How to have fun without spending money?

[Erinsmol]

Just after some tips and inspiration really! I became disabled two years ago after being an athletic and outdoorsy person all my life and I just still haven’t really learnt how to have fun without being active. I can walk medium distances like round a large shop (as long as I rest for a few days before and after) so I pass the time buying things and going to restaurants, which I really can’t afford so I end up bored and miserable about a week after payday because I’ve run out of ‘fun’ money. I have a young DD and I take her to play centres and the like on weekends, but I throughout the week I really struggle with boredom. Any ideas?

I love cleaning and decluttering but I’m a bit sick of it after two years straight, same with tv shows and other things that I can do while stuck in the house. I do have a bit of money spare, if I can find cheaper things to do then I can stretch it out for the whole month hopefully.

Thanks!

Crafts?
Local authority run courses which have substantial reductions for disabled and unemployed?
Volunteer, which can be great fun?

Gardening? Is this possible for you.

Just need some basic tools.

Agree that finding an area of volunteering that you enjoy and can engage with can be very enjoyable, allow you to meet like minded people and have a new lease of life.

Toddler group? Food bank? Ringing/visiting elderly? Furniture collection and redistribution? Charity shop? Gardening scheme? There are loads more.

And, so many things happen online now: working/volunteering; therapy; hobby groups; prayer meetings, choirs, the list is endless.

@WombatChocolate I derive a lot of joy from helping others but interacting with them - not so much. I’m pretty introverted so find chatting to anyone not on my wavelength very tedious and draining. Not sure what non-physical volunteer jobs there are where you get to avoid people wherever possible😅

@JanglyBeads I haven’t heard of those types of courses, could you explain more please? I’m currently studying at university (they give me lots of leeway and let me study mostly remotely) would that affect my eligibility for them?

@Rowthe I have thought about gardening a few times but I’m really intimidated by it! Do you have any tips for where to start learning? I think it’s the perfect time to start preparing with Spring fast approaching.

Recently I've been enjoying watching Atomic Shrimp on YouTube he does various frugal things like £1 a day food challenge coming up with interesting recipes on a set low budget, foraging and various crafts as well as scam baiting! Its just like watching your dad pottering about but weirdly relaxing. Might give you some ideas, for example you might be able to do a short walk and some plant ID/ foraging along the way would make it more interesting.

are you a library member? You can get membership and download free books/ audiobooks/ magazines.

I'm not an expert.

But you dont want to get into the trap of keep buying more and more for your hobby.

Is there any community gardens nearby that you are aware of?

I know locally there are schemes where there are allotments where people go weekly.

A simple one might be growing tomatoes.

You could use things that are already available at home.

Get the seeds from a tomato.

You will just need some compost and pots.

Watch some videos online.

There is lots of advice about sowing the seeds. Hardening off the plants.
And then you have to take certain branches off the plant. Cant remember the name for that.
Have to do this at least once a week.

Dont expect too many tomatoes if you are just doing it for fun. And the more seedlings you have the more you have to take care of and you have to thin the branches to make sure the plant concentrates on growing tomatoes rather than leaves.

I've found the best way to save money is to stay home. We entertain ourselves with baking, 1000 piece puzzles, book club and I do yoga/stretching x

There are loads of non people facing volunteering opportunities. You could do the books or admin for a charity, or look at Amnesty writing letters on behalf of people unjustly imprisoned, sending cards to prisoners etc. You could also undertake citizen science projects like wildlife surveys or using an online platform such as Zooniverse (varied mostly scientific) or Cochrane Crowd (medical)

If you can cope with a bit of face to face then being a school governor or charity trustee.

In terms of hobbies you can do gardening for not much money (and you can tailor what you do to avoid anything too physical or heavy).

You can do a lot of photography with a smartphone app these days. Enter competitions? Arts and crafts require slightly more outlay but you could get started with very little. eg watercolour set and some online classes.

Learn a musical instrument? If you could manage a brass instrument many bands will hire you an instrument and teach you for not very much money at all. There are also community choirs galore or musical theatre and am dram.

Learn a language for nothing with Duolingo and other freebie apps.

@Erinsmol
Gardening can be great fun for kids
Seeds don't cost much, you can also get plug plants if you dont want to grow from seed.
if you have a Wilkos near you their garden section is great for cheap equipment.
You can grow lots in pots and containers - tomatoes, mini cucumbers, lettuce. Peas and beans are easy to grow, look out for strawberry plants in supermarkets.
Really easy and quick for kids are cress and pea shoots, you can grow those in the trays and containers that a lot of fruit is sold in in shops. You don't need to spend a lot on containers ' I've grown stuff in all sorts of random containers.
And a sunflower growing competition is a must with kids.
There a lot of good books which will give you the basics of gardening and ideas for growing with children

Baking
Crochet
Knitting
Jigsaws
Reading
Gardening
Walking around park/lake or you could go in wheelchair.
Netflix

Jigsaws, crafts, computer games? I love getting on discord and playing games remotely with friends. Or have people over for a board game night

Ever fancied playing an instrument? Get one second hand and teach yourself with YouTube tutorials.

I'm not sure if you are wanting activities for just yourself, or both you and DD?

• Walk/wheelchair through a nearby park/forest and collect pinecones of various sizes. Cover in eco glitter and make into Christmas decorations for this year. Use as baubles with ribbon or glue around a candle/table decoration
• Do a jigsaw together
• Learn to knit/crochet using youtube and free/cheap wool/yarn from olio/ebay or charity shops
• Build terrariums using large glass containers from charity shops
• Buy adult colouring books

How far can you walk? my elderly mum can't walk far but likes to get out and about so I've been finding loads of places that we can go where she can walk between half a km and a km. Places like the local botanic gardens or the sea front or local nature reservoir. we have small flasks so take coffee and sit out - concentrating on being outside rather than distance.

I'm also building up a list of local places that lend out mobility scooters which may or may not be suitable for you. These are all free of charge, although sometimes a deposit is needed.

You haven’t said what your disability is so I’m not sure if this would apply (and no offence intended) but could you look into some disabled sports activities?

Jigsaws!

Eg I googled adult education Cambridgeshire:

www.cambsals.co.uk/

What skills and experience do you have?

@JanglyBeads I have an idetic memory and I’m good at maths, problem solving and reading people. I worked in admin when younger then as a financial analyst before becoming ill and have started an economics and finance degree mostly for fun really. I’ve learnt to play a couple of instruments while being stuck at home bored and I’ve been learning Japanese and Korean for just over a year. I’m okay at cooking and baking, terrible at anything fiddly or crafty.

I just want to get out of the house whenever I can really, but can’t commit to anything regular as I have no idea which days my body and brain will decide to stop working or how long for so flexibility is the most important thing with regards to courses.

@bonzaitree I have severe chronic fatigue brought on by Covid so this wouldn’t work for me unfortunately, but a really good idea!

@helpfulperson That’s so sweet of you to go out with your mum so that she gets a bit of joy in her day! I have no idea how far I can walk since it varies so much, I just need to make sure I can get back to my car within a couple of minutes really as my energy can and often does desert me at the most awkward times.

If you live in or near a university town, there are many free talks, Discussions, lectures music, drama events plus Free lunchtime concerts, talks and lectures in churches, museums and other places of interest. As others have mentioned, many nature reserves and gardens have shortish boardwalk Routes and Some have mobility scooters you can borrow.
These are ‘out of the house’ Activities but not commitments so unproblematic if you can’t manage to get there on the day.

Sorry to hear about your LC OP.

I think many charities or public bodies would be interested in you as a trustee/advisor or something? Mainly online, perhaps occasional f2f meetings?

Based on your last-but-one post, learn something related to computer programming? There is a massive amount of free stuff you can download and lots and lots of courses. There are also lots of websites that have computer-related challenges.