I know I have. Minutes, days, and months all seem to fly by lately.

Before we know it, half the year is gone, and we’ve barely scratched the surface on accomplishing our goals.

Sometimes, this is simply the result of not using our time wisely.

Sure, dinner comes and goes, and it’s bedtime before we know it, but what were we doing to pass the time? Watching TV? Surfing social media feeds? Watching cat videos on YouTube?

Instead, why not try dedicating one or two hours of your nights and weekends to improving your life just a little bit?

Here are 12 productive things you can do on your laptop in your spare time.

1) Organize Your Files

 
Okay, maybe I’m an organizational weirdo (my closet is color coded), but I love having all my files on my computers organized. It makes it ten times easier to find whatever it is I’m looking for. (This is really helpful when you’re a freelancer with 10+ clients, too.)

For example, I have a folder for pictures which is separated into locations and years, images for my site, images for my clients’ sites, music (with separate folders for artists), articles (divided by client), tax documents…and that’s barely scratching the surface.

You can do the same if you use Dropbox or Google Drive, which I also do. The podcast I’m part of has a shared folder in Google Drive, and we have each podcast episode broken down by folder, so it’s easy to see which files go with which episode.

Getting your files organized and keeping them organized can save you a ton of time down the road. While you’re going through the process, delete files you no longer need to free up space!

2) Start a Side Hustle

 
We’ll leave off with the most obvious one: start a side hustle in your spare time on your laptop!

Yes, you can run a small business right from your laptop and become location independent, if that’s something you’re interested in. Or you can earn a few extra hundred dollars a month by using skills you already possess and offering the service to others.

Or you can start a blog and monetize it down the road. One guarantee if you start a blog – you will learn a lot in the process and you truly never know where it will take you. While it’s not always the case, many people who start a blog have turned it into a full-time income.

Earning more helps you advance toward your financial goals more than pinching pennies, and you’re bound to pick up valuable skills you can either take back to your workplace, or use to launch your own business full time.

3) Learn a New Language

 
Want to travel or ramp up your resume? Then learning a new language might be a great idea.

There is paid software out there that you can use, but why take the chance if you’re not sure you can commit to it?

Instead, try Duolingo. There’s both a free version and a paid version, and it’s also an app (so you can study on your phone). It offers a ton of different languages to learn. Babbel is similar, but only the first course in each language is free, so try each before paying for a subscription.

4) Study For a Certification

 
What’s more productive than studying for something that will potentially increase your salary? Whether you want to go into a new field or advance in your current field, try to search around for free courses that will prepare you to take exams for certifications.

You can do this even if you’re a freelancer looking to edge out competition. As an example, Google offers a free analytics course that helps you prepare for the Analytics Individual Qualification exam. Knowing how to track how effective an ad or social media campaign is can be pretty useful depending on the services you offer.

5) Learn a New Skill

 
Alternatively, you can choose to learn a new skill that doesn’t necessarily correspond with a certification, but will still boost your income.

Lynda.com is one of the best places to start as it has a crazy amount of courses on subjects ranging from video production to photography to web development.

Here’s a tip: check your library to see if it offers a free subscription to Lynda. If not, there are still plenty of free sites like Codeacademy that will teach you valuable skills, not to mention the plethora of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that can give you a great education without the hefty price tag.

If you’ve been meaning to learn something new for the challenge or because it interests you, you’ll likely find something on YouTube or a site that teaches the concepts for free.

6) Make Extra Money through Sharing your Opinion and Cashback Rewards

 
Along the same lines, if you like to unwind while watching TV, or if you spend a decent amount of time on the bus or train for your commute, why not take the time to earn extra money?

Sharing your opinion for cash is one of the easiest ways to lazily make money from home while binging on the latest Netflix show. Check out our big list of survey websites to get started.

Besides making extra money, there are also opportunities to get cashback on purchases you make. Sites like Rakuten offer cashback on purchases you make. Here’s a list of more than ten cashback sites you can sign up for. Some of these websites have sign-up bonuses when you use our link.

Finally, if you aren’t getting cashback through your credit card it’s time for a new one. Browse and compare the options available here.

7) Enter Giveaways

 
DC used to enter giveaways as a side hustle, and it has the potential to be fairly lucrative if you keep up with it. He even won a trip to Hawaii!

There are plenty of free giveaways to enter on your laptop during your spare time. If you’ve got nothing else going on, why not try? The more you enter, the more you increase your chances of winning.

Just as a bit of a warning, you might need various social media accounts to enter into these giveaways, as some require a like, follow, or tweet, so create a few specifically for entering giveaways before going on an entry spree.

8) Check in With Your Spending

 
You didn’t think we’d forget about money management, did you? Time spent managing your money is time well spent. Set a reminder for yourself to sit down with your laptop and have a budget check-in once a week to make sure you’re on track for the month.

You can use our free automated budget spreadsheet to help you stay on top of all your transactions each month. This spreadsheet uses Tiller to automatically pull in your transactions from all your bank and credit card accounts. It can be a huge time saver.

9) Watch Educational Videos

 
If you’re not a podcast person, Ted Talks might be up your alley. They tend to be on the shorter side, and they’re usually focused on one subject.

Experts talk about interesting discoveries they’ve made and explain how their findings can be applied to the real world. Others present a radically different perspective on subjects you might have learned in school that will make you think differently about them. You’re bound to find a few lifehacks here as well.

Maybe watching someone give a talk on a stage isn’t your thing, or you’re looking for material more in the realm of traditional education. Check out the following informational YouTube channels that also have animations to keep your attention: CrashCourse, AsapSCIENCE, MinutePhysics, and SciShow.

If you love picking up “useless knowledge,” give Mental Floss and Because Science (lots of “nerdy” topics) a watch.

Lastly, How to Adult is filled with useful knowledge on, well, something I’m sure we could all find useful as young adults.

10) Read a Book

 
I know, I know. Why read a book on your laptop when you might have a tablet or phone that can do the job?

Well, everyone has different reading preferences, and some people can’t stand holding an actual book or reading on a tiny screen. A laptop provides a middle ground. Check your library for ebooks or borrow a classic for free online.

You don’t necessarily need to read a book book, either. Maybe there’s a short ebook freebie you got when you signed up to a newsletter that you’ve been meaning to check out. PDFs longer than 20 pages count as long as you’re learning something, right?

11) Watch Tutorials

 
Are you awful at cooking? Always wanted to learn how to sew, draw, or play guitar? Maybe you want to pick up knitting or cosplaying? Is there a DIY project on your mind that you don’t know how to start?

There’s a ton of tutorials out there on each, and most of them are entertaining as well as informational. Try and find a series for beginners out there that can guide you step-by-step through a certain process.

12) Write in a Journal

 
Admittedly, I love journaling with pen and paper, but there are some pretty great online journals out there.

No, I’m not talking about LiveJournal (if anyone remembers those), but there’s one I’ve used called Penzu that allows you to customize the look of your journal, and allows you to password protect it.

You can have multiple journals if you want, which is great if you’re trying to track health or financial goals.

What are your favorite things to do to stay productive while on your laptop or computer? Have you already used any of these ideas? Share in the comments!

Chances are, your spending habits have changed during this time.

Fortunately, with social events cancelled or delayed, it’s the perfect time to take an in depth review of your expenses.

Here are 9 expenses to review during COVID.

1) Eating Out

 
With more time at home, it’s an excellent time to learn to cook! And depending on where you live, restaurants have various degrees of operations.

While it’s always amazing to support local businesses if you can, it also doesn’t hurt to review your eating out budget. Now that you’ve gone a few months eating at home, do you need to eat out as often as you were? Could you reduce this expense in the future? Take a look at how much you’ve spend on eating out these last few months, and make a plan moving forward.

2) Savings Rate

 
One “expense” I reviewed in depth was my savings rate. While savings isn’t necessarily an expense, you need to set aside money for it in your budget.

With COVID, there was a huge degree of uncertainty in the job market. Many people were furloughed or lost their jobs permanently. Such tragedy really makes you consider your emergency fund. Do you have enough to safely fall back on if needed?

If not, you may want to consider boosting your emergency fund savings rate. Depending on your circumstances, you may even want to consider saving enough for a jumbo emergency fund.

While interest rates have gone down consistently since COVID took a hold, we recommend using an online bank like CIT Bank for your savings account. They offer a (much) higher interest than brick-and-mortar banks, who typically offer something abysmal like 0.01%.

3) Clothing

 
As many of us continue to work from home, and likely will for the foreseeable future, you may want to reconsider your clothing budget.

If you’re like me, you’ve been wearing the same wardrobe basics on repeat during quarantine. I’ve noticed this, and taken a substantial amount of time cleaning out my wardrobe and pulling items to donate. Some of the stuff I chose to donate was relatively new! During this time, I’ve definitely noticed I overspent on clothing in the past. I’m much happier with a simpler and more minimalist wardrobe, and don’t need to spend nearly as much on clothing.

4) Gym Memberships

 
Most gyms across the United States still aren’t able to reopen. Many Americans turned to at-home workouts for a much reduced cost.

While you may be itching to go back to the gym, it’s worth it to consider if this is an expense you really need, or if you can find alternative ways to exercise for less money.

5) Fuel Costs

 
Fuel is expensive. But if you’re still working from home, you’ve likely noticed a drastic reduction in the amount you are spending on fuel each month.

If you anticipate working from home for the foreseeable future, be sure to adjust your fuel expense in your budget. You can put your fuel savings toward building your emergency fund instead.

6) Car Insurance

 
Along the same lines as fuel, when you’re driving less, theoretically, your car insurance should be less as well.

Some car insurance companies offered a temporary discount to consumers during the initial COVID crisis. Their rationale was many Americans were struggling financially, plus they were driving less.

Well, if you are still driving less, give your car insurance company a call to ask about a rate reduction. Be sure to have an updated estimate of how much you drive your car each week. It may not be a huge savings, but hey, i doesn’t hurt to ask!

7) Travel

 
Since travel is restricted during this time, it makes sense to review your travel expenses for the future. Do you anticipate going on any trips in the future? Do you need to adjust travel plans, or cancel entirely?

Even if you are able to travel, chances are, it will look significantly different. You may choose to fly instead of drive, or you may plan to make your own food instead of eating out. Whatever you decide, take some time to plan and adjust your budget accordingly.

8) Entertainment

 
Oh entertainment. Most entertainment facilities, such as clubs, sporting arenas, concert halls, festivals, and other means of entertainment are not permitted to be open at this time. And due to the restrictions on the amount of people who can gather at a time, it’s not likely that entertainment venues will be up and running anytime soon.

But while typical means of entertainment may be closed, it doesn’t mean that you won’t have any entertainment expenses. It might simply look different. You may find yourself spending more on new hobbies instead of going out to spend money. Either Way, it warrants a second look at your entertainment budget to determine how much you plan to spend each month.

9) Giving

 
Lastly, everyone has a different financial circumstance and may need to adjust their giving accordingly. Maybe you’ve lost your job and can no longer give at the level you once were. Or maybe you still have your job and feel compelled to support those around you who weren’t so fortunate. Either way, consider your giving budget and adjust accordingly.

 
Related:
 

• How to Find a New Job During COVID

• Should You Start a Blog During COVID?

• 10 Affordable Ways to Practice Self Care During COVID

• Unemployed Due to COVID? Ways to Increase Your Cash Flow

If you or someone you know has lost their income or had their hours reduced due to COVID, there is thankfully unprecedented relief available. From expanded unemployment benefits to a pause on federal student loans, there is help available.

But there are still many who are still employed during COVID. They are still receiving paychecks and may have health insurance or other benefits from their employer.

If you fall into this group there are a number of money moves you should consider making. COVID has created uncertainty around when things will be “back to normal” and how long the economy will be stuck at a crawl. Not surprisingly the money moves I am going to share will be geared towards bulking up your finances so they can weather difficulties.

Bulk Up Your Emergency Fund

 
COVID has made many finally realize how helpful an emergency fund can be. I’ve argued in the past that having 3 to 6 months of expenses in cash is more important than eliminating debt.

Think about it: if you were suddenly unemployed would you rather have $1k in cash and no debt, or $20k in cash and $19k in debt?

Cash gives you breathing room when an emergency happens, and we’ve seen from COVID that there are more emergencies than we previously thought.

While 1-month of expenses is better than no savings, I think we will see the rise of the “jumbo” emergency fund, which is what I am calling a 12-month emergency fund.

Having 12 months of expenses set aside in cash can give you a long runway if you suddenly find yourself unemployed, or unable to work due to a medical condition. It gives you time to explore options and continue living your life.

If you save up 12-months of expenses, it also is very realistic that you could stretch your expenses further than 12-months. You may receive unemployment, severance, or make money through a side hustle during this time. You also have opportunities to cut expenses like going from two cars down to one, which would both give you a cash infusion from the sale of a vehicle as well as cutting out that vehicle’s insurance costs.

Having this money set aside may seem excessive but – as COVID perfectly illustrates – life can be more unpredictable than we think.

One criticism of keeping this much in cash is that you are missing out on opportunities to gain more money by exposing the cash to the stock market. While this is true, exposing your emergency fund to the stock market defeats the entire purpose of an emergency fund. Instead, you can put it in a high-yield savings account like CIT Bank which pays 0.55% APY. Sure, it may not keep up with the stock market over time, but it does help your cash keep up with inflation.

Understand Your Debt

 
An emergency fund should be your top priority, and then you should move on to paying down debt.

If you have credit card debt I’m likely not the first person to tell you that the high interest rate you are paying is costing you. After an emergency fund you should focus on paying down high interest debt.

High interest debt isn’t the only debt that you may have. If you download our free student loan spreadsheet there is a tab specifically for inputting all your student loan debt and a separate tab for all non-student loan debt. This will help you understand:

• How much debt you have overall

• What types of debt you have

• The interest rates on your debt

This can be a sobering experience, but it’s much better to do this while you are employed than when you lose your job. The good news is that there are typically a number of strategies you can use to strategically pay down your debt. We’ll go into that next.

Strategically Pay Down Debt

 
One thing I hope you can appreciate about me is that I don’t just blindly put all debt into one bucket. When I picture some personal finance experts I see them hitting people over the head with a meter stick saying “debt bad! debt bad!”

In reality there are ways to strategically repay it and, in some cases like student loans, even give it forgiven by the government. It’s borderline irresponsible to not bring these strategies into the debt conversation.

Let’s start with the biggest culprit: high interest debt.

• High Interest Debt
   
  If you have credit card debt or other high interest debt, there are a couple of ways to pay it off faster and both involve lowering the interest rate.
   
  With credit card debt you can use a 0% APR transfer card. When you open one of these cards and transfer a balance from another credit card you are given a period of time – typically between 12 and 15 months – where the interest rate is 0%. You should use this time to pay down as much – or all – of the credit card balance.
   
  Another option that works with credit card and other high interest debt you can get a rate quote for a personal loan with a bank such as SoFi. The lower the interest rate the more money you put towards the principal of your debt.
   
  Finally, if you are feeling completely overwhelmed with the debt you face, it may make sense to work with a debt lawyer. I’ve had a number of conversations with Leslie Tayne and I feel comfortable recommending her services (I am not compensated for referring her).

• Student Loans
   
  For many reasons student loan debt is the best type of debt you can have. Federal student loans come with many protections such as income-driven repayment options, accrued interest that is calculated as simple interest instead of compound interest, opportunities for loan forgiveness, and interest subsidies to name a few.
   
  Private student loans have received increased competition as well, and refinancing can be a big win, especially in this age of low interest rates. You can get rate quotes at both Credible and SoFi to see what options are available to you.
   
  The uncertainty that COVID has caused in our economy is the perfect example of why it is important to repay your student loans strategically. My book Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Student Loans and Financial Life can help you navigate the complex world of student loan repayment and create a strategy that is right for your unique situation.

• Low-Interest Debt (5% or Lower)
   
  5% is generally the cut-off that experts use when advising people whether they should pay off debt or invest in the stock market. If your mortgage, car loan, or other debt is at an interest rate of 5% or less you should consider paying the minimum and using excess cash flow to invest – assuming you have an emergency fund.
   
  There are likely a few outliers – especially in a COVID world – who would recommend investing over paying off debt even if you are in the 5-7% range. The reason why? Because it creates additional liquid capital that you can access in an emergency (more on that in a minute).

Build up your Non-Retirement Investments

 
One thing that was undervalued prior to COVID was non-retirement investments. This is any stocks, mutual funds, gold (diversification anyone?) or any other asset. But for simplicity sake we will assume these are stocks or mutual funds.

One thing I have done since COVID is create a detailed net worth spreadsheet. We already went over how debt is important to review and strategically repay, but what I focus on in this spreadsheet is the top section. Here are the three sub-totals I hone in on:

• Cash
• Cash + Non-Retirement Stocks and Mutual Funds
• Cash + Non-Retirement Stocks and Mutual Funds + Health Savings Account (HSA)

From a safety and conservatism perspective, nothing can replace cash. Even if the stock market went to zero, your cash would be safe (assuming it is in an FDIC insured bank account, which it almost certainly is). But the next component that can keep you afloat is non-retirement stocks and mutual funds.

If you burn through all your cash you can start selling your non-retirement assets. This could add a full year or even multiple years of protection for your finances. In my net worth spreadsheet, I calculate how many months of expenses I have in cash. Then I calculate how many months my non-retirement stocks and mutual funds would add to that runway. In a COVID world it would be ideal to have an additional 12-24 months of expenses in non-retirement stocks and mutual funds.

If you aren’t there yet, or nowhere near it, don’t worry: the figures I’m throwing out can take years and years to build up. The main point is for you

One exception to both debt repayment and building up non-retirement assets: The Employer Match for Retirement

If you are fortunate enough to have an employer match for retirement accounts you should take full advantage of it. Even at a 50% match you are getting incredible return on investment. These employer perks are set up because there inevitably will be some people who won’t take advantage of them – don’t be that person!

 
To be clear, this is not the “typical” order that you would work on your finances.

Very few thought that anything remotely close to a 12-month emergency fund would be needed.

But the reality is I know people who have had both their income and their partner’s income wiped out overnight, with no idea when it will come back.

Yes, there is unemployment, stimulus checks, a pause on student loan payments, and other measures the government has taken, but those measures may not be in place – or at least not to this extent – when your income is eliminated.

Everyone has had a different experience, but one thing many can relate to is being stuck at home.

Sporting events, concerts, and many social activities have been put on hold until there is a vaccine or some intermediate treatment that can provide us with antibodies to fight COVID.

At the beginning of COVID many people tried new things (where are all the bread bakers out there?). But as the months dragged on and people started to realize COVID wasn’t going anywhere it became more and more difficult to be productive.

Which brings me to an important point: we are in a pandemic. Tens of millions of Americans are out of work. You do not need to be productive during a pandemic!

Simply getting through this difficult period in our nations history is a win.

Take things day-by-day if you need to. I certainly have taken this approach.

With that being said, many people want to find ways to be productive while they are stuck at home. After all, this could extend to Spring 2021 – or further.

For me it has meant reflecting on my long-term side hustle goals. Do I want to write another book? Create a course? Create a business plan for a new startup? Now seems to be the time to give some mental energy towards it.

During the Spring/Summer/Fall I also want to spend as much time as possible working on my yard, since the Winter can be difficult. Then I can switch to indoor home projects during the Winter.

Perhaps you have a more general goal of doing something productive with your time. If this is you, you’ve come to the right place. Below are a number of ideas of productive things to do at home during COVID.

Deep Clean and Organize Your Home

 
When was the last time you gave your home a thorough deep clean? Since you’re spending more time at home, it makes sense to make your home a clean and organized space!

Start with deep cleaning your home. We’re talking about washing the curtains, shampooing the carpets, wiping down the baseboards, and washing the windows. Deep cleaning can take some time, especially if you have a large home, so you may find it easiest to clean one room at a time.

Next, focus on organizing your home. Start with one room at a time and organize all drawers, shelves, and any other area that tends to collect clutter. It will make being at home so much more enjoyable. If you need additional motivation, ask yourself when will your calendar ever be this empty? Now is your opportunity to organize everything you have put off.

Read

 
There’s no shortage of books to read and things to learn. Some may say this isn’t necessarily a “productive” way to spend your time, but to that I would say that reading can expand your mind and expose you to new ideas.

For a digital approach to reading, you can subscribe to apps like Kindle and Libby for a minimal monthly cost.

Many libraries are now open. The one that we go to has offered contact-less pickup of materials since April. All you need to do is browse books on your library website and request them. When they are ready you can go pick them up without coming within six feet of another human. Many libraries are offering a similar type of service today, and I would encourage you to take advantage of your free time to read something you maybe otherwise wouldn’t have made time for.

Start a Side Hustle

 
Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business? While you may not be able to leave home, there are plenty of online businesses you can start right from your laptop!

Whether you’re interested in blogging, freelance writing, graphic design, coding, becoming a virtual assistant, or something else, there is no shortage of ways to make money online. Check out our huge list of 50+ online and at home side hustle ideas to get started.

As an added bonus, the extra money you make from a side hustle can go towards bulking up your emergency fund, paying off debt, or building up your investments.

Create Healthy Habits

 
Being home for the foreseeable future can get tough mentally, which is why prioritizing your health is of utmost importance.

Establishing a new routine isn’t always easy, but you can start by prioritizing new healthy habits. Now that you don’t have to commute to work, can you get up in the morning to workout? Can you set your own bedtime so you ensure you’re still getting plenty of sleep? And why not try your hand at learning how to cook since most restaurants are closed?

Prioritizing your health is important to care for yourself during COVID. But better yet, the healthy habits you establish during this time can create a healthier you for years to come.

Put your Bills on Auto-pay

 
If you don’t already, take an hour to set up as many of your bills on auto-payment as possible. This could be your rent, mortgage, utilities, phone bill, and any other number of recurring bills. You can even put your monthly credit card payment on auto-drive.

This will help you avoid getting hit with a late fee, which can be costly both from the cost of the fee as well as your credit score. By having your bills on auto pay you can also shift all your spending to the credit card that gives you the best rewards. Which brings me to my next idea…

Make Money on Credit Card Rewards

 
While travel may be on hold during COVID in all but the most necessary situations, that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of credit card rewards.

A good example I have is my recent trip to Asia where my wife and I saved over $2,000 on flights and hotels by using credit card rewards.

Both sign-up bonuses and ongoing rewards can be beneficial.

For example if you sign up for the the Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card and spend $500 within the first three months of account opening you will be given a $200 statement credit. But you will also receive ongoing perks, such as 1.5% cash back on every transaction. There is also no annual fee for this card.

Another example is the Chase Reserve credit card. With this card you will earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, which is equivalent to $750 towards travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. You can also transfer 1:1 to partners, such as United Airlines. You also get a $300 travel credit each year with this card, as well as access to a network of airport lounges. This card does come with a $550 annual fee, but the sign-up bonus and travel credit outweighs the cost.

Now you may be leery of signing up for a travel credit card until there is an end in sight for COVID. If that is the case, the sign-up bonus of a statement credit that comes with Chase Freedom Unlimited® may be more attractive.

Sign up for an Online (High Yield) Savings Account

 
For those who have an emergency fund or a savings account, one of the biggest mistakes they make is keeping it in an account with 0.01% interest rate (trust me – I made this mistake for years). There are a high-yield savings accounts available that you can take advantage of. They are easy to sign up for and the difference can be hundreds of dollars of interest that you otherwise are missing out on.

For example you can sign up for a CIT Bank high-yield savings account (which is the savings account I use myself) that is going to be much, much, MUCH more than 0.01%. You should absolutely do this if you have cash sitting in a savings account making you almost no money in interest.

Learn a New Hobby

 
If you’re like me, you have had hobbies you dreamed about doing someday, but could never seem to find the time to start. Sound like you? If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new skill now is the time!

Some ideas include:

• Woodworking
• Cooking
• Sewing
• Running

For ideas for hobbies to try during COVID, check out our list 20+ ideas for hobbies.

Organize Your Digital Files

 
If your home is already organized, why not spend time organizing your digital files?

Between cell phones, computers, emails, photos, and more, it’s easy for our digital files to become a mess. Create digital folders for everything, and spend time sorting through your files. It will make your digital life less cluttered and you will thank yourself in 2021 when life gets a lot busier once COVID slows down.

Start Tracking your Income and Spending

 
Many inside and outside of the personal finance space point to budgeting as the first step in managing your money better. But in reality they skipped a step: tracking your income and expenses.

If you don’t know how much you currently spend each month on a category such as restaurants, how can you possibly budget?

So instead of starting a budget, first track your income and expenses for the past three months and see what your average spend is for things like rent/mortgage, clothes, and groceries. Once you have that you can set a reasonable budget.

You can do this manually by logging into various credit card and bank accounts and combining it all in a spreadsheet, or you can use a service like Tiller that aggregates this data real-time. learn more about Tiller here.

Update Your Resume

 
When’s the last time you updated your resume? Even if you aren’t actively job searching anytime soon, it’s always a good idea to have an up-to-date resume on hand.

Add any relevant experience you’ve gained since last updating your resume. Don’t forget to edit and proofread content you already have! And double check on your resume’s style and formatting. Could it be updated for a more refreshing and appealing look?

While you’re at it, go ahead and update your LinkedIn profile as well.

Watch a Documentary

 
Sure, you likely have already made your way through several Netflix series binges, but what about documentaries?

Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu offer a huge selection of documentaries covering everything from nature to history, current events, biographies, health, and more.

Catch Up With Friends

 
Have friends you’ve lost touch with? No matter how much time has gone by, the pandemic is the perfect excuse to give them a call to see how they are doing.

And even if you haven’t lost touch with people, COVID likely has caused you to not see even if your closest friends for well over a hundred days. Reach out and set up some time to connect on the phone, over Zoom, or in person (in a socially distanced setting, of course!).

Spending a few minutes catching up with a friend is the perfect way to break up the monotony of quarantine and boost your mood.

Work on a Home Project

 
As I mentioned earlier I have spent a lot of time on home projects this Summer, and I continue to use it as a distraction during COVID – at least as long as the Summer and Fall months last. Once the snow starts falling I will shift to interior projects, which can be as small as changing a light fixture or as big as laying new flooring and trim. Whatever you decide to do, now might be the best time to be working on a home project, as schedules may get a bit busy once a COVID vaccine is in place.

I realize you may currently be a renter. If this is you and you are considering buying a home soon, I recommend spending time learning as much as you can about home maintenance and what renovations entail. I arguably jumped into a fixer-upper without having an appreciation of how expensive subcontractors are. This mean doing more of the work myself, which can be beneficial but also super frustrating.

Start A Blog

 
Most people have, at one time or another, thought of an idea for a blog. But many people never get started.

COVID may actually be one of the better times to dive into blogging. Blogging has a pretty big learning curve. It also takes free time to actually produce content, not to mention manage social media and all the other things that go with blogging.

Many social events are cancelled and people are spending way more time at home during COVID. Why not take this opportunity to give a blogging a try? I give step-by-step directions on how to quickly get started in a recent post about starting a blog during COVID.

Create a Student Loan Strategy

 
For some couples, simply filing your taxes properly can create an annual cash flow of $10k+ that otherwise would have gone to student loan payments. And that’s just one year.

For some individuals, refinancing private student loans can result in thousands saved over the life of the loans.

And for individuals who are eligible for student loan forgiveness, being strategic about their student loans may cause a six figure positive net worth swing that takes years off their working life.

Check out my book Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of your Student Loans and Financial Life to see which strategies you would benefit from.

Cut Cable – If You Haven’t Already

 
Millions of people have already cut cable, but others are holding out. For some the issue was live sports. For others there was specific channels that weren’t part of streaming packages.

I can assure you that no longer is an issue. Live sports are widespread across offerings like Sling and YouTube TV. Some of the packages are starting to approach the cost of cable, but even with that being the case it can be worth it to never have to haggle over prices again. I personally have spent hours and hours of my life going back and forth with my cable provider. Now with the new services available I know I’m getting the same pricing as everyone else and can start and stop at any time.

Read my step-by-step guide to how to cut cable in 2020.

Try a New Workout

 
I won’t lie: I’ve struggled with not going to the gym since March.

Thankfully the weather in Minnesota has been nice enough to run outside, but that simply won’t be possible once Winter hits.

I’ve also struggled with “only” running as my workout. I was used to lifting weights twice a week before COVID, and I likely won’t be back to the gym until after COVID.

One thing I did to remedy this was try an at-home workout for the first time, kickboxing to be specific. My wife and I have done this workout from time-to-time, and I imagine in the Winter I’ll end up doing this once a week or more.

Go on a Hike

 
Assuming the weather allows it, consider going on a hike. With trips cancelled and people needing a break from being stuck at home, many are discovering – or re-discovering – parks within driving distance of their home.

An app that I have found incredibly useful for hiking is AllTrails.com. In the website or app you can search for hikes near a geographic area. You will see various details about each hike such as how difficult it is, how far of a distance you’ll have to go, and reviews from people who have hiked it.

Give Your Opinion & Take Surveys

 
Companies spend huge sums of money to get market research data. The big secret is that consumers who give their opinions to these companies oftentimes are getting paid to do so.

Taking surveys and giving your opinion can be a nice way to make money while you are sitting on the couch watching TV. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, check out our post with a big list of survey websites.

Get a Handle on Debt

 
All debt isn’t the same, nor is everyone’s financial situation the same. For example, $100k in federal student loans is vastly different than $100k in credit card debt. A $30k car loan is different for someone with $200k a year in income versus someone who makes $50k.

That’s why I never advocate for a one-size-fits-all approach to debt.

If you have debt that you want to get a handle on, here are some posts you may find useful:

Options for Dealing with a Large Unexpected Expense

When to Use a Personal Loan to Pay off Credit Card Debt

Working with a Debt Lawyer: What to Expect

How to Deal with Debt on a Low Income

Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of your Student Loans and Financial Life

Clean Up Your Social Media Profiles

 
Do you remember what you tweeted ten years ago? Me neither. Yet day after day we hear new reports of social media posts being unearthed from years ago that people didn’t even remember making.

It’s good practice to go through your old social media posts and profiles from time-to-time and clean them up, even if you are confident that you’ve never posted something that an employer may deem inappropriate. Take some time to delete old posts and check the security settings on your profiles.

Look Into Life Insurance

 
After being married for a few years I knew that life insurance was something that would be worthwhile. I ended up putting it off for years, though, because I never prioritized it.

With the extra time that COVID has afforded us you may want to consider setting aside some time to get a free life insurance rate quote and learn more about the process. To start you can read my post Why and How I got a Million Dollar Life Insurance Policy at 27 or head to PolicyGenius to get free quotes form multiple life insurance companies all in one place.

Double-digit interest rates on credit cards is standard, and 20%+ is not uncommon.

Credit cards with a 0% APR period allow you to pay no interest for a limited time on purchases, balance transfers, or both.

A card with 0% APR can give some breathing room for those working to pay off debt. It can also be beneficial for a large expense that will take a few months to pay off, since the 0% APR period typically applies to new purchases as well.

Here is our recommendation for a 0% APR transfer credit card:

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

 
Chase Freedom Unlimited® is our favorite balance transfer credit card. It offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening on both balance transfers and purchases.

There is a 5% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open. The minimum balance transfer fee is $5.

You can earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Ongoing rewards include 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 in the first year. You also get 1.5% cash back on every purchase, and no minimum required to redeem cash back.

Balance transfer Intro APR: 0%

Balance transfer Intro APR period: 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers

Balance transfer fee 5% of each balance transfer with a minimum of $5

Annual fee: $0

What is a 0% APR Credit Card Offer?

 
A credit card with a 0% APR period gives you a period of time where you are not charged interest on your credit card balance. 15 months is a common 0% APR period that credit card issuers offer.

This 0% APR period typically is for both balance transfers and purchases. If you find yourself in one of these two situations you could potentially save a lot of money by opening a 0% APR credit card:

• You have been carrying a balance on your credit card – It’s common for credit card interest rates to be double digits, sometimes as much as 20%+. The longer you carry a balance, the more you will end up paying in interest. And then you’ll pay interest on interest. Moving your credit card balance to a 0% APR credit card can give you some breathing room and allow you to make progress on paying down the balance.

• You need to make a large purchase – According to a January 2020 Bankrate survey, nearly 4 in 10 Americans would borrow money if they had a $1,000 bill for something such as the emergency room or a car repair. If these expenses were put on a common credit card the bill could end up costing hundreds of dollars in interest. A 0% APR credit card, on the other hand, offers you months to pay back the unexpected expense, all with no interest.

If you are opening a 0% APR credit card to make progress on your debt, it’s important that you stick with your plan. It’s very easy to move the balance over and then forget about it. After all, 15 months is a relatively long period of time. If you don’t make progress on your debt, though, you may end up in a worse situation than when you started.

How Do You Choose a 0% APR Credit Card?

 
When you choose a 0% APR credit card, you should focus on a few aspects of the card:

• Length of 0% APR Period – You should look for cards with at minimum 15 months of 0% APR.

• No Annual Fee – The card you chose should have no annual fee. This is the case with many 0% APR balance transfer credit cards, but there are some that come with a fee.

• Other Benefits – A signup cash back bonus is always nice, and the cards we highlighted all have a cash back signup bonus. The card should also have attractive cash back benefits. The cards we shared have either 1% or 1.5% cash back on every purchase, and some had additional higher cash back percentages for certain categories .

A quick warning on deferred interest offers. I will use a furniture store as an example. Many furniture stores offer 0% interest financing for a given period of time, say 12 months. The store may word the offer like this “no interest if paid back in full within 12 months.” This is an example of deferred interest.

With deferred interest, if you don’t pay off the purchase in full within 12 months, you will be charged interest dating all the way back to when you first made the purchase. Then you’ll owe the original amount plus the deferred interest. Make sure the credit card you get actually has 0% interest and you aren’t signing up for a deferred interest offer.

And unfortunately, many people are still either temporarily furloughed or laid off from work. Others may feel trapped in the jobs they do still have.

But now for the good news. Although unemployment rates are still high, the job market remains surprisingly strong. Now that companies are more versed in a fully remote workforce, they are continuing to hire for roles they may have put on hold.

It is totally possible to find a new job during COVID – here are a few tips to help you in your search.

Decide Your Urgency

 
While companies are certainly still hiring, the hiring process is trickier than before. Hiring managers are occupied with managing their now-remote workforce, and are faced with the challenges of virtual recruiting and interviewing. This may lead to a slower or more uncertain hiring process.

Further, companies may still be facing some financial uncertainty about what the future holds. If job security is important to you, you’ll want to evaluate a company’s financial decision now more than ever.

If you’re not in a hurry to find a new role, it may be worth it to wait it out. Even just waiting a few months gives companies more time to figure out new processes and their financial positions.

Ask Your Online Network

 
As with any job search, networking is so important!

Unfortunately, it may be awhile before you can enjoy in-person networking. Events like career fairs and professional club meetings are too large to meet in person during COVID, so you will have to get creative with your networking strategy.

On the plus side, there are a ton of networking opportunities online. Obviously, networking sites like LinkedIn are a huge asset to job seekers, but you can go even further than that. See if professional groups in your area are still meeting virtually, and make yourself known while on the call. You can even ask professional contacts to meet up for a virtual coffee!

And if you are currently unemployed, you can even update your LinkedIn status to let your network know of your situation and ask for help seeking opportunities. It’s surprising how willing people are to help job seekers. Of course, this does require you to be vulnerable about your position online. While asking for help online may not be the most comfortable thing, it can go a long way in helping out your job search.

Consider Gig Work

 
If you are temporarily furloughed, then gig work could be a great option for you. And fortunately, these companies are hiring now more than ever!

Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and PostMates, and more are hiring for delivery drivers and personal shoppers. If you’re looking for some cash quickly, or for a flexible role, then check out these companies that are hiring drivers to deliver both food, groceries, and non-food products.

Ask About Remote Options

 
If there was one silver lining to the pandemic, it is that most companies were forced to adapt to remote work. This means there are more remote jobs available than ever before. If you’ve ever wanted to work remotely, this is a really good time to job search!

And even if a role is in person, you can always ask if they would be open to remote work at first. Many companies are offering flexibility in work locations to accommodate the concerns of their staff. It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.

Other Considerations

 
And lastly, before you dive headfirst into a job search, stop to consider these things first:

 
Unemployment Benefits
 
If you are currently receiving unemployment benefits through your state, you will want to take time to do the math. Finding a job is great, but any additional income you make will affect your unemployment benefits.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You may make much more at a job than you could make on unemployment, but just be sure to do the math first.

 
Safety
 
Secondly, consider the work environment of your new role and make sure it is something you are comfortable with. Is the new role in person? Will you be interacting with many other people? Does the company practice proper social distancing and protective equipment requirements?

Most of us never worried about being safe while working pre-COVID. Unfortunately, Coronavirus isn’t going anywhere soon, so make sure you feel safe and protected before you accept the role.

Unfortunately, none of those things are really options right now due to COVID.

Most of the United States is still practicing social distancing or are quarantined at home.

For most of us, there really isn’t anywhere to go. It’s a stressful time in general, plus there are many ways we practice self care that may not be possible until COVID is over.

Fortunately, you can still practice self care while at home.

Here are 10 affordable ways to practice self care during COVID.

1) Exercise

 
I know, I know. No one wants to consider exercise as self care, but it truly is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Exercising releases endorphins, literally making you happier and more relaxed.

2) Sleep Well

 
COVID is a stressful time, and stress drastically affects your sleep. You may find yourself sleeping less, or tossing and turning throughout the night.

Now is an amazing time to focus on sleep hygiene. To enhance your sleep, try these tips.

3) Garden

 
Gardening or working in the lawn is a great way to practice self care for many reasons. For one, it gets you outside and into nature. Secondly, you can get a decent workout while gardening. Lastly, it gives you a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

And you don’t have to have an enormous yard to take advantage of gardening. Even if you live in an apartment, you can still buy a few basic gardening supplies and head outside. Purchase some indoor plants, pots, a trowel, soil, and any other supplies you need to pot indoor plants.

4) Call a Friend

 
What better way to practice self care than to call an uplifting friend? Whether it’s a new friend or an old one, engaging in a conversation with a friend is a great way to lift your spirits.

5) Organize Your Home

 
If you’re like me, clutter stresses you out. I’m always amazed at how much better I feel when I spend a few minutes picking up things around the house.

And fortunately, organizing your home is the perfect thing to do while you are quarantined. Start with one room at a time. Clean out drawers and closets and group like items together. I like to clean out old jars or plastic take-out containers to use as free organizers. You don’t have to spend a fortune in order to have an organized home!

6) Read

 
Reading is one of those things I enjoy doing, but I don’t often make time for it.

During COVID, I fell back in love with reading. In my opinion, there is nothing more indulgent than spending time simply sitting and enjoying a good book.

No matter what you enjoy reading, simply make time for it. Those quiet moments are one of my favorite times of self care.

7) Pick Up a New Hobby

 
If you find yourself frustrated and unable to enjoy your regular favorite hobbies, then why not try something new?

There are plenty of hobbies you can try while stuck at home. Here are a few ideas to consider:

• Cooking or baking
• Sewing
• Woodworking
• Homebrewing
• Yoga
• Gardening
• Gaming
• Crafting
• Crossword Puzzles
• And so many more – here are 20 ideas for hobbies

What about writing? Before you dive into blogging, read 7 Years of Blogging as a Side Hustle – Should You Start a Blog?

8) Get Your Finances in Order

 
Who knew organizing your finances could be a massive act of self care?

The truth is, caring for your money is caring for yourself. Living from paycheck to paycheck or in debt is super stressful. How much better would you feel if you felt like you had a hold on your finances?

Whether you are paying off student loans, starting to save for an emergency fund, or are interested in learning about investing, take this time to learn and focus on your finances.

9) Take a Social Media Break

 
Social media is a wonderful thing, but it can also become a source of stress when there is a lot going on around the world.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with social media, allow yourself to take a break. It’s an incredible act of self care, and it’s free!

10) Create a Schedule

 
Sure, this might not seem like an obvious way to care for yourself, but creating a schedule can do wonders for your mental state. With COVID, your regular routine was likely thrown out the window. You may just now be figuring out the rhythm of your new routine.

Now that you have a general idea of your new routine, schedule it. Write down when you’ll work, when you need to have family time, when you plan to work out, and any other events that come up.

Sticking to a schedule goes a long way in reducing stress. When everything is written down, you no longer have to keep track of every appointment or task in your head. It creates a more organized life, and you’ll find your stress levels subsiding. Best of all? It’s a totally free way to take care of yourself!