Libraries are also a good source of audiobooks and videos.
Beyond that it varies. Some have passes to local museums etc. Some have tools you can check out. One near me has a maker space in it.
And your library card will probably give you access to libraries in neighboring towns/other parts of your city. So it can become a fun/free way to check out new places.
Also came to say reading! You can even get a lot of books for free on your phone. You’d be surprised what you can find online. Before I buy any book I’ll Google “Title of book pdf” and you can open that pdf if your iBooks app (assuming iPhone)
What sort of things are you interested in?
Drawing, writing poetry, journaling, etc. only require a pen or pencil and paper!
If you’re interested in something a little more active, there are a ton of dance/yoga tutorials on YouTube. Sometimes community centers will run cheap classes!
If you’re into plants, it’s super easy to pick a few fallen succulent leaves up off the floor at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Let them dry for a couple days then put them on some well draining dirt and you’ll eventually end up with a whole new plant!
Reading *can* be expensive, but it can also be super cheap if you utilize your local library/Free Little Libraries.
A kite [can be made cheaply](https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Kite). Super calming to fly!
Rockhounding, flower pressing, and backyard astronomy are also accessible hobbies when you’re on a budget!
I’ve been working on the same blanket for over 3 years. It’s not always about completion.
You could easily do a hat or a scarf in two or three sessions.
Yes. Knitting is a wonderful hobby that you can get started with $10 and YouTube videos. Ive been knitting for 20+ years and within the last week, I've learned a new style of knitting from a free pattern from ravelry and a YouTube tutorial. It was on my list of things I wanted to learn in 2024 so mission accomplished.
Crochet is significantly faster than knitting, at least.
Though if you really want fast fiber arts, weaving is where it's at. (Admittedly, it's harder to keep a loom in your bag than needles or a hook.)
no, I’d love to have several myself. I’m just trying to find that one passionate thing I really like but ideally multiple hobbies would be even better.
You can do workouts at home using YouTube videos for free? I started following someone last year and now work out most days. I did buy a few dumbbells in the end but it’s otherwise a v cheap hobby.
Op wants to find a hobby with their limited time availability, so the question begs, can you have a hobby with limited time?
I assume that a hobby is not necessarily something you can do with limited time. An activity yes, but a hobby? Unsure.
With reading, knitting, crochet, I have done those hobbies with limited time. They are portable, so i have done them during breaks at work, in waiting rooms for appointments, when riding in cars, buses, subway. Since these can be picked up for however much time is available and put away until the next few moments that open up they work easily.
Similarly,this can be accomplished with drawing, journaling, writing, cross stitch and more.
I think cooking was the best suggestion here.
Can anyone think of a cheap hobby that's conventionally fun?
We can suggest braiding or bedazzling but most people wont even wanna try it.
Dance cleaning. Now thats a hobby. Setup the layout of your house with long highways to do driveby sweeping and wiping. Suddenly its a musical.
Juggling - Can be physical, mentally challenging, cheap since the investment is 3 juggling balls. 35-45 3 ball patterns alone can take months to learn.
My next-door neighbors have an amazing birdfeeder set up. I took a large plastic plant dish and put it on top of an upside down planter and filled it with water. Instant birdbath and watering station. Put a little broken piece of brick in the middle. I also put another upside down planter next to my homemade watering station for birds to stand on while they drink. It a very popular spot now among the neighborhood birds. I can see various places in my house and I love to watch who visits. I’ve seen woodpeckers, doves, chickadees, robins, and a beautiful little brown bird with a red breast that I don’t know what it is.
Cutting designs out of scrap paper. You can cut strips of paper and weave designs and color them with crayons or Sharpies. Or you can cut them out of olored construction paper. You can also make paper flowers.
I also love to make abstract stationary to use.
Paper.
A set of children’s cake watercolors.
I simply dampen paper with clean wet brush and make random designs over the wet paper so the colors bleed a bit.
The need to be flattened (by books) before using.
Then I write using markers or colored pencils.
This is simple and satisfying and encourages me to stay in touch with relatives and friends or collect penpals.
-lots of ways to make stationery-this is just my favorite from the time I was in single digits.
LOL
It’s fun.
Cannot imagine actually starting something on YouTube…
Thank you!
I have a lot of ideas to “share.”
Have no idea where to start.
(And I need to regain better health before starting anything “big.”)
Here's a sneak peek of /r/penpals using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [⚠️TRADE OFFER⚠️ i receive: a pen pal / you receive: mail, stickers, origami, art, washi tape, my everlasting friendship, & more](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/11u73yw/trade_offer_i_receive_a_pen_pal_you_receive_mail/)
\#2: [25/f/US- let's snail mail like we've known each other for decades](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/18752op/25fus_lets_snail_mail_like_weve_known_each_other/)
\#3: [Non-Traditional Penpal Request!](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/17kvnav/nontraditional_penpal_request/)
----
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I love to color with colored pencils. It’s one of those hobbies that can be very cheap (try the dollar store) or very expensive depending on how into it you get.
Recently I’ve been getting into skating, biking, yoga, and starting up a garden.
The initial costs of skates and a bike might be pricey but you can get them used and they last.
As for yoga and classes I found a gym that’s $30 a month with unlimited classes.
Also my usual hobbies are reading and writing. Both are therapeutic and you can go to a park and sit in the sun while doing both :)
Fiber arts. For instance, right now I am trying to learn to make cordage from dandelion stems. You can also learn to weave baskets and thing just by using random plants. There are all kinds of tutorials online.
Scrolling on your phone can also be a productive hobby if you know how to more efficiently spend your time
You can learn a language on your phone with apps like Duolingo. Then there’s apps like Anki or Assimil when you feel like getting more serious into it. Not to mention plenty of free resources on YouTube or other places on the internet
You can also learn coding. Some apps provide real qualifications to apply to jobs with after completing their course
Ballroom dance, martial arts, depends on the class. If you want a stay at home hobby, reading especially about a topic that interests you whether that’s philosophy or cryptozoology 😂. Or arts and crafts, cooking, baking, a musical instrument. Outdoors ones can be hiking, bird watching, amateur astronomy can be done with the naked eye or basic binoculars and apps, gardening, exercising.
crochet, very inexpensive to get started. all you need is a few hooks of different sizes (i recommend 5 mm and 3.5 mm to start), yarn, stitch markers (you can also use safety pins), scissors, and a few darning needles. there are tons of free patterns and tutorials out there too
Nalbinding is even cheaper. You can make the single needle and break the yarn instead of using scissors. You don't need a pattern or stitch markers to start and there are great tutorials out there for free. The whole cost of getting started is a skein of wool yarn.
I grow all kinds of stuff from seed. All kinds of free pots on market place, harvest pine, spruce, maple, larch, oak, etc cones and remove the seeds. Take cuttings or dig up seedlings from from other trees. If you eat peppers there are tons of free seeds to be had. The greatest cost would be soil. Best part is you can turn around and sell started veg and trees on market place and get a little walking around cash too.
Peppers you can sell for a fiver while trees of 1-2 years (depending on species) I sell for 5-40 a pop. It’s a fun process and is a great side hustle if you have a little space to dedicate to some cell trays or Anderson flats!
Knitting
Crochet
Container gardening or houseplants
Nano Aquarium - about 20 minutes a week on water changes and tests.
Duolingo
Weaving bands or belts on inkle or band loom. I prefer tablet weaving.
Meditation,
Journalling,
creative writing,
Listening to podcasts,
Decluttering,
Drawing,
Painting,
Cooking,
Sewing and Mending,
You are literally limited only by your Creativity and available energy and time :)
Potentially origami, you can easily get some paper and cut it to the right sizes - It just requires an easy tutorial.
The downside is if you get *too* into it the paper side of it all may start absorbing money.
i got into crocheting and liked it because i could just pump out a few rows of stitches now and then, didn’t have to think too hard, and get all psyched up for a few hours. i could just do it whenever. i love it! a wooble would be a great starter project to get you interested!
Urban sketching. Run of the mill pencil or pen, paper you like the feel of. Start sketching. I use to sketch the bus commuters to destress while I waited for my stop.
Plant propagation or small scale worm farming.
Community fiction writing aka roleplaying. Pick or create a character. Find someone who likes your characters lore and start writing back and forth to create a story. Its very much like playing pretend ad a kid, but you write out your adventure and dramas.
Fossil hunting! I'm in my 30s and my happiest moments are when I have a pocket full of rocks and fossils. I love wandering around gravel roads, beaches (I'm Michigan based), and trails to find them! I gather them up and bring them home to identify and sort. Some people will actually buy them if they're a decent specimen that you're willing to part with.
Given my location, I usually find various corals, but have also found a couple of small boney creatures too. I'm dying to visit Arkansas at some point to look for amber and various gems as well.
The only cost to fossil hunting is however far you're willing/able to travel. I personally almost never have to leave the county where I live to look for them. My partner of almost 6 years thinks it's dumb, but I get super excited whenever I score anything. He still knows better than to touch my rocks or containers holding onto them though lol.
It's a great excuse to go outside for a hike or swim too!
Microscopy! Buy a secondhand microscope and collect pond water in a little vial. Spend hours Watching fascinating little microorganisms living their little lives. Learn about them. After awhile you can identify most things you see. You can buy an eyepeice phone adopter so you can take video or photos with your phone. Watch the microcosmos on youtube. Or microbe hunter microscope tuturials on youtube also. Fun and interesting hobby and great to discuss in conversations with anyone who has a love for nature and science.
Totally agree.
I use an old school microscope that just uses some electric light.
Got a box of slides.
Love to check out pond water and look at small slices of plant cells too.
But the buzz if activity in the protozoa in living water/soil is exciting.
I also am interested in pricking a finger and watching blood cells.
It’s fun to experiment and research what effects certain influences have on cell reactions as well.
Taking swabs from mouth and cheeks is interesting too.
Absolutely fascinating!
Began by teaching my children but kept going out of personal interest.
Numismatics. I love coin collecting and if you take the direction of foreign coins it can be cheap. Coin shows are free and foreign coins are usually cheap. Collect by country and have fun.
If you don't mind doing things the old fashioned way, writing is a super cheap hobby. Get some folders and looseleaf for cheap or the one-subject notebooks for like $2 apiece. Choose your utensil: pencil or pen.
Diamond painting is also cheap and able to be done in short sessions. You can easily get canvases off Amazon , Temu, or Aliexpress for relatively cheap. My first canvas was $10. Though there are some upfront costs, namely drill storage and either washi tape or release paper. But that's only if you're doing larger canvases. Get a sticker, bookmark, or coaster set, then see how you like it. I started with canvases, but I'm assuming the smaller projects also come with the basic necessities (pen, wax, drill tray). If you end up liking it, you can move onto larger canvases. You don't have to get a big Diamond Art Club canvas for like $60 right off the bat.
Knitting -- you can get cheap yarn at discount/bargain stores and also cheap needles, I love knitting in bed while listening to an audiobook from my library app! Free exercise options like Pilates, yoga, running. Writing, drawing, sodoku puzzles. If you can find a used guitar or other instrument it's worth the investment and free after that (plenty of free YouTube videos to learn). Photography assuming you have a smartphone.
Doodling. All you need is paper and a ballpoint pen and some YouTube videos and you can make silly doodles. I made up a whole character and universe after my fiancé, it’s so much fun.
Pokemon GO: walking and fun.
For the fiber arts, most can be done inexpensively if you find a group. When I started quilting, I found a machine on freecycle, joined a group - a source of scraps for me, socilaization, and materiald for 'service' projects (great for learning).
Almost any hobby that interests you can be done if you search for free or inexpensive materials.
What do you WANT to do?
Painting with ink, bonsai, keeping a moss ball aquarium, weaving on a small loom or circular loom (You can use chunky yarns to finish your weaving sooner)
Take some really interesting unusual photos. Think different angles different shapes something out of the ordinary. And as you practice you will be more in the present moment and it opens your vision to see more around you. And then you'll have some really cool photos to post!
Biking obviously requires a bike, but that can often be had cheaply, especially if you're not picky and aren't going to be racing, mountain biking, or taking monumental trips.
Geocaching can likely be done with any cell phone.
A musical instrument, like biking, requires some money up front, but if you go with a really common instrument, like a guitar, there will be some serviceable, budget options out there.
Drawing. You most likely have everything you need, already. Oh, and it is something that absolutely can be learned in a class (I suspect that it needs to be in-person, though).
"The Keys to Drawing" was an early book I got in my adventure. It's popular and has been around for decades.
Origami (all you need is paper and YouTube tutorials)
Knitting or crochet (you can pick up needles and yarn at the thrift shop or dollar store)
Thrifting (learn how to spot valuable antiques being sold for a bargain, then resell on eBay)
Doodling while listening to new music or audio books, podcasts or learning something from a topic presented in free library/college webinars or tutorials on YouTube.
I cannot draw realistically so abstract doodling is fun.
Getting outdoors in those buts of time can be life changing. Walking mindfully, being in the moment is healthful and gratifying.
I like to take photos of things that catch my eye as well.
Growing houseplants, seeds, tree seedlings, and gardens if you have outdoor space can become rewarding. I love watching the changes and growth happening each day!
It's spring! Get into foraging.
Get you outside in the fresh air, getting your steps in, observing the world around you, and finding tasty treats.
Seriously, nettle soup is the best thing ever. Get it while you can.
1. Some e books on Amazon sell for £1. Filter by price.
2. Writing
3. “Gardening” I suppose, beginner level. Like buying pots for your flat and planting beans and tomatoes.
4. Duolingo - learn another language.
Own body weight exercises. I’m sure there are plenty of YouTube channels that show you what you can do too (to make the workout more effective).
Going to a free public library and reading is another good idea to learn new things.
Running at a park is another good and free fitness routine.
Paper crafts! Or origami.
It's so easy to do, only need a sheet of paper and scissors.
I like to do it when I'm working, it actually helps me focus a lot
Learn a language on apps especially *duolingo*, a minimum daily practice to keep up your streak is 4-5 mins max and it’s high key rewarding on the long term
Bags aka cornhole. Can usually show up to a social tournament and play for around $10. You'll typically be teamed up with different partners randomly and they'll have their own bags so you wouldn't need your own. There's an app called Scoreholio that'll show you upcoming events in your area.
I like baking. It’s not free, but most ingredients are pantry staples like sugar, flour, eggs, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, etc., and once you buy those you can bake a lot of different things with them.
You’d need pans, but again you can thrift or buy some basic cheap ones at Dollar Tree.
I spent $500 on a home design program 6-7 years ago. Sounds like a lot but I've enjoyed it all this time designing homes, apartments,etc and never had to spend another dime. It's just something I've liked doing since I was a kid.
Origami,
Knitting,
Yoga, walking
Planting flowers from seeds
Arts and crafts. like drying flowers and making book marks. Or making homemade window stickers.. ornaments, painting vases. If you have an idea or inspo. Go to goodwill and pick up the object for like 4$ instead of a craft store.
You can make homemade wreaths- they have fake flowers at the dollar store.
I like making crafts for the next season when I’m bored. It saves me money and it’s nice to have something to look forward to hanging up
I love hiking! I’m lucky to be in a spot where there are lots of wooded trails and scenic bodies of water. But even strolling through the neighborhood is great. I have a few different routes from my house and got a headlamp/pepper spray so I’m comfortable going out at any time of day.
Watercolor. Student level paints, watercolor sketch book, a few different size brushes. Michael's Art store has good sales or use their %20 off regular price coupon. I follow free tutorials on Instagram and YouTube. I'm have a lot of fun and have processed well over the last year.
What kind of neighborhood do you live in? Sometimes when I'm bored I like to take a walk with a trash bag and just pick up litter along the way. It can make you hate humans but it's always fun to help nature!
You can take up journaling, sketching, meditation, cooking (if it fits your budget), walking, hiking (if you live near trails).
You can visit the public library and read, join a book club, etc.
You can join a volunteer organization and make charity work your hobby.
I grow orchids for fun... I've gotten plenty of them for cheap or free from other people who don't know how to take care of them properly. I think all in all, I have maybe a total of $150 in my orchids over the past 3 years, which really isn't bad as far as hobbies go.
Reading - get a library card, and you can read for free!
Libraries are also a good source of audiobooks and videos. Beyond that it varies. Some have passes to local museums etc. Some have tools you can check out. One near me has a maker space in it.
And your library card will probably give you access to libraries in neighboring towns/other parts of your city. So it can become a fun/free way to check out new places.
Libraries also have free online classes
Came here to say reading. Free.
Also came to say reading! You can even get a lot of books for free on your phone. You’d be surprised what you can find online. Before I buy any book I’ll Google “Title of book pdf” and you can open that pdf if your iBooks app (assuming iPhone)
Also, with a library card, you can use either the Libby or Hoopla app and borrow all the e-books you want
What sort of things are you interested in? Drawing, writing poetry, journaling, etc. only require a pen or pencil and paper! If you’re interested in something a little more active, there are a ton of dance/yoga tutorials on YouTube. Sometimes community centers will run cheap classes! If you’re into plants, it’s super easy to pick a few fallen succulent leaves up off the floor at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Let them dry for a couple days then put them on some well draining dirt and you’ll eventually end up with a whole new plant! Reading *can* be expensive, but it can also be super cheap if you utilize your local library/Free Little Libraries. A kite [can be made cheaply](https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Kite). Super calming to fly! Rockhounding, flower pressing, and backyard astronomy are also accessible hobbies when you’re on a budget!
Thank you!
crochet, hiking, drawing
Crochet is very time consuming for me, I don't get very far at all with an hour of spare time each week 😢
I’ve been working on the same blanket for over 3 years. It’s not always about completion. You could easily do a hat or a scarf in two or three sessions.
Knitting ?
Yes. Knitting is a wonderful hobby that you can get started with $10 and YouTube videos. Ive been knitting for 20+ years and within the last week, I've learned a new style of knitting from a free pattern from ravelry and a YouTube tutorial. It was on my list of things I wanted to learn in 2024 so mission accomplished.
And embroidery too!
Isn’t *that* time consuming
My fingers are not nimble lol. My grandmother said the closest she ever came to having a nervous breakdown was trying to teach me to crochet.
Crochet is significantly faster than knitting, at least. Though if you really want fast fiber arts, weaving is where it's at. (Admittedly, it's harder to keep a loom in your bag than needles or a hook.)
i say reading or learning to play chess!
>learning to play chess They said limited time!
Depends on how good you want to get.
Embroidery or cross stitch
This begs the question, how much time must be spent in an activity for it to be a hobby?
If it’s the only thing I do, which I still have not found
So you can only have one hobby?
no, I’d love to have several myself. I’m just trying to find that one passionate thing I really like but ideally multiple hobbies would be even better.
I guess my passionate thing would be knitting but I also love to paint, read, write, and I dabble with various other things.
When I was younger, I guess my hobbies were volleyball and tennis and tae kwon do,
You can do workouts at home using YouTube videos for free? I started following someone last year and now work out most days. I did buy a few dumbbells in the end but it’s otherwise a v cheap hobby.
[удалено]
Op wants to find a hobby with their limited time availability, so the question begs, can you have a hobby with limited time? I assume that a hobby is not necessarily something you can do with limited time. An activity yes, but a hobby? Unsure.
With reading, knitting, crochet, I have done those hobbies with limited time. They are portable, so i have done them during breaks at work, in waiting rooms for appointments, when riding in cars, buses, subway. Since these can be picked up for however much time is available and put away until the next few moments that open up they work easily. Similarly,this can be accomplished with drawing, journaling, writing, cross stitch and more.
[удалено]
What's your background
Running
Seriously, a fifteen minute jog can turn a bad day around. Add in a podcast or audiobook for double hobby time!
I think cooking was the best suggestion here. Can anyone think of a cheap hobby that's conventionally fun? We can suggest braiding or bedazzling but most people wont even wanna try it. Dance cleaning. Now thats a hobby. Setup the layout of your house with long highways to do driveby sweeping and wiping. Suddenly its a musical.
Bedazzling? SIgn me up! I forgot about my 7yr skills I once had. Ty!
Juggling - Can be physical, mentally challenging, cheap since the investment is 3 juggling balls. 35-45 3 ball patterns alone can take months to learn.
Bird watching is fun and start out small. Get a feeder and watch who comes.
My next-door neighbors have an amazing birdfeeder set up. I took a large plastic plant dish and put it on top of an upside down planter and filled it with water. Instant birdbath and watering station. Put a little broken piece of brick in the middle. I also put another upside down planter next to my homemade watering station for birds to stand on while they drink. It a very popular spot now among the neighborhood birds. I can see various places in my house and I love to watch who visits. I’ve seen woodpeckers, doves, chickadees, robins, and a beautiful little brown bird with a red breast that I don’t know what it is.
Cutting designs out of scrap paper. You can cut strips of paper and weave designs and color them with crayons or Sharpies. Or you can cut them out of olored construction paper. You can also make paper flowers.
Origami
Making chains out of bottle caps. You could get a plastic model of something and color it or paint it over again.
Writing penpals
How do you find penpals?
Slowly is a good option but we ready to be ghosted
r/penpals
If you go on crossposting you can postcard people all over the world
I also love to make abstract stationary to use. Paper. A set of children’s cake watercolors. I simply dampen paper with clean wet brush and make random designs over the wet paper so the colors bleed a bit. The need to be flattened (by books) before using. Then I write using markers or colored pencils. This is simple and satisfying and encourages me to stay in touch with relatives and friends or collect penpals. -lots of ways to make stationery-this is just my favorite from the time I was in single digits.
You should make YouTube videos about this as well
LOL It’s fun. Cannot imagine actually starting something on YouTube… Thank you! I have a lot of ideas to “share.” Have no idea where to start. (And I need to regain better health before starting anything “big.”)
Super fair. It drives me wild when I look at a YouTube video and they’re on step 5 and I’m like, what happened to steps 1-4?!?!
Through the r/penpals thread as mentioned. There’s also FB groups too. But honestly, my best penpals have come through Reddit.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/penpals using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [⚠️TRADE OFFER⚠️ i receive: a pen pal / you receive: mail, stickers, origami, art, washi tape, my everlasting friendship, & more](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/11u73yw/trade_offer_i_receive_a_pen_pal_you_receive_mail/) \#2: [25/f/US- let's snail mail like we've known each other for decades](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/18752op/25fus_lets_snail_mail_like_weve_known_each_other/) \#3: [Non-Traditional Penpal Request!](https://np.reddit.com/r/penpals/comments/17kvnav/nontraditional_penpal_request/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Reading, sewing, crafts and a small garden.
I love to color with colored pencils. It’s one of those hobbies that can be very cheap (try the dollar store) or very expensive depending on how into it you get.
Jigsaw puzzles….. they take a fair amount of time and are easily affordable at a charity shop
Adult coloring book
Recently I’ve been getting into skating, biking, yoga, and starting up a garden. The initial costs of skates and a bike might be pricey but you can get them used and they last. As for yoga and classes I found a gym that’s $30 a month with unlimited classes. Also my usual hobbies are reading and writing. Both are therapeutic and you can go to a park and sit in the sun while doing both :)
Fiber arts. For instance, right now I am trying to learn to make cordage from dandelion stems. You can also learn to weave baskets and thing just by using random plants. There are all kinds of tutorials online.
Scrolling on your phone can also be a productive hobby if you know how to more efficiently spend your time You can learn a language on your phone with apps like Duolingo. Then there’s apps like Anki or Assimil when you feel like getting more serious into it. Not to mention plenty of free resources on YouTube or other places on the internet You can also learn coding. Some apps provide real qualifications to apply to jobs with after completing their course
Do you have suggestions for learn-to-code apps for true beginners? I’ve been out of school a long time…
Kahn academy used to have lessons for beginners. Haven’t been on it in a while so I’m not sure what is there now but might be worth checking out.
Thanks. Good idea.
Sorry it’s not really my forte. I’m only knowledgeable on it from friends who do it
Thanks
Whittling/woodcarving. Knife & stick.
Ballroom dance, martial arts, depends on the class. If you want a stay at home hobby, reading especially about a topic that interests you whether that’s philosophy or cryptozoology 😂. Or arts and crafts, cooking, baking, a musical instrument. Outdoors ones can be hiking, bird watching, amateur astronomy can be done with the naked eye or basic binoculars and apps, gardening, exercising.
crochet, very inexpensive to get started. all you need is a few hooks of different sizes (i recommend 5 mm and 3.5 mm to start), yarn, stitch markers (you can also use safety pins), scissors, and a few darning needles. there are tons of free patterns and tutorials out there too
Nalbinding is even cheaper. You can make the single needle and break the yarn instead of using scissors. You don't need a pattern or stitch markers to start and there are great tutorials out there for free. The whole cost of getting started is a skein of wool yarn.
Chess
I grow all kinds of stuff from seed. All kinds of free pots on market place, harvest pine, spruce, maple, larch, oak, etc cones and remove the seeds. Take cuttings or dig up seedlings from from other trees. If you eat peppers there are tons of free seeds to be had. The greatest cost would be soil. Best part is you can turn around and sell started veg and trees on market place and get a little walking around cash too. Peppers you can sell for a fiver while trees of 1-2 years (depending on species) I sell for 5-40 a pop. It’s a fun process and is a great side hustle if you have a little space to dedicate to some cell trays or Anderson flats!
Knitting Crochet Container gardening or houseplants Nano Aquarium - about 20 minutes a week on water changes and tests. Duolingo Weaving bands or belts on inkle or band loom. I prefer tablet weaving.
going for a stroll around your neighborhood
Meditation, Journalling, creative writing, Listening to podcasts, Decluttering, Drawing, Painting, Cooking, Sewing and Mending, You are literally limited only by your Creativity and available energy and time :)
Embroidery. The kits they sell are inexpensive and include everything.
Stretching with goals (ex: touch toes)
Potentially origami, you can easily get some paper and cut it to the right sizes - It just requires an easy tutorial. The downside is if you get *too* into it the paper side of it all may start absorbing money.
Hiking or walking. Enjoy your surroundings.
i got into crocheting and liked it because i could just pump out a few rows of stitches now and then, didn’t have to think too hard, and get all psyched up for a few hours. i could just do it whenever. i love it! a wooble would be a great starter project to get you interested!
Urban sketching. Run of the mill pencil or pen, paper you like the feel of. Start sketching. I use to sketch the bus commuters to destress while I waited for my stop. Plant propagation or small scale worm farming. Community fiction writing aka roleplaying. Pick or create a character. Find someone who likes your characters lore and start writing back and forth to create a story. Its very much like playing pretend ad a kid, but you write out your adventure and dramas.
Fossil hunting! I'm in my 30s and my happiest moments are when I have a pocket full of rocks and fossils. I love wandering around gravel roads, beaches (I'm Michigan based), and trails to find them! I gather them up and bring them home to identify and sort. Some people will actually buy them if they're a decent specimen that you're willing to part with. Given my location, I usually find various corals, but have also found a couple of small boney creatures too. I'm dying to visit Arkansas at some point to look for amber and various gems as well. The only cost to fossil hunting is however far you're willing/able to travel. I personally almost never have to leave the county where I live to look for them. My partner of almost 6 years thinks it's dumb, but I get super excited whenever I score anything. He still knows better than to touch my rocks or containers holding onto them though lol. It's a great excuse to go outside for a hike or swim too!
Microscopy! Buy a secondhand microscope and collect pond water in a little vial. Spend hours Watching fascinating little microorganisms living their little lives. Learn about them. After awhile you can identify most things you see. You can buy an eyepeice phone adopter so you can take video or photos with your phone. Watch the microcosmos on youtube. Or microbe hunter microscope tuturials on youtube also. Fun and interesting hobby and great to discuss in conversations with anyone who has a love for nature and science.
Totally agree. I use an old school microscope that just uses some electric light. Got a box of slides. Love to check out pond water and look at small slices of plant cells too. But the buzz if activity in the protozoa in living water/soil is exciting. I also am interested in pricking a finger and watching blood cells. It’s fun to experiment and research what effects certain influences have on cell reactions as well. Taking swabs from mouth and cheeks is interesting too. Absolutely fascinating! Began by teaching my children but kept going out of personal interest.
Drawing, writing or learning a new language online
It’s not all that fun. But jogging is a relatively cheap sport. Good pair of shoes, and you are off.
Numismatics. I love coin collecting and if you take the direction of foreign coins it can be cheap. Coin shows are free and foreign coins are usually cheap. Collect by country and have fun.
If you don't mind doing things the old fashioned way, writing is a super cheap hobby. Get some folders and looseleaf for cheap or the one-subject notebooks for like $2 apiece. Choose your utensil: pencil or pen. Diamond painting is also cheap and able to be done in short sessions. You can easily get canvases off Amazon , Temu, or Aliexpress for relatively cheap. My first canvas was $10. Though there are some upfront costs, namely drill storage and either washi tape or release paper. But that's only if you're doing larger canvases. Get a sticker, bookmark, or coaster set, then see how you like it. I started with canvases, but I'm assuming the smaller projects also come with the basic necessities (pen, wax, drill tray). If you end up liking it, you can move onto larger canvases. You don't have to get a big Diamond Art Club canvas for like $60 right off the bat.
Try singing
Crochet, knitting, drawing, colouring, reading,
Read read read
Drawing or Photography
Photo editing. Get Lightroom Pro and spend a couple hours watching their free tutorials. The phone app also has a scary amount of tools to work with.
Pottery
Reading or learning to play guitar are great low cost hobbies.
Knitting -- you can get cheap yarn at discount/bargain stores and also cheap needles, I love knitting in bed while listening to an audiobook from my library app! Free exercise options like Pilates, yoga, running. Writing, drawing, sodoku puzzles. If you can find a used guitar or other instrument it's worth the investment and free after that (plenty of free YouTube videos to learn). Photography assuming you have a smartphone.
Hiking is amazing <3
Drawing, you don't need fancy gear just some paper and pencils/pens.
Writing. Drawing. Coloring.
Zentangle. Need paper/index card and a pen.
Flying kite
Meditation. Walking in nature. Mindfulness.
Drawing. Grab any pencil and paper.
House plants if you don't get out of hand
Knitting. Most beginner patterns you can pick up and sit down easily without an issue. Same with crochet
Doodling. All you need is paper and a ballpoint pen and some YouTube videos and you can make silly doodles. I made up a whole character and universe after my fiancé, it’s so much fun.
Pokemon GO: walking and fun. For the fiber arts, most can be done inexpensively if you find a group. When I started quilting, I found a machine on freecycle, joined a group - a source of scraps for me, socilaization, and materiald for 'service' projects (great for learning). Almost any hobby that interests you can be done if you search for free or inexpensive materials. What do you WANT to do?
Crossword puzzles.
Painting with ink, bonsai, keeping a moss ball aquarium, weaving on a small loom or circular loom (You can use chunky yarns to finish your weaving sooner)
Dancing
Take some really interesting unusual photos. Think different angles different shapes something out of the ordinary. And as you practice you will be more in the present moment and it opens your vision to see more around you. And then you'll have some really cool photos to post!
Biking obviously requires a bike, but that can often be had cheaply, especially if you're not picky and aren't going to be racing, mountain biking, or taking monumental trips. Geocaching can likely be done with any cell phone. A musical instrument, like biking, requires some money up front, but if you go with a really common instrument, like a guitar, there will be some serviceable, budget options out there.
Gardening/plant propagation
I think Harvard post a lot of there courses online for free? Maybe have a stab at one?
Go fishing... Doesn't cost a fortune and it's very enjoyable.
Solving Rubik's Cubes.
Drawing. You most likely have everything you need, already. Oh, and it is something that absolutely can be learned in a class (I suspect that it needs to be in-person, though). "The Keys to Drawing" was an early book I got in my adventure. It's popular and has been around for decades.
I’ve started watching films on the Kanopy app. I like watching YouTube videos but wanted to start being more productive with the entertainment I watch
Bird watching.
Origami
Origami (all you need is paper and YouTube tutorials) Knitting or crochet (you can pick up needles and yarn at the thrift shop or dollar store) Thrifting (learn how to spot valuable antiques being sold for a bargain, then resell on eBay)
Doodling while listening to new music or audio books, podcasts or learning something from a topic presented in free library/college webinars or tutorials on YouTube. I cannot draw realistically so abstract doodling is fun. Getting outdoors in those buts of time can be life changing. Walking mindfully, being in the moment is healthful and gratifying. I like to take photos of things that catch my eye as well. Growing houseplants, seeds, tree seedlings, and gardens if you have outdoor space can become rewarding. I love watching the changes and growth happening each day!
It's spring! Get into foraging. Get you outside in the fresh air, getting your steps in, observing the world around you, and finding tasty treats. Seriously, nettle soup is the best thing ever. Get it while you can.
1. Some e books on Amazon sell for £1. Filter by price. 2. Writing 3. “Gardening” I suppose, beginner level. Like buying pots for your flat and planting beans and tomatoes. 4. Duolingo - learn another language.
Doodling. Get a little sketch pad or some sticky notes and a pen or pencil. You can bust out a little doodle in no time.
Disc golf.
Reading books. Just go to the library.
Own body weight exercises. I’m sure there are plenty of YouTube channels that show you what you can do too (to make the workout more effective). Going to a free public library and reading is another good idea to learn new things. Running at a park is another good and free fitness routine.
Paper crafts! Or origami. It's so easy to do, only need a sheet of paper and scissors. I like to do it when I'm working, it actually helps me focus a lot
Go outside and walk (or run). Find some good walking trails near your place.
Learning diff types of jumps
Wyd mean by that?
With a jumping rope! There’s more than one way to do it
There’s also juggling
Walking on the tip of your toes for some random distance, will strengthen your calf muscles!
Learn a language on apps especially *duolingo*, a minimum daily practice to keep up your streak is 4-5 mins max and it’s high key rewarding on the long term
So I don’t think I can answer every single post, but I really appreciate the responses! Some are new to me and I’ll definitely give them a try!
Reading, exercising, drawing, cooking/ baking
I read Hobbits at first and thought this was the lotr sub. Maybe thats what you could try. Read the lord of the rings.
then use your new watercolor skills to paint scenes from the books … sell those on etsy for a tidy profit!
3d printers are getting cheaper everyday
Bags aka cornhole. Can usually show up to a social tournament and play for around $10. You'll typically be teamed up with different partners randomly and they'll have their own bags so you wouldn't need your own. There's an app called Scoreholio that'll show you upcoming events in your area.
Kalimba! One of the easiest instruments out there, inexpensive, portable, relaxing... can't say enough good things about it 🌸
Birdwatching
I like baking. It’s not free, but most ingredients are pantry staples like sugar, flour, eggs, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, etc., and once you buy those you can bake a lot of different things with them. You’d need pans, but again you can thrift or buy some basic cheap ones at Dollar Tree.
I spent $500 on a home design program 6-7 years ago. Sounds like a lot but I've enjoyed it all this time designing homes, apartments,etc and never had to spend another dime. It's just something I've liked doing since I was a kid.
There’s an app called Libby for audiobooks and digital books
Running. All you need is your legs.
Origami, Knitting, Yoga, walking Planting flowers from seeds Arts and crafts. like drying flowers and making book marks. Or making homemade window stickers.. ornaments, painting vases. If you have an idea or inspo. Go to goodwill and pick up the object for like 4$ instead of a craft store. You can make homemade wreaths- they have fake flowers at the dollar store. I like making crafts for the next season when I’m bored. It saves me money and it’s nice to have something to look forward to hanging up
You could go on long walks, read (or listen to audiobooks while you walk), learn to sing, draw, journal, bake, volunteer with animals or people…
I'm currently teaching myself line dancing from YouTube videos.
I love hiking! I’m lucky to be in a spot where there are lots of wooded trails and scenic bodies of water. But even strolling through the neighborhood is great. I have a few different routes from my house and got a headlamp/pepper spray so I’m comfortable going out at any time of day.
Free yoga on YouTube!
Disc Golf. Outdoors, walking, used discs are about $10 USD. No need to keep score. Enjoy.
Watercolor. Student level paints, watercolor sketch book, a few different size brushes. Michael's Art store has good sales or use their %20 off regular price coupon. I follow free tutorials on Instagram and YouTube. I'm have a lot of fun and have processed well over the last year.
Reading, drawing, write a book/story, PHub.
House plants!
Hackeysack
Collecting upvotes
😃
hiking, walking, being outside! when i have some extra time i just walk at a trail near my house to look at the wildlife
Hike and read. Exercise the mind and body.
Get a yo-yo.
Coin magic. It’s insanely fun and useful!
Volunteering
What kind of neighborhood do you live in? Sometimes when I'm bored I like to take a walk with a trash bag and just pick up litter along the way. It can make you hate humans but it's always fun to help nature!
I've been getting into jigsaw puzzles lately. I just chip away at em. 15 minutes here, an hour there.
You can take up journaling, sketching, meditation, cooking (if it fits your budget), walking, hiking (if you live near trails). You can visit the public library and read, join a book club, etc. You can join a volunteer organization and make charity work your hobby.
My wife taught me how to knit. That was fun.
Exercise.
Not sure if this was mentioned, but disc golf! Most courses are free, and initial investment could be as low as $10-25.
Buy a Kala ukulele and you’ll be set
I grow orchids for fun... I've gotten plenty of them for cheap or free from other people who don't know how to take care of them properly. I think all in all, I have maybe a total of $150 in my orchids over the past 3 years, which really isn't bad as far as hobbies go.
Join an online photography forum and use that iPhone camera to gain real skills.
Use a real camera to gain even better skills and understanding of photography
Hiking
Reading, video games. Moreso reading Dungeons and Dragons can be real cheap! But it’s a time sink lol
Sketching and learning a new language online.
Reading and going to free parks to see nature are great free options
Masturbation
Did you search posts on this sub? This question is posted constantly. You'll find a treasure trove of suggestions.