If you've been waiting for extra time to start on a new hobby, there's good news and bad news . . .
It's finally summer, and a lot of people have a little extra free time. But . . . hobbies are NOT cheap. Every single one seems to have a rabbit hole that can be very expensive to follow.
So here you go: Someone asked the internet, "What's the cheapest hobby someone can get into?" Here are some of the most popular responses . . .
1. Reading, especially when you borrow books . . . just get a library card.
2. Bird-watching . . . there's a free app called Merlin Bird ID.
3. Writing . . . journaling, poetry, or even fan-fiction about Taylor Swift's cats.
4. Rock collecting . . . just walk around, and pick up rocks or "minerals."
5. Exercise . . . it's easier to be active without a gym membership in the summer.
6. Chess or board gaming . . . as long as you avoid board game COLLECTING.
7. Origami . . . there are plenty of instructional videos on YouTube.
8. Geocaching . . . the Geocaching app is free, although there's a premium tier.
9. Cooking . . . it'll probably help with meal costs in the long run too.
10. Drawing / art / crafts . . . this is another one with free tutorials online.
11. Casual hiking or camping . . . at least until you want specialized gear.
12. Gardening . . . like a lot of things, it can easily get expensive, but it doesn't have to be, especially if you grow from seeds and propagate existing plants.
13. Lock picking . . . and if you get good enough, it could be a net gain.
14. Pickleball . . . if you haven't tried it yet, just ask any local senior citizen, "what's the DILL-io." (HI-YO!)
15. Collecting brochures . . . someone said, "I collect . . . brochures from visitors centers, hotels, museums, and so on. And most of the time I don't have to pay." (???)