Things to do at the weekend.

Sep 30, 2022
9 min read

Updated: Dec 29, 2022

Created: 26.09.22

Things we Love this Weekend | Autumn Picnics | Easy Email |

It can be really tricky to find things to do at the weekend. We sometimes realise that our weekend consists of nothing but chores and the mundane. Before you know it Monday comes around, and you don't feel rested or accomplished, as you start your new week. That is not the beginning that anyone hopes for.

We aim to help you challenge the joyless and the mundane to find memorable experiences at the weekend.

We'll update this post every Friday, when we have a bigger team, we'll do a regional roundup of what's on near you. Here you'll find things we loved online and great places to look to find your personal weekend bliss. Lets dive in...

BLISSFUL THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND...

Still time! - Autumn Picnics

Although the weather is decidedly colder there is no reason not to catch the beautiful autumn outdoor vibe. Layer up, grab your blanket and head out with a few friends and some great grub.

I once dated a foodie who told me he needed two days to prepare for a picnic. Sod that, I love great food as much as the next person but it really doesn't have to be that difficult? For low cost, great, fast food head to your local Aldi or Lidl, where you'll find frittatas, salads, sandwiches, mini sausages, soups etc. If you want to take hot soup or hot chocolate or even a wee dram that will help keep you warm, just head home and heat it before you leave.

One of the most fun things about autumn are those beautiful falling leaves so if you want to sit among them head to your local park, country park or other spot, just look out for areas of trees with different coloured leaves and you will find the perfect spot. Don't bbq, don't light a fire and take your rubbish home with you.

An autumn picnic with good food and good friends or a special someone is a marvellous way to have a memorable weekend.

Time to start or time to continue! Making email easy

If like us you've noticed your storage use creeping up to the limit, grabbling 5 minutes here and there will really make a difference and could prevent you having to buy extra storage too. Whilst it isn't blissful to do, you will feel a little blissful afterward, and you can do whenever you have a quite five minutes.

When you shop online some companies force you to untick the subscribe box, they are not supposed to do that now but it still happens, so you may be subscribed to something you are not aware of. There will be those things that you agreed to when your relationship with an organisation first started, but you didn't think they would email you every day! The best practice for email marketing is considered to be 2/3 per week which is a whopping 130 times a normal company will have contacted you this year! If you barely remember their name they are taking up your space unnecessarily - don't let them. If you decide you want to hear from them in the future, you can always resubscribe.

Start with checking your most recent emails, before opening them, ask yourself when was the last time you read something from this organisation. If it's more than 6 months ago you probably should unsubscribe, 3 if you are brutal. For the others if you've never heard of them or they irritate you, unsubscribe. The unsubscribe button has to be on every email now to comply with our GDPR Law. If it isn't there they can be fined, heavily too. Some companies are upfront and the unsubscribe link or button is obvious, others hide it in tiny writing at the foot of the page, some still don't have a button/link. When you click the link it will take you to a page they have set up usually at their own address.

Beware, they are not all the same, make sure that you read the words above the box before ticking because it might be that you are resubscribing! If there is no button/link on the email or they come back and bother you with more email, there is a button usually 3 vertical dots or parallel lines at the top of every email. Click this and you will see an option to block. Block them. Some are like chewing gum and almost impossible to get rid of, one tactic is they use a different address to send from, getting around your block. We recommend you block this one too, then go to their contact us form on the website and let them know you will report them if they persist. Keep a copy of the form before you hit send. You can do this from your laptop by taking a picture with your phone or if you are on your phone just do a picture of the screen. Today I remove 150 emails over a 3 month period from a company I had unsubscribed to last year!

Final stage, put the exact name or email address in your email search bar. This should make sure that you are only brining up that company and not other things you want to keep that just happen to have that searched word included. If you are unsubscribing from your phone click the icon at the side of each email select them all one by one I'm afraid, unless anyone knows a short cut? Do comment below if you do. Then hit the bin button at the top to delete. It's better to do from your computer because there is a little blank box (see illustration) which enables you to delete all of them with one button. If like me some of them run into hundreds this will save you some time.

If you do this, 5 minutes or so every weekend you'll soon have it under control and have the added bonus that the email you really needed is easier to spot.

BLISSFUL THINGS TO DO EVERY WEEKEND...

Researching your Bliss

If you've never been on Eventbrite, it's well worth taking a look. Eventbrite lists online and in person events around the world, with a mixture of paid and free events. You'll find everything from flower arranging to fly fishing here. You buy or order your tickets through the app. We have used Eventbrite many times and have never been disappointed.

Your regional tourist board or local information sites can be really helpful in finding local events and don't forget to look out for posters and banners when you are travelling. I've been known to stop the car, circle back and photograph an event which interest me!

Netmums have lots of family activities listed, we've used them to advertise some of our PlayCafe events in the past, so if you are looking for family friendly activities check out Netmums activities here.

Wowcher occasionally reveals a little gem, so it's worth checking this out too.

Do you have a favourite place to find events? If you do please comment below.

Cinema, Music & Theatre

If you are thinking of the cinema or a last minute theatre bargain, the best place to spot these are on the cinema/theatre group's own website. Book your tickets online and save time at the tills. It's also worth joining the mailing list of local independent theatre companies and event spaces, that way you'll never miss a thing. If you spot a bar or other venue you like then it's worth joining their list. They sometimes have special interest groups too which you can join, that way you'll be invited to their special events, which can be, well, pretty special.

Treat yourself

Taking a few hours out for you at the weekend is an incredible way to put gas back in the tank, especially after a busy week. Do not count your beauty and hair routine trips or clothes shopping though, whilst these make you feel good, remember you also need somewhere to wear that new dress! We recommend meeting a friend or going on a date even, at least every couple of weeks. This gives you an opportunity to take time out to consider someone else and a break away from your usual routine. I generally meet friends in the day for coffee, lunch or afternoon tea. I like to pick somewhere pretty so we can have a little walk too. Encourage your teenagers to do the same, keeping those friendships going is important for us all.

Live or Not?...

Just because a live event is no longer live, it doesn't mean it can't be live to you this weekend. Find a film, musical or streamed theatre event and invite friends to watch at your place. It doesn't have to be glamorous or expensive, just fun. If you want to you could organise a side activity, a prize for the best dressed in the style of or themed snacks. All will add to the event and make your guests feel special. We've been know to create slideshows, invent cocktails and event bake themed bread! We'll post some themed event ideas in future editions Bliss Life and on Bliss Bits too.

Set up a book or craft club

Many of us want to read more and setting up a book club with your friends can be a great way to make the most of this popular past time. Getting together to create a specific craft item can be great fun too or you can work on a bigger project together. We'll post more about this in future editions, on Bliss Bits and some events too.

Good old party plan

Remember the old Tupperware parties? There are many people across the country who are agents for all kinds of products which are sold by hosting a party in your home. If you've not been to one before here's what happens. The agent brings samples of their products for you to try, they'll tell you their offers and best buys. They'll share how to use tips and they might have a game or raffle. The host usually receives a decent gift and discount in exchange for inviting about a dozen people, providing drinks (soft ones are fine) and a few nibbles. It's a great opportunity to get everyone together. You can even donate your gift to charity, and use your event as a fund raiser too.

Sunday lunch

Don't underestimate the value of tradition. Whilst many people go out for Sunday Lunch this can be a great way to get your family together. Don't be burdened though. Delegate. If someone makes a brilliant soup, ask them to make and bring it. If someone works in a bakery ask them to bring their choice of desert. People will be generally be happy to contribute and if they aren't they might not be your people. Do be thoughtful though, if someone is struggling financially or with their health, ask considerately or not at all. Make sure someone is going to help with the washing up, get it in writing if necessary.

Proceed with caution!!

It can be really tempting to join an organisation you like the look of as a paid member, especially after a first enjoyable visit. Visitor attractions mostly offer this. Don't do it until you have firmed up when you want to visit, with the people you plan to visit with. I've twice shelled out for theme park and zoo memberships only to find nobody fancies going this week, and this has continued for the entire year, costing me to loose my Bliss and a whole lot of cash too.

Money Saving Mouthfuls

If you're looking to save some money on your food bill and fancy trying something different checkout To Good To Go. Food waste is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gases, and we use a landmass the size of China to produce food we end up throwing away. The clever people at TGTG have produced an app which allows you to connect with restaurants, supermarkets and local food stores across the country to purchase things that would otherwise become waste. Once you've downloaded the app, put in your location and travel limit, make your selection and pick up at the allotted time. It can be perfect if you like to eat late too because local carveries can often provide you with a delicious supper. One of the things we like to do with friends from far away is a cookoff so we go get our (magic) food bags, connect to zoom and see who can come up with the most delicious meal. Perhaps this is something we should start at Bliss for members to connect? Drop us a comment below if it's something you would like to.

At Too Good To Go, we’re determined to help fix the problem. Our anti-food waste app lets you rescue delicious, unsold food from businesses to save it from going to waste.

Armchair Travel

World virtual tours are something we've done a couple of times and plan to do many more. You sign up online and they send a link to you when your event is going live. You can watch on your phone and comment too. It's free to join and you pay what you can afford/what you think it's worth. They have some pretty cool places to see and not just at the weekends.

https://www.worldvirtualtours.online/