The main goal of picking up any new hobby should be to occupy your time in a worthwhile manner. The best hobbies, however, benefit your body and mind and can be done without spending a fortune. Many people think that taking on a new hobby is difficult and hard on the wallet; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you’re in the market for a new hobby, try one of these.
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Learn to Play a Musical Instrument
Guitar? Drums? Clarinet? It doesn’t really matter what you play. What does matter is that you play. Here are just a few things that playing music has been shown to do:
- Improve memory
- Improve coordination and reaction time
- Increase resistance to age-related hearing loss
- Stave of cognitive decline
Plus, it’s downright fun. If you want to spend a few hours a day doing something, learning to play a musical instrument is a smart choice. You can rent an instrument or search online for a pre-owned one. When it comes to lessons, think free (online music courses are aplenty, but start with theory). Maybe look for paid instruction when you get good enough to go pro!
Get Into Walking or Jogging
Any walker or runner will tell you the same thing: Once you get truly hooked, it becomes an obsession. So, if you want to get involved in something that you’ll really love, hitting the pavement is the way to go. We all know that walking and running burn calories, improve cardiovascular health, and boost mood, but there are plenty of other benefits, such as boosting immune function and improving joint pain. The great thing about this hobby is that it’s virtually free. All you need to do is look online for deals to ease the cost of some decent sneakers.
Get Crafty
While something like woodworking or decoupage may require a sizable initial investment — enough so to be cost-prohibitive for the thrifty hobbyist — the good thing about the majority of arts and crafts is that they are fairly cheap. Stores like Hobby Lobby offer weekly sales and plenty of discounts, so finding supplies isn’t going to break the bank. Here’s just a sampling of all the cost-effective crafting hobbies you can explore: embroidery, knitting, watercolor, quilting, sewing, scrapbooking, weaving, needlepoint, and crochet. Pick one and head over to YouTube for thousands of free instructional videos to get you started.
Take a Hike
There’s something rejuvenating about spending time out in the wilderness. While nature has an almost magical, unquantifiable effect on people, there are actually known health benefits like stress reduction, improved focus, and boosted vascular health. Couple that with the benefits of physical activity and you can see why hiking/backpacking is so alluring. Better yet, most national and state parks/wildlife refuges are completely free!
Anything you’ve been told about needing fancy hiking boots and other equipment is nonsense. Take an old backpack, a pair of comfortable shoes, and a few cheap safety supplies and spend a day in the forest. It’s a hobby you’ll keep coming back to for the rest of your life.
Turn Your Hobby into Your Business
Loving a hobby can lead to considering whether it would be a viable business venture. If there is a market for it and you can reach your audience, it may make sense to weigh the type of business entity that would work for you. There are a number of steps involved in the process, but help is available for forming a Colorado LLC through a low-cost formation company or by seeking representation from an attorney. A number of other steps are also important, such as opening a separate business bank account, so it’s important to understand the options.
Life is simply more enjoyable when you have hobbies. It’s also more enjoyable when you stimulate your mind, improve your physical health, and save money. Picking up a new frugal hobby can mean hours of healthy entertainment. Try one of these, as they all have the potential to become lifelong passions.
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