101 Hobby Ideas for When You Don't Want to Spend Any Money
Since free time is a precious delicacy in our busy lives, we decided to brainstorm hobby ideas that will make these moments of respite more meaningful. Admittedly, we've spent many Saturdays with a favorite snack and Netflix marathon when we could have been developing new skills, exploring intellectual pursuits, being social, volunteering, heading outdoors, and getting active or creative.
And as much as Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black have expanded our worlds, there are also many other ways to do so. Besides, you'll eventually get through those marathons (yep, even six seasons of Lost must come to an end) and be unsure of what to do next. Boredom is the worst, isn't it? To put the quality back in quality time, we decided to think of hobbies that are either creative, healthy, relaxing or productive (the latter defined loosely, don't worry).
So we're giving you a million reasons to never be bored again. Okay, well not literally… but we are giving you 101 hobby ideas to make the most of your free time. Now let's scroll through and get busy with some hobby-hunting.
1. Practice yoga or pilates.
2. Sign up for some skillshare classes.
3. Love beer or kombucha? Start home-brewing.
4. Start a wine-tasting club.
5. Take a studio art class.
6. Discover new hiking spots.
7. Here's an interesting one: cosplay.
8. Gather a group to play cards.
9. Create a blog.
10. Scrapbook.
11. Pick up a musical instrument.
12. Get a sewing machine and design your own clothes.
13. Grow your own herbs or produce.
14. Become a coach for a kid's sports team.
16. Become a tutor.
17. Redecorate a room in your home.
18. Try canning or making your own jams.
19. Make your own jewelry.
20. Volunteer at an after-school daycare program.
21. Learn how to play chess.
22. Start a YouTube channel.
23. Practice mindfulness with meditation.
24. Collect something totally random that fascinates you or brings you joy.
25. Join Toastmakers to improve your public speaking skills.
26. Dabble in calligraphy.
27. Get into bird watching.
28. Hone your photography.
29. Study magic tricks.
30. Go camping.
31. Look into urban exploration.
32. Sign up for Wag to hang out with dogs.
33. Write an interactive mystery plot, and then host a party to act it out.
34. Get passionate about following the news.
35. Learn how to code.
36. Go fishing.
37. Try needlepoint or knitting.
38. Pick a language to learn.
39. Rock climb or scramble.
40. Publish your own Zine.
41. Trace your family tree.
42. Become an expert in your favorite genre of music (or anything, for that matter).
43. Join an ultimate frisbee team.
44. Take up cross-country running, swimming, or cycling.
45. Shake it up with a dance class.
46. Cook your family recipes.
47. Find a bowling league to join.
48. Get good at trapezing and other circus moves.
49. Go antiquing and thrifting.
50. Learn how to cut your own hair.
51. Take a night class on a subject you're curious about.
52. Sign up for a plot in a community garden.
53. Try your hand at carpentry.
54. Look into fencing lessons.
55. Visit art galleries and museums.
56. Become an ordained minister to officiate weddings.
57. Deliver meals to elderly folks.
58. Learn all about investing.
59. Contribute to bake-a-thons.
60. Start a podcast.
61. Become a puzzles master.
62. Join a book club.
63. Journal and doodle in a sketchbook.
64. Try origami.
65. Build your own kingdom on Evony.
66. Get some penpals.
67. Research a topic you're into.
68. Try deejaying.
69. Write fan fiction.
70. Go surfing.
71. Get into tie-dying fabrics.
72. Play scrabble.
73. Look into archery.
74. Go foraging.
75. Join a band or make your own.
76. Get into fantasy football.
77. Learn how to paddleboard.
78. Create a comic book series.
79. Go skiing or waterskiing.
80. Design and build your dream dollhouse.
81. Sign up for a boxing class.
82. Try to get good at parkour.
83. Practice woodwork.
84. Hone your standup comedy skills.
85. Find a writer's workshop to collaborate and get feedback on your work.
86. Get an adult coloring book.
87. Pursue a certificate in criminal investigation to be a private investigator as a side hustle.
88. Fly a kite.
89. Play marbles.
90. Get a dart board.
91. Try gymnastics.
92. Take a cartooning class.
93. Join an improv studio.
94. Go horseback riding.
95. Build a model rocket.
96. Get into landscaping.
97. Make your own candles.
98. Become an amateur mechanic.
99. Become a pro at grilling and barbecuing.
100. Learn jiu-jitsu.
101. Study healing crystals.
Let's keep the list going! Please share your own hobby ideas in the comments below.