15.11.2021

5 Fun Hobbies that Require No Money

For many of us, working from home has become the new normal. But with all the time spent at home, your life shouldn’t become just working on your computer, scrolling through social media and watching TV. To sustain a healthy work-life balance, it’s important to find time to disconnect, relax and have some fun in your spare time.

Taking up a hobby is a great way to challenge yourself, learn new skills and bring some more creativity into your life. And aren’t hobbies even more fun if they don’t cost a thing?

Here are 5 hobbies that will keep you busy without breaking the budget.

Learn a Foreign Language

Is there a language you’ve always wanted to learn? No matter where you live or how old you are, learning a foreign language has many benefits. Not only does it help with travelling and new job opportunities, but studies have also shown that learning a new language can improve your memory and ability to multi-task.

Language learning used to be expensive because you had to find a private tutor or buy self-study books. Nowadays there are plenty of online resources and language learning apps available that are completely free. For example, Duolingo is a free app where you can choose between more than 35 languages. So start learning today and you can practice already on your next holiday!

Start an Exercise Routine

One of the best (and healthiest!) hobbies you can start is exercising. A lot of people believe that working out requires spending a lot of money. In practice, it can be completely free. You don’t actually need expensive gym memberships or home fitness equipment. A lot of exercises, like planks, pull-ups, squats and push-ups can be done without any special equipment.

Also, you can just open YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos, starting from HIIT workouts to yoga and dance classes.

Become a Volunteer

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding hobbies. And it costs you nothing but your time! It doesn’t only make you feel good by helping others, but you may even learn new skills and make some new friends along the way. Since the start of the pandemic, mental health and wellbeing have become important topics, and helping others seems more important than ever.

According to recent research, people who volunteer feel more satisfied with their lives and become happier over time.

You can walk dogs in a local animal shelter, volunteer at a food bank or simply spend a few hours a week picking up trash in your local neighbourhood.

Learn New Cooking Skills

Cooking is a very useful skill to have – and it comes with delicious rewards! When was the last time you tried to cook something completely new? There are numerous resources available to start experimenting with new and exciting recipes. It’s also a hobby that helps you learn more about different cultures and start eating healthier. Even if you enjoy going to restaurants, cooking at home can sometimes be a lot more fun (and it will definitely save you some money!)

As you need to focus on one task at a time, it also helps you relax and get your mind off everything else.

Meditate

Meditation is a great way to sync your mind and body and find the balance in your life. The best part is that it’s so simple that it can be done almost anywhere, anytime. Daily meditation has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety and increase your focus. To start, you can find shorter guided meditations that talk you through the sessions or download a meditation app, for example, InsightTimer.

There are numerous free hobbies that can increase happiness, teach new skills and improve your career. The key is to think about what you enjoy and what inspires you the most. You’re sure to find something that makes your days more fun and gives you that self-satisfaction of learning something useful.