10 Fun Things to Try Under $20

Most financial advice focuses on cutting back, but a rich life requires more than just a limited budget – it requires love.

Psychologists often cite “goodness” — the act of getting better at something for the sake of it — as a key component of mental health. However, the barrier to entry for many hobbies is frighteningly high. Golf requires clubs and green fees; taking pictures requires expensive lenses; woodworking requires a shop full of tools.

Fortunately, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a new store. These low-level activities allow you to freely experiment. If you love him, you have found the love of a lifetime. Otherwise, you are out of the movie ticket cost.

1. Disc golf

If you love hiking but wish there was something more competitive, disc golf is the perfect answer. Unlike traditional golf, which requires expensive clubs and course fees, most disc golf clubs are free to play in public parks.

While serious players carry bags full of special plastic, a beginner needs only one thing: a medium disc or “putter.” You can find high-quality starter discs from major brands like Innova or Discraft for less than $15 online or at sporting goods stores. That one disc is all you need to play a full 18 holes.

2. A container garden

You don’t need a backyard to grow your own food. Container gardening focuses on growing herbs or vegetables in small pots, making them ideal for balconies, patios, or even sunny windows.

For starters, skip the fancy pottery. You can use plastic nursery pots (usually free if you ask a local nursery) or recycled food containers with holes in the bottom.

A bag of potting soil costs about $5 to $8, and seed packets of herbs like basil or cilantro usually cost less than $3. For less than $15, you can start a kitchen garden that pays for itself in fresh produce.

3. Embroidery

Embroidery has made a big comeback, shedding its old reputation for modern, often humorous designs. It’s also one of the most affordable crafts to start because the materials are incredibly cheap.

A complete beginner’s kit — which usually includes a hoop, needles, thread and fabric with a pre-printed pattern — can be found on sites like Etsy or Amazon for $10 to $15.

4. High quality birds

Bird watching used to require expensive binoculars and a heavy guide. Today, you can start with nothing but your smartphone and a free app.

The Merlin Bird ID app, created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is a game changer. Its “Sound ID” feature listens to the birds around you and identifies them in real time, displaying their names and images as they sing.

It turns a casual walk in the park into an interactive scavenger hunt. It costs $0, leaving your $20 budget completely untouched when you finally decide to upgrade to a cheap pair of opera glasses or used binoculars.

5. Origami

The ancient art of paper folding is among the most inexpensive hobbies out there. It requires zero tools – no glue, no scissors, no tape. The only material is paper.

While you can practice with printing paper, proper origami paper is thinner and holds creases better. You can buy a pack of 100 to 200 sheets for $6 to $10. This single purchase provides hundreds of hours of practice. Start with a crane or a jumping frog (tutorials are free on YouTube) and work your way up to more complex geometric shapes.

6. Wrapping

Textile arts can get expensive quickly, but crocheting keeps the initial investment low.

While you can buy premium wool later, a beginner can start with a simple aluminum hook and a skein of acrylic yarn for under $8.

If you prefer structured learning, complete starter kits – which include a hook, thread and step-by-step instructions for a specific project such as a small animal or a coaster – are widely available for less than $15. It is a practical hobby that produces visible results, such as scarves or hats, at the cost of materials.

7. Drawing in cities

Urban painting is the practice of painting on location, capturing the life of your city or town as it happens. It differs from studio art in that it emphasizes speed and perspective over perfection.

To get started, you don’t need an easel or a canvas. You need a simple sketchbook (about $8-$10) and a decent pen ($3-$5). A waterproof liner is ideal. The goal is not to create a work of art, but to document your world. It changes the way you look at your surroundings, forcing you to notice details of buildings and shadows that you previously ignored.

8. Carving soap

If you are fascinated by wood carving but intimidated by sharp tools and the cost of wood, soap carving is a great entry point. It is safe, clean and very cheap.

All you need is a bar of soap (ivory soap is the gold standard for this because it’s soft and uniform) and a simple carving tool. You can use a dedicated set of cuticle tools for under $10, or even a plastic knife or cuticle pusher in your bathroom cabinet. It is a satisfying way to learn how to think in three dimensions.

9. Calligraphy

Writing by hand seems expensive, but the barrier to entry is just one pen.

“Faux-calligraphy” or brush writing can be done with a simple brush pen, which differs from regular markers by having a flexible tip that creates thick or thin lines depending on your pressure.

A high quality Tombow pen or Pentel brush costs about $3 to $6. Pick up a smooth notepad (avoid hard paper that damages the tip) for $5, and you’re good to go. There are thousands of free practice sheets available online for you to print and follow until your muscle memory takes over.

10. Jigsaw puzzles

Puzzles provide hours of focused, meditative fun, but new sets from top manufacturers can easily run more than $25. A smart financial move is to never buy new ones.

Thrift stores and thrift stores are almost always full of puzzles for as low as $2 or $3. Since most people only assemble a puzzle once before donating it, these used sets are often in excellent condition. It allows you to cycle through complex challenges, 1,000 pens per hour.

When you’re done, you can just give it up and get a new one.