Guest Article: Top Stress-Relieving, Money-Saving Hobbies Anyone Can Learn
I'm pleased to present an article written by Julie Morris. Julie is a life and career coach who reached out to me to inquire about writing an article for the blog. Since I've not had a guest writer on this blog, I was open to the idea. In the article, she encourages everyone to pursue their interests, regardless of age or budget.
Top Stress-Relieving, Money-Saving Hobbies Anyone Can Learn
You’re never too old or young to learn some new skills. Hobbies can be effective stress relievers, but they can also provide many other benefits as well. Best of all, by using the internet, you can find ways to save on all of the supplies, lessons, and classes you need to explore some new passions. Here are some budget-friendly hobbies to get you going.
Expand Your Mind with a New Instrument
You may already love listening to music, but did you know that learning to play music can enhance your mind’s ability to function? In addition to enhancing cognitive function, picking up a new instrument has also been connected to better memory retention. If you are ready to get grooving, try looking for a used instrument in good condition. You can also save money on instruments by choosing less expensive options or renting one until you can afford your own. Once you have your instrument of choice in-hand, you can find lessons locally or even look to websites such as Groupon for discounted classes. If you already have an ear for music, you may even be able to use online tutorials to teach yourself how to play.
Enhance Your Body with a New Sport
If you love being part of a team and staying active, then you can pick up a new sport for a hobby. These days, you can find a local soccer, softball, or even a kickball league, or you can have fun playing with friends. If you prefer to work with a smaller group, golf, swimming, or tennis may be better for you. If you need to grab some new sports gear, you can do that without breaking your budget as well. Retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods typically offer online promo codes, coupons, and online savings to help you save on all of your purchases. If you sign up for a site such as Ebates, you can even earn 1.5 percent cash back on fitness or sporting gear.
Cut Out Stress with Arts and Crafts
For those looking for stress relief, art can be a welcome escape from everyday tension. Art therapy is even used by some counselors and health centers to help relieve depression and anxiety in patients. Best of all, art really doesn’t take any special skill or talent to enjoy. You can look for online tutorials to teach you painting techniques or other art skills, but all you need is some free time, an open mind and some basic supplies. Luckily, stores such as Michaels offer coupons to help customers save on their craft needs. If you want to create with friends, check out sites like LivingSocial for deals on paint and pour events and other art classes nearby.
Grow Joy and Healthy Food with Gardening
To save money on a hobby and healthy food all at once, look into gardening. Growing a container garden can be fairly simple, and you don’t really need expensive supplies to get one going. You can up-cycle old dishes, furniture, and containers to create a unique garden. If you do need to purchase soil, seeds, or gloves, get online and search for sales and specials from retailers such as Ace Hardware to keep yourself on budget. To get your friends in on your new hobby and help your neighbors in the process, you can even consider starting a community garden. There are hundreds of gardening and organizing tips online to help you get started, and some stores may even offer special discounts and grants to offset costs.
Learning a new hobby or skill shouldn’t eat up your savings. With a few tricks, you can save money on everything you need to learn a new hobby with friends or pick up new skills online.
Photo Credit: Pixabay