So it’s summer, you’ve got a little free time, and maybe a tiny bit of energy left in the tank after work. But there’s just one problem: Hobbies are EXPENSIVE.
Every time you try to “get into something,” it ends with a $200 Amazon cart and regret. So someone asked the internet the question we’ve all been thinking:
👉 “What’s the cheapest hobby I can get into... without going broke?” And the responses? Honestly kind of brilliant. Here’s a roundup of fun, weird, and wallet-friendly hobbies that won’t have you taking out a second mortgage:
1. Reading 📚Free books at the library. No late fees if you’re responsible. (Big if.)
2. Bird-watching 🐦The Merlin Bird ID app is free and turns every backyard pigeon into a mystery.
3. Writing ✍️Journal, write poetry, or dive into some Twilight-level fan fiction about Taylor Swift’s cats. Your call.
4. Rock collecting 🪨Literally just walk around and pick stuff up. Nature’s free gift shop.
5. Exercising 🏃Summer = no gym needed. Run, walk, stretch, or aggressively power-walk past your ex’s house.
6. Chess or board games ♟️Just don’t fall into “board game collecting” TikTok. Your wallet won’t survive.
7. Origami 🦢YouTube + scrap paper = endless entertainment.
8. Geocaching 🧭Like Pokémon GO but for real life. And cheaper.
9. Cooking 👨🍳Technically not a hobby if you’re doing it to eat. But hey, it still counts.
10. Drawing or arts & crafts 🎨You don’t need talent — just WiFi and a Sharpie.
11. Hiking or casual camping 🏕️Just don’t get sucked into the gear-buying rabbit hole.
12. Gardening 🌱Grow from seeds or cuttings and boom — free therapy.
13. Lock picking 🔐Is this legal? No clue. But apparently, it’s cheap and oddly satisfying.
14. Pickleball 🥒The sport of the summer! Just ask your parents… or your grandparents.
15. Brochure collecting 🧾Yes, it’s real. And yes, someone out there is flexing their travel brochure binder.
So if your summer budget is tight, don’t stress — you don’t need money to have fun. You just need creativity, Wi-Fi, and maybe a rock or two.
💬 Got a weird or super-cheap hobby you swear by? Drop it in our DMs or hit us up on-air — we’re shouting out the most random ones all week!