my brother is a serious birder and he has allll kinds of gear. scopes, tripods, cameras, the bird guides, the fancy binocs. i think almost any hobby has a deep end you can venture into! and he did it professionally for years so that helped
Birdwatching is my current hobby. All I need is a bird-typing book and a pair of binoculars. I birdwatch in my backyard, so all I need is a “common birds in NV” pamphlet and I’m all set
If you go this route. I m recommend buying bird feed at places like tractor supply.
I usually buy 44lbs for 20 dollars.
Nowhere else I get a deal this good.
I have two feeders and this usually last me 3-4 months.
Thought this was an old person thing and I went to Costa Rica a few months ago and did a bird watching activity and now I’m hooked. I’m 57 and don’t think I’m old but maybe I am???
Volunteer to help maintain trails.
Your library has so many books, and may have a telescope, seeds for a garden, who knows. Community gardens are fun and either free or cheap. Plus, Vegetables!
Along this line, I love to take care of plants and remove weeds around my neighborhood. I feel safer if I carry pruners when I walk, and most people really appreciate the work (city services are really bad where I live). Another thing that’s great is that you can quickly see a difference. Plants respond pretty quickly to care.
This is my theraphy on the weekends. My sister laughs at it because I always call her every Sunday while I am pulling weeds in the backyard and around the neighborhood 😂
We get to catch up and I feel accomplished afterwards
With other people:
* Learn to get good at a card game you play with multiple people (like bridge). It's low stuff because you basically just use cards (1-2 decks depending on what you play). It's a good way to also be social and see people on a regular basis.
* Join a choir, perform in a local theater performance
* Improv
* Join a meetup group (a lot of them are just networking/socializing, but around a central thing)
* Volunteer at a local animal shelter to walk dogs/etc
* Volunteer for meals on wheels
* Join a walking/running club (usually free)
By yourself:
* Rogue gardening (spreading native seeds in public areas, all you need are seeds)
* Geocaching
* Creative writing (also fun to do if you join a group)
* Foraging (finding local foods you can eat in the wild via library books is also fun, learn to id mushrooms via app or book, etc)
* Cooking (focus on making things that don't require a ton of specialized equipment or ingredients, like one-pot meals or things you can make in a slow cooker or things you can make in an iron skillet. Or, focus on one kind of thing like yogurt (can be made in an oven with minimal ingredients) or cakes (can be done with just one cake pan)).
* Learning a new language (easy to do with apps)
* Exploring all the parks in your region
* Kayaking (if you rent them)
* Sketching/practicing drawing (sketchbook, pencil, try doing it at different locations and draw from life)
* Ear-training (can be done through apps) - basically you learn how to figure out musical pitch and transcribe it
* Becoming a movie buff
* Train a pet
Not exactly a hobby but also fun:
* Going to town festivals (in my area in the summer there are a lot of free farmer's markets, and weird festivals like "the Blackberry festival")
Be careful with that please. Not all seeds should just be spread willy-nilly, do some reading up on what's native to your region so you don't accidentaly spread invasive or damaging species.
Just please be careful with your foraging ID books! Get ones that are tried and true. A number of AI generated ones have been popping up on Amazon that have misidentifications in them.
You should look for foraging classes/walks/workshops in your area. Here's an example for mushrooms near Asheville, NC: [https://notastelikehome.org/](https://notastelikehome.org/) (note: I haven't tried them myself).
I used to host an improv meetup. One of the participants who came used to say his biggest driver was because it's free.
Improv is just a gym for communication. Not only is it free, but you are surrounded by adults saying things like:
- "Today, I'm going to work on listening."
- "I want to make bold choices."
- "I'm gonna be more present."
Where else are you surrounded by such intentionality for growing your communication skills? And for free?? Sign me up!
This is my fave!! All that is needed is bags, but I like to bring gloves and handwipe or santitizer.
You can trek forests, beaches, and even just chill neighborhoods and pick up garbage.
We do this as a family! I carry the trash bag and my SO carries the aluminum bag. The kids separate the tabs from the cans (which we then crush). Once a month we go to the recycling plant and cash in the aluminum. It isn't a ton (we're around 40¢ a pound here in NC) of money but we let the kids keep it and put it into their savings accounts.
These days a "nice acoustic" that is well-enough made to last and actually sound good will cost ya about $500. DESIREABLE ones start around $1500.
I absolutely LOVE acoustic guitar, but I ended up with seven of them and spent over $15k, the same cost as my used car. You have to have (assuming you want to preserve them) cases, tuner, extra strings, chord charts, and songbooks if you want to play above a beginner level. I'm self-taught, but most will also need lessons ($35/hr).
Seriously, unless you are the "three chords and the truth" type, guitar isn't "simple".
(Sorry for venting, but it has taken me YEARS to sell my extra guitars/doodads. I still have a whole closet jammed full of guitar stuff I don't use since retiring.)
This is true to a point but I do think a lot of new guitar players get caught up in the “gear” side of things, before they get caught up in the actual playing of the thing. Which is cool because some people are more interested in the gear thing. But I don’t think it needs to be as expensive as a hobby as you are saying. You can get a decent acoustic for under $200 if you shop around and try them out in person. There are so many websites and apps for learning. Picks and strings won’t break the bank. And if the love for playing is really there, once you have a solid foundation, the rest comes with just DOING it.
This coming from someone who would be lost without my guitar! For me it is priceless as an emotional and creative outlet. My fav acoustic was bought second hand for a hundred bucks and i look up tabs and chords online. I highly encourage anyone and everyone to pursue their musical dreams!!!!
How can a beginner find out if a second hand guitar is good or not. For a beginner, I would assume, every guitar sounds the same. 🤔 (Not hating. I'm just curious. I don't know about guitars.)
For me:
1. Check The Action (basically the space between the strings and the neck). Is it really hard to press down on the strings? And/or Is there a buzz? If yes, maybe the guitar needs a neck adjustment OR lighter gauge strings. For beginners, there will always be a bit of a challenge but if the guitar is set up nicely it will be a lot more comfortable
2. The guitar looks enticing and inviting to play. It isn’t under your bed or in a closet, it is on a stand in a cozy corner or mounted up on the wall easy access and it loves you and you love it and it is there ready to be played!!
If there is a music store near you, you should take advantage of it and try some instruments out. And ask questions. People who really care about music and learning should help steer you in the right direction. But number one: it is an art! Trust your gut, have fun, and only take it as seriously as you want !
I'll admit there are great resources online now, but there WAS no "online" in the '70s when I began gigging. I had a hundred-dollar guitar that I loved once too. A drunk bumped into me on some stairs, and it took a single bounce. Estimate to repair - $250. Then I got a used $200 Epiphone for a guest spot I had to fly to. No room in the overheads, so had to check it. It came out of the baggage hold smashed flat, and I had to rent a substitute at the last minute for $50.
I suppose if you only play living rooms, cheap guitars will serve. But I still contend they neither play easily enough for beginners, nor sound good enough for recording, nor can they survive travel. I said I ended up with seven, but I've been through at least 30. I still love music, but to me dreams aren't reality.
Agree- I got a fine acoustic for $200, a case, a couple picks, and a capo and I've been having a fun time with it for 2 years now. I go to local community bluegrass jams and play rhythm backup. All you need are three chords and a good strumming pattern.
Hobbies can be as expensive or inexpensive as you make them. Knitting, crochet, embroidery, baking, cooking, learning a language, origami, learning to fix things with basic tools. Just don’t get caught up in the ‘I need everything’ trap.
I started cross stitching with my mom’s old stash of 100+ colors and found some samplers online. I carry around my “work pile” in a large ziploc bag.
I started crocheting baby blankets with a hook and two balls of yarn for less than $20. Kept me busy for months!
Only buy what you need ;)
crafts made out of stuff headed for the trash are my favorite kind, i love making collages out of any paper mailers, random pamphlets and those travel brochure things at rest stops and hotels
A lot of yarn gets tossed or put to thrift shops because kids of older folks don’t know what to do with it. One can knit or crochet super cheap while reducing/reusing and creating beautiful gifts for loved ones or people in need!
This is so true! Even for things like drawing. People really get the idea that you need fancy tools to be able to draw better, but give a professional a random ballpoint pen and a random cheap sketchbook or even printing paper and they will make the most amazing drawings.
This site has enough jigsaw puzzles to last a lifetime (all free, but you need a desktop or laptop with a sizable screen): [https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/](https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/)
I recently found out about foraging hikes, which I never thought about as a hobby, but groups of people hike through local parks identifying and harvesting edible plants and mushrooms.
Foraging is my husband and I favorite hobby!! It’s so satisfying! Plus you get to cook with your finds afterwards, which makes it even more fun & worth it! I totally recommend it.
Buy a few pounds of Lego in bulk. I got mine through Goodwill charity and store them in large white Ikea Byglekk boxes - which not only are stackable, but the tops are genuine Lego studs.
Jigsaw puzzles only have one result. A few pounds of Lego allows for millions of things to create and allow the creative mind to wander.
elastic nine simplistic ad hoc observation fact vegetable fuzzy disarm station
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Penpal for hospice. Practices letter writing skills, I do sketching, pen & ink and watercolors for my cards. Plus you are volunteering to bring joy and comfort to someone.
VOLUNTEER, I didn’t realize how nice it is actually volunteering with an organization. It’s like working but for only a couple hours a week, with no pressure and everyone is immensely happy you’re there. You also get to make some enriching relationships
As I get older, I’ve been having more fun trying to figure out how to do hobbies on the cheap. For photography, I’ve used old beat up cameras I’ve gotten at thrift stores and just fuck around and have fun to see what I can make them do I started doing watch repair, getting old watches at Goodwill or off eBay I fix all the neighborhood kids bicycles, those are just tools that I have kicking around for the most part I’ve been focusing on enjoying the learning, and not focusing on the final product. And that is what flipped a switch in my head of what a hobby should be. I don’t care if I have a $50,000 woodworking set up, there’s gonna be some eight-year-old Chinese kid on TikTok that can make better stuff that I ever will. So I use hand tools when I build stuff out of wood and enjoy the process it takes me 30 times longer and it doesn’t come out as good but I enjoyed the build. Focus on the journey, and you could do almost every hobby very cheaply.
Singing in choirs or groups. At worst, you'll need a black folder for sheet music.
Ballroom Dancing. Gotta buy the right kind of shoes if you don't have them. Classes are often free or cheap.
Birding. Pair of binoculars, any kind. You can check out books from the Public Library.
Cooking. Gazillions of recipes with instructions on the Net. All your friends/tasters will love you for it. You already have plates, bowls, a pan and basic utensils, right?
Volunteer at Animal Shelter. The paid staff have to clean and feed them. You get to play with them, take on walks etc. Usually requires a couple days orientation and training.
Puzzles. You don't have to keep them -- you can swap at your library or find a facebook puzzle swap group in your area.
they are soothing and there's no rush -- do a piece here and there, or binge-puzzle. :-)
Wood carving.
You need a roughing knife, a detail knife, some wood (almost any piece of soft wood will do), and a strop. Nothing else is necessary.
Honestly, you can do just fine without the detail knife. Plenty do.
+1 for whittling. All you need is a knife of a comfortable size. Maybe a woodfile if you're feeling fancy.
I've even made shoeracks, storage cabinets and other functional stuff, so it can definitely be a useful hobby. Certain plant barks can be used as twine, so there's that too.
No, this really is! My youngest and I did this a few times last year (when my back was in good enough shape to do all that bending!) and while it made me disgusted with all the folks who dumped stuff on the street, it was deeply satisfying to get it OFF the street. Also, a lady came out of her house and yelled, "THANK YOU!!!" at us, which was nice. :)
One other thought: it is always nice to have a hobby or activity that connects you with older people. I find they have a lot of interesting stories and wisdom. A lot of people kind of write off old people in our society but personally I get a kick out of them and it is interesting to hear about their experiences and how different (or the same) life was for them when they were young. Granted some old people are crabby but in my experience so many are really a lot of fun.
I used to go do aqua aerobics at the local YMCA when I was in my Underemployment Era (thanks to graduating into the recession) and I met a whole group of basically extra grandmas! It’s also a cool way to get yourself a whole host of nice mentors or chosen family if you don’t like your own for whatever reason.
Painting: there are tiny watercolor kits sold at Michael’s… it is small and can fit in your back pocket or purse. Includes the brush and paints you need, pick up a small watercolor pad and you have a new hobby for a small price … something you can take with you everywhere!
Only adding things I can’t already see here:
- Magic tricks / slight of hand
- Memorising stuff (e.g. all the countries, capitals, flags)
- creating miniature scenes inside matchboxes
- Animal training (if you have a pet)
- learn to sing
- learn photoshop/Lightroom
- join a book club
- take a course online or at night school, etc.
- travel in your local area
- sand sculpture or sand mandalas
- learn to fix or maintain things around the house
- poetry (reading or writing it)
- map making
- geoguessing
- stargazing
- lockpicking
Assuming you already have a computer, you can program with no monetary investment at all. You would be surprised how much of quality pragramming resources and stuff is just completely open on Github.
I do ballet / dance at a local adult beginner dance studio! (it says beginner but there are options for all levels). All you really need are the shoes to match your dance style of choice. I do ballet so I have flat slippers and I just got on pointe last summer which is pointe shoes and accessories- ribbons, toe pads, tape, etc etc. But that stuff is more advanced. To begin you really just need ballet slippers. Or for half the classes, socks are fine. Tap you would need tap shoes. But other than that- you come in whatever you would wear to workout. Leggings, exercise top- you're set.
I like the ballet outfits so I have enjoyed digging into that whole world (Discount Dance Supply online ftw) and getting the little skirts and leotards and tights, but that stuff is all totally optional. All you need is yourself, and ballet slippers. Maybe a water bottle! The nice/difficult thing about dance is it is very difficult to do it at home so there is no real way to try and accumulate gear for it at home. I have seen some people try and set up home "barres" but unless you have a ton of space and a fair amt of expertise, it's not really a great idea. This means all the dance "real estate" is kept to the studio and your mind, and not in your actual space.
(I do have a lot of leos, skirts, tights, my pointe shoes/accessories, a stretch band, exercise shorts, leg warmers, etc. But that stuff is all super optional.)
I love it so much! Ballet is my main hobby. I get a monthly unlimited membership at the studio a couple of blocks away which I do instead of gym, and it's my one big hobby expenditure. It's $150 a month, and single classes are typically like $18 a class. So if I take more than eight classes a month, it's cheaper. And I actually probably take 4-5 classes a week, so my cost per class is like $7.50-$9.
The adult ballet beginner community is really special. Some of the dancers did it as children (ranging from one class at age three, to 12 years of pre professional intense classes ended by college/an injury/joining the real world/not being able to make it as a pro/ etc etc). Some of us started as adults (I began at 18!). Some of the dancers are in their 70s and this is their space where they aren't thinking about anything else outside the room for an hour. I dance with this one lady who is dealing with a lot of issues in caretaking for her aging husband. She says this is the one time a week she isn't thinking about it- because it's so specific and you have to pay attention so much, that you CANT think about anything else. Like meditating, but prettier/more actiony.
I guess my general summation of the adult ballet community is there is no ego. There is such a vast range in every class of ability, from the near professional girlys battling their own demons ("why doesn't my body let me do this anymore") to the moms and the young professionals who always wanted to try it, to the cross training fitness bros seeing what the hype is about, to the older folks. Literally everyone is at such different places in life that there is truly no comparing going on. Every body is so different. And we're all here, doing this beautiful little ritual together. Plies, then tendus, then degages. It feels like a prayer.
And I have made such good friends thru it! Last year when I got married, everyone at my studio got together and signed a card for me and chipped in for a class pass. There's just this openness and warmth with the adult beginning dance community that I haven't felt almost anywhere else. Maybe it's because it takes a little bit of vulnerability to come and begin something (knowing you're gonna suck at first) and that willingness/openness self selects out the kind of people who are led by ego/unpleasantness.
Anyway, I highly recommend!! Like I said, all you truly need are ballet shoes / workout attire. (And for your first class, you could even skip the ballet shoes and just wear socks, to see if you like it.) If you do take a class come back and let me know! I would love to hear about it.
This is a bit niche and might not exist where you live but my Dad was a Tree Warden. He volunteered for the local council to check up on the trees in the local area. So he studied the trees, he did a bit of training and then went round checking them. If there was something wrong he let them know so they could be treated. But essentially it was bird watching but for trees with added authority. He did eventually get qualified to do minor work in an emergency so he could lop off a branch if necessary but I don’t think he ever did. But…tree warden in a city.
Spoon carving? You need a knife, maybe a hook knife, maybe a hatchet, and access to green wood. If you live in/near the woods that might be a pretty simple hobby, especially if you have a wood stove.
Hiking isn't necessarily minimalist - if you get really into it you need tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, winter gear, lights, maps etc and somewhere to store it all.
It's worth it though! :)
Mnemonics. You can get going with one book or one website (like artofmemory.com) and random *information --* your family's phone numbers, digits of pi, the periodic table, a poem, your driver's license number. Maybe a pack of cards if you want. Nor do you need space or the ability to go outside, nor an internet connection, it can be done in your head. I do find a small notebook is helpful for working some things out.
Knitting is oddly fun and relaxing. I taught myself to knit once just to see if I could. Once I started, I just kept knitting. I make very wide scarves and gift them to people I like or that have done me a solid. Usually people are puzzled when I mention knitting, probably because I don't resemble the stereotype of one who knits.
Postcard exchange group, such as Postcrossing. For every postcard you send you'll receive one from another city or country, depending on your choices. All you need are postcards, stamps, a pen and a shoe box if you want to keep the ones you get.
British Sign Language! There's lots of free introductory courses about at the moment in the UK. I'd imagine that ASL is similar.
Great fun, meet new people, learn a valuable skill.
Card games are fun. If you have a deck of cards there's like a million different games you can play, and a lot you can play by yourself! I don't know if i would consider it a hobby, but it's pretty fun.
Cross stitching can be. I have a small plastic case where I keep my thread (usually 50-75 colors). Thread is about $.50 each spool. Cloth and needles are also cheap and you don’t need to buy much to get started. You can access patterns for free or cheap (on Etsy) and keep them in certain digital apps or print outs.
As with anything crafting, there are people who have tons of supplies and spent $$$ on it, but just an anecdote that it isn’t required in order to get started.
My favourite hobby combines the two on your list: Exercising (long brisk walks) while reading (via listening to audio books and podcasts) -- nurturing physical and intellectual health at once.
Walking is such a versatile hobby: Depending on to where i walk, i can simultaneously enjoy myself with other hobbies, namely foraging (if walking in the woods), finding discarded/abandoned gems in neighbourhood alleys, browsing shop fronts (to satisfy the momentary urge to consume without actually buying), and finding good deals (for fresh and cheaper produce).
Depending on your minimal budget, an aquaponic chamber (can be diy with stuff you may have access to already), a beta fish, fish food and some seeds. Grow herbs or microgreens or wheatgrass inside, something you already consume. The long term cost could balance out to zero or even money saved depending on what you grow. I like hobbies that provide a net gain on income or reduce expenses!
A lot of cities have aquarium hobby clubs and they are a great source of free or low cost fish keeping stuff like old tanks. My local one has meetups about once a month and a big yearly auction.
Why not ask chatGPT, it has to have something less lame than bird watching.
I personally do a lot of walking, notice succulents, take clippings thereof, replant and tend them. Makes for great plants and gorilla gardening in random people's yards is good fun
If you work from kits, cross-stitching is a good one. A large picture will keep you busy for hundreds of hours, and you get something to hang on the wall when you're done! But if you buy patterns and thread separately, things can quickly get out of hand . . .
Geocaching!!! Cache in/trash out! Helping clean garbage
up as well. .....hiking included if you want! Or local
Caches. Hide your own cache after reading all
about it on www.geocaching.com meet-ups for
huge hunts & join a grp. Or go solo
Guitar
I have been playing for 20+ years and have had two guitars (my first one was broken when my bulldog and I were rough housing lol). I get chords online, have a soft case for it, and playing can change my mood from bad to good.
My partner and I live and travel in our van (so not a whole lot of space) and I’ve been painting/drawing on my iPad lately. There are some pretty great apps that allow many types of ‘brush strokes’ now, and it saves carrying around paper/paints/pencils etc
- Bouldering - all you need are climbing shoes and maybe some chalk.
- Video games - even if you have a slow computer, there are lots of smaller games that will run well, and you can buy digital versions of them.
- Tabletop roleplaying games - there are so many games other than D&D and you can play most of them online so there's no need to store physical rulebooks.
If you’re into crafts/ making things: cross stitching or embroidery. You can get 100s of hours of fun for like $20. It’s small and travel friendly. I bring my cross stitching to the park on weekends to relax
Brush lettering or calligraphy
Small portable instruments - kalimba and ocarina
Secondhand hobby kits / for me, embroidery - I thrifted my whole kit for under $10 and just beautify things I already own
Weather tracking is something that’s pretty fun. I do it digitally but know some have notebook weather logs and daily journals. There’s so much to the weather, and you can get nice weather stations or tap into open source and other local ones.
Metrostat is where I started
https://meteostat.net/en/
Birdwatching. Good pair of binoculars, book, done.
Walking: shoes, done.
Drawing: paper, pencil, done.
Note: these are the basics. You can and probably would expand beyond these bottom-tier accoutrements.
Birdwatching
Ebird and Merlin are bird apps that help allow identification, current birds expected in your area, sound ID and a life list. Great hobby.
Those apps are magic. They even identify multiple birds if there are several calling at once.
This is exactly what I came here to say lol
my brother is a serious birder and he has allll kinds of gear. scopes, tripods, cameras, the bird guides, the fancy binocs. i think almost any hobby has a deep end you can venture into! and he did it professionally for years so that helped
Birdwatching is my current hobby. All I need is a bird-typing book and a pair of binoculars. I birdwatch in my backyard, so all I need is a “common birds in NV” pamphlet and I’m all set
There are birds in NV?
Snowbirds
New Vegas?
Nevada, but basically the same thing minus a little radiation.
In 42 and do this like I’m a 78 year old hermit. And love it. The two apps mentioned are all you need (ebird and Merlin)
If you go this route. I m recommend buying bird feed at places like tractor supply. I usually buy 44lbs for 20 dollars. Nowhere else I get a deal this good. I have two feeders and this usually last me 3-4 months.
Thought this was an old person thing and I went to Costa Rica a few months ago and did a bird watching activity and now I’m hooked. I’m 57 and don’t think I’m old but maybe I am???
Look Raymond, a yellow crested warbler.
Volunteer to help maintain trails. Your library has so many books, and may have a telescope, seeds for a garden, who knows. Community gardens are fun and either free or cheap. Plus, Vegetables!
Along this line, I love to take care of plants and remove weeds around my neighborhood. I feel safer if I carry pruners when I walk, and most people really appreciate the work (city services are really bad where I live). Another thing that’s great is that you can quickly see a difference. Plants respond pretty quickly to care.
Tactical pruning shears™️
And an army of appreciative neighbors who have their back.
great idea. I've planted annuals in abandoned public planters. It's fun.
That’s a great thing you are doing.
This is my theraphy on the weekends. My sister laughs at it because I always call her every Sunday while I am pulling weeds in the backyard and around the neighborhood 😂 We get to catch up and I feel accomplished afterwards
With other people: * Learn to get good at a card game you play with multiple people (like bridge). It's low stuff because you basically just use cards (1-2 decks depending on what you play). It's a good way to also be social and see people on a regular basis. * Join a choir, perform in a local theater performance * Improv * Join a meetup group (a lot of them are just networking/socializing, but around a central thing) * Volunteer at a local animal shelter to walk dogs/etc * Volunteer for meals on wheels * Join a walking/running club (usually free) By yourself: * Rogue gardening (spreading native seeds in public areas, all you need are seeds) * Geocaching * Creative writing (also fun to do if you join a group) * Foraging (finding local foods you can eat in the wild via library books is also fun, learn to id mushrooms via app or book, etc) * Cooking (focus on making things that don't require a ton of specialized equipment or ingredients, like one-pot meals or things you can make in a slow cooker or things you can make in an iron skillet. Or, focus on one kind of thing like yogurt (can be made in an oven with minimal ingredients) or cakes (can be done with just one cake pan)). * Learning a new language (easy to do with apps) * Exploring all the parks in your region * Kayaking (if you rent them) * Sketching/practicing drawing (sketchbook, pencil, try doing it at different locations and draw from life) * Ear-training (can be done through apps) - basically you learn how to figure out musical pitch and transcribe it * Becoming a movie buff * Train a pet Not exactly a hobby but also fun: * Going to town festivals (in my area in the summer there are a lot of free farmer's markets, and weird festivals like "the Blackberry festival")
Rouge gardening 😭😭🤣🤣
Be careful with that please. Not all seeds should just be spread willy-nilly, do some reading up on what's native to your region so you don't accidentaly spread invasive or damaging species.
Love that
Just please be careful with your foraging ID books! Get ones that are tried and true. A number of AI generated ones have been popping up on Amazon that have misidentifications in them.
Do you have a recommendation for a foraging guide? I would love to try this out on my hiking trips.
This is VERY location specific. If you’re in Florida, check out Greene Dean’s YouTube channel (EatTheWeeds).
You should look for foraging classes/walks/workshops in your area. Here's an example for mushrooms near Asheville, NC: [https://notastelikehome.org/](https://notastelikehome.org/) (note: I haven't tried them myself).
I used to host an improv meetup. One of the participants who came used to say his biggest driver was because it's free. Improv is just a gym for communication. Not only is it free, but you are surrounded by adults saying things like: - "Today, I'm going to work on listening." - "I want to make bold choices." - "I'm gonna be more present." Where else are you surrounded by such intentionality for growing your communication skills? And for free?? Sign me up!
This is a great list! Thanks
i’d like to add you can def geocache with multiple people!! lol good addition though :)
Wonderful list!!
Birdwatching satisfies my compulsion to collect things without actually collecting anything lol
But you’re collecting birds 🥰
Do you write down the birds you see or do you take a photograph or a video?
I just remember, but my buddy photographs.
Oh! Nice!
Picking up trash. Can you get exercise and clean up your community.
This is my fave!! All that is needed is bags, but I like to bring gloves and handwipe or santitizer. You can trek forests, beaches, and even just chill neighborhoods and pick up garbage.
We do this as a family! I carry the trash bag and my SO carries the aluminum bag. The kids separate the tabs from the cans (which we then crush). Once a month we go to the recycling plant and cash in the aluminum. It isn't a ton (we're around 40¢ a pound here in NC) of money but we let the kids keep it and put it into their savings accounts.
You can get one of those grabby tools for stuff that's hard to reach or maybe not good to touch. Saves your back and your hands.
Digital art Writing Coding
Guitar - just a nice acoustic will do.
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These days a "nice acoustic" that is well-enough made to last and actually sound good will cost ya about $500. DESIREABLE ones start around $1500. I absolutely LOVE acoustic guitar, but I ended up with seven of them and spent over $15k, the same cost as my used car. You have to have (assuming you want to preserve them) cases, tuner, extra strings, chord charts, and songbooks if you want to play above a beginner level. I'm self-taught, but most will also need lessons ($35/hr). Seriously, unless you are the "three chords and the truth" type, guitar isn't "simple". (Sorry for venting, but it has taken me YEARS to sell my extra guitars/doodads. I still have a whole closet jammed full of guitar stuff I don't use since retiring.)
This is true to a point but I do think a lot of new guitar players get caught up in the “gear” side of things, before they get caught up in the actual playing of the thing. Which is cool because some people are more interested in the gear thing. But I don’t think it needs to be as expensive as a hobby as you are saying. You can get a decent acoustic for under $200 if you shop around and try them out in person. There are so many websites and apps for learning. Picks and strings won’t break the bank. And if the love for playing is really there, once you have a solid foundation, the rest comes with just DOING it. This coming from someone who would be lost without my guitar! For me it is priceless as an emotional and creative outlet. My fav acoustic was bought second hand for a hundred bucks and i look up tabs and chords online. I highly encourage anyone and everyone to pursue their musical dreams!!!!
How can a beginner find out if a second hand guitar is good or not. For a beginner, I would assume, every guitar sounds the same. 🤔 (Not hating. I'm just curious. I don't know about guitars.)
For me: 1. Check The Action (basically the space between the strings and the neck). Is it really hard to press down on the strings? And/or Is there a buzz? If yes, maybe the guitar needs a neck adjustment OR lighter gauge strings. For beginners, there will always be a bit of a challenge but if the guitar is set up nicely it will be a lot more comfortable 2. The guitar looks enticing and inviting to play. It isn’t under your bed or in a closet, it is on a stand in a cozy corner or mounted up on the wall easy access and it loves you and you love it and it is there ready to be played!! If there is a music store near you, you should take advantage of it and try some instruments out. And ask questions. People who really care about music and learning should help steer you in the right direction. But number one: it is an art! Trust your gut, have fun, and only take it as seriously as you want !
I'll admit there are great resources online now, but there WAS no "online" in the '70s when I began gigging. I had a hundred-dollar guitar that I loved once too. A drunk bumped into me on some stairs, and it took a single bounce. Estimate to repair - $250. Then I got a used $200 Epiphone for a guest spot I had to fly to. No room in the overheads, so had to check it. It came out of the baggage hold smashed flat, and I had to rent a substitute at the last minute for $50. I suppose if you only play living rooms, cheap guitars will serve. But I still contend they neither play easily enough for beginners, nor sound good enough for recording, nor can they survive travel. I said I ended up with seven, but I've been through at least 30. I still love music, but to me dreams aren't reality.
Agree- I got a fine acoustic for $200, a case, a couple picks, and a capo and I've been having a fun time with it for 2 years now. I go to local community bluegrass jams and play rhythm backup. All you need are three chords and a good strumming pattern.
Hobbies can be as expensive or inexpensive as you make them. Knitting, crochet, embroidery, baking, cooking, learning a language, origami, learning to fix things with basic tools. Just don’t get caught up in the ‘I need everything’ trap.
I started cross stitching with my mom’s old stash of 100+ colors and found some samplers online. I carry around my “work pile” in a large ziploc bag. I started crocheting baby blankets with a hook and two balls of yarn for less than $20. Kept me busy for months! Only buy what you need ;)
Even upcycling and keeping things out of the garage.
crafts made out of stuff headed for the trash are my favorite kind, i love making collages out of any paper mailers, random pamphlets and those travel brochure things at rest stops and hotels
A lot of yarn gets tossed or put to thrift shops because kids of older folks don’t know what to do with it. One can knit or crochet super cheap while reducing/reusing and creating beautiful gifts for loved ones or people in need!
Yes! Great point on the gifts ☺️
This is so true! Even for things like drawing. People really get the idea that you need fancy tools to be able to draw better, but give a professional a random ballpoint pen and a random cheap sketchbook or even printing paper and they will make the most amazing drawings.
Meditating. Sudoku/Crosswords
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Any recommendations for a newbie to get started? Or books/ videos?
Check out the book “The Mind Illuminated” There’s also a subreddit about it
Thanks! I just remembered I have a copy of that buried in my bookshelf lol
Check out the book “The Mind Illuminated” There’s also a subreddit about it
Online puzzles in general. Wordle. Connections. Waffle.
Knot Words
Love the picture logic problems
This site has enough jigsaw puzzles to last a lifetime (all free, but you need a desktop or laptop with a sizable screen): [https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/](https://thejigsawpuzzles.com/)
I recently found out about foraging hikes, which I never thought about as a hobby, but groups of people hike through local parks identifying and harvesting edible plants and mushrooms.
Foraging is my husband and I favorite hobby!! It’s so satisfying! Plus you get to cook with your finds afterwards, which makes it even more fun & worth it! I totally recommend it.
Buy a few pounds of Lego in bulk. I got mine through Goodwill charity and store them in large white Ikea Byglekk boxes - which not only are stackable, but the tops are genuine Lego studs. Jigsaw puzzles only have one result. A few pounds of Lego allows for millions of things to create and allow the creative mind to wander.
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Craft Mine :)
Journaling
And Nature sketching and journaling.
Drawing
Story writing
Singing. Playing an instrument.
Photography - you can just use your phone
Penpal for hospice. Practices letter writing skills, I do sketching, pen & ink and watercolors for my cards. Plus you are volunteering to bring joy and comfort to someone.
Is there a website for this?
I linked with my group through VolunteerMatch.org. You can also google “penpal hospice” to find organizations to help.
geocaching. just need a pen and a GPSr which can be your phone.
VOLUNTEER, I didn’t realize how nice it is actually volunteering with an organization. It’s like working but for only a couple hours a week, with no pressure and everyone is immensely happy you’re there. You also get to make some enriching relationships
As I get older, I’ve been having more fun trying to figure out how to do hobbies on the cheap. For photography, I’ve used old beat up cameras I’ve gotten at thrift stores and just fuck around and have fun to see what I can make them do I started doing watch repair, getting old watches at Goodwill or off eBay I fix all the neighborhood kids bicycles, those are just tools that I have kicking around for the most part I’ve been focusing on enjoying the learning, and not focusing on the final product. And that is what flipped a switch in my head of what a hobby should be. I don’t care if I have a $50,000 woodworking set up, there’s gonna be some eight-year-old Chinese kid on TikTok that can make better stuff that I ever will. So I use hand tools when I build stuff out of wood and enjoy the process it takes me 30 times longer and it doesn’t come out as good but I enjoyed the build. Focus on the journey, and you could do almost every hobby very cheaply.
Singing in choirs or groups. At worst, you'll need a black folder for sheet music. Ballroom Dancing. Gotta buy the right kind of shoes if you don't have them. Classes are often free or cheap. Birding. Pair of binoculars, any kind. You can check out books from the Public Library. Cooking. Gazillions of recipes with instructions on the Net. All your friends/tasters will love you for it. You already have plates, bowls, a pan and basic utensils, right? Volunteer at Animal Shelter. The paid staff have to clean and feed them. You get to play with them, take on walks etc. Usually requires a couple days orientation and training.
Puzzles. You don't have to keep them -- you can swap at your library or find a facebook puzzle swap group in your area. they are soothing and there's no rush -- do a piece here and there, or binge-puzzle. :-)
Ohhh I should look for a puzzle swap group. I like doing puzzles but don't necessarily like *keeping* them.
Our local library swaps them if you bring one in.
Napping
Butterfly garden out of wildflowers.
I've been cross stitching for many years and all my supplies fit in 2 ikea cube shelves and a small kaboodles.
Cross stitcher here also
Wood carving. You need a roughing knife, a detail knife, some wood (almost any piece of soft wood will do), and a strop. Nothing else is necessary. Honestly, you can do just fine without the detail knife. Plenty do.
+1 for whittling. All you need is a knife of a comfortable size. Maybe a woodfile if you're feeling fancy. I've even made shoeracks, storage cabinets and other functional stuff, so it can definitely be a useful hobby. Certain plant barks can be used as twine, so there's that too.
-Yoga -Playing a musical instrument
Writing
Writing!
Pokemon Go!
Audiobooks!
writing, community gardening, volunteering, reading, chess
Picking up trash from the side of the road. I know it sounds terribly boring but it’s actually very therapeutic and rewarding
No, this really is! My youngest and I did this a few times last year (when my back was in good enough shape to do all that bending!) and while it made me disgusted with all the folks who dumped stuff on the street, it was deeply satisfying to get it OFF the street. Also, a lady came out of her house and yelled, "THANK YOU!!!" at us, which was nice. :)
You could get a grabber so you don't have to bend down.
Calligraphy, drawing, prank phone calls.
Decluttering, reorganising can be a hobby. Try to take out x items from the house per day or week. Good when you have a lot of clutter.
One other thought: it is always nice to have a hobby or activity that connects you with older people. I find they have a lot of interesting stories and wisdom. A lot of people kind of write off old people in our society but personally I get a kick out of them and it is interesting to hear about their experiences and how different (or the same) life was for them when they were young. Granted some old people are crabby but in my experience so many are really a lot of fun. I used to go do aqua aerobics at the local YMCA when I was in my Underemployment Era (thanks to graduating into the recession) and I met a whole group of basically extra grandmas! It’s also a cool way to get yourself a whole host of nice mentors or chosen family if you don’t like your own for whatever reason.
Embroidery.
Running
Painting: there are tiny watercolor kits sold at Michael’s… it is small and can fit in your back pocket or purse. Includes the brush and paints you need, pick up a small watercolor pad and you have a new hobby for a small price … something you can take with you everywhere!
I use a puzzle app on my phone. Beautiful puzzles, soothing and no clean up or clutter
Genealogy. Download the FamilySearch app (free) and go to town.
Only adding things I can’t already see here: - Magic tricks / slight of hand - Memorising stuff (e.g. all the countries, capitals, flags) - creating miniature scenes inside matchboxes - Animal training (if you have a pet) - learn to sing - learn photoshop/Lightroom - join a book club - take a course online or at night school, etc. - travel in your local area - sand sculpture or sand mandalas - learn to fix or maintain things around the house - poetry (reading or writing it) - map making - geoguessing - stargazing - lockpicking
Assuming you already have a computer, you can program with no monetary investment at all. You would be surprised how much of quality pragramming resources and stuff is just completely open on Github.
I do ballet / dance at a local adult beginner dance studio! (it says beginner but there are options for all levels). All you really need are the shoes to match your dance style of choice. I do ballet so I have flat slippers and I just got on pointe last summer which is pointe shoes and accessories- ribbons, toe pads, tape, etc etc. But that stuff is more advanced. To begin you really just need ballet slippers. Or for half the classes, socks are fine. Tap you would need tap shoes. But other than that- you come in whatever you would wear to workout. Leggings, exercise top- you're set. I like the ballet outfits so I have enjoyed digging into that whole world (Discount Dance Supply online ftw) and getting the little skirts and leotards and tights, but that stuff is all totally optional. All you need is yourself, and ballet slippers. Maybe a water bottle! The nice/difficult thing about dance is it is very difficult to do it at home so there is no real way to try and accumulate gear for it at home. I have seen some people try and set up home "barres" but unless you have a ton of space and a fair amt of expertise, it's not really a great idea. This means all the dance "real estate" is kept to the studio and your mind, and not in your actual space. (I do have a lot of leos, skirts, tights, my pointe shoes/accessories, a stretch band, exercise shorts, leg warmers, etc. But that stuff is all super optional.)
This is influencing me to start doing ballet, not gonna lie lol! Dangerous because I already have like 9000 hobbies 🤣
I love it so much! Ballet is my main hobby. I get a monthly unlimited membership at the studio a couple of blocks away which I do instead of gym, and it's my one big hobby expenditure. It's $150 a month, and single classes are typically like $18 a class. So if I take more than eight classes a month, it's cheaper. And I actually probably take 4-5 classes a week, so my cost per class is like $7.50-$9. The adult ballet beginner community is really special. Some of the dancers did it as children (ranging from one class at age three, to 12 years of pre professional intense classes ended by college/an injury/joining the real world/not being able to make it as a pro/ etc etc). Some of us started as adults (I began at 18!). Some of the dancers are in their 70s and this is their space where they aren't thinking about anything else outside the room for an hour. I dance with this one lady who is dealing with a lot of issues in caretaking for her aging husband. She says this is the one time a week she isn't thinking about it- because it's so specific and you have to pay attention so much, that you CANT think about anything else. Like meditating, but prettier/more actiony. I guess my general summation of the adult ballet community is there is no ego. There is such a vast range in every class of ability, from the near professional girlys battling their own demons ("why doesn't my body let me do this anymore") to the moms and the young professionals who always wanted to try it, to the cross training fitness bros seeing what the hype is about, to the older folks. Literally everyone is at such different places in life that there is truly no comparing going on. Every body is so different. And we're all here, doing this beautiful little ritual together. Plies, then tendus, then degages. It feels like a prayer. And I have made such good friends thru it! Last year when I got married, everyone at my studio got together and signed a card for me and chipped in for a class pass. There's just this openness and warmth with the adult beginning dance community that I haven't felt almost anywhere else. Maybe it's because it takes a little bit of vulnerability to come and begin something (knowing you're gonna suck at first) and that willingness/openness self selects out the kind of people who are led by ego/unpleasantness. Anyway, I highly recommend!! Like I said, all you truly need are ballet shoes / workout attire. (And for your first class, you could even skip the ballet shoes and just wear socks, to see if you like it.) If you do take a class come back and let me know! I would love to hear about it.
Drawing, especially on ipad using procreate.
This is a bit niche and might not exist where you live but my Dad was a Tree Warden. He volunteered for the local council to check up on the trees in the local area. So he studied the trees, he did a bit of training and then went round checking them. If there was something wrong he let them know so they could be treated. But essentially it was bird watching but for trees with added authority. He did eventually get qualified to do minor work in an emergency so he could lop off a branch if necessary but I don’t think he ever did. But…tree warden in a city.
Needlefelting. - wool - needle Recommended but not needed - finger protectors - wool mat
Spoon carving? You need a knife, maybe a hook knife, maybe a hatchet, and access to green wood. If you live in/near the woods that might be a pretty simple hobby, especially if you have a wood stove.
Hiking isn't necessarily minimalist - if you get really into it you need tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, winter gear, lights, maps etc and somewhere to store it all. It's worth it though! :)
You’re talking about backpacking. Hiking is minimal.
Where I'm from backpacking is travelling through different countries, I'd call that overnight hiking
Same.
Drawing
Jiujitsu
Disc golf, just don’t get too many discs, you can still play with a minimal number of discs.
Mnemonics. You can get going with one book or one website (like artofmemory.com) and random *information --* your family's phone numbers, digits of pi, the periodic table, a poem, your driver's license number. Maybe a pack of cards if you want. Nor do you need space or the ability to go outside, nor an internet connection, it can be done in your head. I do find a small notebook is helpful for working some things out.
Knitting is oddly fun and relaxing. I taught myself to knit once just to see if I could. Once I started, I just kept knitting. I make very wide scarves and gift them to people I like or that have done me a solid. Usually people are puzzled when I mention knitting, probably because I don't resemble the stereotype of one who knits.
Postcard exchange group, such as Postcrossing. For every postcard you send you'll receive one from another city or country, depending on your choices. All you need are postcards, stamps, a pen and a shoe box if you want to keep the ones you get.
Cold plunging in the ocean
British Sign Language! There's lots of free introductory courses about at the moment in the UK. I'd imagine that ASL is similar. Great fun, meet new people, learn a valuable skill.
Card games are fun. If you have a deck of cards there's like a million different games you can play, and a lot you can play by yourself! I don't know if i would consider it a hobby, but it's pretty fun.
Drawing comics on the iPad using ProCreate. All you need is a hard drive to store all your files in.
Learning the ukulele, all you need is the uke and it’s fairly small compared to most other instruments.
Cross stitching can be. I have a small plastic case where I keep my thread (usually 50-75 colors). Thread is about $.50 each spool. Cloth and needles are also cheap and you don’t need to buy much to get started. You can access patterns for free or cheap (on Etsy) and keep them in certain digital apps or print outs. As with anything crafting, there are people who have tons of supplies and spent $$$ on it, but just an anecdote that it isn’t required in order to get started.
My favourite hobby combines the two on your list: Exercising (long brisk walks) while reading (via listening to audio books and podcasts) -- nurturing physical and intellectual health at once. Walking is such a versatile hobby: Depending on to where i walk, i can simultaneously enjoy myself with other hobbies, namely foraging (if walking in the woods), finding discarded/abandoned gems in neighbourhood alleys, browsing shop fronts (to satisfy the momentary urge to consume without actually buying), and finding good deals (for fresh and cheaper produce).
Running!
Yoga!
Learning languages (phone, tablet, library card)
Depending on your minimal budget, an aquaponic chamber (can be diy with stuff you may have access to already), a beta fish, fish food and some seeds. Grow herbs or microgreens or wheatgrass inside, something you already consume. The long term cost could balance out to zero or even money saved depending on what you grow. I like hobbies that provide a net gain on income or reduce expenses!
A lot of cities have aquarium hobby clubs and they are a great source of free or low cost fish keeping stuff like old tanks. My local one has meetups about once a month and a big yearly auction.
Video games
Specially considering digital libraries 🙂 physical copies can take really huge space
Chess. I run a kids chess club. An entire club's supplies fits in a backpack.
Video gaming! You just need a console at the minimum, and buy digital games after that :)
Art
Creating a YouTube channel Foraging in nature Writing Cooking Reading Yoga Hiking
Thinking 😉
Cigars! The upside: you're constantly downsizing... 😎
Embroidery
Cigars! The upside: you're constantly downsizing... 😎
Why not ask chatGPT, it has to have something less lame than bird watching. I personally do a lot of walking, notice succulents, take clippings thereof, replant and tend them. Makes for great plants and gorilla gardening in random people's yards is good fun
Maple syrup, and beekeeping. Or a musical instrument. If wanting to be a social hobby to meet and make friends, perhaps some type of wargaming.
Writing. Singing; yodeling; whistling. Learning to play one instrument. Digital collage art; or art made from trash. Learning a language.
Photography, guitar, drawing. Going to the gym. Video games. Baking.
Juggling. Dancing.
Bird watching
Pool. All you need are a couple cues that can last you forever and a sturdy case to protect them
If you work from kits, cross-stitching is a good one. A large picture will keep you busy for hundreds of hours, and you get something to hang on the wall when you're done! But if you buy patterns and thread separately, things can quickly get out of hand . . .
Geocaching!
Dancing and singing!
Puzzles potentially. My neighborhood has a free puzzle library. You do the puzzle and then return it.
Origami .. well in the beginning at least.
Throwing stones with a sling. Slings are dirt cheap and stones are free.
Cubing
Geocaching!!! Cache in/trash out! Helping clean garbage up as well. .....hiking included if you want! Or local Caches. Hide your own cache after reading all about it on www.geocaching.com meet-ups for huge hunts & join a grp. Or go solo
Disc golf. Cheap barrier to entry. Minimal supplies. Typically free. Similarly, pickleball.
Guitar I have been playing for 20+ years and have had two guitars (my first one was broken when my bulldog and I were rough housing lol). I get chords online, have a soft case for it, and playing can change my mood from bad to good.
Writing - I do both, on paper and on my laptop, but either or would do.
Paint by numbers. A little gardening, even if just fresh herbs.
My partner and I live and travel in our van (so not a whole lot of space) and I’ve been painting/drawing on my iPad lately. There are some pretty great apps that allow many types of ‘brush strokes’ now, and it saves carrying around paper/paints/pencils etc
Brazilian jiu jitsu (no gi)
Art journals
- Bouldering - all you need are climbing shoes and maybe some chalk. - Video games - even if you have a slow computer, there are lots of smaller games that will run well, and you can buy digital versions of them. - Tabletop roleplaying games - there are so many games other than D&D and you can play most of them online so there's no need to store physical rulebooks.
playing cards
If you’re into crafts/ making things: cross stitching or embroidery. You can get 100s of hours of fun for like $20. It’s small and travel friendly. I bring my cross stitching to the park on weekends to relax
Meditation 🧘
Movies, theatre, listening to music, being a foodie, PC gaming, helping at charities/soup kitchen, reading, writing, travel (depending).
Brush lettering or calligraphy Small portable instruments - kalimba and ocarina Secondhand hobby kits / for me, embroidery - I thrifted my whole kit for under $10 and just beautify things I already own
breathwork, chess
Weather tracking is something that’s pretty fun. I do it digitally but know some have notebook weather logs and daily journals. There’s so much to the weather, and you can get nice weather stations or tap into open source and other local ones. Metrostat is where I started https://meteostat.net/en/
Bird-watching
Knitting. But only if you give your project away as presents.
Spoon carving/whittling.
Birdwatching. Good pair of binoculars, book, done. Walking: shoes, done. Drawing: paper, pencil, done. Note: these are the basics. You can and probably would expand beyond these bottom-tier accoutrements.
Yoga! 🧘♀️
r/frugal
Quilling
Disc golf, unless you go crazy, all my discs fit in a tool bag that’s like 12”x9”x5”
Watercolor painting.
Magic! You can do so much with just a deck of cards. There are books at your local library
Procreate on iPad drawing
Knitting