 1 egg.^[14]
   
   • You can use mashed potatoes made from scratch, but dehydrated potatoes and instant mashed potato products work, too.
4. Use soft tofu as an emulsifier in vegan condiments. Tofu contains lecithin, which acts as an emulsifier, and will thicken and stabilize vegan recipes for mayonnaise, ranch dressing, and hollandaise sauce. Make sure you use a soft, unflavored tofu, not firm, seasoned, or baked.^[15]
   
   • 1/4 cup puréed tofu replaces 1 egg.^[16]
5. Use turmeric to color your egg-free dish. If you are making vegan scrambled eggs and still want that golden egg color, turmeric will do the job. It can also add a peppery, tart flavor to your dish.^[17]
   
   • Use just a pinch of turmeric in your recipe to turn your tofu or other egg substitute yellow.
   • Make sure you stir well to incorporate the turmeric into the dish.

EditTips

• The best thing to do is to try out different types of egg replacements on your favorite recipes until you find the one that suits you best for each recipe. There are no hard and fast rules.
• Do not use gelatin as a substitute for eggs if you are vegan.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Make Vegan Bouillabaisse
• Choose Meal Replacements
• Become a Vegan
• Accommodate Vegan and Vegetarian Guests
• Be a Lacto Ovo Vegetarian

EditSources and Citations

EditQuick Summary

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