22 Free or Inexpensive Hobbies to Try

Hobbies are a great way to find enjoyment and fulfillment in life. Sometimes when you’re living on a budget, it can feel like hobbies are out of reach. Extra expenses, like those for hobbies, are often the first things cut from the budget when you need to save money. But having hobbies doesn’t have to break your budget! In reality, there are lots of really fun, inexpensive hobbies you can do. There are plenty of things you can do to keep your life fulfilling even while saving money. In this list I have compiled 22 hobbies that either don’t require a lot of money to start up or are completely free!

22 Free or Inexpensive Hobbies to Try

Creative Hobbies

1. Bullet Journaling

Bullet journaling is a great hobby for someone who is creative but also organized. All you need to get started is a notebook and a pen, which makes it super affordable! Bullet journaling is basically adding a creative spin to your planner or calendar system. You create your own monthly, weekly, or daily spreads – whatever works best for you! You have the freedom to make your spreads as simple or creative as you’d like. If you’d like to see some bullet journal inspiration, take a look at my bullet journaling board on Pinterest (and maybe give it a follow if you like it).

2. Writing Stories

Writing your own stories is a great creative hobby. You only really need a pen and paper (or a computer if you prefer to type.) The possibilities are literally endless.

3. Writing Songs

If you like music, writing your own songs is an inexpensive option for a musical hobby. Instruments can be expensive, but your voice is free!

4. Writing Poetry

Writing poetry is a good hobby for people who like to write but want to be more artistic with their writing. It’s a good hobby for creative people who don’t have a lot of free time. Writing poetry is easier to fit into your schedule than writing stories.

5. Drawing or Sketching

All you really need to start drawing is a pencil and paper, which makes it a great option for someone who doesn’t already own any art supplies that wants to start an artistic hobby. There are so many art styles and options. You could sketch real landscapes while out in nature or draw your own cartoons. There are also lots of free tutorials online to help you learn to draw.

6. Origami

All you need to start making origami is some paper. There are so many amazing things you can make by folding paper! This was something my friends and I were very into growing up, we loved to make origami frogs and turtles. There are lots of free tutorials online showing you how to make anything you can imagine. A package of 200 sheets of origami paper is priced at around $12 on Amazon, which you can imagine would last you a really long time.

7. Knitting or Crocheting

Knitting or crocheting is a good hobby if you want to make things you can use or wear. Apart from the initial investment of the needles, all you need to buy to sustain this hobby is yarn. Yarn can be expensive, but it is quite easy to find deals on yarn at second hand stores. No project is going to use exactly one spool of yarn, so people often have leftover yarn from past projects that they want to pass on to others. Also, at the end of your project you now have a new item that you don’t have to purchase from a store. If you knit things that you need you could actually end up saving money through your hobby in the long run.

Active Hobbies

8. Hiking

Hiking is a great hobby to keep you active and get yourself out in nature, and it’s basically free! As long as you have what you need to be safe on the trail, the actual act of hiking is free. I love hiking because it connects you to nature. If you’re interested in hiking, you might like some of my favorite hikes, Helen Lake Trail and Emerald Lake Loop.

9. Walking

Going out for a walk is 100% free. Walking has a lot of health benefits and it allows you to explore your neighborhood. Walking with your friends is also a free way to socialize.

10. Running

Running is a great free way to get exercise. A lot of people really enjoy running for fun. You could also challenge yourself and run as training for a marathon.

11. Yoga

With the abundance of free yoga instructional videos on YouTube these days, you don’t have to pay for yoga classes to get started. All you need to start yoga is a mat, or even just a comfortable carpeted area. Yoga is good for your mind and body so it’s a great free hobby to pick up.

12. Dancing

You don’t need to take expensive dance classes to call dancing a hobby. You can dance for fun or try to learn different dances at home. The abundance of viral TikTok dances these days shows that dancing is for everyone.

13. Zumba

Zumba, like yoga, is another exercise form that is now accessible for free on YouTube. There are so many free classes that you can follow along with online.

Relaxing Hobbies

14. Meditation

Meditation is not only a good free hobby, but also a good life skill. There are a lot of benefits to meditation, such as stress relief, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and increased creativity. Practicing meditation is also a free way you can practice self care. If you are looking for more free ways to practice self care, you can read my post: 20 Free Ways to Practice Self Care.

15. Reading

Reading can be completely free if you get your books from the library. A lot of libraries also offer digital books and audio books now as well. There is also an unlimited amount of free reading material online about any topic you could be interested in. Even reading people’s blogs can be a great hobby.

16. Birdwatching

Birdwatching is a great way to enjoy nature. It can be very relaxing to just sit and watch the birds. This hobby will get you exploring different parks around you. You can keep track of the different birds you see at different times of year. Birdwatching is basically free, aside from the optional purchase of some binoculars. There is also a large online birdwatching community, so it can be a social hobby as well.

17. Playing Free Online Games

There are a lot of games you can play online for free, such as chess or poker. Whatever game genre you’re interested in, there is a free online or app game out there that you will enjoy. Playing games can be a way to destress and get a break from the world.

18. Watching YouTube Documentaries

There are so many videos online that you can watch for free. Learning about a topic you are interested in is a great free hobby. The topics are endless. There are so may great YouTubers making amazing content, a lot of which is on par with TV in terms of quality.

Productive Hobbies

19. Baking

Although you have to buy a lot of ingredients to bake, baking your own food can actually save you money in the long run because you aren’t buying premade items. Baking also allows for creativity in terms of decorating your creations or inventing new recipes.

20. Couponing

Not only is couponing a free hobby, it is a way to directly save money on your weekly expenses. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the show “Extreme Couponing.” By watching that show, you can see how much the couponers really enjoy what they are doing and get excitement from it. If you are passionate about saving money this could be the perfect hobby for you!

21. Meal Planning

Meal planning can be productive and fun. Collecting recipes to try and searching for the best deals on groceries can be exciting. Creating a delicious meal plan under a certain budget is almost like solving a puzzle.

22. Cooking

Cooking is something you’re going to be doing anyway, so why not have fun with it! Getting creative with flavors and spices doesn’t mean you’ll need to spend extra money on your grocery budget. Knowing more about food and how to cook it may actually end up saving you money. There are lots of free cooking resources online if you want to learn how to cook.

What free or inexpensive hobbies are your favorite? Comment your own hobbies below!