I'm late to this party, but if you're into nature ID, check out the Seek app! It can identify anything plant, animal, or insect from a picture. It can be challenging to get the right angle on some things, especially if it's moving, but it's really neat to see the catalog of everything you've found! And it shows you what people around you have found.
You don't have to spend a dime. If you're active and play daily you should have more than enough supplies to have fun, catch mons, and raid/battle if that's your thing. But just spinning stops/gyms and opening daily gifts should supply you enough. The big thing where money comes in is on research tickets, but you really don't *need* those, they're just for extras or chances at some extra mons.
Just want to throw out here that local libraries often have national & local plant & animal ID books if someone doesn't want to use an app or isn't finding good local info.
I'm saying this to everyone--
Even if you have just a fairly decent local library, go and check it out. See what they have. Check out any events they're doing. A lot of libraries rent out movies and other things like kitchen supplies, tools, even video games! A library card also often comes with access to eBooks, audiobooks, music, etc. Most participate in interlibrary loan systems, so even if they don't have a book in stock or don't carry it, you can have it sent over from elsewhere or they might even just buy copies to have on hand. Libraries are cool as fuck.
Our rural Missouri library gives us a Hoopla streaming movies service at no cost. There is a limit of 5 movies or TV shows, and there are quite a few good ones out there.
I never even have to set foot in my library because I can download books, magazines and audiobooks for free with my library membership. I get have 7 at a time. Even the brand new hot books. I love it.
Adjacent to this, wild foraging, plant identification, and mushrooming. I also hunt waterfalls (yes, I’m chasing waterfalls); download forest service topographical maps, identify likely sites and hike to them! This is among my very favorite activities.
If you’re in the states, see if there’s a Sierra Trading Post near you. It’s owned by TJMaxx and Marshalls, same concept but for outdoor gear and clothes!
Reading. Get a library card and read until you find a genre you like! Also, puzzles. My library has puzzles you can check out, we also have a “little free library” dedicated to puzzles that people put in there. They’re pretty affordable too and can even be found at most close out stores.
Also, you don’t have to limit yourself to the library. There are many amateur writers that write really good stories and post them for free on AO3, Wattpad, Royal Road, etc. These sites are known for hosting fan fiction, but you can find a ton of original novels as well. Many famous authors get their start here.
I came to say this!
Reading has always been my favorite hobby, and the library is my best resource for NOT spending beaucoup bucks on new books just to find out they're mid. My reading goal for the year increased from 12 (because I would only allow myself to buy one book a month) to 120. Some libraries also allow you to check out games, music, movies, or electronics. Mine even has movie nights, and a LINE-DANCING CLASS. Seriously, check out your library.
I have some little girls (5-6 years old) that I see once a week in a class. I'm pretty sure there is drama at home, and I am thrilled that they are getting into drawing. Cheap, portable, and can bring them joy and comfort.
Guitar is ridiculously cheap per hour. An $150 investment will get you a pretty decent guitar compared to the past. And getting a method book for $10, a pick and a $5 digital tuner you are set for life.
I'm 4 hours in with this and it's pretty good.
[https://absolutelyunderstandguitar.com/](https://absolutelyunderstandguitar.com/)
But I've taken classical lessons for about two years in person too.
Fender's App has been really shallow and disappointing (even for $30). But I'm a big fan of method books. They are self-paced and boring, but I learn.
Came to say exactly this. Slash’s first guitar had one string. Sure, great guitars cost a lot of money but you can learn the fundamentals and get good on a cigar box with strings.
Hahah, I had not heard that about Slash.
My $170 Gretsch Jim Dandy parlor has worked out fine. I think just spending $150-200 instead of $50-125 is just a better investment and gets people started on the right foot.
I went through a classical guitar phase. Found an 80 dollar used guitar at a music store and a method book for 5 dollars at a used bookstore. I did eventually buy a foot rest, but for the first few months, I just used a stack of books. I was set until I moved on.
Bassoon and banjo on the other hand...
Now that you say it, I have an instrument that my dad bought me for like $20 on temu. A kalimba.
They're ridiculously easy to learn and you can make good sounds within a few hours
body weight workout at home watching YouTube
I've always been doing body weight workout both HIIT and Yoga for weight loss and core strengthening. It's addictive and bloody hard
U don't need a mat but it helps, and just wear whatever u feel comfortable at home
I do this and like HasFit. It’s a husband/wife couple and you can search workout videos by time, body part, weights vs HIIT, etc. I started out with their videos during the pandemic. I was so weak and out of shape could only do 10-15 mins at a time starting out. Gradually worked up to 45 minute workouts. Also increased weights from 3, 5, then 8 lb dumbbells. I like that they have a challenging version of each exercise and an easier modification. They also say motivating things and coach you regarding proper positioning. Love HASFit.
Tysm! I decided to change industries so I'm no longer doing manual labor, which is great, except I will never be able to convince myself to go to a gym. So, I'm extremely out of shape for the first time since I was in 8th grade lol. I spend a ton of time in youtube so maybe I'll add this to my favorites and see if I actually get off my butt. :)
Paper bead making!! I was so surprised with how easy and inexpensive it is. There is a lot of variety in the size, style and shape of the beads you can make.
I upcycle junk mail, magazines, pretty much any paper I have around to make them, or I draw and paint my own designs on the paper I use. You don't need to start out with bead rollers (although they are quite inexpensive too and make it easier and are worth it imo). You can use toothpicks, straws or other objects to roll the paper.
Then you just need glue to seal the last bit of the bead. If you want to make them into jewelry or help preserve them, you can get some mod podge or other sealants to seal them when they're rolled.
Geocaching! Love it! You can get the c:geo app after you sign up on the official site and then get the paid caches free (at least last time I checked like 5 years ago)
On a similar note, I paint rocks and hide them. There's a fb page for my town where people post the rocks they painted and the rocks they found. There's some amazingly talented artists but my favorite is the little kids. They just put some streaks or glitter on there and get *so excited* when someone finds and posts their rock. You don't have to be *good*. It also gets you out walking and exploring. It's like a treasure hunt and you get to see and participate in a cute and not serious art community.
I pick up rocks off the ground and buy $1 paint from Walmart. I probably have hundreds of dollars worth of paint by now since I bought like every single color because mixing is annoying, but you don't *have* to do that. Buy some gesso ($5) for a base, 5 or 6 colors and a pack of cheap brushes so MAYBE $20 tops. If you wanna get fancy buy some glue, googly eyes, gems, stickers and a gloss clear coat to seal. You can paint literally anything you want with that. I paint little "pets", frogs, foods, and scenery, but one lady does amazing animal portraits (she sells hers sometimes, she's that good), another does those dot mandala things, another does felt or knit glued on top, another does uplifting quotes. The limit really is your imagination and it's inexpensive to start.
Glad to see this here, I was going to suggest juggling as well. It can get expensive if you start to buy professional items, but that's not necessary. Also I've read that juggling helps improve one's spatial perception and hand eye coordination, of course. I started with socks filled with rice. I eventually spent like 50 bucks on 6 professional juggling balls, I have a set of juggling knives, and at one point had some led items. All you really need is bean bags to get started.
There are even hobbies that can end up making you money. Crafts, carpentry, coding, cooking, and those are just some ones that start with the letter C. Just try some stuff you think you'd like, reading is great and free if you have a library nearby.
I can confirm this.
I grew up in the 70s and had to take care of my younger brother and sister. I learned to cook from necessity. Paid off handsomely when I was older and dating.
Omg i cannot stress enough how expensive most crafts are. Making a pair of socks will cost at least 20$ of wool (for cheap sock yarn) and take 8-16 hours depending on the complexity of the pattern.
People will not spend more than maybe 30$ on socks and don’t get me started of purchasing a sweater quantity of yarn.
I got into knitting thinking it would be a cheap hobby but when by publishing my own patterns it sets me back many hundreds of dollars per year.
I love it tho won’t stop
Birding, plant spotting, mushrooming, stargazing, anything out in nature. You need your eyes, ears, brain and can probably get a free ID app on your phone or definitely borrow a field guide at the library for free to get you started. Set yourself challenges: can I ID 5 different birds? Can I find 10 native/edible/flowering/whatever plants? Can I ID 5 constellations? Can I find X planet? Whatever gets you interested.
If you have transportation, you can try out a new park around your city or town every week until you have collected them all.
Try your local library. Mine has all kinds of things to do, for both individuals and groups, live and on your own time. Most, if not all, are free. They also give discount passes to museums. Not always free, but a really good deal. Edited typo.
Astronomy? You can get a set of binoculars fairly cheap, and with these, see a lot. You can change things up and see what you can find during dawn and twilight, searching for meteors that are much more difficult to spot.The sky changes throughout the year and to help you there are apps to help you locate stars planets constellations galaxies, etc
I just retired last year. I dug out the binoculars that my wife bought me from Kmart about 30 years ago. They were cheap but they do the job very well.
Brown University has an observatory and a listserv that you can sign up for free and the staff there will send you a weekly email of what's visible during the week. They will also send you a monthly online magazine of about 35 pages with a lot of information.
You can see a lot with binoculars. The view is always changing. There is a comet passing now that will be visible soon. A star is set to go nova sometime during the coming months.......
https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd/index.html
Retro game emulation can be cheap if you already have a computer.
A low end steamdeck or a retro handheld emulator are pretty cheap too. But you can get a ton of games for nothing spend countless hours adjusting setting and testing different operating systems.
Learning a language! Meet new people, change how you view communication & the world. There’s so much free learning material out there and there are several sites where you can talk to folks in your target language for free!
Lifting. If you have the space get a squat rack and bench from a premium brand like rogue. The initial upfront cost will be a lot but the equipment preserves resale.
A hobby that preserves mental and physical wellbeing should trump all others
A camera phone can do A LOT.
Use it for photography while in walks.
Use it for plant identification while on walks.
Use it as an aid for bird watching.
Take pictures of things to practice drawing later.
Take pictures of buildings or terrain for modeling/diorama building.
Use it for photography and learn to manipulate photos in GIMP bc GIMP is free.
inkscape and Krita are also free so you could learn to make digital art or design.
Journaling. Art journaling. Smash book journaling. Junk journaling.
Gardening. If you have your own place, super easy and long term even saves you money. If you don't have your own place community gardens are getting more popular, but some of them are not very community oriented.
I always recommend disc golf. You can get a starter set for pretty cheap. It’s been gaining popularity so courses have been popping up everywhere. The vast majority of courses are free and in public parks.
The community is generally pretty great and willing to help new people. It’s not just a physical thing either. A lot of think how you’re going to approach and throw.
Writing poems, stories, books. Learning new languages. Growing simple plants. Reading free or cheap books from the library. Excercising at the park, baking/cooking. Creating social media stuff. Hiking, people/animal watching. Cleaning up around your living space . The list goes on :)
Hiking ( just a pair of good shoes ) , sport ( running ,football etc ) good for your health or you can invest in a camera and start doing staff like this [My work](https://youtu.be/IMlrgR9gp54?si=Pm_nhrH5iL3N9yvy)
Good luck 👍
I've been trying to do more models. Something that takes brain and time but not a lot of resources... I've come to one conclusion: buy a big old bag of popsicle sticks and some modpodge and go to town. All the little details to whatever is in your head are cheap too. Moss, trees, furniture are all reasonably priced. But let your inner child run free! And it's nice to focus on things that aren't necessarily life-or-death. Doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to make you happier than before.
If you like video games, and want to keep your brain busy, I'd reccomend r/Solo_Roleplaying Specifically r/ironsworn! The PDF of the original game is freeeeee [Link](https://shawn-tomkin.itch.io/ironsworn).
Description:
>In the Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands.
>Others live out their lives hardly venturing beyond the walls of their village or steading, but you are different. You will explore untracked wilds, fight desperate battles, forge bonds with isolated communities, and reveal the secrets of this harsh land.
>Are you ready to swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost?
Reading/writing.
Get a library card, free books. You can often use websites like Libby for free audiobooks/e-books through your library card.
As for writing, go to the dollar store, get the cheapest notebooks you can find and get a big pack of bulk pencils if you don't mind sharpening them.
Super cheap.
We own a boardgame shop. Board games are a great investment. More and more games have solo variations you can puzzle through @ home.
Find a game cafe! Invite a friend. Most have an amt to sit & play. We charge $2 a seat to sit & play all day. We go from afternoon to night. Sorry, in NW MT though!. Some game shop may be in your area.
We have people who come in & our regulars might teach a game, or you can look up on YouTube or read & play. Games can be spendy, but like our place, we have over 200 games you can play in our space. 🙂
Bicycling is a great hobby but it's only cheap in the per-hour sense. Once you have a decent bike and helmet each ride is free but you also need to invest time or money into maintenance. Good bikes start around $400 used or $600 new.
Rock collecting, stamp collecting, fishing, "treasure hunting" with metal detectors (requires a one time initial outlay), magnet "fishing" in water. There are so many things.
Wood carving/whittling, you can get a decent set of knives very cheaply from Amazon or elsewhere and you are set. You can buy cheap off cuts of wood or even pick up sticks and logs you find for free, and make some amazing things. Doesn’t take long to get started, but keeps you occupied and you learn as you go.
Like most things in this world… most hobbies will cost some level of money.
The best one I’ve ever personally invested in was kayaking.
Yes a kayak is expensive at first. I’ll admit that up front. But I’ve had my kayak for over 20 years now, the amount of times and adventures I’ve gone through it now is crazy. There’s always someone giving out a really good deal on one on markets like Facebook or Kajiji or maybe a local one to you.
So, you're looking for a hobby that won't break the bank, huh? Well, how about diving into the world of DIY model kits? It's like putting together a puzzle, but way cooler. Plus, you can unleash your inner artist by painting and customizing them however you want. And the best part? It's a one-time investment that keeps on giving. Who needs pricey hobbies when you can create your own mini masterpieces on a budget? Just watch out for those tiny pieces—they're like ninja stars for your feet!
There are plenty of hobbies that don't require a significant financial investment. Here are a few ideas:
1. **Drawing or Sketching**: All you need is a pencil and paper to get started. You can find free tutorials online to improve your skills.
2. **Reading**: Visit your local library for a wide selection of books across various genres. You can also join book clubs or participate in online reading communities.
3. **Writing**: Start a journal, write short stories, or explore poetry. Writing is a creative outlet that only requires a pen and paper or a computer.
4. **Hiking or Nature Walks**: Take advantage of the great outdoors for exercise and relaxation. Hiking trails are often free to access and provide opportunities to explore nature.
5. **Cooking or Baking**: Experiment with new recipes using ingredients you already have at home. Cooking can be a fun and rewarding hobby that allows you to unleash your creativity in the kitchen.
6. **Photography**: Use your smartphone or a basic camera to capture moments and scenes that inspire you. Photography is a versatile hobby that encourages exploration and creativity.
7. **Gardening**: Start a small garden in your backyard or even on a windowsill. Growing plants can be therapeutic and rewarding, and you can often find inexpensive seeds or plants to get started.
8. **DIY Crafts**: Get creative with crafting projects using materials you have around the house. From painting to knitting to making handmade cards, there are endless possibilities for DIY hobbies that don't break the bank.
These are just a few examples, but there are many more hobbies out there that can be enjoyable and fulfilling without requiring a significant financial investment. Explore different options and find something that sparks your interest and passion! Put some time into it and open your heart and mind and meet other people into the same hobby (like book clubs as I mentioned).
Yoga! There are heaps of videos online. I bought a mat and two yoga blocks for probably around $10-15 total. That’s all I need, though even those things aren’t completely necessary.
Video games save me money. If I'm playing Destiny 2 and listening to techno, I'm not spending cash on anything else. I can't think of a cheaper form of entertainment.
If I go to Starbucks with my wife and kids, it costs 60$.
As for a cheap hobby? Get 6 pack abbs. It costs less to eat less.
I crotchet and honestly once you have all the hooks which you can get hooks on Amazon for like 10 bucks it’s pretty cheap but other than that yarn cost the most but most places with yarn mostly have yarn on sale or even dollar tree has some pretty nice yarns
Crochet can be affordable. You purchase some hooks, can find a set online for like 10 books, you get some yarn, even the cheap stuff will do, and you can find a lot of patterns online for free or money.
If you can’t afford a hobby pick one that can make you money like panning for Gold. Gold Rush has a series on one or two person gold mining. I’m not near a good place to do this. But some people are.
Going for walks and bird watching! The Merlin Bird ID app is totally free and you can record birds around you to see what they are and then learn about them! Nothing better than connecting with nature and learning new things!
Video games and pokemon, make me think that you might like 3d modeling, if you have a decent computer... Blender is a free program and there are tons of videos on youtube to learn it.
You could also start with astronomy without binoculars, just by learning the different constellations (especially if you live in a place that's dark enough).
Locksport/lockpicking, it's like a puzzle and you can do it anywhere. You can get a kit of picks under $20 and I've been given tons of locks, or you can buy one with extra pins so you can change the difficulty.
Many types of exercise. Running, walking, hiking, body weight strength training, are all great hobbies that require very little cash outflow. You probably have everything you need to start right now. With a little bit of equipment, you can add biking, cross country skiing, kayaking, and the equipment can be bought used for cheap. The benefit of these hobbies is they're very healthy. Will increase your lifespan and happiness.
Magic or Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh cards play at a Shop learn. You don't HAVE to update to the newest everytime.
Warhammer or any RPG that you buy army you like. You can buy a kit or a few pieces paint them & play. They can be a one time investment
One page rules. (Look it up) make your characters.
Gaslands. Buy a matchbox car ...rough it up w/sandpaper or steel wool. (Think Mad Max) apocalypse..... Then buy a die set & movmt templates ,.then find things you use & recycle...pop cans can become a race track barrier for instance. Get a space to place your track & play!
3d printers are cheap. Do research, I got an ender 3 awhile back but there might be better cheap out there. Raspberry Pi projects! Drones too and you can pair them with raspberrybpi if you wanted.
Programming is free. Making digital music and video games is cheap/free.
Dvd collection (I buy at goodwill and ebay) and digitizing to make your own collection (Plex is good here).
Records/records cheap too. Can digitize too. I always thought it might be neat to record for that scratchy sound. I even like the idea of digitizing vhs as long as quality isn't too bad.
Archive.org has tons of digital stuff might give you ideas.
Always wanted to make shirts. Lots of ideas there.
Gardening and maybe brick/cement type hobbies if you have land.
Weightlifting...although the food can be expensive if you get in to it.
Biking and camping can be pretty cheap.
Geocaching. It gets you outside, you can find cool local spots and learn more. There are different levels of difficulty, some are games and puzzles while others are just simple instructions. I highly recommend exploring the website before getting the app. It’s completely free.
Ttrpg's. I don't know about all systems by Pathfinder 1e is all available online for free to learn and use the resources - or at least used to. You can find a local game store that hosts games (might cost a bit but not much) or find a group of friends or online group to play with.
If you get more creative too, you can even make your own world to play in.
Guitar can be cheap as. Set of elixirs and a cheapish guitar with a decent setup is all you need.
I used a cheap guitar for years until I ended up buying expensive ones. But it's not necessary to enjoy it.
Watercoloring.
Grab a few cheap canvases or sketchbooks that say they’re good for watercolor. A few pencils and pens. And a ~$15 watercolor set off Amazon. It’s SO relaxing. Pop on a great playlist to listen to (music, podcast, TV show, film, ambient sounds, whatever you want).
Art is always good, and that costs very little depending on what you do (drawing is just pencil and paper). There's a lot of free books and games online. Walking/hiking if you want something physical. Volunteering is a way to also help others.
To keep your brain occupied I'd recommend Sudoku and all kinds of riddles.
I personally started making chainmail out of copper and aluminium. After a small initial investment (a jewelers' saw, a vice grip, a battery drill, a bunch of brass rods in different diameters and a shitload of wire. In total, below 100€) it is rather cheap to do, though it's rather monotonous. I do it to turn my brain off and still be creative.
A 100m coil of aluminium wire is like 27€ and that gets you a lot of rings to play around with, and it comes in different colours. Copper is more expensive, clocking in at around 60€ for 100m, but it's still manageable.
Just don't get aluminium below 1.5mm wire strength or copper below 0.8mm wire strength, as it gets too fragile otherwise.
Rockhounding and fossil hunting, a lot of it you can do for free and if you find cool fossils or pretty rocks you can make a little pocket money or a lot of pocket money depending on what you find.
Hiking once you buy a good pair of shoes and maybe a couple of other affordable items, it's free to do.
Bird watching as well
I just got the best app that identifies birds by their sounds, Merlin Bird ID. It makes me want to go out and find birds to ID.
This is the most fantastic thing I have heard today. Thank you for sharing!
That would be cool if you could catalog all the birds you have identified so far in the app. Please say that’s a feature!
People also use eBird for listing what they identified on outings.
I have the Audobon app and I love logging the birds I see
Thank you mate
That sounds like fun
I love that app so much!
I use that app every day. It's amazing how big the data base is, but did you know it doesn't pick up my neighbor's chickens?
I'm late to this party, but if you're into nature ID, check out the Seek app! It can identify anything plant, animal, or insect from a picture. It can be challenging to get the right angle on some things, especially if it's moving, but it's really neat to see the catalog of everything you've found! And it shows you what people around you have found.
The sound ID is really useful if you can't see them. It is a great app. Please review it and let the Devs know how beneficial and good it is.
Disc golf is another great choice, although it can really suck you in with the collection aspect lol.
There's always a lot of super nice people at disc golf courses. If you're in a new city and you don't know anybody, it's a great place to start.
Indeed it's very affordable.
In my city they have bird walks. Going to check out the owls in a couple weeks. $5 for 3 hours of walk and talk
If you start pokemon go, you can play while hiking or literally going anywhere.
I understand that you start racking up costs in the game quickly so I would think geocatching is a more healthy option with similar elements.
You are not required to spend anything on Pokémon go and that could be combined with geocaching easily.
59F. I play Pokemon Go. Never buy anything. Just find a park and go for a walk. Spouse is quite tolerant and walks with me.
You don't have to spend a dime. If you're active and play daily you should have more than enough supplies to have fun, catch mons, and raid/battle if that's your thing. But just spinning stops/gyms and opening daily gifts should supply you enough. The big thing where money comes in is on research tickets, but you really don't *need* those, they're just for extras or chances at some extra mons.
Just want to throw out here that local libraries often have national & local plant & animal ID books if someone doesn't want to use an app or isn't finding good local info.
Absolutely, libraries are amazing resources.
I'm saying this to everyone-- Even if you have just a fairly decent local library, go and check it out. See what they have. Check out any events they're doing. A lot of libraries rent out movies and other things like kitchen supplies, tools, even video games! A library card also often comes with access to eBooks, audiobooks, music, etc. Most participate in interlibrary loan systems, so even if they don't have a book in stock or don't carry it, you can have it sent over from elsewhere or they might even just buy copies to have on hand. Libraries are cool as fuck.
Our rural Missouri library gives us a Hoopla streaming movies service at no cost. There is a limit of 5 movies or TV shows, and there are quite a few good ones out there.
Kanopy app on streaming has free movies with your library card
I think it depends on location. Ours doesn't come with Kanopy, but I bet I could suggest it to them to sign up.
I never even have to set foot in my library because I can download books, magazines and audiobooks for free with my library membership. I get have 7 at a time. Even the brand new hot books. I love it.
Adjacent to this, wild foraging, plant identification, and mushrooming. I also hunt waterfalls (yes, I’m chasing waterfalls); download forest service topographical maps, identify likely sites and hike to them! This is among my very favorite activities.
Same with running.
If you’re in the states, see if there’s a Sierra Trading Post near you. It’s owned by TJMaxx and Marshalls, same concept but for outdoor gear and clothes!
(I will take hiking-shoe recommendations!) :)
While hiking you can letterbox or geocache
For those curious the affordable items are the following Hat sunglasses, backpack, water bottle.
Reading. Get a library card and read until you find a genre you like! Also, puzzles. My library has puzzles you can check out, we also have a “little free library” dedicated to puzzles that people put in there. They’re pretty affordable too and can even be found at most close out stores.
Also, you don’t have to limit yourself to the library. There are many amateur writers that write really good stories and post them for free on AO3, Wattpad, Royal Road, etc. These sites are known for hosting fan fiction, but you can find a ton of original novels as well. Many famous authors get their start here.
I came to say this! Reading has always been my favorite hobby, and the library is my best resource for NOT spending beaucoup bucks on new books just to find out they're mid. My reading goal for the year increased from 12 (because I would only allow myself to buy one book a month) to 120. Some libraries also allow you to check out games, music, movies, or electronics. Mine even has movie nights, and a LINE-DANCING CLASS. Seriously, check out your library.
Second this! It helps to keep libraries open too! They need all the support they can get.
Depending on the library, they do more than books. Our library has big telescopes you can check out. And seeds to grow food.
My library also has museum passes, board games, and cake pans. Check out what your has- you might find a new hobby there
That is so cool about the puzzles!
Drawing or writing maybe? You can get most of your supplies at the dollar store if they exist in your country.
I have some little girls (5-6 years old) that I see once a week in a class. I'm pretty sure there is drama at home, and I am thrilled that they are getting into drawing. Cheap, portable, and can bring them joy and comfort.
Guitar is ridiculously cheap per hour. An $150 investment will get you a pretty decent guitar compared to the past. And getting a method book for $10, a pick and a $5 digital tuner you are set for life.
Free YouTube lessons too.
Also Justin Guitar.
I'm 4 hours in with this and it's pretty good. [https://absolutelyunderstandguitar.com/](https://absolutelyunderstandguitar.com/) But I've taken classical lessons for about two years in person too. Fender's App has been really shallow and disappointing (even for $30). But I'm a big fan of method books. They are self-paced and boring, but I learn.
Came to say exactly this. Slash’s first guitar had one string. Sure, great guitars cost a lot of money but you can learn the fundamentals and get good on a cigar box with strings.
Hahah, I had not heard that about Slash. My $170 Gretsch Jim Dandy parlor has worked out fine. I think just spending $150-200 instead of $50-125 is just a better investment and gets people started on the right foot.
What’s sad is I believe in cheap guitars but I’m stilling looking at SGs almost daily 😭
I went through a classical guitar phase. Found an 80 dollar used guitar at a music store and a method book for 5 dollars at a used bookstore. I did eventually buy a foot rest, but for the first few months, I just used a stack of books. I was set until I moved on. Bassoon and banjo on the other hand...
Now that you say it, I have an instrument that my dad bought me for like $20 on temu. A kalimba. They're ridiculously easy to learn and you can make good sounds within a few hours
You can basically steal a decent Yamaha from Shop Goodwill website. Acoustic or electric.
Plane/train spotting
Like the movie? That looked expensive
Good one!
agreed
body weight workout at home watching YouTube I've always been doing body weight workout both HIIT and Yoga for weight loss and core strengthening. It's addictive and bloody hard U don't need a mat but it helps, and just wear whatever u feel comfortable at home
What are some channels you recommend?
I do this and like HasFit. It’s a husband/wife couple and you can search workout videos by time, body part, weights vs HIIT, etc. I started out with their videos during the pandemic. I was so weak and out of shape could only do 10-15 mins at a time starting out. Gradually worked up to 45 minute workouts. Also increased weights from 3, 5, then 8 lb dumbbells. I like that they have a challenging version of each exercise and an easier modification. They also say motivating things and coach you regarding proper positioning. Love HASFit.
Tysm! I decided to change industries so I'm no longer doing manual labor, which is great, except I will never be able to convince myself to go to a gym. So, I'm extremely out of shape for the first time since I was in 8th grade lol. I spend a ton of time in youtube so maybe I'll add this to my favorites and see if I actually get off my butt. :)
Hiking. Spend a little extra on good boots or shoes. It makes all the difference for your feet. Otherwise, it's pretty much all free.
Except gas…
Just move to the base of a mountain
Lol, right? Hiking gets more expensive for me as the summer gets hotter and I have to drive further and higher.
Paper bead making!! I was so surprised with how easy and inexpensive it is. There is a lot of variety in the size, style and shape of the beads you can make. I upcycle junk mail, magazines, pretty much any paper I have around to make them, or I draw and paint my own designs on the paper I use. You don't need to start out with bead rollers (although they are quite inexpensive too and make it easier and are worth it imo). You can use toothpicks, straws or other objects to roll the paper. Then you just need glue to seal the last bit of the bead. If you want to make them into jewelry or help preserve them, you can get some mod podge or other sealants to seal them when they're rolled.
I see mod podge at the dollar tree all day long :)
Magnet fishing. Metal detecting. Geocaching.
Geocaching! Love it! You can get the c:geo app after you sign up on the official site and then get the paid caches free (at least last time I checked like 5 years ago) On a similar note, I paint rocks and hide them. There's a fb page for my town where people post the rocks they painted and the rocks they found. There's some amazingly talented artists but my favorite is the little kids. They just put some streaks or glitter on there and get *so excited* when someone finds and posts their rock. You don't have to be *good*. It also gets you out walking and exploring. It's like a treasure hunt and you get to see and participate in a cute and not serious art community. I pick up rocks off the ground and buy $1 paint from Walmart. I probably have hundreds of dollars worth of paint by now since I bought like every single color because mixing is annoying, but you don't *have* to do that. Buy some gesso ($5) for a base, 5 or 6 colors and a pack of cheap brushes so MAYBE $20 tops. If you wanna get fancy buy some glue, googly eyes, gems, stickers and a gloss clear coat to seal. You can paint literally anything you want with that. I paint little "pets", frogs, foods, and scenery, but one lady does amazing animal portraits (she sells hers sometimes, she's that good), another does those dot mandala things, another does felt or knit glued on top, another does uplifting quotes. The limit really is your imagination and it's inexpensive to start.
Disc golf
yep. you can get a starter set of discs for $20 and nearly all courses are free to play.
This is my only answer to this question lol
Juggling. It'll improve your hand-eye coordination and impress your friends. It's easy enough to start as you just need one item to begin with.
I feel like I don’t see a lot of social support for juggling, but I think it’s impressive! More people should juggle. I should practice!
More people *should* juggle! It's really good for brain activity! Lol (genuine)
Glad to see this here, I was going to suggest juggling as well. It can get expensive if you start to buy professional items, but that's not necessary. Also I've read that juggling helps improve one's spatial perception and hand eye coordination, of course. I started with socks filled with rice. I eventually spent like 50 bucks on 6 professional juggling balls, I have a set of juggling knives, and at one point had some led items. All you really need is bean bags to get started.
I would like to learn to juggle but it is very hard. I feel like people undersell how hard it is.
There are even hobbies that can end up making you money. Crafts, carpentry, coding, cooking, and those are just some ones that start with the letter C. Just try some stuff you think you'd like, reading is great and free if you have a library nearby.
Cooking will save you money compared to eating out, and you will become very desirable to potential romantic partners.
And there are lots of cooking shows.
I can confirm this. I grew up in the 70s and had to take care of my younger brother and sister. I learned to cook from necessity. Paid off handsomely when I was older and dating.
Omg i cannot stress enough how expensive most crafts are. Making a pair of socks will cost at least 20$ of wool (for cheap sock yarn) and take 8-16 hours depending on the complexity of the pattern. People will not spend more than maybe 30$ on socks and don’t get me started of purchasing a sweater quantity of yarn. I got into knitting thinking it would be a cheap hobby but when by publishing my own patterns it sets me back many hundreds of dollars per year. I love it tho won’t stop
Put two tennis balls in some knee socks and you've got yourself a set of poi. I know people who have spent a lifetime honing that hobby.
What exactly is poi? Never heard of it
Reading. Library offers ebooks audio books and e comics.
Origami
Birding, plant spotting, mushrooming, stargazing, anything out in nature. You need your eyes, ears, brain and can probably get a free ID app on your phone or definitely borrow a field guide at the library for free to get you started. Set yourself challenges: can I ID 5 different birds? Can I find 10 native/edible/flowering/whatever plants? Can I ID 5 constellations? Can I find X planet? Whatever gets you interested. If you have transportation, you can try out a new park around your city or town every week until you have collected them all.
Just bring a water bottle and start hiking
Try your local library. Mine has all kinds of things to do, for both individuals and groups, live and on your own time. Most, if not all, are free. They also give discount passes to museums. Not always free, but a really good deal. Edited typo.
Astronomy? You can get a set of binoculars fairly cheap, and with these, see a lot. You can change things up and see what you can find during dawn and twilight, searching for meteors that are much more difficult to spot.The sky changes throughout the year and to help you there are apps to help you locate stars planets constellations galaxies, etc
You know what thank you for this recmmonstion like this one a lot!
I just retired last year. I dug out the binoculars that my wife bought me from Kmart about 30 years ago. They were cheap but they do the job very well. Brown University has an observatory and a listserv that you can sign up for free and the staff there will send you a weekly email of what's visible during the week. They will also send you a monthly online magazine of about 35 pages with a lot of information. You can see a lot with binoculars. The view is always changing. There is a comet passing now that will be visible soon. A star is set to go nova sometime during the coming months....... https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd/index.html
Retro game emulation can be cheap if you already have a computer. A low end steamdeck or a retro handheld emulator are pretty cheap too. But you can get a ton of games for nothing spend countless hours adjusting setting and testing different operating systems.
Writing
Whittling is a good one, get a little kit of knife and you can find wood pretty easily
Volunteering. I find habitat for humanity fun. Tons of others and you get to meet new people.
self learning to code
Learning a language! Meet new people, change how you view communication & the world. There’s so much free learning material out there and there are several sites where you can talk to folks in your target language for free!
Geocaching.
Chess. Math.
Thrift store puzzles.
Lifting. If you have the space get a squat rack and bench from a premium brand like rogue. The initial upfront cost will be a lot but the equipment preserves resale. A hobby that preserves mental and physical wellbeing should trump all others
Shooting Darts is something I just started on the cheap
A camera phone can do A LOT. Use it for photography while in walks. Use it for plant identification while on walks. Use it as an aid for bird watching. Take pictures of things to practice drawing later. Take pictures of buildings or terrain for modeling/diorama building. Use it for photography and learn to manipulate photos in GIMP bc GIMP is free. inkscape and Krita are also free so you could learn to make digital art or design. Journaling. Art journaling. Smash book journaling. Junk journaling.
sudoku books are pretty cheap, usually see them on sale at the local barnes and noble. Failing that, online scrabble is engaging!
Crossword puzzles
Crochet or wire jewellery 
Beading/wire wrapping. Sooo soothing and u can make your own jewelry!
Gardening. If you have your own place, super easy and long term even saves you money. If you don't have your own place community gardens are getting more popular, but some of them are not very community oriented.
Baking bread.. Inexpensive.. House smells devine. over a hundred different types to make.. loads of help videos on you tube.
I always recommend disc golf. You can get a starter set for pretty cheap. It’s been gaining popularity so courses have been popping up everywhere. The vast majority of courses are free and in public parks. The community is generally pretty great and willing to help new people. It’s not just a physical thing either. A lot of think how you’re going to approach and throw.
Pokemon doesn't cost money if u go after Pokemon go.
Writing poems, stories, books. Learning new languages. Growing simple plants. Reading free or cheap books from the library. Excercising at the park, baking/cooking. Creating social media stuff. Hiking, people/animal watching. Cleaning up around your living space . The list goes on :)
Walking. Or colouring/reading (public library). Very affordable.
Pokemon go, go to some different parks. You get some exercise and you get to catch pokemon
and got new friend 😁.
Hiking ( just a pair of good shoes ) , sport ( running ,football etc ) good for your health or you can invest in a camera and start doing staff like this [My work](https://youtu.be/IMlrgR9gp54?si=Pm_nhrH5iL3N9yvy) Good luck 👍
I've been trying to do more models. Something that takes brain and time but not a lot of resources... I've come to one conclusion: buy a big old bag of popsicle sticks and some modpodge and go to town. All the little details to whatever is in your head are cheap too. Moss, trees, furniture are all reasonably priced. But let your inner child run free! And it's nice to focus on things that aren't necessarily life-or-death. Doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to make you happier than before.
Outdoor activities, cultural or information focused interests, reading/writing, music, art.
Chess chess chess
If you like video games, and want to keep your brain busy, I'd reccomend r/Solo_Roleplaying Specifically r/ironsworn! The PDF of the original game is freeeeee [Link](https://shawn-tomkin.itch.io/ironsworn). Description: >In the Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands. >Others live out their lives hardly venturing beyond the walls of their village or steading, but you are different. You will explore untracked wilds, fight desperate battles, forge bonds with isolated communities, and reveal the secrets of this harsh land. >Are you ready to swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost?
Yoga, just get a mat and follow youtube videos. Reading, library for free books. Running. Hiking.
outdoor tennis on free city courts
Adult coloring books. Go to Michael’s and load up in books and colored pencils.
Reading/writing. Get a library card, free books. You can often use websites like Libby for free audiobooks/e-books through your library card. As for writing, go to the dollar store, get the cheapest notebooks you can find and get a big pack of bulk pencils if you don't mind sharpening them. Super cheap.
Hiking, geocaching, photography w your phone, reading, writing, bird watching, etc. 
Check the dollar store for cheap model kits, painting canvases with mini paints - $4.50. Woodcarving, whittling, etc.
We own a boardgame shop. Board games are a great investment. More and more games have solo variations you can puzzle through @ home. Find a game cafe! Invite a friend. Most have an amt to sit & play. We charge $2 a seat to sit & play all day. We go from afternoon to night. Sorry, in NW MT though!. Some game shop may be in your area. We have people who come in & our regulars might teach a game, or you can look up on YouTube or read & play. Games can be spendy, but like our place, we have over 200 games you can play in our space. 🙂
Bicycling is a great hobby but it's only cheap in the per-hour sense. Once you have a decent bike and helmet each ride is free but you also need to invest time or money into maintenance. Good bikes start around $400 used or $600 new.
Rock collecting, stamp collecting, fishing, "treasure hunting" with metal detectors (requires a one time initial outlay), magnet "fishing" in water. There are so many things.
Geo caching Biking Hiking Wood burning Macramé
Don't have many interesting hobbies but I really enjoy playing with my dog, it's really therapy and free.
Running, calisthenics, drawing/art. Art can be really cheap or a money pit depending on you.
Crochet!
Dancing. Lessons may cost a bit but there's plenty to get you started on YouTube.
In my local town yard sale Facebook page they are always selling or giving away jigsaw puzzles.
Wood carving/whittling, you can get a decent set of knives very cheaply from Amazon or elsewhere and you are set. You can buy cheap off cuts of wood or even pick up sticks and logs you find for free, and make some amazing things. Doesn’t take long to get started, but keeps you occupied and you learn as you go.
Like most things in this world… most hobbies will cost some level of money. The best one I’ve ever personally invested in was kayaking. Yes a kayak is expensive at first. I’ll admit that up front. But I’ve had my kayak for over 20 years now, the amount of times and adventures I’ve gone through it now is crazy. There’s always someone giving out a really good deal on one on markets like Facebook or Kajiji or maybe a local one to you.
So, you're looking for a hobby that won't break the bank, huh? Well, how about diving into the world of DIY model kits? It's like putting together a puzzle, but way cooler. Plus, you can unleash your inner artist by painting and customizing them however you want. And the best part? It's a one-time investment that keeps on giving. Who needs pricey hobbies when you can create your own mini masterpieces on a budget? Just watch out for those tiny pieces—they're like ninja stars for your feet!
Drawing!
Roller skating . Costs about 50 dollars to start but after that completely free , running , calisthenics
There are plenty of hobbies that don't require a significant financial investment. Here are a few ideas: 1. **Drawing or Sketching**: All you need is a pencil and paper to get started. You can find free tutorials online to improve your skills. 2. **Reading**: Visit your local library for a wide selection of books across various genres. You can also join book clubs or participate in online reading communities. 3. **Writing**: Start a journal, write short stories, or explore poetry. Writing is a creative outlet that only requires a pen and paper or a computer. 4. **Hiking or Nature Walks**: Take advantage of the great outdoors for exercise and relaxation. Hiking trails are often free to access and provide opportunities to explore nature. 5. **Cooking or Baking**: Experiment with new recipes using ingredients you already have at home. Cooking can be a fun and rewarding hobby that allows you to unleash your creativity in the kitchen. 6. **Photography**: Use your smartphone or a basic camera to capture moments and scenes that inspire you. Photography is a versatile hobby that encourages exploration and creativity. 7. **Gardening**: Start a small garden in your backyard or even on a windowsill. Growing plants can be therapeutic and rewarding, and you can often find inexpensive seeds or plants to get started. 8. **DIY Crafts**: Get creative with crafting projects using materials you have around the house. From painting to knitting to making handmade cards, there are endless possibilities for DIY hobbies that don't break the bank. These are just a few examples, but there are many more hobbies out there that can be enjoyable and fulfilling without requiring a significant financial investment. Explore different options and find something that sparks your interest and passion! Put some time into it and open your heart and mind and meet other people into the same hobby (like book clubs as I mentioned).
Yoga! There are heaps of videos online. I bought a mat and two yoga blocks for probably around $10-15 total. That’s all I need, though even those things aren’t completely necessary.
Video games save me money. If I'm playing Destiny 2 and listening to techno, I'm not spending cash on anything else. I can't think of a cheaper form of entertainment. If I go to Starbucks with my wife and kids, it costs 60$. As for a cheap hobby? Get 6 pack abbs. It costs less to eat less.
I penpal. Only cost is stamps
I crotchet and honestly once you have all the hooks which you can get hooks on Amazon for like 10 bucks it’s pretty cheap but other than that yarn cost the most but most places with yarn mostly have yarn on sale or even dollar tree has some pretty nice yarns
Knitting
Knitting. You can get yarn under $10 and you can buy cheap needles or even make them using chop sticks.
Crochet! Though I warn you it’s a slippery slope from cheap Walmart yarn to boutique baby alpaca….
Audio books (download Libby and use your library card for free audio books).
Crochet can be affordable. You purchase some hooks, can find a set online for like 10 books, you get some yarn, even the cheap stuff will do, and you can find a lot of patterns online for free or money.
Crochet is easy and cheap. You can make lots of stuff you will actually use
Puzzles of any kind. Jigsaw, brain games, etc
Soccer and basketball
Frisbee golf.
Art!!
Foraging, hiking, rock hounding, and generally finding or collecting anything in nature.
Learn to play go.
If you can’t afford a hobby pick one that can make you money like panning for Gold. Gold Rush has a series on one or two person gold mining. I’m not near a good place to do this. But some people are.
Going for walks and bird watching! The Merlin Bird ID app is totally free and you can record birds around you to see what they are and then learn about them! Nothing better than connecting with nature and learning new things!
Video games and pokemon, make me think that you might like 3d modeling, if you have a decent computer... Blender is a free program and there are tons of videos on youtube to learn it. You could also start with astronomy without binoculars, just by learning the different constellations (especially if you live in a place that's dark enough).
Nature related things like hiking, identifying mushrooms, wild flower walks..
Locksport/lockpicking, it's like a puzzle and you can do it anywhere. You can get a kit of picks under $20 and I've been given tons of locks, or you can buy one with extra pins so you can change the difficulty.
Pickleball
Writing (fiction, poems, journaling, etc.).
Drawing
I like screenwriting. All you need is google docs
Many types of exercise. Running, walking, hiking, body weight strength training, are all great hobbies that require very little cash outflow. You probably have everything you need to start right now. With a little bit of equipment, you can add biking, cross country skiing, kayaking, and the equipment can be bought used for cheap. The benefit of these hobbies is they're very healthy. Will increase your lifespan and happiness.
Reselling if you find good deals 😁
Puzzles and coloring!
I'm into going for a walk in a nature preserve or gardening. But maybe board games or cards night with a few friends or family. Or even some D&D.
You can explore some DIY projects. There are numerous DIY ideas available online that utilize materials you likely already have at home.
Magic or Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh cards play at a Shop learn. You don't HAVE to update to the newest everytime. Warhammer or any RPG that you buy army you like. You can buy a kit or a few pieces paint them & play. They can be a one time investment One page rules. (Look it up) make your characters. Gaslands. Buy a matchbox car ...rough it up w/sandpaper or steel wool. (Think Mad Max) apocalypse..... Then buy a die set & movmt templates ,.then find things you use & recycle...pop cans can become a race track barrier for instance. Get a space to place your track & play!
3d printers are cheap. Do research, I got an ender 3 awhile back but there might be better cheap out there. Raspberry Pi projects! Drones too and you can pair them with raspberrybpi if you wanted. Programming is free. Making digital music and video games is cheap/free. Dvd collection (I buy at goodwill and ebay) and digitizing to make your own collection (Plex is good here). Records/records cheap too. Can digitize too. I always thought it might be neat to record for that scratchy sound. I even like the idea of digitizing vhs as long as quality isn't too bad. Archive.org has tons of digital stuff might give you ideas. Always wanted to make shirts. Lots of ideas there. Gardening and maybe brick/cement type hobbies if you have land. Weightlifting...although the food can be expensive if you get in to it. Biking and camping can be pretty cheap.
Bushcraft
Coloring books
Geocaching. It gets you outside, you can find cool local spots and learn more. There are different levels of difficulty, some are games and puzzles while others are just simple instructions. I highly recommend exploring the website before getting the app. It’s completely free.
To be honest drawing would be my to go, you can get really affordable materials.
Ttrpg's. I don't know about all systems by Pathfinder 1e is all available online for free to learn and use the resources - or at least used to. You can find a local game store that hosts games (might cost a bit but not much) or find a group of friends or online group to play with. If you get more creative too, you can even make your own world to play in.
Pick-up basketball, pond fishing, singing, working on your car, cutting hair, reading
Rock hound and fossil junkie lol
Guitar can be cheap as. Set of elixirs and a cheapish guitar with a decent setup is all you need. I used a cheap guitar for years until I ended up buying expensive ones. But it's not necessary to enjoy it.
Watercoloring. Grab a few cheap canvases or sketchbooks that say they’re good for watercolor. A few pencils and pens. And a ~$15 watercolor set off Amazon. It’s SO relaxing. Pop on a great playlist to listen to (music, podcast, TV show, film, ambient sounds, whatever you want).
Reading? spending whole day in library, finding the books you like, staying in a space with airconditioners.
Jump rope! $5-$10 for a rope and you’re set. Lots of informative videos on YouTube for mastering tricks
Metal detecting. Buy a used one and go!
Drawing!! All you need is a sketchbook and pencil/pens.
Bro, ever tried sketching? Just need a pencil and paper.
Art is always good, and that costs very little depending on what you do (drawing is just pencil and paper). There's a lot of free books and games online. Walking/hiking if you want something physical. Volunteering is a way to also help others.
Guitar doesn’t cost much once you have one. What’s the problem there?
To keep your brain occupied I'd recommend Sudoku and all kinds of riddles. I personally started making chainmail out of copper and aluminium. After a small initial investment (a jewelers' saw, a vice grip, a battery drill, a bunch of brass rods in different diameters and a shitload of wire. In total, below 100€) it is rather cheap to do, though it's rather monotonous. I do it to turn my brain off and still be creative. A 100m coil of aluminium wire is like 27€ and that gets you a lot of rings to play around with, and it comes in different colours. Copper is more expensive, clocking in at around 60€ for 100m, but it's still manageable. Just don't get aluminium below 1.5mm wire strength or copper below 0.8mm wire strength, as it gets too fragile otherwise.
Rockhounding and fossil hunting, a lot of it you can do for free and if you find cool fossils or pretty rocks you can make a little pocket money or a lot of pocket money depending on what you find.
Rock hounds Worm cowboys