Life is more fun with hobbies. But there’s a problem (even for an adventurous hobbyist): however much you love doing something, it tends to get stale after a while. For many people, though, the thought of getting into something new seems tedious and, in some cases, expensive. But it doesn’t have to be!
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Kick that boredom with one of these fun, budget-friendly hobbies that can be enjoyed solo or with friends. Ssouthernlifestyle wants to help, so check out these affordable ways to help you get started!
Finally Learn How to Play an Instrument
Learning the guitar, drums, violin, or saxophone is one of those commonly-mused-about but rarely realized educational adventures. The good thing about learning to play a musical instrument is that the learning in and of itself is a great, time-consuming hobby, and once you’ve learned, you have a true hobby for life. If you need to buy an instrument, make sure to scope out coupons and other deals before buying. Or, go the renting route. This is a good option for unsure beginners. Once you have the instrument, you can learn how to play it using apps like GarageBand and Piano Free.
Hit the Court
An Oxford University study recently found that people who play racquet sports tend to live longer. If that’s not enough to get you excited about a new tennis hobby, then consider this: tennis also boosts neural connections in the brain and reduces stress. Plus, once you have a racquet and some balls, all you need is a partner (or a good wall) and to find a nice public park (most of which have tennis courts). You can keep costs down by shopping for used goods online.
Habla Español
Put this one in the “this hobby will make you more well rounded” camp. Learning a new language is a hobby/skill that can be as useful as it is fun. Apps like Duolingo, Memrise, and Babbel offer free (or virtually free) language-learning software. After you get some online lessons under your belt, don’t forget to make your language learning a group hobby. Find a friend with a similar interest or seek out a language buddy.
Dazzle with Your Penmanship
For the price of a decent pen, quality paper, and a practice grid, you can become proficient in the fine art of calligraphy. Once you learn the basics, calligraphy can become a passion that you will continue to master the rest of your life. Free (or very cheap) online calligraphy classes are everywhere, such as this one with SkillShare. Do a little exploring and you’ll find a plethora of great opportunities.
Get Into Meditation
If there’s a hobby that will leave you feeling more at peace than meditation, I don’t know what it is. Any hobby that requires nothing but yourself, your thoughts, and some practice is a true budget-friendly hero. As you read more about meditation, you may want to venture into other meditative hobbies, such as yoga. This sort of interest is perfect for solo or group hobbyists. To learn more, download apps such as Calm and InsightTimer.
Take Your Career to the Next Level
Many of us find our professional passion through exploring it by receiving small jobs at work, and it grows from there. But if you’re really ready to take your skills to the next level and get paid what you deserve, it likely means going back to school. For example, if computers are your thing, you might decide to earn an IT degree.
If that doesn’t include quitting your day job, flexibility can be the key to success or failure, and many online degree programs like the ones offered by WGU allow you to continue to work or pursue other interests while you go to school.
It’s vital for humans to keep pursuing new hobbies throughout life. Hobbies can give you purpose, and just as Men’s Health points out, it’s that purpose that can help extend your life and make your years feel more meaningful. Often, we are turned off by the idea of delving into something new. We feel like we will have to spend too much time and money breaking into a new hobby. This, of course, isn’t the case. With these budget-friendly hobbies, you can get started on a fun new journey.
Article contributed by Jennifer Scott from Spiritfinder.org.
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