10 Cheap Hobbies for Fun and Relaxation.
Posted on | May 27, 2008 |
There was a time when my wife and I would go out to the movies every weekend to catch the latest “must see” release from Hollywood. That’s about the same time I would buy the latest upgrade for my PC to run the latest game that was fetching rave reviews. Yes, I’m a former Unreal and Quake addict.
But the times, as the saying goes, have changed.
Flash forward 8 years and I’m writing this on my old gaming PC, circa 1999. The last movie my wife and I saw in a theater was The Return of the King in 2003.
Why the lifestyle change? We now have two small children that take up most of our time (and money). Don’t get me wrong, we wouldn’t have it any other way, but scaling back to live on a single income has meant making tough decisions about what is important enough to spend our limited financial resources on. Hence, the foregone computer upgrade, and lack of an entertainment budget.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. It just means we’ve had to find inexpensive hobbies to amuse us in what we jokingly call our spare time. Here are some of the ways we entertain ourselves on the cheap:
1. Playing Music.
This can be costly if you are buying an instrument, but teaching yourself to play is relatively cheap. Also, the various equipment and maintenance (reeds, strings, picks, piano tuning, etc..) are re-occurring expenses, but relatively infrequent. Upright pianos can often be found for free (”if only someone will take it away!”), and other instruments can be found likewise through want ads or freecycle .
Even if you don’t go the hand me down route, many new instruments can be purchased for a one time cost of a couple hundred dollars. My wife bought me an acoustic guitar somewhere in the $400-600 range for my birthday a few years back, and I’ve only ever spent money on new strings every couple of months or so. Any serious guitarist will tell you that this is not often enough, but hey- it’s only a hobby. This type of hobby is not to be ignored especially if you have children. Children love music, even if you’re not a trained musician. Trust me, I know. I have been playing guitar for 6 years now and I’m no Eric Clapton but my kids love it. Most of the time. 
2. Writing.
You’ll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself through regular writing, whether it is in a journal or a blog. Plus, there’s no better escape from the drudgery of life. If you really like to write and find that you’re not half bad it, you can even make a few extra dollars doing it. Check out content development sites like AssociatedContent and HubPages or start your own blog.
3. Reading.
Reading is the single best way to increase your knowledge, or escape from the dull realities of your everyday life. The best part is - it’s absolutely free through your public library. With the Internet and inter-library exchanges, you can find most any book at your local library. You’re already paying for it with your tax dollars, so why not use it?
4. Knitting and Crocheting.
My wife loves to knit. It’s pretty rare in our generation, but it is a soothing hobby for her and she’s even made some hats, scarves, and the obligatory sweater for the kids. Having a relaxing hobby to unwind after a day of chaos AND making your own clothes for mere pennies - that’s a good thing in my book.
5. Astronomy.
OK,I know what you’re thinking: “Astronomy is a cheap hobby? No way!” The problem here is that any hobby can get expensive if you get carried away, it’s just that getting carried away with astronomy entails dropping a couple grand on delicate equipment like telescopes and lens. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can get quite a bit out of a pair of binoculars (much less expensive than a telescope), and a star map.
6. Photography.
Photography was once a keen interest of mine, but after I left college I dropped it like a bad habit. The problem was that I no longer had access to a photo lab and I was horrible at remembering to get my film developed. Plus the cost of film and the development of that film was not exactly cheap. But digital cameras have changed that. You can get a decent digital camera for less than $200 and if you get really good at photography, development is dirt cheap now as well.
7. Walking, Hiking and Running.
These are excellent hobbies because they’re cheap AND healthy, and who doesn’t like that? It’ll only set you back the cost of a good pair of shoes and maybe some appropriate clothing.
8. Painting and Drawing.
Paints and paper are relatively inexpensive, and you may have a budding Rembrandt or Picasso inside you. Hey, you never know!
9. Meditation and Yoga.
Two more healthful hobbies that cost little to nothing. You may want to sign up for some classes to get a proper introduction to the techniques, but there are also many how to books for the DIY enthusiasts. I bought a couple such books back when I was still in high school. The techniques I learned from them have helped me get through some pretty tough times over the years. I’ve haven’t practiced either for quite a while, but writing this post makes me want to get back into the habit again. What can I say, after having two small children I long for the peacefulness these hobbies can bring.
10. Baking and Cooking.
If you love to cook, or bake, then this is a win-win hobby! You get the pleasure of making your own meals and desserts, while saving money on groceries. And again, this one can be loads of fun with young children involved.
If you have an inexpensive hobby that’s not on the list, please leave a comment - I’m always on the lookout for something new!
Photos:
Camera and Books © Zsuzsanna Kilián
Yarn © Ben Earwicker
Guitar © Ana Paola Oliveira Loeblein
Yoga © My Yoga Online
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16 Responses to “10 Cheap Hobbies for Fun and Relaxation.”
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Unique visits since 2008:
June 4th, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
Like you said I’ve learned a lot about myself by blogging and Meditation is a very relaxing thing that I’ve gotten more and more into lately.
June 7th, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
[...] amuse ourselves when not busy parenting. Here are some of the ways we entertain ourselves on the …http://simpledebtfreefinance.com/10-cheap-… housewife and have a lot of time on my hands. Anyone [...]
November 13th, 2008 @ 11:37 am
[...] freelance writing. It’s one of my 10 cheap hobbies, but thanks to the Internet, it’s more than just a hobby. I’ve been writing (on and [...]
February 28th, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
You’ve got to be open to relaxtion to really enjoy yourself. No matter what the activity is, if you’re worrying about what bills, problems etc. nothing you do will make a dent. So, if you’ve put aside a day for relaxation - whether it’s playing sports, taking a picnic with your kids, get in the right mind-set first. Meditating first thing in the morning - or listening to relaxation music. Anything to help you be in the moment when the time comes for your fun day!
March 11th, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
Thanks for the great article. In times like these, with the global economy in crisis-mode, many people like myself have had to scale back discretionary spending on things like entertainment and luxuries. And most people find themselves bored and with a void in their lives without their weekly movie outing, trip to the mall, or Starbucks coffee. This article lists many ways to occupy your free time with healthy and cheap ways to stimulate the mind and entertain the soul. Another hobby I like to do is museums. They often have student discounts, child discounts, senior discounts, evening discounts, and discount days throughout the week. Much cheaper than going to the movie theater, takes more time up, and stimulates the mind.
June 26th, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
Good! I choose reading and writing, they are my best cheap hobbies.
July 8th, 2009 @ 5:41 am
[...] Hobbies can waste money without you realizing it. I think having expensive hobbies id fine as long as you get the resources and already do good to secure financially. However, having expensive hobbies are not affordable for most of us. Thus, we should adapt our lifestyle to the extent we can afford. There are many priorities in life such as children’s education, retirement plan, saving, cash reserves, and so on. So why not turn to some alternatives of cheap hobbies that can also be pleasant? In an article I found, there listed 10 cheap hobbies you can do to make your life colorful without ruining your financial health. Most are even wonderful activities you can do together with family. Check here. [...]
July 13th, 2009 @ 4:04 am
Playing guitar is cheap hobbies for someone who can play it. But This is not for everyone.
For Me reading comic books can be enjoyable moment.
If something that we can enjoy together with family, going to beach could be the best relaxation.
July 27th, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
you could volenteer help out in town or in a hospital but this was very helpful
July 29th, 2009 @ 10:04 am
@Cody,
That’s another great idea! I used to volunteer at my community hospital when I was younger (before I could really have a part-time job) and it was a wonderful experience. It can also open many doors for you too, by way of networking with various people in the community.
October 13th, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
Get yourself a $5.00 watercolor set, a $7.00 pad of watercolor paper, and a good watercolor paint brush for about $10.00. Now you have spent under $25.00 and are ready to paint. Check-out how to paint with watercolors videos from the library or video store. Have fun!
Jason
November 26th, 2009 @ 2:25 am
reading, writing and yoga are the best i choose for me thanks
December 9th, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
So how much money have you made from this since you started?
December 16th, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
who doesn’t like cheap stuff… auctions are a good way to get great deals… here’s a auction worth checking out for everyday use- http://www.pennybidlive.com
January 3rd, 2010 @ 3:50 pm
Good list. I do pretty much everything on here but I’m finding it difficult to find inexpensive things to do with children. With the wonders of nintendo ds and ipods it’s hard to get them to try and enjoy reading and writing.
January 17th, 2010 @ 8:42 pm
I am a stay at home mother to two little girls and my husband and I have most of these hobbies! However, I have yet to crochet anything, but upon reading this article I will give it a try! Also, my new years resolution was to write a book and I’ll take this article as a sign that I should start it up! Right now!