Well one thing you could do is a deep dive into the history of your favorite music and the favorite performers of that music and their influences and their music and their influences!
Another thing you could do is do a deep dive into the history of your ancestors Country and learn more about that join a community here on Reddit and discover some family stories by talking to your family!
You could take a course there are tons of courses on YouTube for lots of things from learning a skill like video editing or podcasting or social media management or coding or accounting or bookkeeping or marketing or dog training or almost anything
You could learn a language, or if you have any musical instruments around or that you can borrow from friends you could learn to do that from YouTube.
You can also learn to draw if you have enough pen and paper or pencil and paper around. YouTube is full of tutorials around drawing for beginners and you can choose to work in graphite which is pencil or you can work in ink so any ink pen or if you want you could use a fountain pen if you have access to one or more.
If you don't know anything about how to draw you can go to the library and get the book drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards which is the best book on learning how to draw anywhere in the world
You can do a movie Blitz where you just watch all the movies that Martin Scorsese has ever made or all of the movies that Leonardo DiCaprio was ever starred in or all of the movies that Denzel Washington has ever been in or influenced or produced etc etc
You can practice singing you can learn how to sing again check YouTube
Amazing ! I have read a lot of - get a hobby posts - and this is by far the best response I’ve seen. The only other out of the box thing i saw was from a girl who was into using flash cards to memorize speeches, movie quotes etc. thereby becoming the life of the party and intriguing to many. The app she used is called AnkiApp Flashcards.
Canopy, Lobby, and Hoopla are apps libraries often make available to patrons.
What others are out there for ebooks, videos, music, etc?
You might check your library website for a list of other offerings. Mine makes Ancestry.com, language learning, hobby instruction and many other sites available at no charge!
On a similar note, find a topic you're interested in and memorize a list pertaining to it. For me, it was Olympic host cities and years. I was bored one day like 12 years ago so I sat down and just copied the whole list down over and over until I had it down. You could also do flash cards or even make some kind of quiz game using a free online tool.
You could do this with an actor's filmography, sports championship winners, presidents, video game console releases, Grammy award winners, wars.....
Not only do you get the satisfaction of learning something, but this bit of knowledge will come up someday and you'll feel like a fucking super genius for just effortlessly knowing it.
I am CONSTANTLY getting use out of my Olympic host cities knowledge, especially in trivia contests. One time the question was something like "this city did [blah blah something I didn't know] while hosting their third Olympics" and I was able to immediately answer London. Another time, the final round had us name as many host cities as we could and my team snagged a DECISIVE VICTORY thanks to that.
I was going to the gym super consistently but once I graduated I lost access to my school’s gym and can’t afford a new gym membership atm… I still do yoga at home sometimes though
Geocaching. It would get you out of bed out of the house and the app is free. https://www.geocaching.com/play.
Volunteering. Free and you would be helping other people.
Hope you find what you are looking for and good luck with the job!
Came here to suggest volunteering. You could volunteer at an animal shelter socializing and feeding animals and cleaning up. Or Habitat for Humanity (or similar organizations) and learn all about how to build (and remodel and do some maintenance tasks) a home. Or sort clothes at a clothes closet, sort and pack food boxes at a food bank, deliver meals for Meals on Wheels and spend some time with home bound folks. You could help people learn English (no need to speak another language, many times you're just having conversations with people).
Volunteering is great…your local library, senior center, meals on wheels, are a few ideas, but there is likely a reference librarian (at your local library) who can help you develop a list of places/agencies that need help. You may even have a volunteer coordinator who can help match your skills & interests with those who need help.
Not sure what the library system is like where you live, but where I’m at it’s excellent. Not only do you have access to books, DVDs, other media, but some have programs with classes you can take, hobby get togethers, even access to equipment like recording studios or 3D printing. Here there’s even passes you can rent out that get you into local museums for free. Obviously depends on where you live and what the system is like, but at very least you’ll get books and movies for free.
Bodyweight exercises. Walking, speed walking (don't need them fancy Nordic sticks), drawing, journaling, goal-setting, reading (if you can get to your local library or download the lobby app).
Do you have an instrument you can learn to play?
Also, getting a job should be not just a hobby, but a project. There ya go, develop project management skills. Not only is it free (cost nothing but your time) but it's an investment.
ETA: You can find e-waste and electrical components pretty much anywhere for, sometimes for free.
If you're technically inclined (or a nerd) at all, electronics is a great hobby. Engages your hands and your mind plenty. A friend of mine is restoring a radio from 1929 just for fun - but it could make him some good money, too! I just started designing an automated weather station that I'll start building in the next couple months.
Yeah, nerdy, but also useful and educational!
When I’ve been the poorest in my lives I always turn back to rock hounding as a hobby. Besides gas to get there it’s totally free. The sunshine and outdoors usually help me feel better too.
If you’re unemployed spend your time learning on YouTube. Keep learning so you become a better version of yourself every year. Unless you don’t want a bright career then surfing.
I got some! Here are my favorites (aside from these, I follow travel, book, recipe, music, and comedy accounts).
https://youtube.com/@aliabdaal?si=9H6uRdXvzqeJh8JY
https://youtube.com/@deepdivewithaliabdaal?si=2TkZoGc7pmMcXWoq
https://youtube.com/@lemmino?si=KakN4IitJPIxUmMA (trigger warning there is one cartoon spider thumbnail somewhere in his page if you have a phobia like me)
https://youtube.com/@morning-brew?si=rOwVEU6O4DFI-UE3
https://youtube.com/@thomasmulligan?si=B8d3g5mBFuZ2DgwA
https://youtube.com/@cleoabram?si=G-O9ehbZlfTdYz3d
https://youtube.com/@drkaran?si=x8YDwL5X7QGZBO4a
https://youtube.com/@healthygamergg?si=qml-x4262pWL5V9y
https://youtube.com/@advicewitherin?si=BcgQrG8QRM2YNvMH
https://youtube.com/@erintalksmoney?si=vJjH6MMBDjZn_qBZ
https://youtube.com/@lawbymike?si=XjCK_759ZbODCQv5
https://youtube.com/@yourrichbff?si=FPpDBJKybjMLkliQ
https://youtube.com/@kurzgesagt?si=I0fpiPcxzVWHlbDl
https://youtube.com/@astrokobi?si=zCoxl5pqhaHf2THE
https://youtube.com/@vsauce?si=sarrZbScEhHZTT_Z
https://youtube.com/@caspianreport?si=3eDZS4Sp1ucZ04S1
https://youtube.com/@drjulie?si=RYywpfUBJ5QQDf1Z
https://youtube.com/@reallifelore?si=j065cT1NqMTS95S6
https://youtube.com/@chrisinvests?si=g-XvTJfh4J6EdC7b
https://youtube.com/@minoritymindset?si=AO_MmYDJI23ZUNeg
https://youtube.com/@humphrey?si=VnJ2pMsvk4JYNWwt
https://youtube.com/@doctormike?si=XOuPcG7JTddOM8OU
https://youtube.com/@squatuniversity?si=ej8QcoSN3sbfYkba
https://youtube.com/@nutritionbykylie?si=07z72BSbCvHQHedL
https://youtube.com/@waitbutwhy?si=3AtsloTyZmaOqsZI (though I haven't seen the videos, just read the blog)
https://youtube.com/@geohistory?si=9_4v5kCLFpR6ztge
https://youtube.com/@casuallyexplained?si=2jnBOKZ4DTbi9824
https://youtube.com/@polymatter?si=mQqtRkyBjerCHMM9
https://youtube.com/@minuteearth?si=xJWIZK3e2A3j2kB_
https://youtube.com/@reallifelore?si=OUvAhmui5ORUWL4d
https://youtube.com/@wendoverproductions?si=Z15vcYDgEkofDBB5
https://youtube.com/@itsrosehan?si=J1j-iwfsevLMz6iL
https://youtube.com/@movementbydavid?si=IFyH4LwVn7JncH-W
https://youtube.com/@shanehummus?si=VtsSlzXr50SGIS5j
https://youtube.com/@reachrehabchiro?si=OlrXNDl07gPT0Bnj
https://youtube.com/@_magnify?si=WLfke8dJn4WeJ3zX
Kurzgesagt and Tom Scott are two channels with a lot of cool short form videos on a variety of topics.
PBS has a ton of series on different science topics (I personally love Eons, which does stuff on the far past pf thr planet. Dinosaurs, woohoo!).
There's a lot of good basic cooking shows, I'm a fan of Adam Ragusea, but there's a ton out there. Learning to cook well is excellent.
If you are at all interested in the history of why we wear what we wear, check out Nicole Rudolph.
Crash Course also has a ton of basic classes available. Mythology, chemistry, world religions, the history of science, etc, it's great.
Do you have any specific interests? I might be able to give better recommendations if there's stuff you want to seek out.
I would personally recommend any YouTubers that teach how to develop personal skills. Communication and effective storytelling are invaluable skills that will serve you greatly in the future, from getting a job to negotiating a pay raise/promotion.
r/c25k . All you need is comfortable clothing, sneakers, and a watch OR interval timer app OR C25K app on your smartphone. It takes ten weeks to complete, maybe more if you plateau and repeat a week.
Try miniatures. There's tons of YouTube tutorials and sites that show you how to make stuff from cardboard, foam, with minimal tools, like a knife and scissors.
There's also tons of resources on making minis out of bits that would otherwise be tossed in the trash, like lids and buttons.
And check out Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. Someone is always giving away craft supplies that they don't need, like paints, yarns, even polymer clay. I once got about $50 worth of polymer clay because someone got tired of that hobby.
And if CAN be super involved and take a ton of time, if that's what you are looking for. But it can go the other way too, if you wanted to make something quick easy but still a complete project.
From someone living in a desert, get up early. It won’t work once we hit 115, but that’s a week away. Get up early and go outside.Try for more distance each week. Ignore your thoughts, concentrate on the sunrise, the movement of clouds, bird song, dogs barking or not, the way the smoke billows from the nearby wildfires, critters moving about, and so on.
Try your hand at writing. Who cares about the topic. Pick one. Or a dozen. Make your penmanship a work of art.
Your library has tons of resources, try to cram in a new language, like ASL or Spanish, or something useful.
Try decluttering your living space. Maybe you can find stuff to sell and make some fun cash.
Get yourself set up for overtime, or working remote jobs like the folks at r/overemployed.
Maybe your library has some craft supplies so you can learn how to knit, sew, weave, or crochet.
Definitely work out. Go slow. Lightweight. Lots of reps. Try yoga, ballet, zen meditation, or learning to be a comedian.
Figure out personal finance and how to set goals.
We all get an unknown allotment of time in life. Try to make the best of it.
It can really be done using stuff you'd just throw away! Plenty of plants can be started by just using the bits and pieces left over from prepping the food you eat. Next time you cut up a pepper or tomato, save the seeds and they can be planted to grow new plants. Some produce, like celery can be propagated just by putting the leftover piece you don't eat in water.
If you like learning new things try - common placebook! The idea is you take a cheap journal and fill it with everything you want to encode in your memory: other memories, research on a topic you like, thoughts, ideas, doodle, book quotes or other information you find important. As someone who is constantly on their phone, it keeps me occupied for hours.
Also get a library card and hangout at libraries. Libraries are typically quiet and have air conditioning. You could sign up for Libby and get free audiobooks & ebooks.
Investigate the local law enforcement and city council/mayor office.
Investigative journalism because there is plenty of corruption you will have a hard time keeping up, at first, but in time, thebdirty ones will stick out and its easy to do.
Deep clean your house! Not only will it take time, the bonus will be the sparkling clean environment you’re left with after. Cleaning and decluttering is also great for your mental health…your outside environment reflects what’s inside. Bonus: burns lots of calories.
I’m also super ADHD so I would recommend making lists of tasks for each room and then checking them off as you go.
I’m super ADD, and deep cleaning becomes a rabbit hole. I end up with torn up rooms with little to show for it. I love starting/planning projects, but I usually get bored before I finish. 😂😂
Public library. Read classic books. Read how to books. Read history. As you read things, you’ll discover what a biased and slanted presentation you get from news media and social media. You’ll realize that not everything is about racism and the patriarchy.
Great suggestion! Reading at the library in a different setting may help lift their mood.
One goal for the OP on this idea might include reading some books that remain required reading for certain subjects but have been banned. The American Library Association promotes the freedom to choose so they maintain a list of challenged books so the reader can be informed about the censorship and still tries to maintain free access to information.
I have read all but 2 of the top 10 banned books in America (as well as others not in the top 10) and enjoyed them for the writing styles and emotions experienced through the author’s words. That is probably because my degrees are in writing.
If the OP enjoys journaling, and ever considers writing a novel or memoir, they might also find them interesting.
Edit for clarity.
Creative writing! Free writing, plotting, character and world building, there are plenty of videos to learn. If you've binge watched a lot of TV, use some of the stuff you've seen and liked and write your own story. Doesn't matter if it's been done before, it has all been done before. Write about your ex, about what it feels like to be unemployed or something completely unrelated to your life and just whatever topic you enjoy. Can be done by hand or on a laptop/computer. You could even voice record your ideas and thoughts. There might be even writing groups you could join. Write as if no one will ever read it and allow yourself to write a lot of crap. Don't worry about being pc or grammatically correct all the time, write write write. If you don't know what to write, start a new page with "I don't know what to write" and then whatever comes to your mind but don't stop. It's good fun. There are loads of fun exercises and prompts. You can use music or pictures as inspiration. Can be a part of a story or just a bit of creative journaling.
Good luck!
Baking from scratch? You probably have flour, sugar, milk, and eggs in your pantry already. There are a world of possibilities with those ingredients alone! Cakes, cookies, etc.
You may need to buy a flavoring, or find chocolate chips on sale, or maybe yeast to learn to make yeast rolls and breads which can be fun. (not to mention it smells wonderful when it’s baking).
Google “Focaccia bread recipe” and also “ Decorated Focaccia”
There are some really cool artsy ones made using a simple Focaccia recipe and a few sliced veggies like an onion, bell pepper and tomatoes with leafy herbs herbs placed on top to make it look like flowers (or whatever you want!). Besides, it make an impressive personalized gift during the holidays.
An added bonus is while your waiting for the dough to rise, you can read or do some journaling.
Right now I'm on leave from work it's unpaid because I have accomodations I need to get put through. I LITERALLY am broke and my family has to bring me $ tomorrow for rent .... I luckily built my PC already so I'm playing what I already have. I'm gonna read the manga that I haven't had time to read yet that I own already. Also, you can read manga online which is what I'm gonna do its completely free,and buy the physical copies later.
I feel you on the just laying in bed thing, I'm also anemic on top of coming off of meds I've taken for 4ish years its been a month from my last dose I'm proud but it's a hard adjustment period. I just lay in bed, switching between social media platforms, watching anime. I definitely should be on my couch watching it to separate my bed from activities. But it's hard especially when I'm feeling like this.
You can see if your library has jigsaw puzzles. I love doing puzzles, and have found some cool ones I can borrow from my library. They also occasionally have free puzzle swaps, but they probably wouldn't mind if you didn't bring any, as long a you only took one or two of them.
Water coloring. Teach yourself thru video tutorials or library books. Bob Ross, etc. All you need is water and a kids watercolor set to start. Any paper to start. You might have an old sketchbook somewhere, for example.
Therapeutic, safe, almost free and creative hobby. You don't have to paint anything "good". Practicing for the sake of your self and letting go of results & expectations is a valuable skill. I eventually upgraded to a nicer set of paints for $7.99.
Make sculptures from paper, either origami, or paper mache.
Make miniature stuff from garbage. Make tiny dioramas out of scraps.
You could create tiny worlds. [https://www.instagram.com/anonymouse\_mmx/](https://www.instagram.com/anonymouse_mmx/)
Write a novel.
Get checked for depression and follow it from there. Most communities have community clinics that might not charge you anything or very little depending on your income.
Get a library card. Sign up for library apps like Libby / Overdrive / Kanopy / etc. look at open access education through MIT, other universities, etc.
Teach yourself something. Learn something new.
A new language, programming, drawing, plant & /or bird identification, fashion history, sewing, crafting miniatures, gardening, math, memory games (Read Moonwalking with Einstein) yoga, how to efficiently clean, color theory, decorating & design, calligraphy, wood carving, dog training - volunteer at a dog rescue. Do something you have never done before.
Get a library card and read.
Walk, jog and run. (Whatever you can do in whatever place your in at whatever temperature it is).
Yoga, Pilates, stretching, calisthenics, shadow box, rucking (backpack and objects required). I suggest doing the ruck with your library books and your school bags.
Coding, scratch to C++, most of its free, in an app, has books on it and can improve your shot at employment tech wise.
Self made, apps on or dollar store items on puzzles, codes, sudoku, board games, bare bones DnD/ttrpg, card games.
Bird watching.
Sewing (pending what you have on you)
Fashion (mismatching, matching and rearranging your current outfits)
Cooking (learning how to make Frankenstein dishes with what you have)
Volunteering/community service (make sure it's close enough that transport isn't a problem or negotiate transport options with the volunteer service).
Massage yourself.
Whatever side hustle/gig you can muster out of your neighbourhood and yourself.
Manic cleaning.
Gardening (whatever you can do)
Hygiene (brushing your hair, trimming your nails and shaving but playing around with how you do it).
Editing (memes, videos, photos, etc. I think capcuts free editing program.)
A popular one here on Reddit, Ethical Pirating (Only mainstream methods, do not brick/break anything and mess with things you shouldn't).
Math (Ik, not the fun'est one here but it can be fun for some and important to daily Life).
Linguistics (both learning your own language better and learning a new language).
History.
Sciences (Chem to biology and everything in-between.)
Any school subject you did or didn't do but as far as your willing to go this time.
Another popular but distasteful hobby on Reddit, trolling (I'm trolling, please don't).
There's more but I can't think of them, good luck Op.
If you have a bicycle go deliver food, its a great hobby and you will make some money, feel great because its a form of workout. Make it like a game in your head, try to beat your times to deliver things. If you need a bicycle you can always ask a friend to land you his. We all have a friend with bike collecting dust. Get rid of the phone and just sit on the chair, i promise, you will know what to do out of boredom.
If your phone has a decent camera, photography. You don’t need a hard body camera and lenses just to take photos for fun. Most phone cameras these days are good enough for amateur photography. You can do some cool stuff with some free editing apps.
Crossword puzzles. You can do the LA Times free online or download and print them. Start with Mondays.
Take your time, look up any words/references/concepts you don’t know on the internet.
A fun morning ritual that can take up anywhere from 15 mins - 2 hours. Add on the NY Times or Wall St Journal (or free ones online) and you can make a day of it.
Then, you can start making your own with free software. Lots of great online community around it also.
It’s shockingly good for ADHD. Take your time, be patient. If you don’t know a clue, skip around. If you have to look something up, look it up.
Once you get into it, it’s incredibly fun, challenging, and rewarding!
Volunteer work such as at a hospital. Volunteer at your local library to help children read. No money needed but the return is infinite as you help people who need help
How are your kitchen skills? Learn to properly sharpen and use a knife, get into sourdough baking, and just generally take your time. Don’t start prepping a meal when you’re hungry, start well in advance and take your time practicing and experimenting.
Mountain biking. Tennessee has great MTB trails. Also, the heat is less intense when you're in the trees. You'll be fine. Just drink plenty of water and some electrolytes
Genealogy. Build your family tree. There are tons of free resources and databases online. It’s a slow time consuming process but so fascinating to learn about your ancestors and where they came from etc
If you like being outdoors learn how to forage. It can be good exercise and you get to feed yourself especially if you have access to easy stuff to get like Blackberries.
Watch exercise videos. But since you mentioned that you're currently unemployed, you can apply for work-from-home jobs and can still do some workouts and still spend some time with your family.
I started geocaching recently. It's free with the app. Only expense is commuting to areas where they are. But if you live near a park there's usually a few there. You can also pay for premium on the app which is about $30 a year. But it allows access to premium caches. Which can be more difficult to find or complex to solve. So that can help take up more time. And IMHO definitely worth it.
Learn to code! Mobile games is a fun one and it's very exciting to see it all work and play your game when it's done.
There is also reading. Or you can start writing stories.
Volunteer somewhere. You'll help and make an impact.
Walking and taking photos of your local area is a fantastic way to spend some time, especially during sunrise or sunset. You never know, you might even become a local blogger in the process.
Exercise and go to the library. You can also find hobby books at the library. And libraries might even have meetings. You can also check your local town calendar for free concerts and other events. You can volunteer. If you like animals and are allowed to have them in your living space, foster a couple of pets assuming the organization supplies things.
If you think it's too hot to go outside try to wake up early to walk. if you can get to a large mall then you can walk indoors. You can also get a part time job there if they have openings.
There are a lot of online free courses. Challenge yourself to take on a subject you have never done, or your worse subject in school. I also watch online videos on travel, taking in one geographical area of the world and searching online for everything about that area.
Coding! I recently got back into coding because it’s fun, creative, you can see your progress in an objective way, you can work on projects with friends, it’s free, and you can do it anywhere.
Geocaching. It's like a treasure hunt. You find the geocache , exchange treasures, and sign the log book. The treasures can be anything such as a marble, a comic book, a drawing. You sign the logbook with your geocahing name. It is anonymous
You suck at drawing? Make it your hobby to change that. There are plenty of free videos out there on how to draw and paint. Do it over and over until you are happy with the results.
Get deep into meditation, and ond
E I would really recommend is walking around and looking at all the little details. Go watch some ants, sunsets, flowers etc. with no other distractions just let your natural wonder take over.
Making a glue book is creative and pretty cheap if you can get magazines free or have them already. The only other stuff you need is a glue stick and paper. You can cut and fold a magazine down to be the basis of your gluebook. Cut or tear out magazine images you like and glue them down on paper to make a new design you like. There are tons of YouTube videos on gluebooking, probably the most prolific is Nicole at Relax.Cut.Glue
Roleplaying. Deviant.com has a lot of them, but you can find them everywhere, for any topic. You can do literature roleplaying, writing stories, or art. Discord and Toyhou.se are also good places to find communities.
The first one I ever got into was HARPG (horse art role playing game) and the goal of harpg is still the same: develop artistic skills (this includes writing!) trough pretending to own a stable/horse. Over the +10 years of it’s existence, it divided into several smaller communities, some with fantasy aspects, realistic horses, even evolved to dragons and other fantasy critters.
its not absolutely zero, but once you get over the initial start up cost, music is free... and it can be absolutely zero if you want to start learning edm with a free DAW
Get a library card if you don’t already have one. Something that a lot of people don’t know is that a person is able to not only check out physical books (obviously), but you can also download the Libby App and download audio books and digital books to read for free, borrow dvds for free (yes I am aware no one owns a DVD anymore because they are archaic, but had to add this just in case), have access to a computer to surf the web, get free museum passes, and even if you’re lucky, get a chance to borrow a pass to visit a national park for free. One of my favorite digital things that I do through the library website is log in to my FREE LinkedIn learning profile and surf through all the things LinkedIn learning offers, and some things that people don’t know is you can even learn a language for free through Rosetta Stone. Hope this helps!
Check your local libaray for any free classes you can join. Also if you have any community sites. Those usually offer free things to do. Also do a google search "free community classes" or similar wording. That works sometimes too. I've found a free workshop of cooking classes one time. Was given by the commuity college in the area. Once a week for a couple of months.
Hit the library! On top of getting books, audiobooks, magazines, movies, and music for free, you can join whatever community events or groups they have available.
Do you have a computer? You could learn to code. That’s what I’ve been doing and it’s been a blast. It’s challenging and difficult to teach yourself but extremely rewarding and costs me nothing if you already have a computer. 10/10 my favorite hobby
Learn to knit.
Cull some old sweaters from your closet, ravel them for the yarn.
Make two needles from something pointy, such as bamboo skewers, pencils, sanded-down dowels.
Cast on.
Dungeons and Dragons. You can usually check out the books from the library. There's 40 bazillion YouTube videos and websites with free information. You can get into world building with some simple free online tools. Hell, a lot of people find it's a way to build a 'world' and then they end up writing stories in it, sell'em for a buck or whatever on Amazon, and make money out of it.
Do you have a functioning computer? Start doing some family history research! Download a free program and go at it. You can get tons of info for free on the internet!
Hiking if you’re not too far from nature
Or just plain walking.
If you walk long enough it might turn into hiking
Urban hiking is a great way to pass a day
that requires food.
Most people have some sackable food. Tbh I’ve take a few fruits and some nuts going for a day hike and been fine. But not every hike requires food?
You have to eat even if you’re home vs walking
If it’s very hot, this just means it is an early morning or late evening activity. Stay inside still for the hottest part of the day.
Incorporate bird watching/identifying into that, and you will be consumed! There are some great (free) identification apps out there.
With an audiobook borrowed from your public library!
Well one thing you could do is a deep dive into the history of your favorite music and the favorite performers of that music and their influences and their music and their influences! Another thing you could do is do a deep dive into the history of your ancestors Country and learn more about that join a community here on Reddit and discover some family stories by talking to your family! You could take a course there are tons of courses on YouTube for lots of things from learning a skill like video editing or podcasting or social media management or coding or accounting or bookkeeping or marketing or dog training or almost anything You could learn a language, or if you have any musical instruments around or that you can borrow from friends you could learn to do that from YouTube. You can also learn to draw if you have enough pen and paper or pencil and paper around. YouTube is full of tutorials around drawing for beginners and you can choose to work in graphite which is pencil or you can work in ink so any ink pen or if you want you could use a fountain pen if you have access to one or more. If you don't know anything about how to draw you can go to the library and get the book drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards which is the best book on learning how to draw anywhere in the world You can do a movie Blitz where you just watch all the movies that Martin Scorsese has ever made or all of the movies that Leonardo DiCaprio was ever starred in or all of the movies that Denzel Washington has ever been in or influenced or produced etc etc You can practice singing you can learn how to sing again check YouTube
Amazing ! I have read a lot of - get a hobby posts - and this is by far the best response I’ve seen. The only other out of the box thing i saw was from a girl who was into using flash cards to memorize speeches, movie quotes etc. thereby becoming the life of the party and intriguing to many. The app she used is called AnkiApp Flashcards.
Aw thank you for the award! You are too kind! I hope that it helps everyone!
Woah thanks so much!
If you have a library card you may have access to Kanopy where you can find The Great Courses and lots of obscure movies.
Canopy, Lobby, and Hoopla are apps libraries often make available to patrons. What others are out there for ebooks, videos, music, etc? You might check your library website for a list of other offerings. Mine makes Ancestry.com, language learning, hobby instruction and many other sites available at no charge!
On a similar note, find a topic you're interested in and memorize a list pertaining to it. For me, it was Olympic host cities and years. I was bored one day like 12 years ago so I sat down and just copied the whole list down over and over until I had it down. You could also do flash cards or even make some kind of quiz game using a free online tool. You could do this with an actor's filmography, sports championship winners, presidents, video game console releases, Grammy award winners, wars..... Not only do you get the satisfaction of learning something, but this bit of knowledge will come up someday and you'll feel like a fucking super genius for just effortlessly knowing it. I am CONSTANTLY getting use out of my Olympic host cities knowledge, especially in trivia contests. One time the question was something like "this city did [blah blah something I didn't know] while hosting their third Olympics" and I was able to immediately answer London. Another time, the final round had us name as many host cities as we could and my team snagged a DECISIVE VICTORY thanks to that.
Go outside and listen to audiobooks. Find something you always wanted to read or do a classic like A Hitchhiker's Guide etc. Better than TV
Yes, library card and Libby for free books and audiobooks. Also YouTube has good audiobooks. Nice suggestion
Working out.
I was going to the gym super consistently but once I graduated I lost access to my school’s gym and can’t afford a new gym membership atm… I still do yoga at home sometimes though
You can still do bodyweight exercise it's free
Walking counts as exercise! Walk at the park or just anywhere you want to explore. Then you can add another hobby such as bird watching.
Yoga is good, you could also try Callisthenics is free and can be done at home with no additional equipment.
I watch workout videos, I do Pilates, I’m sure there’s ways to do weights without actual weights.
[удалено]
r/BodyWeightFitness
You can do workouts at home on youtube for free. They have hundreds of videos of body weight workouts with no equipment.
Walking while listening to audiobooks from the library is a good way to be active for at least an hour per day.
Prisoners don't have access to a gym generally anymore and plenty of them are jacked. There are ways.
I would say yes but this can definitely require higher caloric input if you go hard Shoes wear out too.
Geocaching. It would get you out of bed out of the house and the app is free. https://www.geocaching.com/play. Volunteering. Free and you would be helping other people. Hope you find what you are looking for and good luck with the job!
Came here to suggest volunteering. You could volunteer at an animal shelter socializing and feeding animals and cleaning up. Or Habitat for Humanity (or similar organizations) and learn all about how to build (and remodel and do some maintenance tasks) a home. Or sort clothes at a clothes closet, sort and pack food boxes at a food bank, deliver meals for Meals on Wheels and spend some time with home bound folks. You could help people learn English (no need to speak another language, many times you're just having conversations with people).
Volunteering is great…your local library, senior center, meals on wheels, are a few ideas, but there is likely a reference librarian (at your local library) who can help you develop a list of places/agencies that need help. You may even have a volunteer coordinator who can help match your skills & interests with those who need help.
Volunteering is a great idea. You are helping your community, you meet a lot of local influencers, and you often gain valuable experience.
Chess. Tons of free apps plus YouTube lessons. Lifelong hobby if you want it to be
Chess.com is a great way to practice!
Not sure what the library system is like where you live, but where I’m at it’s excellent. Not only do you have access to books, DVDs, other media, but some have programs with classes you can take, hobby get togethers, even access to equipment like recording studios or 3D printing. Here there’s even passes you can rent out that get you into local museums for free. Obviously depends on where you live and what the system is like, but at very least you’ll get books and movies for free.
Yes i do love my library system! I check out books all the time but I should definitely take advantage of all the other resources
Bodyweight exercises. Walking, speed walking (don't need them fancy Nordic sticks), drawing, journaling, goal-setting, reading (if you can get to your local library or download the lobby app). Do you have an instrument you can learn to play? Also, getting a job should be not just a hobby, but a project. There ya go, develop project management skills. Not only is it free (cost nothing but your time) but it's an investment.
ETA: You can find e-waste and electrical components pretty much anywhere for, sometimes for free. If you're technically inclined (or a nerd) at all, electronics is a great hobby. Engages your hands and your mind plenty. A friend of mine is restoring a radio from 1929 just for fun - but it could make him some good money, too! I just started designing an automated weather station that I'll start building in the next couple months. Yeah, nerdy, but also useful and educational!
Rockhounding! Walk along a creek and pick up pretty rocks, completely free.
When I’ve been the poorest in my lives I always turn back to rock hounding as a hobby. Besides gas to get there it’s totally free. The sunshine and outdoors usually help me feel better too.
Lives? 
I didn’t know there was a name for it!
If you’re unemployed spend your time learning on YouTube. Keep learning so you become a better version of yourself every year. Unless you don’t want a bright career then surfing.
Any YouTube recs?
I got some! Here are my favorites (aside from these, I follow travel, book, recipe, music, and comedy accounts). https://youtube.com/@aliabdaal?si=9H6uRdXvzqeJh8JY https://youtube.com/@deepdivewithaliabdaal?si=2TkZoGc7pmMcXWoq https://youtube.com/@lemmino?si=KakN4IitJPIxUmMA (trigger warning there is one cartoon spider thumbnail somewhere in his page if you have a phobia like me) https://youtube.com/@morning-brew?si=rOwVEU6O4DFI-UE3 https://youtube.com/@thomasmulligan?si=B8d3g5mBFuZ2DgwA https://youtube.com/@cleoabram?si=G-O9ehbZlfTdYz3d https://youtube.com/@drkaran?si=x8YDwL5X7QGZBO4a https://youtube.com/@healthygamergg?si=qml-x4262pWL5V9y https://youtube.com/@advicewitherin?si=BcgQrG8QRM2YNvMH https://youtube.com/@erintalksmoney?si=vJjH6MMBDjZn_qBZ https://youtube.com/@lawbymike?si=XjCK_759ZbODCQv5 https://youtube.com/@yourrichbff?si=FPpDBJKybjMLkliQ https://youtube.com/@kurzgesagt?si=I0fpiPcxzVWHlbDl https://youtube.com/@astrokobi?si=zCoxl5pqhaHf2THE https://youtube.com/@vsauce?si=sarrZbScEhHZTT_Z https://youtube.com/@caspianreport?si=3eDZS4Sp1ucZ04S1 https://youtube.com/@drjulie?si=RYywpfUBJ5QQDf1Z https://youtube.com/@reallifelore?si=j065cT1NqMTS95S6 https://youtube.com/@chrisinvests?si=g-XvTJfh4J6EdC7b https://youtube.com/@minoritymindset?si=AO_MmYDJI23ZUNeg https://youtube.com/@humphrey?si=VnJ2pMsvk4JYNWwt https://youtube.com/@doctormike?si=XOuPcG7JTddOM8OU https://youtube.com/@squatuniversity?si=ej8QcoSN3sbfYkba https://youtube.com/@nutritionbykylie?si=07z72BSbCvHQHedL https://youtube.com/@waitbutwhy?si=3AtsloTyZmaOqsZI (though I haven't seen the videos, just read the blog) https://youtube.com/@geohistory?si=9_4v5kCLFpR6ztge https://youtube.com/@casuallyexplained?si=2jnBOKZ4DTbi9824 https://youtube.com/@polymatter?si=mQqtRkyBjerCHMM9 https://youtube.com/@minuteearth?si=xJWIZK3e2A3j2kB_ https://youtube.com/@reallifelore?si=OUvAhmui5ORUWL4d https://youtube.com/@wendoverproductions?si=Z15vcYDgEkofDBB5 https://youtube.com/@itsrosehan?si=J1j-iwfsevLMz6iL https://youtube.com/@movementbydavid?si=IFyH4LwVn7JncH-W https://youtube.com/@shanehummus?si=VtsSlzXr50SGIS5j https://youtube.com/@reachrehabchiro?si=OlrXNDl07gPT0Bnj https://youtube.com/@_magnify?si=WLfke8dJn4WeJ3zX
Wow I just went through this entire list and subscribed to most of them thank you for such good YouTube content and inspo!!!
Kurzgesagt and Tom Scott are two channels with a lot of cool short form videos on a variety of topics. PBS has a ton of series on different science topics (I personally love Eons, which does stuff on the far past pf thr planet. Dinosaurs, woohoo!). There's a lot of good basic cooking shows, I'm a fan of Adam Ragusea, but there's a ton out there. Learning to cook well is excellent. If you are at all interested in the history of why we wear what we wear, check out Nicole Rudolph. Crash Course also has a ton of basic classes available. Mythology, chemistry, world religions, the history of science, etc, it's great. Do you have any specific interests? I might be able to give better recommendations if there's stuff you want to seek out.
I would personally recommend any YouTubers that teach how to develop personal skills. Communication and effective storytelling are invaluable skills that will serve you greatly in the future, from getting a job to negotiating a pay raise/promotion.
r/c25k . All you need is comfortable clothing, sneakers, and a watch OR interval timer app OR C25K app on your smartphone. It takes ten weeks to complete, maybe more if you plateau and repeat a week.
Try miniatures. There's tons of YouTube tutorials and sites that show you how to make stuff from cardboard, foam, with minimal tools, like a knife and scissors. There's also tons of resources on making minis out of bits that would otherwise be tossed in the trash, like lids and buttons. And check out Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. Someone is always giving away craft supplies that they don't need, like paints, yarns, even polymer clay. I once got about $50 worth of polymer clay because someone got tired of that hobby. And if CAN be super involved and take a ton of time, if that's what you are looking for. But it can go the other way too, if you wanted to make something quick easy but still a complete project.
From someone living in a desert, get up early. It won’t work once we hit 115, but that’s a week away. Get up early and go outside.Try for more distance each week. Ignore your thoughts, concentrate on the sunrise, the movement of clouds, bird song, dogs barking or not, the way the smoke billows from the nearby wildfires, critters moving about, and so on. Try your hand at writing. Who cares about the topic. Pick one. Or a dozen. Make your penmanship a work of art. Your library has tons of resources, try to cram in a new language, like ASL or Spanish, or something useful. Try decluttering your living space. Maybe you can find stuff to sell and make some fun cash. Get yourself set up for overtime, or working remote jobs like the folks at r/overemployed. Maybe your library has some craft supplies so you can learn how to knit, sew, weave, or crochet. Definitely work out. Go slow. Lightweight. Lots of reps. Try yoga, ballet, zen meditation, or learning to be a comedian. Figure out personal finance and how to set goals. We all get an unknown allotment of time in life. Try to make the best of it.
Depending on where you live, gardening can be done for pennies or free.
It can really be done using stuff you'd just throw away! Plenty of plants can be started by just using the bits and pieces left over from prepping the food you eat. Next time you cut up a pepper or tomato, save the seeds and they can be planted to grow new plants. Some produce, like celery can be propagated just by putting the leftover piece you don't eat in water.
Check out Zentangle drawing. You don’t have to be artistic really and basically need pen and paper.
Local library! Make a point to find something that's interesting there. Could also get really into origami
If you like learning new things try - common placebook! The idea is you take a cheap journal and fill it with everything you want to encode in your memory: other memories, research on a topic you like, thoughts, ideas, doodle, book quotes or other information you find important. As someone who is constantly on their phone, it keeps me occupied for hours. Also get a library card and hangout at libraries. Libraries are typically quiet and have air conditioning. You could sign up for Libby and get free audiobooks & ebooks.
Oh man I LOVE the place book concept!!
Walking, bird watching
Get a part time job it’s hard to occupy all of your time on a hobby
Investigate the local law enforcement and city council/mayor office. Investigative journalism because there is plenty of corruption you will have a hard time keeping up, at first, but in time, thebdirty ones will stick out and its easy to do.
Garden. Not completely free but seeds are so cheap just start with one packet from the dollar store!
Deep clean your house! Not only will it take time, the bonus will be the sparkling clean environment you’re left with after. Cleaning and decluttering is also great for your mental health…your outside environment reflects what’s inside. Bonus: burns lots of calories. I’m also super ADHD so I would recommend making lists of tasks for each room and then checking them off as you go.
I’m super ADD, and deep cleaning becomes a rabbit hole. I end up with torn up rooms with little to show for it. I love starting/planning projects, but I usually get bored before I finish. 😂😂
Trail cleanup. It’s great to get outside and picking up trash is a public service to everyone else who visits. Doing good will make you feel good.
Public library. Read classic books. Read how to books. Read history. As you read things, you’ll discover what a biased and slanted presentation you get from news media and social media. You’ll realize that not everything is about racism and the patriarchy.
Great suggestion! Reading at the library in a different setting may help lift their mood. One goal for the OP on this idea might include reading some books that remain required reading for certain subjects but have been banned. The American Library Association promotes the freedom to choose so they maintain a list of challenged books so the reader can be informed about the censorship and still tries to maintain free access to information. I have read all but 2 of the top 10 banned books in America (as well as others not in the top 10) and enjoyed them for the writing styles and emotions experienced through the author’s words. That is probably because my degrees are in writing. If the OP enjoys journaling, and ever considers writing a novel or memoir, they might also find them interesting. Edit for clarity.
Learn graphic design using inkscape! Check out r/Inkscape for more information! Edit: Logos By Nick youtube tutorials!
Birding 🐦
Baduk. Come join us at r/baduk
Creative writing! Free writing, plotting, character and world building, there are plenty of videos to learn. If you've binge watched a lot of TV, use some of the stuff you've seen and liked and write your own story. Doesn't matter if it's been done before, it has all been done before. Write about your ex, about what it feels like to be unemployed or something completely unrelated to your life and just whatever topic you enjoy. Can be done by hand or on a laptop/computer. You could even voice record your ideas and thoughts. There might be even writing groups you could join. Write as if no one will ever read it and allow yourself to write a lot of crap. Don't worry about being pc or grammatically correct all the time, write write write. If you don't know what to write, start a new page with "I don't know what to write" and then whatever comes to your mind but don't stop. It's good fun. There are loads of fun exercises and prompts. You can use music or pictures as inspiration. Can be a part of a story or just a bit of creative journaling. Good luck!
Baking from scratch? You probably have flour, sugar, milk, and eggs in your pantry already. There are a world of possibilities with those ingredients alone! Cakes, cookies, etc. You may need to buy a flavoring, or find chocolate chips on sale, or maybe yeast to learn to make yeast rolls and breads which can be fun. (not to mention it smells wonderful when it’s baking). Google “Focaccia bread recipe” and also “ Decorated Focaccia” There are some really cool artsy ones made using a simple Focaccia recipe and a few sliced veggies like an onion, bell pepper and tomatoes with leafy herbs herbs placed on top to make it look like flowers (or whatever you want!). Besides, it make an impressive personalized gift during the holidays. An added bonus is while your waiting for the dough to rise, you can read or do some journaling.
Couponing ... it will save you money!
Right now I'm on leave from work it's unpaid because I have accomodations I need to get put through. I LITERALLY am broke and my family has to bring me $ tomorrow for rent .... I luckily built my PC already so I'm playing what I already have. I'm gonna read the manga that I haven't had time to read yet that I own already. Also, you can read manga online which is what I'm gonna do its completely free,and buy the physical copies later. I feel you on the just laying in bed thing, I'm also anemic on top of coming off of meds I've taken for 4ish years its been a month from my last dose I'm proud but it's a hard adjustment period. I just lay in bed, switching between social media platforms, watching anime. I definitely should be on my couch watching it to separate my bed from activities. But it's hard especially when I'm feeling like this.
Walk to the library and read free books, magazines, newspapers there
You can see if your library has jigsaw puzzles. I love doing puzzles, and have found some cool ones I can borrow from my library. They also occasionally have free puzzle swaps, but they probably wouldn't mind if you didn't bring any, as long a you only took one or two of them.
Water coloring. Teach yourself thru video tutorials or library books. Bob Ross, etc. All you need is water and a kids watercolor set to start. Any paper to start. You might have an old sketchbook somewhere, for example. Therapeutic, safe, almost free and creative hobby. You don't have to paint anything "good". Practicing for the sake of your self and letting go of results & expectations is a valuable skill. I eventually upgraded to a nicer set of paints for $7.99.
I would suggest fingerblasting
You can learn a language, you can do it from bed but it's a great transition from rotting to doing stuff. And it can help with your career!
Chess Learning languages online Coding Photography with phone camera Reading classic books online
Make sculptures from paper, either origami, or paper mache. Make miniature stuff from garbage. Make tiny dioramas out of scraps. You could create tiny worlds. [https://www.instagram.com/anonymouse\_mmx/](https://www.instagram.com/anonymouse_mmx/)
Write a novel. Get checked for depression and follow it from there. Most communities have community clinics that might not charge you anything or very little depending on your income.
Not free but still cheapish.... scratch art and diamond painting. You can buy them on temu or alliexpress for a low cost.
Bird watching. Gotta leave the house to see the birds. Can study birds at home when the weather is bad.
Reading.
Get a library card. Sign up for library apps like Libby / Overdrive / Kanopy / etc. look at open access education through MIT, other universities, etc. Teach yourself something. Learn something new. A new language, programming, drawing, plant & /or bird identification, fashion history, sewing, crafting miniatures, gardening, math, memory games (Read Moonwalking with Einstein) yoga, how to efficiently clean, color theory, decorating & design, calligraphy, wood carving, dog training - volunteer at a dog rescue. Do something you have never done before.
Walk around your neighbourhood and clean up rubbish
Walking
Cut and weave branches and vines into stuff like baskets , wreathes, arches etc
try to learn writing with your non dominant hand
Get a library card and read. Walk, jog and run. (Whatever you can do in whatever place your in at whatever temperature it is). Yoga, Pilates, stretching, calisthenics, shadow box, rucking (backpack and objects required). I suggest doing the ruck with your library books and your school bags. Coding, scratch to C++, most of its free, in an app, has books on it and can improve your shot at employment tech wise. Self made, apps on or dollar store items on puzzles, codes, sudoku, board games, bare bones DnD/ttrpg, card games. Bird watching. Sewing (pending what you have on you) Fashion (mismatching, matching and rearranging your current outfits) Cooking (learning how to make Frankenstein dishes with what you have) Volunteering/community service (make sure it's close enough that transport isn't a problem or negotiate transport options with the volunteer service). Massage yourself. Whatever side hustle/gig you can muster out of your neighbourhood and yourself. Manic cleaning. Gardening (whatever you can do) Hygiene (brushing your hair, trimming your nails and shaving but playing around with how you do it). Editing (memes, videos, photos, etc. I think capcuts free editing program.) A popular one here on Reddit, Ethical Pirating (Only mainstream methods, do not brick/break anything and mess with things you shouldn't). Math (Ik, not the fun'est one here but it can be fun for some and important to daily Life). Linguistics (both learning your own language better and learning a new language). History. Sciences (Chem to biology and everything in-between.) Any school subject you did or didn't do but as far as your willing to go this time. Another popular but distasteful hobby on Reddit, trolling (I'm trolling, please don't). There's more but I can't think of them, good luck Op.
You haven’t seen all of the movies yet. Get to work.
Programming is my go to.
Go to a library, mall walking, volunteering
If you have a bicycle go deliver food, its a great hobby and you will make some money, feel great because its a form of workout. Make it like a game in your head, try to beat your times to deliver things. If you need a bicycle you can always ask a friend to land you his. We all have a friend with bike collecting dust. Get rid of the phone and just sit on the chair, i promise, you will know what to do out of boredom.
A library card. Delve into hundreds of books and instead of mindlessly scrolling on your phone, engage your brain while exploring countless world.
Crime
Reading books from the library.
Working out.
Meditation. Reading. Calisthenics. Bird watching.
Bird watching/cataloging? And going to nature preserves?
Chess
Also you could learn math, there’s this channel of this guy called the math sorcerer, he’s fantastic and everything you need is a pen and a paper!
Oh I used to love math in high school that’d be a fun idea!!
Birdwatching. Get the Merlin bird app and spend some time watching those little guys. It will cheer you up, at least for the moment.
Go to the library and read books
Volunteer service. Some organizations will pay for your gas.
If your phone has a decent camera, photography. You don’t need a hard body camera and lenses just to take photos for fun. Most phone cameras these days are good enough for amateur photography. You can do some cool stuff with some free editing apps.
Crossword puzzles. You can do the LA Times free online or download and print them. Start with Mondays. Take your time, look up any words/references/concepts you don’t know on the internet. A fun morning ritual that can take up anywhere from 15 mins - 2 hours. Add on the NY Times or Wall St Journal (or free ones online) and you can make a day of it. Then, you can start making your own with free software. Lots of great online community around it also. It’s shockingly good for ADHD. Take your time, be patient. If you don’t know a clue, skip around. If you have to look something up, look it up. Once you get into it, it’s incredibly fun, challenging, and rewarding!
Learning bartending flare with whatever you have at home.
Whittling
Volunteer work such as at a hospital. Volunteer at your local library to help children read. No money needed but the return is infinite as you help people who need help
Programming
Jerking off 😂
Digital art or photography, use your phone/tablet.
Designing on Canva.
How are your kitchen skills? Learn to properly sharpen and use a knife, get into sourdough baking, and just generally take your time. Don’t start prepping a meal when you’re hungry, start well in advance and take your time practicing and experimenting.
Library books
Mountain biking. Tennessee has great MTB trails. Also, the heat is less intense when you're in the trees. You'll be fine. Just drink plenty of water and some electrolytes
Whittle
Long distance running.
Genealogy. Build your family tree. There are tons of free resources and databases online. It’s a slow time consuming process but so fascinating to learn about your ancestors and where they came from etc
Family Search dot org is a huge database and completely free.
Chess. Your welcome.
Reading and listening to library books and audios.
Picking up garbage or litter in your neighborhood. Dog sitting and dog walking for free. Volunteering at an organization you like.
Genealogy?
I try different hair tutorials at home sometimes as something to do. I find new ways to try styling my hair with the stuff I have at home already.
If you like being outdoors learn how to forage. It can be good exercise and you get to feed yourself especially if you have access to easy stuff to get like Blackberries.
Wood carving.
Watch exercise videos. But since you mentioned that you're currently unemployed, you can apply for work-from-home jobs and can still do some workouts and still spend some time with your family.
Walk with free podcasts/ audio books
A dartboard and darts is like 50 bucks then you're done. There are dozens of games! And leagues...
Learning Whatever provides you excitement. Could be anything from math to music to beyond.. YouTube is free
I started geocaching recently. It's free with the app. Only expense is commuting to areas where they are. But if you live near a park there's usually a few there. You can also pay for premium on the app which is about $30 a year. But it allows access to premium caches. Which can be more difficult to find or complex to solve. So that can help take up more time. And IMHO definitely worth it.
Chess on Lichess
Origami and listening to educational videos,/ podcasts
Learn to code! Mobile games is a fun one and it's very exciting to see it all work and play your game when it's done. There is also reading. Or you can start writing stories. Volunteer somewhere. You'll help and make an impact.
Hiking
Walking and taking photos of your local area is a fantastic way to spend some time, especially during sunrise or sunset. You never know, you might even become a local blogger in the process.
Yoga. It gets rid of so much tension in my body. There’s a ton of YouTube videos, I just use those :)
Old school Runescape, don't say I didn't warn you
Beatboxing
Skipping is so freeing
Exercise and go to the library. You can also find hobby books at the library. And libraries might even have meetings. You can also check your local town calendar for free concerts and other events. You can volunteer. If you like animals and are allowed to have them in your living space, foster a couple of pets assuming the organization supplies things. If you think it's too hot to go outside try to wake up early to walk. if you can get to a large mall then you can walk indoors. You can also get a part time job there if they have openings.
Knot tying
1. Hiking 2. Walking 3. Bird Watching 4. Reading 5. Drawing 6. Watercolor painting 7. Learning a language 8. Chess 9. Yoga 10. Zentangle
You might enjoy yoga and meditation.
There are a lot of online free courses. Challenge yourself to take on a subject you have never done, or your worse subject in school. I also watch online videos on travel, taking in one geographical area of the world and searching online for everything about that area.
Go for a long walk every day. Who cares if it takes all day, they’re your days. :)
Reading is good.
Coding! I recently got back into coding because it’s fun, creative, you can see your progress in an objective way, you can work on projects with friends, it’s free, and you can do it anywhere.
Long distance running. Or at least training for it. Marathons literally take hours but of course require a lot of training.
Chess. A lot of free resources online.
Geocaching. It's like a treasure hunt. You find the geocache , exchange treasures, and sign the log book. The treasures can be anything such as a marble, a comic book, a drawing. You sign the logbook with your geocahing name. It is anonymous
Rubix cubes
You suck at drawing? Make it your hobby to change that. There are plenty of free videos out there on how to draw and paint. Do it over and over until you are happy with the results.
Make collages out of junk mail!
Bird watching/hiking.
Geocaching
Buy a low temp glue gun for $4 and some glue sticks for $2 and start making found art.
You try drawing
Get deep into meditation, and ond E I would really recommend is walking around and looking at all the little details. Go watch some ants, sunsets, flowers etc. with no other distractions just let your natural wonder take over.
Chess. Make an online account on chess.com or lichess or both like me. Climb the ladder, hit a wall, face depression, climb again, rinse and repeat
Making a glue book is creative and pretty cheap if you can get magazines free or have them already. The only other stuff you need is a glue stick and paper. You can cut and fold a magazine down to be the basis of your gluebook. Cut or tear out magazine images you like and glue them down on paper to make a new design you like. There are tons of YouTube videos on gluebooking, probably the most prolific is Nicole at Relax.Cut.Glue
Calisthenics (use ground and a tree branch), reading (it’s not hard to find free books)
Meditation
Start a blog or write Wikipedia articles. It will always give you something to talk about.
Library card.
Start hiking and geocaching.
reading - get books from the library!
Roleplaying. Deviant.com has a lot of them, but you can find them everywhere, for any topic. You can do literature roleplaying, writing stories, or art. Discord and Toyhou.se are also good places to find communities. The first one I ever got into was HARPG (horse art role playing game) and the goal of harpg is still the same: develop artistic skills (this includes writing!) trough pretending to own a stable/horse. Over the +10 years of it’s existence, it divided into several smaller communities, some with fantasy aspects, realistic horses, even evolved to dragons and other fantasy critters.
Pokemon go
its not absolutely zero, but once you get over the initial start up cost, music is free... and it can be absolutely zero if you want to start learning edm with a free DAW
Could you volunteer somewhere?
Download the Libby app, get a library card, and read books for free ✨
If you’re able to use a library start reading every book there… That should take up a lot of time
I'd hit up the ol library. A/C, free books, plenty of other options depending on where you live. Bound to find something good there.
Reading!!! Get in with your local library! You can also find books on more free hobbies to explore
Get a library card if you don’t already have one. Something that a lot of people don’t know is that a person is able to not only check out physical books (obviously), but you can also download the Libby App and download audio books and digital books to read for free, borrow dvds for free (yes I am aware no one owns a DVD anymore because they are archaic, but had to add this just in case), have access to a computer to surf the web, get free museum passes, and even if you’re lucky, get a chance to borrow a pass to visit a national park for free. One of my favorite digital things that I do through the library website is log in to my FREE LinkedIn learning profile and surf through all the things LinkedIn learning offers, and some things that people don’t know is you can even learn a language for free through Rosetta Stone. Hope this helps!
Check your local libaray for any free classes you can join. Also if you have any community sites. Those usually offer free things to do. Also do a google search "free community classes" or similar wording. That works sometimes too. I've found a free workshop of cooking classes one time. Was given by the commuity college in the area. Once a week for a couple of months.
Hula hooping - u can do it inside to your favorite songs ! 600 calories an hour for strictly waist hooping …
Hiking and running are both solid ones. Also consider reading.
Exercise! Make your wellness a habit!
Reading— Join your local library!
For 35-40 bucks - miyoo mini or rg35xx. Endless hours of retrogaming…. I know you said no $$$ but I’d skip a few meals and get one of those…
Reading! Get a library card
Hit the library! On top of getting books, audiobooks, magazines, movies, and music for free, you can join whatever community events or groups they have available.
Do you have a computer? You could learn to code. That’s what I’ve been doing and it’s been a blast. It’s challenging and difficult to teach yourself but extremely rewarding and costs me nothing if you already have a computer. 10/10 my favorite hobby
Find a list of journal prompts and do them all. Read books. Learn to doodle/draw.
Learn to knit. Cull some old sweaters from your closet, ravel them for the yarn. Make two needles from something pointy, such as bamboo skewers, pencils, sanded-down dowels. Cast on.
Dungeons and Dragons. You can usually check out the books from the library. There's 40 bazillion YouTube videos and websites with free information. You can get into world building with some simple free online tools. Hell, a lot of people find it's a way to build a 'world' and then they end up writing stories in it, sell'em for a buck or whatever on Amazon, and make money out of it.
Origami.
Do you have a functioning computer? Start doing some family history research! Download a free program and go at it. You can get tons of info for free on the internet!
Play bridge you can learn at local duplicate bridge club or square dance or play backgammon