Need frugal hobby ideas!

[ceejay74]

Hi everyone,

I've become very boring lately, and only just realized it! While I adore budgeting, our finances are finally sorted to the point where I only need to spend minutes per day planning or paying bills.

I used to be something of a writer, but it hasn't interested me in awhile. I read novels occasionally, and I play Wii videogames, and I watch a LOT of TV and movies. I like to cook, and I exercise (not so much for pleasure).

We throw small parties every few weeks, so I feel like I get plenty of socializing. We travel about twice a year.

I spend a lot of time online (sometimes, like now, I'm chained to my desk waiting for work but there's nothing to do). I like Scrabble and Boggle online, and I have a couple discussion groups I frequent, and I listen to music online, but even there I feel like I need some new interests. I don't know what sites are fun and interesting consistently!

I've gotten so boring that I don't even know what to ask for as presents on my birthday and Xmas!

Everything I've been considering to make my life a little more interesting costs money:
I love jigsaw puzzles but go through them in a day or two, so getting more costs money, and I don't want to do the same ones over and over.
Day road trips are wonderful, but I don't have a car so renting one gets expensive. I only do that once or twice a year.
Taking classes would be expensive. I've been considering language, musical instrument, cooking and just general knowledge courses, but hate to commit financially if I'm not sure I'll enjoy it.

How lame am I? I can't think of a free/cheap activity to add to my life. I'm generally content, but starting to be embarrassed that all I can talk about to friends and family is how much debt I paid off last month, what I cooked or plan to cook, what TV shows I watched, what workouts I did, and how work is going fine. I think I'm stunting my brain and body by not branching out!

So I just wondered what you folks do for fun, intellectual/physical/artistic stimulation, relaxation, pleasure, etc., that doesn't cost anything (or very much) to get into.

[Broken Arrow]

Investing.

[Aleta]

Read, take walks, watch HGTV, cook.

[Ima saver]

Save money!! Take bridge lessons and play bridge at home at least once a week.

[scfr]

Since you enjoy games and puzzles and socializing, I'd suggest getting a like-minded group together for "game nights." In my old neighborhood, there was a group of neighbors who would get together once a month for game night. There was one family that held it at their house (they liked hosting), and the rest of us would take turns bringing refreshments. We'd all bring some games from our home that hadn't been played before, and we'd vote on which to play. We could go for a year and never play the same game twice, and it was so much fun!

And if you'd like to try a really challenging puzzle, keep your eye out for ones called "Impossibles Puzzles." I can just about guarantee you won't be finishing those in 1-2 days! LOL They aren't cheap, so look at garage sales, Ebay, etc.

[snafu]

Continuing Educ. offers tons of courses at v/small cost. Take dancing lessons, learn ethnic [French?] cooking, learn a skill that adds to your income like investing or home repair/decks/appliance repair, auto repair etc.

[Caoineag]

Well, depends on your definition of not costing much. I walk and hike but when you get to the levels I do, you tend to buy new shoes every couple of months. The rollerblading was cheap in that once you have the equipment, you are good for sometime. Biking, again, once you get to the level we do, you have to keep buying tires and the initial expense can be fairly big.

Board games are fun with the spouse, reading books from the library is economical and you can learn about various things. I plan to do container gardening this year since I have a huge balcony but no yard and seeds are cheap.

Hmmm.....I think the rest of my hobbies are too expensive to list other than the obvious learning how to budget.

[ceejay74]

Thanks guys! These are all great suggestions. I think the extreme cold snap here in MN made my brain freeze up. I should really learn a new game like bridge, and I will be able to walk and garden once the weather starts to clear up. I'll look for the impossible puzzle--that will be fun and frustration for the whole family! :-) One of my friends has been threatening to do a game night for years--maybe I'll nudge her a little.

I should check out community ed--I bet that's much more affordable than regular classes.

And I can't wait to start investing as a hobby, but that will have to wait till our credit card debt is all gone!

[DebbieL]

Have you ever played an instrument? I used to love getting together with my buddies and jamming on the guitar (it was free except for the beer). That was back when I had a life. I now have a full time job, going to college for my accounting degree and raising my 15 year old daughter, lol. No time to be bored.

[ceejay74]

I would take up an instrument if I could think of a cheap one. It's been over 10 years since I tried. I self-taught a few chords on the guitar when I was a kid (way back I'd found an acoustic guitar at a yard sale for $3--unfortunately I lost track of it moving from my parents' house) and I took piano (on electric keyboard) at high school for a year. I sold the keyboard to one of my sisters when I was trying to raise money for my move. And I used to know a few notes on a harmonica, but don't know where that instrument ended up. But I should keep an eye out at yard sales and pawn shops to see if I can get one of those instruments (or a different one) for cheap.

The only reason I limit my book-reading is I tend to shut out the rest of the world too much when I get into a novel! For the sake of my housekeeping and my relationships, I always wait a few weeks between books. I'm getting better and better about being able to put down a book in the middle, so maybe I can gradually incorporate more frequent (but shorter) bouts of reading into my life. Games at thrift stores is a great idea. Actually, thrift-store shopping itself can be a fun, cheap activity, if I bring a set amount of money to spend that I can't go over.

[maat55]

I was going to suggest a guitar also, but I tried it and it's not easy. You could find a bunko group. I myself, since I've been working hard to be debtfree have started reading financial books, I can spend hours doing that if I like the book i'm reading. Even though I am not looking to buy, looking at home and auto sales adds is fun to keep up with for market knowledge. I guess spending time learning while your not spending is fun and for the good.

[jodi]

I play in both a pitch and pinochle club, usually 2-3 nights per month. DH and I get together with three other couples to play. The host provides snacks and desserts. Game nights could be done similarly, rotating who's house you play at. I also play Bunco once a month - a fun dice game. All you need is a big group. We take turns bringing snacks (4 people out of 16 bring each month). And, if that's not enough on my schedule, I also get together with a few girlfriends every two weeks for a "craft" night. Most of us scrapbook, but there's also cross-stitching, painting, ornament making, etc. We have a light dinner together and make a night of it. DH plays volleyball one night a week at our local high school. My mom organized the group and got permission from the school to use the gym. If you have friends who like volleyball, softball, hockey, etc. you could always find a place and get a team together.
As far as more solitary activities, do you like crosswords and Sudukos? I can spend WAY too much time doing that if given the chance. Cooking and baking new dishes is always fun. Some of the non-credit classes at our local community college are not too expensive either (or "audit" a credited class for fun, but not credit. I think that's fairly cheap). Sometimes local high schools offer very reasonalbly-priced night classes as well.

[mom-from-missouri]

I cross stitch and crochet. Neighter are expensive, but it also makes great gifts.

[cschin4]

Check your local YMCA, Library, and local community calender for happenings, classes and events. I really enjoy my small community of less than 5000 people. People from "the city" think it would be boring to live here. Not at all! We have community theater. For $10 i can see a well done live show, free parking as well. If you want more theater, check the local high school website, etc. Yes, these are not "professionals" but it is people who are pouring their heart and soul into it because they love and want to do it. Same with local sporting events. Become a fan of your local teams! Go to the local high school football , basketball games. Go watch your local Little League. Lots of fun, gets you involved in the community and you can have a great time for next to nothing.
Our library offers clubs. You may want to join the reading club, chess club, etc.
Our YMCA has leagues for Bball, Volleyball. They also have pick up leagues where you don't have to "join" but it is an open gym so you just show up and play if you feel like it.
Start getting your local paper and check the Chamber of Commerce. Find out what is going on around you within 25 miles. You will be amazed at all the things there are to do if you just look.
In addition, I play the guitar is well and i LOVE to play. I have taught myself and I am completely entralled with the guitar. Of course, there is an expense involved in that in purchasing a guitar, buying books, etc. But, you could find a used instrument to start with and I would recommend that if you have any interest to first find out if you have a passion for it.
Finally, consider volunteering to coach, help at the local food bank or hospital, join the Jaycees or other civic group and get outside your box for awhile. Doing things to help others will refresh you as well. Have fun!

[ceejay74]

Thanks so much! I will refer to this thread whenever I feel like I need a new idea to jump-start my enthusiasm for life. Even just contemplating the options available has cheered me up--now I just need to decide which to try first!
CJ