Genius Ways To Pass The Time Without Your Smartphone

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Everyone falls into a rut at one point or another. Sometimes you’re able to quickly pull yourself out, or you slip into an even worse state: a state of boredom. The looming dread of boredom is quite possibly one of the worst feelings in the world. Whether you’ve scrolled through TikTok for more hours than you’d like to admit or made every one of our TGIF recipes, every so often you fall into a slump that even your smartphone can’t fix.

Fortunately for you, we’ve been there, too. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through your phone (after all, there are only so many times you can see what all of your high school classmates are up to now), we’ve rounded up the 25 fun things to conquer the boredom without spending tons of money. From at-home self care to finally doing the tasks you’ve been putting off around the house, we’re sure you’ll find something to keep your mind stimulated and body busy on this list.

Make your home more efficient

Photo by RDNE Stock project / PEXELS

1. Clear your visual clutter.

As of 2022 we had no idea this was a thing, but Kristyn totally convinced us to ditch our noise of small things in our homes for a more serene space.

2. Ship your returns.

We all have at least one return that’s been sitting by our door for weeks waiting to be sent back. Package and drop it off at the post office for some cash back in your (virtual) wallet.

3. Create a “life folio.”

Keep all of your documents in one place (and ideally in a fireproof box) for easy access when you need them. No more rummaging through a pile of miscellaneous items for your passport!

4. Print new pictures for your frames.

Unless you just moved in, chances are your frames haven’t been updated with new pics in quite some time. Take a few minutes to order some prints of all your favorite pics for an easy and cheap home upgrade.

5. Book important appointments

If you haven’t already scheduled your yearly doctors and dental appointments, book your appointments and add it to your cal. Future you will thank you!

6. Put together an emergency supply kit for your car.

Keep yourself safe in case of an on-road or off-road emergency with this kit. We recommend starting with a roadside emergency kit and adding your own personal products so you’re prepared for anything.

7. Go through your closet.

No, you don’t need your cheer uniform from 2012. Retire it to the garbage or donate any usable clothes to a women’s shelter near you.

Get your creative juices flowing

Photo by Dushawn Jovic / Unsplash

8. Do a deep dive on a subject that interests you.

Finally figure out what went down between Youtubers Tati Westbrook and James Charles, explore the history of ancient Egypt, or investigate the best Met Gala looks – whatever suits your fancy! If you find yourself continuously drawn to a specific subject, find some documentaries, video essays or articles and research your heart out!

9. Plan your next getaway.

Skip the daydreaming and *actually* look up everything from plane tickets and hotel rooms to activities to fill your trip with.

10. Paint your heart out.

If you’ve got the materials, put paint to paper and create something beautiful.

11. Find some new music.

Update your Spotify or Apple Music (or Amazon Music – we don’t judge!) playlist with some new music and jam it out.

12. Create your own cocktail.

Channel your inner mixologist with this fun activity. IF you’re not sure where to start, try your hand at one of our cocktail recipes first.

13. Text (or call, or Facetime) a friend.

Sometimes all you need is a new perspective to spark inspiration.

14. DIY a floral bouquet.

Grab some flowers from Trader Joe’s and make a pretty bouquet to brighten up your space.

15. Try your hand at a new card game.

There are so many fun card games that are on the market. If you’re not alone, play hella awkward with your BFFS or deepen your connection with your partner with We’re Not Really Strangers.

Self care indulgences

Photo by madison lavern / Unsplash

16. Relax with a face mask.

Have a face mask that’s been sitting in a drawer for months? Well now is the time to use it!

17. DIY a lymphatic drainage massage.

Lymphatic drainage is the key to evening out your skin’s texture, getting rid of cellulite and improving circulation. Try out this tutorial for the healthiest glow.

18. Read a book.

Stimulate your mind with the book you bought a year ago but still haven’t read. There’s no time like the present!

19. Learn how to do your own nails.

Save $50+ a month getting your nails done by learning how to DIY it for a fraction of the cost. Not sure where to start? Well we’ve got the tutorial for you!

20. Catch up on some zzz’s.

This one may seem kind of obvious, but recharge your body with some sleep. At the very least, you’ll be feeling more relaxed post-nap.

21. Take an online mat pilates class.

Even if you’re not a pilates pro, mat pilates is an easy way to get some exercise in without any equipment. Lidia Mera and Mel Cornelo both have amazing classes you can do from the comfort of your own home.

Head outside

Photo by Roberto Nickson / Unsplash

22. Go on a HGW.

A HGW (AKA a hot girl walk) is the perfect I’m-bored-but-don’t-want-to-stay-home solution. Throw on some sneakers and headphones and explore your neighborhood for some good ol’ fashioned fresh air.

23. “Rent” a shelter dog for the day.

Did you know that some animal shelters let you take their animals out for the day? Let a dog stretch its legs and give you some love with this adorable activity.

24. Embrace some lizard time.

What’s “lizard time” time you may ask? It’s basking in the sun. Not only is the Vitamin D great for your body, but you’ll be feeling plenty energized post-bask.

25. Visit your fave neighborhood spots.

Do you have a deli you frequent? A nearby cafe spot with the best acai bowls in the world? Take a little trip and treat yourself to something ah-mazing.

Got any other go-to boredom activities? Let us know in the comments below!

Never be bored with Brit + Co.

Header Image Courtesy of Magnet.Me / Unsplash

Aldiis obviously beloved for itsbudget-friendly grocery finds, but even the most seasoned Aldi fans can fail to make the most of their shopping trips there. The grocer is packed with hidden gems and major savings, and you may not realize a few simple missteps can keep you from getting the most bang for your buck. Before your next grocery run, make sure you're not making these common Aldi shopping mistakes!

Below, see the top 5 mistakes to avoid making when you shop at Aldi.

Sora Shimazaki / PEXELS

1. Not bringing a quarter.

Aldi requires a $0.25 deposit for their shopping carts, which you get back when you return it. Forgetting a quarter when you go shopping at Aldi can be inconvenient if you don't have a spare!

Thirdman / PEXELS

2. Not bringing reusable bags.

Aldi typically charges for plastic or paper bags, so bringing your own reusable bags can easily save you some money and the extra hassle!

Aldi

3. Not exploring the entire store.

Aldi sometimes hides popular or seasonal items in unexpected places throughout their stores, so it's worth checking out all of the aisles, especially if you’re searching for a unique find.

Reddit

4. Not trying Aldi-exclusive brands.

Aldi's exclusive brands often offer quality at a lower price, so it's worth trying them out. Though, beware of some of the items that Aldi shoppers say aren’t worth it.

Some of the Aldi brand names to look out for include Simply Nature, LiveGfree, Earth Grown, Clancy's, and Specially Selected.

Reddit

5. Skipping the “Aisle of Shame.”

The “Aisle of Shame” is where Aldi stocks limited-time deals on everything from home goods to seasonal foods. You can truly find the most random things here, but for unbelievably low prices.

Some shoppers have even scored things like kitchen tools, food processors, cutting boards, leggings, pajamas, bike baskets, and more. Skipping this aisle means missing out on some real fun surprises and great bargains!

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Leaders in the matcha industry are predicting a matcha shortage this spring. Sparked by a huge surge in demand, it’s possible that your go-to drink could be affected.

Here’s everything you need to know about this season’s matcha shortage.

Nataliya Vaitkevich / PEXELS

Per The Japan Times, increased demand for matcha powder put an “unprecedented strain” on the tea industry last year, and the same effect is predicted to take place in 2025.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan saw a 185% increase in matcha production from 2010 to 2023 in order to keep up with demand from cafes and home baristas around the world, The Japan Timesreports.

Cup of Couple / PEXELS

Seeing that over half of Japan’s matcha is exported internationally, matcha lovers are looking toward the country for their green tea fix. Search interest for matcha has nearly quadrupled over the past 5 years, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

Olena Bohovyk / PEXELS

This year, mostly organic matcha strains will be affected by the shortage, though lower-grade varieties could face the same issues if consumers begin reaching for them in favor of organic offerings. While top-tier, organic strains like ceremonial-grade matcha are known for being sweeter and smoother, the lower-grade kinds like culinary-grade matcha are noticeably more bitter and don't have the same vibrant color.

Charlotte May / PEXELS

Matcha can only be harvested in the springtime, so though a shortage may be happening now, there’s hope for increased supply in the near future. This year’s harvest will start in April.

Polina Tankilevitch / PEXELS

Even though production will ramp up, Jason Eng of Kametani Tea in Japan, a company that produces matcha for beverage companies around the world, says: “This year will be an interesting one. We haven’t hit a point yet where we’re going to run out, but it’s going to be really tight this autumn – not just for us but for everybody. The demand is off the charts.”

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Millions of people are painfully aware of the struggles that come with being an adult in today's economy (hello, cost of eggs?!).

The average salary in the United States is just over $66,600, according to data from the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are still above 6%, and food prices have risen a whopping 31% since 2019.

Being able to afford outings like date nights or brand-name clothing, let alone going on family vacations or buying a home, has become a privilege. But, for people who grew up in affluent households that didn't have to worry about finances, privilege can be an invisible force that shapes their lives in ways they don't even realize.

When you grow up surrounded by other individuals just like you, it's easy to assume that everyone has the same opportunities. However, once you venture outside your "bubble," you might experience a wake-up call or a defining moment that opens your eyes to the disparities that exist beyond your own upbringing.

So, people who grew up wealthy recently took to Reddit to share their own personal wake-up calls, which made them realize just how privileged they were compared to others. Here are 10 of the most intriguing revelations.

Scroll to see the wake-up calls that made these wealthy people finally see the real world...

1. Not everyone's parents can put them through college. 

"My parents are wealthy, but I grew up in a place where many of my peers' parents were super, duper, crazy wealthy, so I had a skewed understanding of wealth," shared one user.

"It was really eye-opening for me when I went to college. I didn't have to take out student loans; my parents were able to just pay for it. But I had friends who, even with financial aid, had to work their [behinds] off year-round to cover the cost of school. I realized pretty quickly just how privileged I was and that I did, in fact, grow up with wealth."

2. Country clubs aren't the only kind of "clubs" out there. 

"When I was confused about people on Maury complaining their spouse was at 'the club,' and I couldn't figure out what type of country club would let people like that through the front security gate," admitted another user.

3. Not everyone views their parents as good role models. 

"Becoming an adult and realizing that I have extremely good role models as parents because when they have disagreements, they talk them out, and I have never, ever, heard them argue or badmouth each other," one user revealed.

"I also realized that as a kid, my parents got me mental health help that I needed even though it was expensive and continued that care for as long as I have needed it," they added.

"A third [wake-up call] that doesn't seem like much but has had a huge impact was being taught financial literacy from a young age; to budget my money and only buy the things I really, really want."

4. Many people have never left the country.  

"My parents loved to travel. By the time I was 16, I had been to every continent aside from Antarctica. I didn't realize that this was privileged behavior until I went to university, and most of the guys I met had never left the country," a user shared.

"In fact, I grew up thinking I was less privileged because everyone at my school was just obscenely rich. Like, all their stuff was high-end designer stuff while I was in Converse."

5. Some families cannot afford to have pets. 

"My dad was an engineer, so professional wealth, but... probably hearing about a kid whose family had to give his dog away due to the cost in elementary school," another user remembered.

"Giving away our dog wasn't on the radar or even on the table. But it was only out of the question because my parents had the money for it to be out of the question."

6. Owning multiple properties is not the norm. 

"When I learned that not everyone has a summer cottage or trust fund, and not all grandparents have weekend and summer homes," a user noted.

7. Exposure to cultural education isn't a given. 

"I didn't think I grew up in a wealthy family, but when I started high school, I was part of a group of girls who became close friends with me. Apparently, they thought it was very weird that I knew things that I considered cultural knowledge, like the history of some important building in the city or the fact that I actually knew about art and went to museums quite often," detailed a user.

"All this because my parents made me go to museums and theaters my whole life growing up. Apparently, that's not a normal thing for normal parents to do with their kids, and asking your parents if they can take you to the ballet is not something a teenager would normally ask."

8. Some people have never been able to fill up their tanks at the gas station. 

"In college, I went on a road trip with friends, and one asked how much money he should put in the gas tank. I told him to fill it up," recalled a user.

"He kept asking, 'Okay, how much should I pay?' and I kept saying, 'Fill it up!' It turned out he had only ever put $10 to $15 at a time, and it had never occurred to me that some people never fill their gas tanks to the top."

9. Seeing how families abroad make do.

"I realized how privileged I was when I spent a summer with my great-grandmother in a small village in rural Hungary. No indoor running water, the only phone was at the church, and everyone came out to touch the rental car we drove there in. This was in the late 1980s," recalled a user.

10. Learning that not everyone takes their first flight as a child.

"I have been flying around the world since I was 4 months old. When I was 16, my friend told me she'd fly for the first time in an airplane, and I was shocked," said another user.

"I told my dad that I couldn't believe it took her 16 years to fly! I got a stern talk after; my dad is very humble despite it all."

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This post was updated.

We're over halfway through 1923 season 2 and there is so much to talk about — like Cara getting attacked by a wolf in the middle of the night, Spencer getting roped into a plot to uncover a whiskey operation, and Alexandra getting stalked and attacked multiple times in her journey. Wow. There's one more episode before the 1923 finale on April 6, 2025.

Here's everything you need to know about how and when to watch the 1923 season 2 finale, airing on Paramount+ April 6, 2025.

Where can I watch the 1923 finale?

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

The 1923 season finale will air on April 6, 2025 on Paramount+. New episodes of 1923 season 2 air on Paramount+ Sunday at 12 AM EST, which means if you live on the west coast, you get new episodes on Saturday nights!

How many episodes of 1923 are there?

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

1923 season 2 premiered on February 23, 2025, and it's going to have 7 episodes total:

  • Season 2, Episode 1 "The Killing Season" premiered February 23, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 2 "The Rapist Is Winter" premiered March 2, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 3 "Wrap Thee in Terror" premiered March 9, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 4 "Journey the Rivers of Iron" premiered March 16, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 5 "Only Gunshots to Guide Us" premiered March 23, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 6 "The Mountain Teeth of Monsters" premiered March 30, 2025
  • Season 2, Episode 7 "A Dream and a Memory" premieres April 6, 2025

Who's in the 1923 season 2 cast?

Christopher Saunders/Paramount+

There's a good chance you're familiar with Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, but the whole 1923 cast in incredible!

  • Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton: Dutton patriarch and a protector of the Yellowstone ranch.
  • Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton: a hardworking and kind woman who's Jacob's wife.
  • Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton: Jacob and Cara's nephew who's making his way back to the ranch.
  • Julia Schlaepfer as Alex Dutton: Spencer's new wife, and a spunky and resourceful woman making her way to America on her own from England.
  • Michelle Randolph as Elizabeth Dutton: a kind yet determined young woman who's married to Jack.
  • Darren Mann as Jack Dutton: Jacob and Cara's great-nephew who lives with them on the Yellowstone ranch.
  • Aminah Nieves as Teonna Rainwater: an Indigenous young woman who's on the run after escaping a Catholic assimilation school.
  • Jennifer Carpenter as Marshal Mamie Fossett: a U.S. Marshal who crosses paths with Spencer on his journey.
  • Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton: one of Jacob's sworn enemies dead set on taking the Duttons down.
  • Timothy Dalton as Donald Whitfield: a snaky businessman who has Jacob and the Duttons under his thumb.
  • Isabel May as Elsa Dutton: Spencer's sister from 1883 who serves as narrator.

What happened to Jack Dutton in 1923?

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

To everyone's shock, Jack Dutton died in 1923 season 2, episode 6, "The Mountain Teeth of Monsters." While Jacob and a couple men set off to meet Spencer at the train station, Jack was instructed to stay at the Yellowstone ranch to defend the house, as well as Cara and Elizabeth.

But when he chose to leave anyway, Jack was met with two of Whitfield's men, who shot and killed him. Actor Darren Mann admitted the death made him "angry, sad and frustrated," telling People that "There must've been four or five people who went down just right there in that one episode. Death everywhere."

Where did 1923 season 2 film?

Lo Smith/Paramount+

1923 season 2 filmed around Texas in 2024, and began filming in Austin on July 17 according to My San Antonio. Filming locations also included Lockhart and Bartlett, Texas.

How does 1923 connect to Yellowstone?

Lauren Smith/Paramount+

1923 is a Yellowstone prequel series from creator Taylor Sheridan (so is 1883!). The Duttons we see in 1923 are the ancestors of John Dutton III, Beth Dutton, Jamie Dutton, and Kayce Dutton.

Check Brit + Co for the latest TV news and subscribe to see our new podcast Yap City ahead of the 1923 season finale — you won't want to miss our 1923 season 2 ending explainer!

This post has been updated.

We're only one week away from The White Lotus finale — and finally answering the biggest question of all: who dies in The White Lotus season 3? Here's your official reminder that Mike White never passes up the opportunity for a death to be accidental & ironic (not to mention the character's fault), meaning we probably don't need to be looking for a murderer. And there's one White Lotus theory that suggests the killer's been in front of our faces the whole time: the poisonous pong pong fruit.

Here's a truly genius White Lotus theory about the season 3 finale, Saxon, and that poisonous fruit.

'The White Lotus' season 3 death will probably be another egomaniacal accident.

Theories are running rampant around who dies in The White Lotus season 3 finale — and who's responsible. But @popcultureari points out that, "In previous seasons we've seen how Mike White builds a ridiculous amount of tension between all the characters only to have the loose ends tied up with some ironic twist. And the main deaths aren't about killers lurking in the shadows, they're about people tripping over their own egos."

Remember when Tanya tripped in her heels, hit her head, and then drowned? "So in season 3, the body won't be from some shocking murder, it'll be from another self sabotage masterpiece," she continues. And the leading suspect? That poisonous fruit introduced in the first episode.

And it could cost the Ratliff family Saxon, Harper, and Lochlan.

More than one fan is wondering whether Jason Isaac's Timothy Ratliff will make a smoothie with the poisonous fruit to end his own life (since he doesn't have the gun anymore), and someone else will accidentally drink it. "There's a reason why they specifically mentioned the poison fruit so early on," one user says in the comments, while another points out how the camera always zooms into the blender.

But the most devastating take on this theory to me? That "I also do believe there will be 3 deaths because Chelsea keeps bringing up that bad things happen in 3s," another comment says. "3 siblings, 3 Russians, 3 friends."

More comments applaud @popcultureari for coming up with "such a good theory," but if Timothy makes the smoothie in The White Lotus season 3 finale, and then all three kids somehow end up dead, y'all will need to check on me!

What do you think about this White Lotus theory? Are you excited for the finale? Read up on The Most "Batsh—t" Yellowjackets Theory: "Everything Came Together" before the finale airs.