Write a will. I believe that's all you'd have to do to make sure the Doe family doesn't get anything in the event of your death.

As for having money to do stuff with your kids, fishing is really cheap. All you really have buy is the pole (can get some really cheap), line, hook, and fishing license. If you want, you can even make your own pole. Can find worms for free, and that in itself can be a fun thing to do with your kids.

No matter where you live, you have local live music. See if you can find a place you can enjoy it cheaply, like if your town is putting on an event.

Museums usually have a "recommended" entry fee. You don't have to pay it, especially if you can't afford it. That's the whole point: People who can't afford it can still enjoy the museum.

Hiking is really cheap. Pack some of your own food and make a whole day event (slow and relaxed) out of it. It's kinda like camping, minus the tent.

Sometimes local farms have tours/festivals during certain times of the year with low cost activities for kids.

Make stuff. Making stuff is usually pretty cheap and is both fun and educational for kids, and you end up with something useful rather than just spending money solely for the experience. Get some heavy cream and make butter and show what buttermilk is. Make a birdhouse. Make ice cream.

Start a garden.

If you don't have enough money for even these suggestions, do this: skip one meal a week. Pick your most expensive meal, and skip it. That should save you $5-$10 a week (assuming you're already cutting costs as much as possible). Key part: Don't overeat on the next meal. That'll give you $20-$40 a month to spend on these activities, which is probably pretty close to all they'll cost. And if you're like most Americans, skipping a meal every now and then will probably be good for losing a couple of pounds.


As for your general dissatisfaction with how your life has turned out, what do you want out of life? You don't have anything to show for it, you say? What about a loving wife and children? That's much, much more valuable to many (like me) than all the riches in the world. It sounds to me your worldview is entirely materialistic in the worst of ways and you come off sounding ungrateful for the wonderful things you do have. Count your blessings, my friend. Count your blessings.

- Paul



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2009 06:51AM by Paul Ott.