BankScoop
As the summer winds to a close and you have to be inside more during the fall and winter, what are some inexpensive hobbies you can pick up? We’ve found a few articles with ideas of hobbies or activities that are free or low-cost.
According to US News, here are 5 Frugal Hobbies to Help You Stress Less:
- Coloring: When is the last time you sat down and colored? It’s actually pretty fun! It’s a mindless activity that helps you relax. It has become so popular among adults that there are now coloring books on the market with more intricate and beautiful designs than children’s coloring books ever had. Though those can be fun also. There are a variety of coloring books for adults available for under $10 on Amazon. And get some crayons while school supplies are still on sale!
- Hiking: Most communities have walking trails or nature preserves. So beautiful, especially in the fall. Plus it’s healthy for you! Your biggest expensive will be decent hiking shoes/boots. Look for coupons or discounts and buy a good, quality pair.
- Learning a Language: You don’t have to get expensive software to learn a new language. There are lots of websites with free lessons. Check out Duolingo or Memrise, among others.
- Listening to Podcasts: There are tons of free podcasts you can download to your mobile device. Listen as you do housework, workout, drive to and from the store or work or wherever. Whatever you are interested in, you can probably find podcasts about it.
- Exploring Genealogy: Discover who your ancestors are by putting together a family tree! Reach out to relatives, get together, and find out about their childhood. Don’t forget to audio or video record the conversations. In addition, there is a lot of information available on the internet, such as state archives and census records. Some are websites you have to pay for, but you can also access some of those same websites for free at Family History Centers, run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some communities also have local genealogy resources available through the public library.
In addition, there is an article on The Simple Dollar where the author lists 40 Free (or Extremely Low-Cost) Things that he likes to do, or plans to do. Some may interest you. Here are a few:
- Read many of the great books out there. Whether you want to read the classics, philosophy, history, there are books available in the subject. You can get them for free from your local library. Most literary classics are also available to download for free.
- Train for and run a 5K
- Volunteer for the political campaigns of candidates you care about
- Take photos of every kind of bird that lives naturally in your county (or photos of anything that interests you)
- Volunteer to coach youth sports
- Visit and hike the trails of every state park in your state
- Take free online classes. Though you won’t get a degree, you can get the knowledge! Some universities, like MIT, even have online classes available for free.
- Study the bible in its entirety
- Learn how to play that old instrument you’ve had lying around for years (guitar, trumpet, sax, drums…)
- Learn how to solve a Rubik’s cube, then learn how to do it in under 30 seconds
- Attend any and all free musical concerts in and around your town
- Volunteer for a regular shift at the local food pantry
- Regularly call your mother or your father or other important people in your life
- Fully organize some of the disorganized areas in your home
- Work on your ____________ collection. (Fill in the blank with collections you’ve started and stopped)
- Prepare all the meals in one of those cookbooks you have lying around
- Play every board game you already own at least a dozen times
So, don’t be bored! Hobbies don’t have to be expensive to be fun! Keep the stress and boredom at bay–find a new hobby or just find something you can enjoy doing during your free-time.
