25 Creative Low Cost Hobbies You Must Try

We love crafting, creating hand made items, and generally exploring new ideas. The problem is, many of them can get expensive quickly as craft supplies add up. While there are many free hobbies that come first to mind such as, going for walks, birdwatching, writing and journaling, drawing or sketching, stargazing, meditating or doing yoga at home, singing or listening to audiobooks, some other ones don’t come so easily to mind. Picking up a low cost hobby is also great for keeping you out of debt.

Here are our top picks of creative, low cost hobbies you must try, that are actually engaging and fun.

1. Knitting

Knitting is no longer a craft just for old ladies, or one that your grandma did while watching TV. Knitting is fun, engaging for the brain, helps coordinate hand – fingers- brain. There are so many cool modern patters that can be found on sites like Etsy, Ravelry, Love Crafts, Knitty, and Hobbii. For those with children, knitting sweaters can be so rewarding. A great way to occupy your hands while waiting for lunch to be eaten, or homework to be written.

Knitting needles too have come such a long way since the time my grandma knitted last. It’s easy to pick up a nice case with a zipper, with needles of all sizes that can be made into round needles with adjustable connecting wires. Markers and all accessories come in the pack, and so affordable too.

There is also something to be said about the tactile feel of working with yarn. It’s rewarding and calming to say the least. It’s easily transportable and leaves no mess. However, it’s not recommended if you have cats at home who may like to play with the yarn.

2. Origami

Here’s a craft that costs next to nothing, and requires many hours and patience. Not one that I’ve personally mastered at all. It’s great for kids too, to watch as amazing animals and figures can come out of thin paper.

Since reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, we have spent many hours making origami.

Origami World channel on Youtube is a great resource to learn about mastering the art of origami. And completely free to.

3. Point Lace Embroidery

Point Lace embroidery is another favorite here. It requires a high level of focus and concentration, and hand to eye coordination. This is a perfect craft for an aging person looking to keep their mind fresh and young.

It has a very low cost – only to buy the thread materials and needles, if you don’t already have them. The hours spent crafting each item is well rewarded by the end result.

Point lace needlework makes beautiful tablecloths that look gorgeous on a dark wood table. Best to put a glass top over for easy cleaning of the table so it can be used daily. And of course, you can always decide to make a business out of it. It’s a beautiful high level craft that takes skill and patience to master. We love the channel Threads Tribe – By Veena Rao.

4. Book Binding

Book binding is a great way to practice your patience and skills. Depending on how serious you are about mastering this craft, you may decide to acquire some additional tools.

The options are endless as you can stain the pages of the paper you use, or even make your own paper out of discarded scrap paper.

For the cover, there are many options, including leather or matted cardboard cover. Leather bound journals can make a great small business for an additional income. There are many amazing videos on Youtube that can be used as teaching resources, should you decide to try this centuries old craft.

5. Baking

We are great fans of baking, especially bread. There’s nothing like the smell of home baked bread coming out fresh from the oven.

Dare may I say, I’ve mastered the art of making the most delicious, easy bread, that only needs to be kneaded twice and rise twice. It literally takes me 6 minutes to make it. I’ll add in my recipe below so you can try it too.

6. Cooking

This is pretty obvious one, but it’s amazing how many people don’t cook. Cooking can be amazing way to spend time. There is a transformation energy that flows when you change the form, shape, taste, and properties of raw ingredients.

The food items you can make are innumerable. Baked dishes, fried dishes, slow cooker recipes. Even foods like sushi can be surprisingly easy to make with the right instructions video and ingredients.

We recently made Thai soup, sushi, kebabs, crackers, granola bars, and more. Take cooking on as a hobby, surprise yourself and your loved ones. It’s time well spent. And of course, you can always decide on ways to turn your newly discovered passion into a money making side hustle.

7. Painting with watercolors

Watercolors are inexpensive to buy, the paper and brushes- not always so. Nevertheless, painting with watercolors makes for an excellent hobby. It packs small and can easily be taken with you when you go for a hike or a walk in nature.

We absolutely love watercolors, especially the Winsor and Newton brand. The colors flow together beautifully and they last a very long time. This particular set includes 16 colors, 3 tubes, a brush and a palette, all in a very compact size.

As many other things, when it comes to watercolors, you get what you pay for. I would very much recommend against buying the cheapest watercolor set you can find, as the colors won’t blend well, won’t be pigmented well, and you won’t enjoy using it.

Once you’ve mastered painting with watercolors, there are so many ways your can make money with it. You can make postcards and sell the digital files on sites like Etsy, you can make clip art with it and sell the separate elements on sites where graphic designers can find them, you can use them for backdrops of staging pictures for other purposes too.

8. Creative Writing, Journaling, or Blogging

You can write. Letters, to a pen pal. Did you know there is a come back of letter writing? Pen pal groups have popped up all over Facebook, where one can find a pen pal from anywhere in the world. As I read those groups, it amazes me that there are people who don’t know how to read in cursive and feel they need to mention it so to avoid any possible future letter from not being read.

You can write in your journal – thoughts, emotions, frustrations, plans, aspirations. Something nice happens when you pick up a pen and a paper and actually write something down, rather than typing it all down.

9. Learn a New Language

It’s so good for the brain. Seriously, learning a new language will make you smarter, sharper, and recall other things easier.

There are many apps and resources to help you get started. Much of it depends on your learning style, whether you like apps or prefer a desktop application.

10. Learn to Play an Instrument

Learning to play an instrument can significantly reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s later in life. There are so many new brain connections that need to be formed that it is no wonder so many people give up and don’t continue learning if they were taking lessons as children.

It’s never been easier to learn to play an instrument than now. Music instruments are cheap and well made compared to a few hundred years ago. The advancement in music instrument manifacturing makes it possible to have an easy access to what was once a very unattainable art.

11. Listen to Audiobooks

For those people who aren’t much of a readers, or who don’t have the time to read, accessing audiobooks can be a great way to ‘read’. You can listen to high quality literature while cleaning the kitchen or doing laundry.

Many sites, like archive.org have public domain audiobooks available for streaming. Actually, the site even has a feature that you can have any book read aloud to you, although the reading voice sounds mechanical.

For paid sites, Audible is the winner here. Look for special discounts or subscription plans.

12. Lace cut pottery, Pierced clay, Filigree pottery

Let’s face it, not everyone has the space for a potter’s wheel in their home, or can deal with the mess that comes with it.

Lace cut pottery is a great way to work on a craft that is calming, requires patience, and produces beautiful pieces that can later be sold at a premium price.

13. Upcycle Furniture