According to psychologists, having hobbies is vital to your mental health. It can help you be more productive, promote flow, foster social connections, and make you more interesting.
Many people don’t bother with hobbies because they feel the startup cost is too high. What if they invest a ton to get started, only to realize that they aren’t as interested as they thought they were?
We have the perfect solution for you. We have nine cheap hobbies that require minimal financial investment. This way, you can try out a variety of them while you search for the perfect activity for your free time.
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Join a Recipe Club
Have you ever noticed that book clubs always turn into wine and food clubs? You start with the best of intentions, but let’s face it, the food and wine are more widely appealing.
So why not embrace this and turn your book club into a recipe club? Once a month, everyone gathers together to drink wine and try new dishes. You could create a theme for each meetup by picking a key ingredient that needs to be in everyone’s dish. You could even get fancy and have cards with each recipe on them so people can take home recipes for their favorites.
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Try Your Hand at Plants
Growing lush, green plants around your home will give you a sense of accomplishment and pride. As they flourish, you’ll feel productive as their success is a result of your hard work and care.
Don’t discount this hobby if you’ve tried and failed in the past. There are plenty of hearty houseplants that are virtually impossible to kill.
Growing plants will benefit you more than just giving you a hobby. It will also improve your mental health, boost your immune system, and improve air quality.
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Become a Puzzle Pro
If your life is chaotic and stressful, then putting together a puzzle is a great way to calm the mind and give you a sense of control. Puzzles are also a great way to be creative without having to be super crafty.
All you need is to buy a puzzle and have a flat surface to lay it out on. You can then work on it bit by bit as you have a few minutes of free time.
Then when you are done, you can have the completed puzzle framed and hung like art. Or you could take it apart and start all over again. Check out jigsaw puzzles from Unidragon to get started!
If you’re not a fan of puzzles, but still like doing thinks with your hands, consider painting. Get lost in a Custom Paint by Numbers Kit or buy a canvas and some acrylic paints.
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Become an Avid Reviewer
We all depend on online reviews when deciding on a purchase. The best reviews are those that are well thought out and detailed.
So why not be that angel of reviewers and become an avid and detailed reviewer? You can do some good by giving others insight into your experiences.
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Visit Free Museums
Visiting a museum lets you get out of the house and learn something new while not spending a fortune. If you have a Bank of America credit card, you can go to select museums for free on the first weekend of the month.
Then the National Geographic has a list of twenty museums across the country that offer free admission. You can also sign up for Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day. For one day in September, you can get free tickets to museums all over the country.
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Learn a New Language
You can challenge your mind and become more global by learning a new language. You could download a free app to help you learn, or you could join a social group to practice with others.
If you plan on taking a trip soon, this is the perfect hobby to help you brush up on useful phrases. Language learning has long-lasting effects as being bilingual makes you smarter and have stronger cognitive skills. It can even help prevent the onset of dementia.
Sign Language: Learning a new language doesn’t always have to be spoken. There are 27.7 million Americans that have hearing loss, so why not learn a way to communicate with them?
Learning ASL, or American sign language, is an excellent way to give you a new and meaningful way to communicate with those who have suffered hearing loss.
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Go Treasure Hunting
This is a real-life treasure hunt in your hometown. All you need to do is download a free geocaching app and get to hunting. You’ll use the app to make your way to a specific set of GPS coordinates.
Once you’re in the right spot, you’ll find a small collection of items hidden somewhere in the area. You can take a small treasure for yourself and leave something for the next person.
Most spots also have a signature book. Don’t forget to sign it and memorialize your successful treasure hunt.
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Rediscover the Classics
Nothing is better than curling up with a good book and getting lost in a story. So why not rediscover the classics? Thousands of classics are available for free through your Kindle reader or on iTunes. You don’t even need to buy a kindle. You can download a free Kindle reader for your computer.
The more you read, the more your brain can deeply focus for longer. Settling into a good book can also help you unplug from technology and social media.
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Meditate or Practice Yoga
Do you find yourself stressed, anxious, or struggling with depression? Then pick up a hobby that can help you improve your mental health. Practicing yoga or meditating doesn’t require a significant investment. All you need is a mat and some time.
As you become more involved, you can seek out more yoga information by attending festivals and events.
Try out Some Cheap Hobbies
You don’t have to spend a fortune on your hobbies. Sometimes, it is the cheap hobbies that are the most gratifying. Don’t be afraid to try a few of them out to figure out which one works for you and your schedule. Maybe your home could use a few plants? Or perhaps you need to unplug from life with yoga, a puzzle, or a good book.
Check out the lifestyle section of our blog for more articles on how to improve your life.
