Taking Advantage of Staying Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
If you had asked anyone at the beginning of 2020 how they envisioned life in March of the same year, we very much doubt that they would have said they would be in lockdown and not sure when they would be able to get out. Life as we know it has changed for the moment and none of our governments are really sure when it is going to end, but with this unprecedented situation, surely there is a way that you can take advantage of it? Here a few ideas to make staying at home work for you as best you can.
Buying Gifts
With all by essential services shut, shops have a huge amount of stock that they need to get rid of to help increase their cash flow. That married with the steepest economic downturn since the great depression has resulted in rock-bottom prices for an array of items as retailers attempt to claw money back. Whilst you may only be getting 80% of your income, the savings you are making through not traveling can be huge, why not maximize these savings and buy gifts now for later on in the year? Electronics, fashion items, and even kitchen wear can be found at an 80% discount, so buying gifts such as these ahead of time can save you a fortune in the long run.
Learn A New Skill
It is easy to fall into the trap of feeling as though you have to be productive whilst you are in lockdown and some people have been taking on too much and becoming stressed out from it, but that isn’t to say that you can’t learn something small and build on it throughout the rest of this situation. Why not look at starting to cook new recipes, with food shops still open, now is the perfect time to start cooking with new ingredients, especially if you can’t get the ones you always shop for. If you aren’t a fan of savory dishes, you could always bake instead. This will not only keep you busy, but you can also showcase your newfound skills when you get back to the office.
Start To Learn About Stocks And Shares
There has never been a more perfect time to learn about stocks and shares. There are arrays of platforms that are available free of charge to help you understand the market and how you can use this to your advantage. You can invest as little as $10 to start and you can see how the market is operating at this unprecedented time. There is also an array of free resources available online that can talk you through exactly what stocks and shares are, the different markets, terminology and how you can maximize your small investment. There is always a risk when it comes to stocks and shares, so it is always going to be worth making sure you fully understand what you are getting into before you start parting with your hard-earned cash.
Have A Clear-Out
If you find that you are living in the same 5 t-shirts and leggings combo all week, but you have a wardrobe full of clothes, why not consider getting rid of some. It is true that you aren’t going to be wearing your best outfits at the moment, but chances are is that you have items in your wardrobe that you haven’t worn for years, or never worn at all. If you have collected a whole heap of clothes that are barely used and in good condition, why not put them up for sale?
You could make some extra income whilst you are stuck at home and there may be people out there who are willing to pay for them. Open up an eBay store, you will find that a lot of online platforms are offering discounts at the moment in an attempt to help small businesses, so you can capitalize on this! You might be surprised how much money you can make from your clothes and accessories that you don’t use or wear! It doesn’t just need to be clothes either, you may have a whole host of old phones or other gadgets that no one in your house uses anymore, so why not put them up for sale?
Final Considerations
COVID-19 really has brought unprecedented times and with a lot of us not able to leave our homes unless for the bare essentials, we have found a variety of ways to keep ourselves entertained and busy, aside from Netflix. You don’t have to be the most productive person in your household, but you can spend this time maximizing your money and learning new skills, not only will it make the day go faster, you may find that you end lockdown with more money than you started with.