Creating a bucket list is easy, but affording it? Not so much! Your bucket list is usually a list of places you want to visit or things that you want to achieve before you, well, kick the bucket.
Bucket lists aren’t something that should be concerned about your financial situation, especially when not every bucket list item is a grand plan to travel the world. You don’t have to be wealthy to be able to pull off the things that you want to do before you die.
A bucket list is all about adventures and possibilities and is a dream list rather than something you should absolutely do while you’re still kicking. You can create a bucket list on a budget, and we’ve put together some of the best budget ideas out there. We’ve thrown in a couple, though, that do have that little extra expense; life is for a living, after all.
Learn To Play Music
For most people, the mastery of a musical instrument is a high achievement and one to be very smug about. Whether your favorite instrument is a piano, violin or even a guitar, the chance to learn how to play an instrument doesn’t have to be kept to childhood.
At any age, you can buy an instrument and get learning how to play. Shop in the thrift stores for a preloved guitar or hit Craigslist or even eBay. Then check out some free music lessons online, or simply use videos on YouTube to follow along and learn to play yourself.
Visit Somewhere You’ve Always Wanted To Go
Travelling doesn’t have to be expensive, but there are two ways that you could go about this one. You could choose to take an indulgent weekend in wine country with a loved one, spending time in the tasting room and getting to know new flavors. If your budget deems that to be too expensive, you could use websites like this one to couch surf your way around the world.
This website connects travelers to people in the community that are willing to host visitors from different countries. The adventures that you have with your friends or family or partner are out there for you, you just have to be a little creative with how you travel and give up a few small comforts.
Master Chess
It doesn’t cost much at all for this one, but it’s a goal in life for many to master the game of chess. The skill that chess takes is often mistaken for a little bit of geekiness, but chess is a game of kings! Get someone to learn with you – this is one of those bucket list items that takes two to complete.
The one thing that you should understand is that learning how to play chess strategically is a huge achievement. This is because you’ve learned something starts to finish and have added new skills of thinking and reasoning to your belt!
Complete Your Book Bucket List
A library is a place to be on a bucket list containing titles of books that you’ve been longing to read. These can range from original Shakespeare plays to the works of chick-lit wonders like these. Your book list is going to transport your mind to a whole other world; more than one if you like!
Heading to the library can mean that this particular bucket list item is totally free for you. Reading a few of the classics can change your thinking and expand your mind. Plus, what is more, relaxing than sinking into a comfy chair with a great book?
Go Get Educated
Did you know that college isn’t just for high school grads? If you put off going to college as a teenager, there is nothing to stop you from going now. There are tons of free college courses that you can start online.
You may not get that coveted diploma, but you will be full of brand-new knowledge that could take you further than anything ever has before. It will take you to new places and could change your career for you. It could even prompt you to save the cash to go back and get that diploma yourself.
Fit In A Foreign Language
As with chess, learning a language is a skill. It takes time to completely master a new language and be able to speak it with clarity and fluency in the same way that you do English or your mother tongue. You can check out this link for free language classes, or you could go the whole hog with a Rosetta Stone set.
There’s nothing to stop you from traveling in the place that holds the language that you want to learn, either, and the best place to learn a new language is where you want to speak it! There is so much material online to be able to cobble together enough information to teach yourself a language if you can’t get to an official class. Bucket list item checked and your wallet happy!
Do Your Dream Job
Even if it’s just for a day, pick a job you’ve always wanted to do and go and get it – for fun. Have you always wanted to dish out movie theatre snacks? How about learning the ins and outs of behind the counter at Chick-Fil-A?
Either way, choose the job you’ve always wanted to do and go and tell them about your dream to do the job for a day. Keep searching for all the places until you find one that says yes to your dream. Offer your services as a volunteer if you need to – it’s an item to tick off.
Most of these items are totally free. Your dreams can be big and they can be bold but they don’t have to be expensive and crippling on your finances. Bucket lists are there to be a guide, a dream list that you chase. Chase away and grab what you can; we’re not around forever!
