The secret to living a fuller life is right under your nose: It’s the sea! (I say it’s “under your nose” because I see you standing there, bending over the sea, sniffing it curiously, intrigued by its mystery but too timid to enter – in spite of your water wings.) The sea, when used properly – i.e., sailed upon – is simultaneously invigorating and relaxing, just as life should be. Other leisure activities – Tiddlywinks, competitive eating, mashed potato-sculpting – fail to match the calming effects of sailing on the open waters. Today’s Groupon will help you take the plunge into the most fulfilling and energizing hobby you could imagine, with a one-month membership to Community Boating, Inc. for just $50 – half-off the normal price of $99.

$25 of $500 raised.

Started raising funds on Apr 12, 2009

El Mary was born in 1970 and has been living in Phnom Penh City for years. She presently works as a garment worker in the garment factory, which is located near her house. She usually works for eight hours per day with a specific salary of $80 a month to manage her family's living expenses and especially to make sure her three children, who are students, receive the highest educations. Her husband helps support the family by fishing in and around the public lakes. The family's living conditions are not comfortable because their house has some broken parts and the polluted environment. Therefore, Mary has requested a loan to repair her house and proposes to use the remainder of the loan to buy a boat for her husband's fishing.

$50 of $1,150 raised.

Started raising funds on Apr 12, 2009

Otgontsetseg Gombosuren is 40, married and has one daughter. Her family lives in a "ger" (a nomadic Mongolian tent) district in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Her family proudly owns the plot of land where they live. In 2001, she started a shoe business at Narantuul, the largest year-round outdoor market. Her business was a success, but the brutally cold Mongolian winter caused her to have health complications. Eventually she was forced to close her shoe stall at Narantuul and buy a clothing stall at Hantalst, an indoor market. Otgontsetseg goes to Ereen, a Chinese border city where many Mongolians buy cheap goods to resell, once a month to buy fashionable women's shoes. Her husband works as a taxi driver, and her only daughter is a university student. She is requesting a loan to buy shoes for the spring and summer, which are usually very busy. Otgontsetseg says, "Selling cheap shoes is not great for the customer. Consumers like cheap goods, but they also want quality. I will try to sell inexpensive but high-quality shoes in the future."