Everyone wants to relax from time to time. Enjoy physical activity or express yourself creatively. But often hobbies and gyms are expensive. Fortunately, there is an affordable or even free alternative for every hobby or sport and sometimes a hobby itself can generate some money or benefits. You just have to get your head around it. What (almost) free leisure activities can you think of?
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Alternative to the gym
Gym memberships are expensive and what do you do at the gym?
- If you often use the treadmill, walking, running or Nordic walking outside is a cheaper alternative.
- The training bike at the gym can be replaced by a real bike and enjoy cycling in the open air.
- When you visit the gym for steps or Zumba, you can buy a video about this and practice it in your living room.
Invite a friend and do this together. Then it’s fun too.
Water sports cheaper
If you are a real water sports enthusiast, choose the two cheapest alternatives. Swimming and surfing. Second-hand surfboards can be found almost everywhere for next to nothing and it is a fun sport. Playing with the wind is reminiscent of sailing, but you are much faster and more flexible. The disadvantage compared to sailing is that as a surfer you often get a wet suit. Another fun and cheap hobby with a surfboard is SUPing, also called stand up paddle surfing. For this, in addition to a surfboard, you need a paddle of about 180 to 230 cm long.
Of course you can also sign up as a volunteer at a sailing club. Enjoy being on the water and working with boats, without it costing any money.
Volunteer work as a leisure activity
Volunteer work comes in all shapes and sizes and there is something for everyone.
- If you like to chat, you can become a companion in a buddy project or care project.
- If you like doing odd jobs or working in the garden, you can register with a helper or handyman service.
- Some people also look for a buddy to do things with. Walking, fishing, cycling or shopping together.
- People who can organize and like it can really use them anywhere; at sports clubs, associations and schools.
Sometimes volunteering or a hobby can also provide benefits:
- Volunteers at the library or toy library can often become members for free.
- Volunteering at a playgroup usually means that you can bring your own child and he or she can play there for free.
- A volunteer at a second-hand store has the first choice of the items that arrive.
- Of course, you could also just occasionally walk the dog of someone who has difficulty walking. The benefits and not the burdens of having a dog.
- If you like to be creative and are good at crocheting, knitting or making cards, you can offer your crafts for sale at a bazaar. Often part of the proceeds goes to a good cause, but you can charge your own costs and a little extra. You can often also offer your homemade cookies and cakes for sale at such a bazaar.
- In some cases, volunteers are even eligible for a volunteer allowance.
Want to know more about volunteer work? Then read more here.
Cheaper scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is a fun hobby, but you secretly invest quite a lot of money in it. Maybe it is an idea to start scrapbooking digitally and have it printed as a complete book. This also gives a nice result and is many times cheaper. If you want to know more about this, read more in Digital scrapping.
Recycling as a hobby
If you like to do crafts, it might be nice to think about recycling material. Get creative with cork, lemonade sticks, wine bottles or old light bulbs. Look here to get some inspiration.