I strongly believe that we should not stop pursuing our passions even now that we are mums and have to take care of so many things {and people}, all at the same time. And because we have to look after so many concerns, all the more that we have to take much-needed breaks and pursue activities that are not only great for passing the time but also ideal in nurturing our inner child and our soul.
Sharing with you a few of my passions in life and some tips and tricks on how I manage to pursue them without spending too much moolah:
Yoga + Meditation
Some would spend too much and enroll themselves in the gym to practice yoga. Since the old yoga center I used to go to has closed down, I had no choice but to practice at home with my trusty yoga mat as my companion. For newbies, there are many educational videos on youtube you can watch to learn how to do yoga, or other form of exercises, in the safety of your home.
In the same manner, there are also many instructional materials online on meditation. Personally, I absolutely enjoy Oprah & Deepak 21-Day Meditation Experience and have been doing this for a while now. What’s even better is that I do not need to spend a cent in enjoying this. I just registered on the site and wait for their free 21-Day Meditation Experience, which usually comes about 2-3 times in a year, and enjoy meditation when it is out! It even has an app version, so you can do your meditation practice with your mobile device. You can download the Meditation Experience app on Play Store here.
Calligraphy
I am a total newbie in calligraphy and have been wanting to learn more since last year when I discovered all these awesome calligraphy accounts on Instagram. Most workshops are costly and this mum can spend the money on other necessities, so when I heard that they are offering free basic calligraphy workshop at the SM Stationery Art Festival last summer, I just knew I had to attend. A minimum purchase earned me a slot at the free workshop! What got me even more excited is that Meeya Cruz of Calligrafriends PH was teaching calligraphy that day. I love her work and I have been following her for awhile. I have also joined their Facebook group and am just in awe at the many calligraphy works members share there. I tagged along my sister and the little man to this event at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall and was even lucky to be chosen as one of the winners to get Faber-Castell freebies! 😀
We absolutely enjoyed our experience that we even joined their Journaling Workshop at the SM North Edsa run of the Art Festival, where we got to learn some journaling tips from Abbey Sy.
Tip #1:
- If you are eyeing to join a workshop this month, check out The Philippine Readers And Writers Festival 2017. Googly Gooeys is slated to hold a Drawing Figure Cartoon Workshop on the 27th. You can check the Festival Schedule here. We will be joining the Scholastic session, The Path to Possibilities: How Stories Can Reach A Global Audience, on the same day. See you there! 😀
Journaling/Planning
I just love journaling even when I cannot write as often as I would love to. Planning and journaling can be rather costly, especially if you aim to get those over-gorgeous journaling and planning materials and accessories. Over the course of several months, I was able to stock up on journaling/planning/arts materials without spending a lot, by joining this De-stash Group on Facebook, where members sell their pre-loved items at a fraction of the original price! Now I have a place to go to when I needed retail therapy for my hobby but do not want to spend too much! Some of the items I got from our group include stamps, notebooks, brush pens and other writing materials, washi tapes, stickers, and a lot more! If you plan to hoard on planning supplies without breaking the bank, join the PlannerAddicts Philippines Buy & Sell PAPH group on Facebook!
Tip #2:
- If you want to win planner stuff for free, you might as well join those awesome Instagram giveaways! I won a Wester’s Pages Planner in Gold last year just by joining a giveaway, who know you might just be as lucky! 😀
Books + Reading
Reading has always been my passion since I was a little girl. I enjoy reading now even when I no longer have enough time for an all-nighter just so I can finish a book in one sitting. I try to read as much as my motherly schedule allows me. I also try to collect as many of my favorite books as I can. But I rarely buy new books now. When I am looking for titles, my go-to place is Surprisesoutofboxes on Facebook, where I get pre-owned and pre-loved books but in top notch quality. The seller, Ten, is always accommodating and each transaction is a joy with her. She even painstakingly wrap your package in bubblewraps to make sure they arrived on your end in great condition! I have made multiple purchases from this shop and I even get free books on several occasions! :heart:
Kids + Babies’ Stuff
Of course, as mums one of our passion is buying stuff for our little ones. Although most of us might be squeamish about getting pre-owned items for our children, especially for clothing items, there are a number of groups on Facebook you might want to check out for those. Personally, I’d recommend those pasa-buy groups, where you can join a group of mums in ordering items like books, toys, or other products abroad and chip in on shipping fees. Preferable than paying for the shipping dues alone.
Natural Products
I love natural products, especially those for my little boy’s use. These products do not come cheap so I make sure to take advantage of promos and deals when I hoard these items online. I get a bulk of my products from Human Heart Nature, where I also signed up as a dealer so I will get 15% discount on my purchases. I also shop for natural products on BeautyMNL, where I discovered my now favorite soap, V&M Naturals. I shop from this site only when they have sale on my favorite items or when they offer free shipping. Early this year, I got some of my favorite natural soaps at half the price when they offered 50% off on V&M Naturals soaps. My sisters and I hoarded on our favorite bars and got new variants to try, too. This week, I discovered V&M Naturals on Instagram, and timely, too, as they are having a sale on a bunch of their products. I ordered a couple of items and got 20% discount on my total purchase with free shipping, to boot!
Home Improvement
I guess it is a default that home improvement is one of your passions when you are a mum. Our home is our haven and our place of comfort that it is but natural to find new ways to improve it from time to time. To save on home improvement, you might want to check the surplus shops in your areas if you are hunting for antique bedroom furniture from Laurel Crown or for new tables or shelves for example. You will get them here at a fraction of their original selling price, saving you hard-earned money!
Some of the ways you can improve the home without spending too much include:
- Upcycling boxes {shoe boxes are perfect for Lego pieces and school supplies} and turning them into catch-all for your little one’s toys and other stuff
- Commissioning your neighborhood seamstress to sew your sofa covers, bedsheets, and curtains. You will absolutely save a lot this way instead of getting ready-made items from the mall
- Gardening is another way of improving your home. You can add succulents and other plants to beautify your home and help keep the air clean. Planting fruit-and-vegetable bearing plants is also one way of improving the air quality in your yard and home. You will even get to save a lot once your plants start to give you fruits and vegetables
I hope you find these tips and tricks most useful. Cheers to saving up while we pursue our many passions in life! Oh, and if you have tips of your own to share, I would love to read all about them in a comment below! 🙂