Life's Too Short - 10 things to do before you die

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Travel, learn new skills and jump out of a plane – tips on making the most of every day!

We’re not on this planet for that long and we owe it to ourselves to make the most of our time here. So without further delay, here are 10 Confused.com must-do-now (or soon-ish, anyway!) ideas to aspire to (plus tips on how to pay for it all at the end).

1) See the world

Write a wish list of countries – places you absolutely must see before you die – and then start ticking them off. If you want to explore the Silk Road, book a trip to China. If you want to visit the arctic – what’s stopping you? But wherever you go, don’t forget your passport, toothbrush and travel insurance.

2) Work Abroad

If a holiday is not long enough away, and your circumstances permit, then why not go work abroad? There’s no better way to immerse yourself in another culture. Nurses, doctors, engineers etc. should have no trouble finding work in a foreign land. Otherwise, why not get yourself TEFL qualified, and then go and teach English in some far-flung, exotic locale.

3) Learn new skills

You’re never too old to learn a brand new skill: learn to cook; twist your tongue around a foreign language; choose an instrument and start banging out tunes; or further your education – pass those GCSEs, enrol in a degree, a diploma or a certificate.

4) Step out of your comfort zone

Challenge yourself to do something you’ve never done before. Trade creature comforts for actual creatures by heading off an adventure into the wild. Or why not experience the terrifying thrill of jumping out of a plane or doing a bungee jump. Maybe conquer a phobia. If you’re terrified of spiders, for instance, hypnotherapy could help annihilate your arachnophobia.

5) Become an easy rider

If owning a motorbike has always been a dream – realise it! You’ll need to get qualified first (details of which can be found here), but once that’s done, just get yourself a bike and the thrill of the open road on two wheels is yours. Follow the link for tips on buying a motorbike.

6) Do your bit for the community

Why not take some time out of your busy schedule and give a little back to the community. You could try pitching in at the local youth club; volunteering at a charity shop or with your local Meals on Wheels; or cleaning out your wardrobe to give old clothes away.

7) Go green

Help the planet by going green. Recycle those envelopes that come through the mail, put a jumper on instead of cranking up the heating, and cycle to work instead of taking the car. These small changes are easy to adopt and could save you money as well. And the next time you book a holiday abroad on the credit card, reduce your carbon footprint by planting a tree in your back garden at the same time.

8) Find that special someone

If you’re single and have written up a list of must-do things, you’ll enjoy them even more by sharing the experience with someone special. True love could be just a mouse click away if you sign up to a dating agency.

If you’re married or in a long-term relationship, why not say, “I do” all over again. Plan a holiday to a romantic destination and renew your wedding vows.

9) Get healthy and stay healthy

Chances are, the healthier you are, the longer you’ll live, and the more time you’ll have to do all the things that are on your list. So join a gym, hit the pavement, buy a bicycle, stock the fridge with nutritious nibbles or swing your hips at a local dance class.

10) Plan now for your future

Think ahead to when it’s time to give up work. The earlier you start a pension, the more comfortable you’ll be in retirement. If your employer has a good pension scheme, consider joining.

But how am I going to finance my wish list?

Well, you’ll need to free up some money. Review your credit cards, loans and mortgage to see if you’re paying too much in interest. If you are, consider changing to a better deal – you may be surprised by how much you could save.

Conversely, if you’re not earning enough on your savings, why not see if you can make your money work harder for you by changing to an account that pays a higher rate of interest.

Finally, if you hold any policies such as life insurance, shop around to see if you can reduce your premiums.