The New Year is a time for change and introspection. Many people choose to set resolutions or goals that encourage new habits and positive thought processes. For some people, January is the start of their fitness journey or their new reading challenge. For others, the New Year presents the perfect opportunity to find something new and broaden their horizons. However, any time is a good time to make positive changes and discover new interests. If you are on the hunt for some different low-cost hobbies to try this year, you’re in the right place.
Low Cost Hobbies to Try This Year
Today we’re going to be sharing some fun hobbies that you can get stuck into this year, without needing to spend lots of money to get started. Remember that when you start a new hobby, you might not always be good at it, so for that reason, it’s worth considering low-cost hobbies.
Starting a new hobby, or learning a new skill, takes time and practice, so when pondering low-cost hobbies to try this year, it can also be a great opportunity for you to check out local hobby groups within your community and enjoy your new hobby among others who share the same interests.
Drawing
When thinking about low-cost hobbies to try this year, make drawing one of your main contenders. To get started, all you need is paper, a pencil, and a rubber. There are plenty of free video tutorials on YouTube that will teach you everything you need to know, from the very basics, to how to accurately draw hands, hair, and complex structures. If you learn better from books, head to your local library.
Libraries have great art sections and there you can find many different artistic styles to inspire you as well as tutorials. Start drawing in January and compare your first drawings to some of your latest drawings come December – you will be amazed at how greatly this low-cost hobby develops over time.
Reading
To quote the marvellous George R.R. Martin: “I have lived a thousand lives and I’ve loved a thousand loves. I’ve walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time. Because I read.” Reading really is a pathway into another world. Whether you choose to read fiction or nonfiction, reading has been shown to be a fantastic tool for those looking to become better versions of themselves.
Obviously, a great place to start this low-cost hobby is your local library, but did you know that many libraries also offer an eBook and audiobook lending programme? This is great for people who cannot easily access their local library as you can simply use an app to browse your county’s book selection. By downloading the Kindle app you can also gain access to many free books! Lots of bloggers regularly share updates like, “what I’ve been reading”, so check those for inspiration.
Walking
When you consider the list of low-cost hobbies to try this year, you may not think that a form of exercise should make the list – after all, many of us see this as a chore. However, walking is a fantastic hobby to pick up and, best of all, it’s completely free. Not only does walking provide amazing benefits, but it can also aid you in some of your other hobbies, such as drawing by providing you with inspiration.
You don’t have to be able to go hiking around Costa Rica either, a gentle stroll around the local park can be a great starting point.
Learn A New Language
Hobbies are all about learning new things, working towards a goal, and becoming a better version of yourself. It stands to reason then that you should try out a new hobby this year that enables you to communicate with people from around the globe a little better.
Learning a new language is definitely on my list of low-cost hobbies to try this year as it’s a great skill to have, can help with employment, and keeps your mind active. Many communities offer language classes that are free, or cheap to attend. Apps such as Duolingo provide excellent language lessons, and of course, good old YouTube is always on hand to help with tricky pronunciations.
Journaling
Journaling is a tool that lots of people use daily to help them to stay on top of their lives and manage their mental health. When thinking about low-cost hobbies to try this year, I would definitely urge everyone to give this a go. You don’t need to be particularly creative in order to journal, you simply need to dedicate time each day to writing.
However, with that being said, those of you who do wish to explore a more creative hobby may be interested in trying bullet journaling. Bullet journals allow you to create beautiful layouts that help you to keep track of your life, including things such as habit trackers, water trackers, addresses, playlists, and much more.
Geocaching
And finally on our list of low-cost hobbies to try this year is geocaching. This hobby is a great one to get the kids involved with and it can be combined easily with the walking or hiking hobby. Geocaching apps are used to give you a rough geographical location and clues pertaining to where you will find a hidden geocache.
Geocaches can be disguised as anything and everything, so keep your eyes peeled! Once found, some geocaches even include small trinkets that you can take if you leave something else in return. Other geocaches (usually the smaller, trickier ones to find) simply have space for you to write your name. Using various apps or websites you’re able to track all the geocaches in your area and tick off the ones that you’ve found.
Final Thoughts on Low-Cost Hobbies to Try This Year
There are so many low-cost hobbies to try this year that you really are spoiled for choice. If you want to get stuck into something new and develop new skills that will improve your life, choosing a new hobby is definitely going to help you to achieve that.
This guest post was written by Tina who blogs at MotherGeek and GirlsGospel. She’s been sharing her ramblings for over 12 years now, so there’s plenty to catch up on!
