Bored with your budget? Try these 10 frugal hobbies
Posted
Aug 12 2008, 08:21 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.
It's easy to jump into the car and head to the movies if you want something to do this weekend, but it's mighty expensive when tickets are $9 to $10 and gas is about $4 a gallon. However, it costs far less if you visit your local library and borrow a movie to watch at home. It costs far less if you borrow a book or volunteer or do any of the 10 hobbies I've listed below.
This weekend, instead of going for the easier, more expensive, option, try one of these.
Reading. Reading is my wife's favorite hobby and, best of all, it can be one that costs very very little if you have a library nearby. We were lucky to find a home that is very close to the library, a mere three-minute walk, so we have thousands of books, movies, magazines and newspapers at our disposal. Even if you don't have one within walking distance, you can easily pick up a month's worth of books in one trip and then renew them online if your library offers that service. Reading is perhaps one of the most frugal hobbies you could have (if you borrow the books).
Community center classes. Our local community center shares the library building, and we often check the schedule for interesting classes. The courses are often quite reasonably priced, but the downside is that many of them occur during the workday. However, for a few dollars a class ($5 to $20), you can learn all sorts of cool hobbies.
Volunteering. When I was younger, I volunteered at the children's center in the local hospital. The center was a large room filled with toys, and our responsibility was to play games with the children who had been admitted. My friend Raymond and I had a great time playing board games with the kids and learning all about them and their conditions. It was amazing how resilient and fearless they were, given their medical conditions, and it was a great way to spend a few hours on the weekend (plus they gave us lunch vouchers). Consider volunteering with a local organization like a hospital, soup kitchen or something of that nature. They will greatly appreciate it (and you can deduct the driving).
Bird watching. Heading over to your local park is a great way to spend a leisurely afternoon enjoying the sights and sounds of the outdoors without spending a lot of cash. If you have some spare change, you could always pick up a pair of cheap binoculars at your local sporting goods store or thrift shop. If not, you certainly don't need them to enjoy the birds. Visit the local Department of Natural Resources or similar agency, or its Web site, for your county and look for recommendations.
Hiking. While you're at the local DNR, look for a brochure on good hiking trails in your area. You can often hike regular trails with little more than a pair of sneakers and you might want to spring for sunscreen and bug spray, depending on where you live.
Geocaching. Geocaching is like hiking, except the purpose is to find hidden containers. This is probably one of the more expensive hobbies on this list because you'll need a GPS unit ($100 and up), but I wanted to bring it up because it sounds so interesting. There are hundreds in my ZIP code alone. Now I just need a GPS unit.
Disc golf. Golf is expensive. Disc golf is practically free. Disc golf is like golf except you throw a Frisbee-like disc and try to get it into a basket or hit a post of some kind. You don't have to spend thousands on clubs and hundreds on greens fees because discs are inexpensive and the "courses" are often in public parks (use the Professional Disc Golf Association's course search tool). Enjoy the outdoors and consider this burgeoning sport.
Card games. All you need are a pack of cards and some friends, and you have a card game. Learn classics like gin rummy, bridge, hearts, spades or even Go Fish. Avoid games like poker, as they can expensive if you're bad at them.
Basketball. A pair of sneakers and a $20 basketball (and at least one friend) are all you need for a game of pickup basketball. You can usually find an outside court near your local high school. It's a great workout.
Blogging. How could I not list blogging as a frugal hobby? It's like scrapbooking but for all the Internet to see. There are plenty of services that allow you to start a blog for free. And maybe you can learn to become a professional blogger and earn a little money.
Other articles of interest at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity:
File for unemployment benefits
Beware the monthly payment math trick
2008 hybrid tax credit update
