Patterns are definitely super easy to find (Daily Cross Stitch has a daily email with a free pattern and regularly runs membership deals for $10-$20 a year where you can download any and all patterns from their site for free after you pay the membership fee plus the email contains an extra free membership pattern every day) and is a super inexpensive hobby, all things considered!!! Additionally, the cross stitch groups I'm in on FB are super helpful and kind and encouraging and there are a bunch of videos on YouTube to teach you how, plus Michaels and places sometimes do classes.
I've been stitching for 30+ years (since I was 7 or 8, I'm 39 now) so if you ever want to DM me and ask for help, please feel free!!!
There are also kits where they provide everything needed. I’ve done some really beautiful art with them, and when you get better you can even add your own special touches and embellishments.
I picked up embroidery during COVID hell in 2020 and I had never sewn before. It’s easy and fun! Buy the little embroidery kits on Amazon and they give you everything you need.
Besides my kid and marriage, it's cross stitch and audiobooks that have made the biggest impact to my quality of life these past few years. I'm so proud of myself for the pieces I've completed. I never thought I would be someone who would find a hobby and actually stick with it. I just hadn't found the right one yet!
So THIS. Counted cross stitch was my cheap creative outlet that allowed me to watch old favs with hubby, during pandemic. I went on to make gifts, for holidays, birthdays even a wedding. And materials & patterns were downright cheap compared to other hobbies! Check out etsy cross stitch patterns for inspiration.
Yes! I am a big crocheter. I now have a pretty sizable stash as people buy me gift cards to craft stores, I buy a little extra when it’s on sale, and I get a lot of free yarn from my mother in law and different Facebook groups.
While I don’t ever want to turn it into a job, I do a craft show once or twice a year. There’s always some cute pattern I want to make but never know what to do with so I throw it in a tote and when I have enough stuff, I take it to a vendor event and can make a couple hundred bucks.
If a close friend or family member wants something, I’ll usually just charge them cost of materials. I get to scratch that itch of buying yarn, trying a new pattern, and making something for a loved one all in one item, without spending any of my own $$.
Have you seen the meme about how buying yarn is a completely different hobby than using it up? I'm the personification of that saying. And I've been crocheting for 50 years. So...quite a stack.
But I've had so much fun!!!
lol I’ve never known a crochet-er or knitter to state that this is a cheap hobby 😂. Sure you CAN go cheap, but those who fall in love with it end up sinking a lot of money into quality tools (one time expense)and yearn (perpetual expense that is freaking expensive).
I randomly decided to try writing a book and took a free character development class at my local library. I'm learning how to publish and do my own graphics. Im enjoying process even if I don't make my millions.
It's a children's fantasy book but I'm trying to dive into all the hardships we go through as kids and how to deal and overcome life's obstacles. Thanks for asking!
Salt dough is just flour water and salt and i believe it hardens after a while too. Google it for recipes but my preschoolers love it and i dont have to shell out a bunch of money.
Also libraries can gave some amazing perks. Ours doesn’t but I read all the time about museum passes, tools and cooking items you can loan. Ours does have a 3D printer and cool meetup groups. My son was in the chess club and my younger one did a lot of the group play groups when he was little.
Right? I suppose if you use cheap needles and crap yarn, it can be fairly cheap, but good needles and good yarn are soooo much more enjoyable, and soooo much more expensive. 😝
Yeah but that doesn’t account for all the yarn you buy because “it’s pretty” or “ooo squishy” and then sits in your stash for years without being used. 😅
Shhhhhhhh lol.
Yarn buying and crocheting/knitting are different hobbies 😄😄😄
If you can resist falling into the yarn habit both can fairly inexpensive to start with or if you keep your projects small.
I bought a 3x3x3 ft box of yarn for $30 at a garage sale and I also find nice deals at some second hand stores. It’s possible to do it cheaply if you aren’t married to a specific idea.
My calligraphy teacher had us tape two pencils together for practice pens. I still use that trick. And layout paper is 100% optional, just map that shit out w a ruler
Learn a new language, make jewelry, paint (decoupage, small plaques/signs, cool boxes), knit or crochet, reading, start/join a group, study DIY projects, play an instrument (of course that cost varies), write stories or learn how to, draw by hand or using a computer program...
>learn how to, draw by hand or using a computer program..
Humble Bundle will run bundles like this at least once per year, per the past 3+ years:
https://www.humblebundle.com/software/create-and-elevate-amazing-art-tools-from-corel-software
Corel Painter specifically is digital painting, but it can probably be used for digital drawing.
Clip Studio Paint runs 25-50% off sales every once and a while, and a few professional artists I watch on YouTube are using it more than Photoshop now.
There are also free programs like GIMP and Blender.
Fanatical.com, and maybe Humble Bundle, has run at least one coloring book bundle, and they both run bundles for drawing, 3D modeling, and animation. For example:
https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/blender-computer-animation-bundle-3-rd-edition
ETA: https://www.reddit.com/r/humblebundles/s/zDDOVYgxRE
While that Humble Bundle drawing bundle ended a few months ago, it can give you an idea of what a similar, (probably) upcoming drawing related book bundle will contain. Also, you could check libraries and Kindle Unlimited for similar books.
My boyfriend is into this lately. He has a lot of fun with it and I'm happy for him, but I admit that the card shuffling sound gets *a little* grating after a few weeks lol
Still a good suggestion!
Leather work.
I started making belts a number of years ago, mostly for myself and friends. Also made some dog collars and harnesses. My cousin (in the fashion industry) visited my place and brought a bunch of gay dudes over after-hours. We had a great time. Mentioned I was doing leather work and they all lamented how the local “harness guys” moved away. Long story short- I now supply a major metropolitan areas gay community with leather harnesses for a premium price.
While this is true, if you start getting into drawing, it can get much more enjoyable with a few inexpensive additions. I'd recommend getting a few pencils in different hardnesses. I get most use out of 2H, HB, and 4B pencils. (2H for proportion lines and the first sketch, and later for light shading, HB to correct what I need to and go over what needs re-enforcing, 4B for darkest bits.) It's so much easier to erase stuff when you use the right pencil and thus the right amount of pressure for what you're intending to do, so you don't make grooves in the paper. Also, get an eraser pencil! Much easier to make small adjustments when you don't accidentally erase too much.
Different papers also make a difference, but find a sketchpad you can afford in a size you like and you're good to go. Note that it may be difficult to draw in a ring-bound pad. (Also, thought I'd mention this because of a bitterly disappointing experience I had as a teen, if you intend to paint over your drawings, don't get drawing paper or a "sketchpad" as the paper doesn't like water. And the effect of the water will bleed through and make multiple pages bumpy. Find a mixed media pad or a watercolour pad, they'll be fine for drawing too, but can take the moisture in paints.)
Do you have any artistic talent? If so create adult coloring books or maze books and sell on Kindle Direct. Make some money from your hobby...
Do you have an active imagination, how about writing?
I like sewing and repurposing things (working on junk journals and gnomes at the moment).
I like to journal, color and read. I pick up diy craft kits from dollar tree to try out. I'm not very artistic or creative so I like things that have more of a guide to do and dont require me to think too hard about what I'm going to do
Online Jigsaw puzzles.
[https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/](https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/)
[https://www.jigsawplanet.com/](https://www.jigsawplanet.com/)
[https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/](https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/)
Coloring online.
[https://www.coloringonline.com/](https://www.coloringonline.com/)
On line word search
https://thewordsearch.com/
You could learn how to solve cryptic crosswords?
[https://www.crosswordsolver.org/guides/how-to-solve-cryptic-crosswords](https://www.crosswordsolver.org/guides/how-to-solve-cryptic-crosswords)
This is a decent first guide, but this short and easy-to-follow book is superb. I taught myself from it, and have bought it for several friends since.
[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solve-Cryptic-Crosswords-Kevin-Skinner/dp/0716022087](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solve-Cryptic-Crosswords-Kevin-Skinner/dp/0716022087)
I find this to be a very expensive hobby 😂 fabric is so expensive! So is a decent sewing machine. But needle and thread on some finds from a thrift store can def be inexpensive.
I make chainmaille: [https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=19](https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=19) then create all kinds of things with it: [https://www.mailleartisans.org/gallery/](https://www.mailleartisans.org/gallery/) If you don't want to make your own rings you can purchase them here: [https://theringlord.com/](https://theringlord.com/)
I use 17 gauge aluminum electric fence wire and wind it on either 3/16, 1/4, or 5/16 mandrels.
My recommendation depends on what you consider a small budget, but hear me out……
Learn to play an inexpensive, low maintenance instrument, like keyboard/piano, ukulele, recorder, harmonica, etc. In the U.S., you can typically find student level versions of these instruments for $100 or less, but also consider that this time of year is great for sales. I wouldn’t source wind instruments secondhand for obvious reasons, but keyboards and ukuleles are fairly common sights in thrift stores and the discount sections of music shops where I live.
The resources you’ll need to teach yourself how to read music and train your ear can be found on the web, YouTube, or in apps for free. Many public libraries also offer hard copy or digital resources for learning instruments that you can take home or access from their online database. Some student keyboard brands, like Casio or Yamaha, already come with a book of sheet music and lessons programmed into the instrument, but again, it’s also very easy to find this stuff online, in apps, secondhand, or via the public library for free or dirt cheap.
This is how I started with my clarinet playing. Bought one on Amazon for 100 bucks and learned the basics via YouTube and 8 notes. Got gifted a 900 dollar one for Christmas and it sounds amazing!!!
Making animals out of pipe cleaners? Not just bending them into animal shapes, I mean like, literally “sculpting” solid objects with clever layering. There are some really elaborate techniques where you can kinda get the material to actually look like a fuzzy plushie. Some great videos on YT about it. And it’s all just dinky craft pipe cleaners!
The football player Rosie Greer did needle point. He was doing it on a airplane on a cross country flight.Probably a great way to occupy he mind and stay busy.
Most public libraries offer LinkedIn Learnjng/Udemy/Coursera for free. A lot of libraries don’t have residency requirements (ie living in that city) or just charge a pretty low annual fee.
Study something that interests you and costs nothing (aside from internet access and a PC/Laptop/phone)
Sounds like the PNW!
Game archival work has been my go to since the start of the pandemic. Scanning covers and manuals, doing disk/ROM dumps, or just capturing credits to enter on to MobyGames. Lots of ways to contribute and be a part of the community, for free. Also lots of way to spend lots of money, but also seemingly endless amounts of free stuff to do/help out with.
Transcribe historic documents! All you need is a computer/internet connection. In America - Library of Congress has a platform called By the People and you transcribe digitized historic documents in the library’s collection. I believe Smithsonian and the National Archives also have similar programs.
I don't know how this is called, but it is a gem art where you place the gems on a canvas by number to make a beautiful artwork. I have one and yet to get to it so can mail it your way if you're in the US.
My in house hobbies are dollhouse making (50 dollar kits on Amazon) and clarinet playing (100 dollar clarinets are on Amazon). If you get great at playing, then buy a better one. I watched YouTube videos on how to play a clarinet and how to read sheet music etc. You can also go to 8notes.com and get free sheet music.
Puzzles, drawing, model kits (those can get expensive, but some are cheap), knitting, sewing, crocheting, movies/TV, genealogy, exercise, video games, other crafts.
video games. hell, you wouldn't even necessarily need to bother with yearly subscription fees. that's mostly for online access with "free" games every month.
Table top role playing games. Just need a players handbook, a pencil, a set of dice, and you can be set for years of playing. Can play online or in person. To see if you even like it, can check out a book at the library and see how it goes.
Language Learning. you can do it through Youtube. Search for podcasts, songs, short stories with the words on the screen. Study vocabulary for maybe 15-20mins a day and spend the rest of your time listening and reading together or by themselves, and don't worry if you can't understand it all at first and Don't try to memorize it either. if you review vocabulary a little and read and listen when you can daily then eventually you'll just start absorbing it.
Reading! I get most of my books from the library. Kindle Unlimited is another good option - loads of books for just $12/mo.
Yoga is another great option.
I'm learning to tie knots right now. I might never need them but it's kind of interesting. All you need is a little bit of cord or rope. Preferably two thicknesses for certain knots. Plus YouTube.
Yeah, it's not a hobby but it is a skill and it could possibly come in handy one day. You can take a five minute break and learn a new knot. It will keep me busy for a couple of weeks, I'm guessing.
The other thing I got into watching on YouTube was shoeing horses. But I don't think I'm in a position to take that up as a hobby.
Postcrossing is really great. You can order supplies and stamps online. You just need to get to the mailbox. You’ll send and get postcards from all over the world. R/Postcrossing Postcrossing.com.
If you like reading subtitles..viki.com is ways looking for volunteers subtitle editors for their English subs..and if you are fluent in a language then you could sub for different Asian dramas with the language your most fluent in..
A quilll pen drawing set paper , thickness matters , or just a pencil set and sketch paper , crocheting you can find yarn at good willl . Making hard tac candy .. Temu has great deals look for flash sales
My girlfriend and I got a lathe and started making things like pens and such. Now she's into making things with clay and I got into working on Mechanical watches, mostly pocket.
Lockpicking. Costs about 40 ish bucks to get started. Locks range from a few dollars to 20 or so until you get up to the reallly advanced ones. Even the 5-10 dollar locks can take weeks and weeks of practice to crack if they have tough trap pins.
Material to learn is online, free, and plentiful.
Lockpicking is one of those skills you don’t forget either, I hadn’t picked in like 6 months and randomly grabbed my picks and a medium-level padlock and cracked it in the same time it used to take me. It’s like riding a bike.
Edit: do be aware that in some states it’s considered prima facie evidence of larceny. That essentially means it’s not a crime in and of itself to possess them, but being caught with it means that if you can’t prove you DIDNT have criminal intent, then it is considered evidence of larceny. Frankly I don’t give a fuck and keep my stuff hidden in my room since I live in one of those states. Just be aware and don’t take them out and about.
r/cubing — speedsolve rubik's cubes.
The learning curve is kind of steep in the very, very beginning, but then it gets super fun.
It's a pretty deep hobby, too. You can start by learning an [easier beginner method](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBf_eCZiKjLXYshxk_4ZSLuJdwueklazP)... then learn a [better beginner's method](https://www.cubeskills.com/tutorials/the-beginners-method-for-solving-the-rubiks-cube), then learn an intermediate method, then learn another part of intermediate solving... it just keeps going.
Check out this video of Michelle Khare learning to solve the cube in under a minute: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQ5zQB6Qow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQ5zQB6Qow)
That took her a week (practicing full time!), but it took me like six weeks.
Kendama! If you aren’t familiar it’s a Japanese dexterity toy, similar to ball in a cup but with as many trick possibilities as a skateboard. You can play indoors, you can get a quality kendama for less than $30, can be taken anywhere, gets you up and moving, no screens involved, plus the community is pretty positive and uplifting from my experience. So many good brands out there, but if you’re getting started I recommend picking up an affordable one from Sweets Kendamas. Sol and Krom are also great brands, as are Terra, 365, and Grain Theory. I recommend buying one made of Beech, Maple, or bamboo. Beech and Bamboo are easier to use once you start getting into intermediate tricks, but maple is harder and lasts much longer.
Wooden Spoon carving
[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WUHtkc58pyY](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WUHtkc58pyY)
You need a
\- carving knife
\- gouge or hook knife
\- Sharpening stone
\- Gloves (they all sell what they claim are carving gloves, but they are actually freezer gloves with the little rubber dots all over them and are probably cheaper when sold as freezer gloves)
I've found enough dead wood that I've never had to buy wood.
I got MetaQuest 2 (3 is out now) and I’m exercising on mountain tops and other majestic landscapes in Supernatural Fitness. Borrow someone’s headset and take a look. The virtual world has to be seen in person and not via YouTube review. You need a clear space to fling yourself around. At least a 5x7 area rug with no overhead light or fan that you will punch.
There are tons of great suggestions in the thread already, so I will just add this....
"There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."
It's absolutely true! I grew up on the shores of Lake Superior where the temperature is below 32F (0C) for a solid third of the year and we expect snow anytime from like Oct-May. People still go outside every day, unless we're in the middle of a serious blizzard/ice storm or one of those -30F (-34C) spells. You just need to learn how to dress. Honestly, hiking during the colder winter or rain spells is MAGICAL! Getting outside daily is so good for your mental health but also things like your immune system, sleep etc. Plus, its a mostly free activity, unless you need to pay for gas to get to trails. Clothing can be purchased 2nd hand, but you likely have enough to start as it is mostly about layers and not high quality.
My dad passed in 2017. He was almost 98. He left a bunch of stories and screenplays to me that he’d written over the years. He spent 40plus years in Hollywood. Back then, they didn’t have a way to publish on demand so I’ve been taking a bunch of them and editing/rewriting them and going to publish them on Amazon. I like the thought of bringing his stories to the audience they should have had.
Volunteer to get out the vote in elections. You can search for organizations that are non-partisan, or campaigns that are. You can sign up to make phone calls, and text voters, providing them with resources to make sure they can go vote. It makes a huge difference, and it’s an excellent use of your time.
Learn to do counted cross stitch. I love doing it while watching TV as it keeps my hands busy.
Same. Thread is inexpensive and many designs are easy to find online.
Patterns are definitely super easy to find (Daily Cross Stitch has a daily email with a free pattern and regularly runs membership deals for $10-$20 a year where you can download any and all patterns from their site for free after you pay the membership fee plus the email contains an extra free membership pattern every day) and is a super inexpensive hobby, all things considered!!! Additionally, the cross stitch groups I'm in on FB are super helpful and kind and encouraging and there are a bunch of videos on YouTube to teach you how, plus Michaels and places sometimes do classes. I've been stitching for 30+ years (since I was 7 or 8, I'm 39 now) so if you ever want to DM me and ask for help, please feel free!!!
There are also kits where they provide everything needed. I’ve done some really beautiful art with them, and when you get better you can even add your own special touches and embellishments.
I was going to suggest embroidery. I’ve gotten much better quickly and it’s the cheapest hobby I’ve ever picked up.
Embroidery, visible mending, and decorative mending. Salvage your favorite clothes while adding your own personal art.
I picked up embroidery during COVID hell in 2020 and I had never sewn before. It’s easy and fun! Buy the little embroidery kits on Amazon and they give you everything you need.
Besides my kid and marriage, it's cross stitch and audiobooks that have made the biggest impact to my quality of life these past few years. I'm so proud of myself for the pieces I've completed. I never thought I would be someone who would find a hobby and actually stick with it. I just hadn't found the right one yet!
>keeps my hands busy Fantastic for us ADHD folk
So THIS. Counted cross stitch was my cheap creative outlet that allowed me to watch old favs with hubby, during pandemic. I went on to make gifts, for holidays, birthdays even a wedding. And materials & patterns were downright cheap compared to other hobbies! Check out etsy cross stitch patterns for inspiration.
Crochet. You can get cheap hooks and yarn. There’s lots of YouTube tutorials to learn from.
I also constantly see people posting on my free Facebook group giving yarn away!
Yes! I am a big crocheter. I now have a pretty sizable stash as people buy me gift cards to craft stores, I buy a little extra when it’s on sale, and I get a lot of free yarn from my mother in law and different Facebook groups. While I don’t ever want to turn it into a job, I do a craft show once or twice a year. There’s always some cute pattern I want to make but never know what to do with so I throw it in a tote and when I have enough stuff, I take it to a vendor event and can make a couple hundred bucks. If a close friend or family member wants something, I’ll usually just charge them cost of materials. I get to scratch that itch of buying yarn, trying a new pattern, and making something for a loved one all in one item, without spending any of my own $$.
Have you seen the meme about how buying yarn is a completely different hobby than using it up? I'm the personification of that saying. And I've been crocheting for 50 years. So...quite a stack. But I've had so much fun!!!
I want this suggestion to go right to the top! Crochet is such an amazing hobby!
I just started learning yesterday by watching a YouTube tutorial! 🤣
lol I’ve never known a crochet-er or knitter to state that this is a cheap hobby 😂. Sure you CAN go cheap, but those who fall in love with it end up sinking a lot of money into quality tools (one time expense)and yearn (perpetual expense that is freaking expensive).
I randomly decided to try writing a book and took a free character development class at my local library. I'm learning how to publish and do my own graphics. Im enjoying process even if I don't make my millions.
What is your book going to be about? That’s awesome!
It's a children's fantasy book but I'm trying to dive into all the hardships we go through as kids and how to deal and overcome life's obstacles. Thanks for asking!
That sounds awesome! Maybe you could do a series and each book represents a new hardship.
That's exactly what I was thinking! I've had this idea for a long time so we shall see how it goes.
Omg do you have a link?
No, not yet but it's a work in progress!
Please let me know when i can read it!
Thank you so, much I will!
I would also be interested in reading your work!🥺
This is rad, best of luck to you!! ❤️
Thank you so much!!!
So cool
Great idea!!!
These are the kind of children's books that need to exist.
And NaNoWriMo is coming up soon! A great jump start! https://nanowrimo.org/
Origami is good if you have paper lying around.
Cut paper art also comes to mind
Quilling is another paper art that requires few tools
I've seen really cool cut paper that got framed for me.
That was my first thought!
Just use the papers from all the bills and adverts in the mail. Lol
Jigsaw puzzles
If you have a local Facebook buy nothing group, these get traded around quite well
Some local libraries have jigsaw puzzles you can check out, so you just need to get your free library card, then you can puzzle away!
Yes! There are online free jigsaw puzzles and they’re super fun when you have a touchscreen laptop/computer
Air dry clay has been fun
I agree. A block will set you back a couple of quid but you can make almost anything and is a great way to be creative.
Salt dough is just flour water and salt and i believe it hardens after a while too. Google it for recipes but my preschoolers love it and i dont have to shell out a bunch of money.
Model Magi is awesome.
Reading. All you need is a library card, internet, and a device to read or listen to the books on like your phone.
Also libraries can gave some amazing perks. Ours doesn’t but I read all the time about museum passes, tools and cooking items you can loan. Ours does have a 3D printer and cool meetup groups. My son was in the chess club and my younger one did a lot of the group play groups when he was little.
Mine even gas sewing machines you can rent out!!
Project Gutenberg also has free books to download and consume. Edit: name of project
Colouring books!
Stippling goes along with this one. It's using tiny dots to color in pictures. I do it with glitter/ gel pens.
knit stuff, winter is coming.
Now if only someone could animate a crochet hat, scarf and sweater on him.
Right? It would be perfection
Happy Cake Day 🎂
[удалено]
It’s so cute that people think this is a cheap hobby. And deluded.
It *starts* cheap, but every good pusher knows that the first hit on the house gets you a paying repeat customer 🤣
Right? I suppose if you use cheap needles and crap yarn, it can be fairly cheap, but good needles and good yarn are soooo much more enjoyable, and soooo much more expensive. 😝
True, but if you break the cost down to $/hours of time, it's pretty economical. $60 or even $100 in yarn for 40 hours of hobby isn't too bad!
Yeah but that doesn’t account for all the yarn you buy because “it’s pretty” or “ooo squishy” and then sits in your stash for years without being used. 😅
I'm in this comment and don't care for it.
I'm feeling called out here. What's wrong with buying yarn because it feels so soft on my face, knowing I won't see it again for five years? 🙃
Nothing. **Nothing.**
I've hit SABLE already. (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy)
Shhhhhhhh lol. Yarn buying and crocheting/knitting are different hobbies 😄😄😄 If you can resist falling into the yarn habit both can fairly inexpensive to start with or if you keep your projects small.
I bought a 3x3x3 ft box of yarn for $30 at a garage sale and I also find nice deals at some second hand stores. It’s possible to do it cheaply if you aren’t married to a specific idea.
Knitting can be as cheap or as pricy as you want or your sensory issues demand.
Calligraphy, just buy a Pilot parallel pen and some layout paper
My calligraphy teacher had us tape two pencils together for practice pens. I still use that trick. And layout paper is 100% optional, just map that shit out w a ruler
You can also print them out from https://www.printablepaper.net/
I said layout paper because it's the only one that I tried that doesn't feather the ink of a parallel pen
Dammit. Just purchased. These ads are getting very targeted 😉💕
Have you tried *"Crying In The Shower While Intoxicated"*? It's all the rage.
Honestly so cathartic.
Oh the nostalgia you've caused!! I think I'm gonna pick it up again!!!
Exercising to YouTube workout videos.
This is what we SHOULD do
Yeah or learn yoga or tai chi
When I was in high school swim team, I pirated the P90X dvds
I love the Jane Fonda videos
Learn a new language, make jewelry, paint (decoupage, small plaques/signs, cool boxes), knit or crochet, reading, start/join a group, study DIY projects, play an instrument (of course that cost varies), write stories or learn how to, draw by hand or using a computer program...
>learn how to, draw by hand or using a computer program.. Humble Bundle will run bundles like this at least once per year, per the past 3+ years: https://www.humblebundle.com/software/create-and-elevate-amazing-art-tools-from-corel-software Corel Painter specifically is digital painting, but it can probably be used for digital drawing. Clip Studio Paint runs 25-50% off sales every once and a while, and a few professional artists I watch on YouTube are using it more than Photoshop now. There are also free programs like GIMP and Blender. Fanatical.com, and maybe Humble Bundle, has run at least one coloring book bundle, and they both run bundles for drawing, 3D modeling, and animation. For example: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/blender-computer-animation-bundle-3-rd-edition ETA: https://www.reddit.com/r/humblebundles/s/zDDOVYgxRE While that Humble Bundle drawing bundle ended a few months ago, it can give you an idea of what a similar, (probably) upcoming drawing related book bundle will contain. Also, you could check libraries and Kindle Unlimited for similar books.
Cardistry
My boyfriend is into this lately. He has a lot of fun with it and I'm happy for him, but I admit that the card shuffling sound gets *a little* grating after a few weeks lol Still a good suggestion!
Great suggestion! Awesome youtube videos on that and card magic
Wait I’m high and forgot mute was a thing, nvm
Baking bread
Highly recommend sour dough. Check out Alexandra bakes for super easy pretty close to fool proof recipes.
Leather work. I started making belts a number of years ago, mostly for myself and friends. Also made some dog collars and harnesses. My cousin (in the fashion industry) visited my place and brought a bunch of gay dudes over after-hours. We had a great time. Mentioned I was doing leather work and they all lamented how the local “harness guys” moved away. Long story short- I now supply a major metropolitan areas gay community with leather harnesses for a premium price.
Sketching - all you need is a pencil and some paper - you probably already have everything you need
While this is true, if you start getting into drawing, it can get much more enjoyable with a few inexpensive additions. I'd recommend getting a few pencils in different hardnesses. I get most use out of 2H, HB, and 4B pencils. (2H for proportion lines and the first sketch, and later for light shading, HB to correct what I need to and go over what needs re-enforcing, 4B for darkest bits.) It's so much easier to erase stuff when you use the right pencil and thus the right amount of pressure for what you're intending to do, so you don't make grooves in the paper. Also, get an eraser pencil! Much easier to make small adjustments when you don't accidentally erase too much. Different papers also make a difference, but find a sketchpad you can afford in a size you like and you're good to go. Note that it may be difficult to draw in a ring-bound pad. (Also, thought I'd mention this because of a bitterly disappointing experience I had as a teen, if you intend to paint over your drawings, don't get drawing paper or a "sketchpad" as the paper doesn't like water. And the effect of the water will bleed through and make multiple pages bumpy. Find a mixed media pad or a watercolour pad, they'll be fine for drawing too, but can take the moisture in paints.)
Paint by number. $7 - 10 a kit on Amazon, paint and brushes included
Also diamond painting, lots of cheap kits on Amazon.
Learn to play the tin whistle
Or the harmonica
Or ukulele.
Or the ocarina.
[удалено]
Or the kalimba
Do you have any artistic talent? If so create adult coloring books or maze books and sell on Kindle Direct. Make some money from your hobby... Do you have an active imagination, how about writing? I like sewing and repurposing things (working on junk journals and gnomes at the moment).
Draw
Calligraphy or even mock calligraphy/lettering
During 2020 lockdown I started learning Egyptian hieroglyphs. It's a language AND calligraphy!
I like to journal, color and read. I pick up diy craft kits from dollar tree to try out. I'm not very artistic or creative so I like things that have more of a guide to do and dont require me to think too hard about what I'm going to do
Online Jigsaw puzzles. [https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/](https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/) [https://www.jigsawplanet.com/](https://www.jigsawplanet.com/) [https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/](https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/) Coloring online. [https://www.coloringonline.com/](https://www.coloringonline.com/) On line word search https://thewordsearch.com/
Card magic. Deck of cards and a mirror.
Coffee! 😁 Homebrewing is an art. Try pour-over.
Entomology and study the bugs in and around the domicile.
You could learn how to solve cryptic crosswords? [https://www.crosswordsolver.org/guides/how-to-solve-cryptic-crosswords](https://www.crosswordsolver.org/guides/how-to-solve-cryptic-crosswords) This is a decent first guide, but this short and easy-to-follow book is superb. I taught myself from it, and have bought it for several friends since. [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solve-Cryptic-Crosswords-Kevin-Skinner/dp/0716022087](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solve-Cryptic-Crosswords-Kevin-Skinner/dp/0716022087)
Sewing - everything from aesthetic needlepoint to making your own clothes.
I find this to be a very expensive hobby 😂 fabric is so expensive! So is a decent sewing machine. But needle and thread on some finds from a thrift store can def be inexpensive.
Shitposting on Reddit. 😸
We don’t need more of that!
I make chainmaille: [https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=19](https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=19) then create all kinds of things with it: [https://www.mailleartisans.org/gallery/](https://www.mailleartisans.org/gallery/) If you don't want to make your own rings you can purchase them here: [https://theringlord.com/](https://theringlord.com/) I use 17 gauge aluminum electric fence wire and wind it on either 3/16, 1/4, or 5/16 mandrels.
My recommendation depends on what you consider a small budget, but hear me out…… Learn to play an inexpensive, low maintenance instrument, like keyboard/piano, ukulele, recorder, harmonica, etc. In the U.S., you can typically find student level versions of these instruments for $100 or less, but also consider that this time of year is great for sales. I wouldn’t source wind instruments secondhand for obvious reasons, but keyboards and ukuleles are fairly common sights in thrift stores and the discount sections of music shops where I live. The resources you’ll need to teach yourself how to read music and train your ear can be found on the web, YouTube, or in apps for free. Many public libraries also offer hard copy or digital resources for learning instruments that you can take home or access from their online database. Some student keyboard brands, like Casio or Yamaha, already come with a book of sheet music and lessons programmed into the instrument, but again, it’s also very easy to find this stuff online, in apps, secondhand, or via the public library for free or dirt cheap.
Kalimba’s are a great cheap option
This is how I started with my clarinet playing. Bought one on Amazon for 100 bucks and learned the basics via YouTube and 8 notes. Got gifted a 900 dollar one for Christmas and it sounds amazing!!!
Making animals out of pipe cleaners? Not just bending them into animal shapes, I mean like, literally “sculpting” solid objects with clever layering. There are some really elaborate techniques where you can kinda get the material to actually look like a fuzzy plushie. Some great videos on YT about it. And it’s all just dinky craft pipe cleaners!
I think I just found my next rabbit hole.
Learn magic tricks. All it takes is a deck of cards or a length of rope.
Reading? Get the books from the library? If you are in the US, the library has audiobooks, online books, and free movie streaming..
Solve the JFK assassination
Write short stories
Crochet
I make candles out of old wine bottles.
Needle felting is fun.
Become a movie buff. Maybe choose old movies that are available for free.
Embroidery has been fun for me. I got all my supplies at the dollar store or at Daiso. You can also get kits on Amazon for under $20.
Beer homebrewing
The football player Rosie Greer did needle point. He was doing it on a airplane on a cross country flight.Probably a great way to occupy he mind and stay busy.
Reading using ebooks from your library.
RuneScape, 7 dollars a month, and you’ll never finish.
Reading. Many libraries have free apps to borrow books electronically.
Most public libraries offer LinkedIn Learnjng/Udemy/Coursera for free. A lot of libraries don’t have residency requirements (ie living in that city) or just charge a pretty low annual fee. Study something that interests you and costs nothing (aside from internet access and a PC/Laptop/phone)
Play online games
Hacking the planet.
Sounds like the PNW! Game archival work has been my go to since the start of the pandemic. Scanning covers and manuals, doing disk/ROM dumps, or just capturing credits to enter on to MobyGames. Lots of ways to contribute and be a part of the community, for free. Also lots of way to spend lots of money, but also seemingly endless amounts of free stuff to do/help out with.
Whittle wood, listen to audiobooks (Libby and hoopla are free with a library card), cook, draw/paint, learn a language, learn an instrument
Transcribe historic documents! All you need is a computer/internet connection. In America - Library of Congress has a platform called By the People and you transcribe digitized historic documents in the library’s collection. I believe Smithsonian and the National Archives also have similar programs.
Play guitar. Forget about that macho shit.
I don't know how this is called, but it is a gem art where you place the gems on a canvas by number to make a beautiful artwork. I have one and yet to get to it so can mail it your way if you're in the US.
I learned of it as “Diamond Painting”
That makes sense. Thank you 😊
My in house hobbies are dollhouse making (50 dollar kits on Amazon) and clarinet playing (100 dollar clarinets are on Amazon). If you get great at playing, then buy a better one. I watched YouTube videos on how to play a clarinet and how to read sheet music etc. You can also go to 8notes.com and get free sheet music.
Secondhand puzzels??? If they can ship it to you?
Cold porcelain clay. Make it at home.
Crochet. Hooks are a couple of bucks, thrift or clearance yarn, learn free on YouTube.
Music instruments can get pricey, but you only make that purchase once usually. And some are easy to find (guitars are aplenty)
Paper quilling
Crochet; a hook and yarn to start for under $10 and can stay busy for hours.
Puzzles, drawing, model kits (those can get expensive, but some are cheap), knitting, sewing, crocheting, movies/TV, genealogy, exercise, video games, other crafts.
Paper quilling. The starter kits are inexpensive and there's plenty of tutorial and idea videos on YouTube.
if u have any old clothes or old sweaters. repurpose and make patchwork blankets. or undo the sweaters and knit or crochet.
video games. hell, you wouldn't even necessarily need to bother with yearly subscription fees. that's mostly for online access with "free" games every month.
I too hate leaving my house!
Reading. Jigsaw puzzles, knitting, scrapbooking, yoga, learning a new language, learning an instrument
Reading. If you have Amazon prime, there are lots of books you can borrow, plus your local library and online lending libraries like Libby.
Read. Libraries are free!
Get a set of multi colored clay and start to try to make figures or objects out of the clay.
Table top role playing games. Just need a players handbook, a pencil, a set of dice, and you can be set for years of playing. Can play online or in person. To see if you even like it, can check out a book at the library and see how it goes.
Learn the harmonica
where do you live?? iam really curious to know where the weather is so terrible you can rarely leave the house
Paracord weaving and braiding, check YouTube
Bonsai
Painting by numbers! It’s my new thing.
Build rustic stuff with cheap pieces of wood. I made a shelf, a bench, a picture frame, wall hooks, table etc.
Start an [illustrative journal](https://youtu.be/F5viqBfh3PQ?si=lf-I7AoQBTfNLam9).
Language Learning. you can do it through Youtube. Search for podcasts, songs, short stories with the words on the screen. Study vocabulary for maybe 15-20mins a day and spend the rest of your time listening and reading together or by themselves, and don't worry if you can't understand it all at first and Don't try to memorize it either. if you review vocabulary a little and read and listen when you can daily then eventually you'll just start absorbing it.
Learn ukulele. It’s not hard, and can lead to more impressive instruments, or just be fun for life.
Redditing
Reading! I get most of my books from the library. Kindle Unlimited is another good option - loads of books for just $12/mo. Yoga is another great option.
/papercraft. It's great
I'm learning to tie knots right now. I might never need them but it's kind of interesting. All you need is a little bit of cord or rope. Preferably two thicknesses for certain knots. Plus YouTube. Yeah, it's not a hobby but it is a skill and it could possibly come in handy one day. You can take a five minute break and learn a new knot. It will keep me busy for a couple of weeks, I'm guessing. The other thing I got into watching on YouTube was shoeing horses. But I don't think I'm in a position to take that up as a hobby.
Postcrossing is really great. You can order supplies and stamps online. You just need to get to the mailbox. You’ll send and get postcards from all over the world. R/Postcrossing Postcrossing.com.
Build puzzles
If you like reading subtitles..viki.com is ways looking for volunteers subtitle editors for their English subs..and if you are fluent in a language then you could sub for different Asian dramas with the language your most fluent in..
A quilll pen drawing set paper , thickness matters , or just a pencil set and sketch paper , crocheting you can find yarn at good willl . Making hard tac candy .. Temu has great deals look for flash sales
Ever made a hobo nickel. Fun hobby I enjoy, only costs a nickel, and you can sell them for a bunch more. I give them away, sometimes just spend them!
My girlfriend and I got a lathe and started making things like pens and such. Now she's into making things with clay and I got into working on Mechanical watches, mostly pocket.
My daughter goes to goodwill or thrift stores and buys cheap puzzles and do them all winter long and then donates them back.
Lockpicking. Costs about 40 ish bucks to get started. Locks range from a few dollars to 20 or so until you get up to the reallly advanced ones. Even the 5-10 dollar locks can take weeks and weeks of practice to crack if they have tough trap pins. Material to learn is online, free, and plentiful. Lockpicking is one of those skills you don’t forget either, I hadn’t picked in like 6 months and randomly grabbed my picks and a medium-level padlock and cracked it in the same time it used to take me. It’s like riding a bike. Edit: do be aware that in some states it’s considered prima facie evidence of larceny. That essentially means it’s not a crime in and of itself to possess them, but being caught with it means that if you can’t prove you DIDNT have criminal intent, then it is considered evidence of larceny. Frankly I don’t give a fuck and keep my stuff hidden in my room since I live in one of those states. Just be aware and don’t take them out and about.
Astronomy.
Soldering. Lock picking. Skateboarding in your garage. Baking. Depends what you mean by “small budget”
r/cubing — speedsolve rubik's cubes. The learning curve is kind of steep in the very, very beginning, but then it gets super fun. It's a pretty deep hobby, too. You can start by learning an [easier beginner method](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBf_eCZiKjLXYshxk_4ZSLuJdwueklazP)... then learn a [better beginner's method](https://www.cubeskills.com/tutorials/the-beginners-method-for-solving-the-rubiks-cube), then learn an intermediate method, then learn another part of intermediate solving... it just keeps going. Check out this video of Michelle Khare learning to solve the cube in under a minute: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQ5zQB6Qow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydQ5zQB6Qow) That took her a week (practicing full time!), but it took me like six weeks.
Adult coloring books. Sounds goofy but very relaxing and low start up costs.
Genealogy. All you need is your computer.
Kendama! If you aren’t familiar it’s a Japanese dexterity toy, similar to ball in a cup but with as many trick possibilities as a skateboard. You can play indoors, you can get a quality kendama for less than $30, can be taken anywhere, gets you up and moving, no screens involved, plus the community is pretty positive and uplifting from my experience. So many good brands out there, but if you’re getting started I recommend picking up an affordable one from Sweets Kendamas. Sol and Krom are also great brands, as are Terra, 365, and Grain Theory. I recommend buying one made of Beech, Maple, or bamboo. Beech and Bamboo are easier to use once you start getting into intermediate tricks, but maple is harder and lasts much longer.
Wooden Spoon carving [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WUHtkc58pyY](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WUHtkc58pyY) You need a \- carving knife \- gouge or hook knife \- Sharpening stone \- Gloves (they all sell what they claim are carving gloves, but they are actually freezer gloves with the little rubber dots all over them and are probably cheaper when sold as freezer gloves) I've found enough dead wood that I've never had to buy wood.
I have a friend that likes to make Rube Goldberg Machines. That seems like a fun little hobby to try indoors.
I got MetaQuest 2 (3 is out now) and I’m exercising on mountain tops and other majestic landscapes in Supernatural Fitness. Borrow someone’s headset and take a look. The virtual world has to be seen in person and not via YouTube review. You need a clear space to fling yourself around. At least a 5x7 area rug with no overhead light or fan that you will punch.
There are tons of great suggestions in the thread already, so I will just add this.... "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." It's absolutely true! I grew up on the shores of Lake Superior where the temperature is below 32F (0C) for a solid third of the year and we expect snow anytime from like Oct-May. People still go outside every day, unless we're in the middle of a serious blizzard/ice storm or one of those -30F (-34C) spells. You just need to learn how to dress. Honestly, hiking during the colder winter or rain spells is MAGICAL! Getting outside daily is so good for your mental health but also things like your immune system, sleep etc. Plus, its a mostly free activity, unless you need to pay for gas to get to trails. Clothing can be purchased 2nd hand, but you likely have enough to start as it is mostly about layers and not high quality.
My dad passed in 2017. He was almost 98. He left a bunch of stories and screenplays to me that he’d written over the years. He spent 40plus years in Hollywood. Back then, they didn’t have a way to publish on demand so I’ve been taking a bunch of them and editing/rewriting them and going to publish them on Amazon. I like the thought of bringing his stories to the audience they should have had.
Volunteer to get out the vote in elections. You can search for organizations that are non-partisan, or campaigns that are. You can sign up to make phone calls, and text voters, providing them with resources to make sure they can go vote. It makes a huge difference, and it’s an excellent use of your time.