Finding a hobby can do wonders for your mental and physical health, but it can also be expensive, especially if you turn to a pastime like skiing or golf. While there are plenty of cheap hobbies, checking a book out of the library or lacing up a pair of walking shoes isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. So here’s a list of frugal Redditors’ favorite low-cost hobbies, some of which don’t cost a dime.
Disc Golf
Combine golf with frisbee, and you’ve got quite possibly the dorkiest sport ever invented: disc golf. But since many local courses are free and entry-level disks will set you back only $50, it’s a cheap outdoor hobby that’s seen a dramatic rise in popularity.
Calisthenics
You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership to get ripped. Just ask anyone who’s into calisthenics, a form of strength training that relies on an athlete’s body weight to build muscle. If you have a nearby park with an outdoor gym, you can train for free, although you may need to invest in an exercise mat and clothing.
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Cooking and Baking
Kitchen know-how can actually save you money, making cooking and baking the ultimate frugal hobbies. Plus, there are countless free resources — from recipe blogs to YouTubers — to get you cooking in no time.
Related: Dump-and-Bake Casseroles You Can Make in Minutes
Geocaching
If you enjoyed scavenger hunts as a kid, then you’ve got to try geocaching. Seekers (that’s you) use a smartphone app or GPS to locate one of the million caches listed online that span the globe. “It’s a FREE nature walk combined with a treasure hunt going on all around you,” a Redditor writes of geocaching. Prizes include keychains, lapel pins, and other knickknacks.
Gardening
While some of the upfront costs can be pricey — building a raised bed, for example — gardening quickly becomes a low-cost hobby that “pays for itself,” as one Redditor puts it. To save money on plants, join a local gardening group, find a seed library, or shop at the dollar store.
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Learning a Language
Brush off your high school language skills by using free resources from the library, YouTube, and Duolingo. Reddit also has myriad language learning communities, from Russian to Japanese to French.
Bird-Watching
All you need is a smartphone and the free Merlin bird-identification app to become an amateur bird-watcher, a Redditor shares. During the pandemic, the outdoor hobby saw a huge surge in popularity as isolated Americans reconnected with the outdoors.
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