If you’re financially wiped out from buying holiday gifts, going on a vacation or whatever you’ve been spending your money on lately, you may be looking for something fun to do in your free time that costs nothing.
“You don’t have to spend a fortune to have fun,” says Katie Ross, executive vice president of the national nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling. Ross is well versed in helping people budget better and stay out of debt.
So if you’re looking for activities that are fun and free, consider these eight ways to entertain yourself.
1. See What Your Community Has to Offer
Most communities, if they’re on the ball and active, have holiday goings-on. Maybe there’s a holiday parade or a free festival coming up.
“If you join local Facebook groups or check your city’s website, you should be able to find lots of information about free, fun things to do so that you don’t overspend or break the budget,” Ross says.
[Read: How to Make a Budget — and Stick to It.]
2. Work on Your Family Tree
For a lot of people, the holidays are all about family, and Clémence Scouten, a family history specialist and Philadelphia-based owner of Memoirs & More, helps people publish books about their family histories.
Even if you don’t go as far as writing a memoir or a family history, which could be a fun and meaningful holiday gift, Scouten says there are a lot of fun things you can do alone or with your kids.
“Work on a family tree together,” Scouten says. “Draw it. Do it in PowerPoint. Include photos of people. Draw countries of origin.” If you need to do more research, check out a free genealogy website, she says, such as FamilySearch.org
She also suggests holding a storytelling hour during which you tell family stories. You could interview grandparents on the phone. “Record them if you can,” Scouten says.
If you don’t have kids or they’re out of the house, Scouten says this is a good time to consider how you store and display family photos and documents. “You could create an e-collection to share with the whole family,” she says.
3. Do Some Good in the World
While any day of the year is a good time for charitable acts, people often tend to think about volunteering or donating around the holidays.
VolunteerMatch.org lists many causes and organizations that adults and teenagers can work with. Simply type in your ZIP code to see a slew of volunteer opportunities. Depending on what’s available in your neighborhood, you could do anything from volunteering for hospice to tutoring low-income students to driving seniors around in your community.
4. Reconnect With a Friend or Family Member
This is definitely a good time to reach out to a pal or family member with whom you’ve lost touch. You could go the old-fashioned route with a phone call, or schedule a video chat or plan something in person. It’s always nice to visit an older relative who doesn’t get much company, or hang out with one you like a lot but rarely see.
[READ: How to Save Money: 10 Expert-Backed Ways]
5. Take a Nature Hike
“Putting one foot in front of the other on a hike is one of the least expensive and healthiest forms of recreation there is. You can find a recreation area just about anywhere, and after you acquire the essentials, the gear will last a long time,” says Jeff Alt, Cincinnati-based author of hiking books, including “A Walk for Sunshine” and “Get Your Kids Hiking.”
“Much research has emerged about the mental health benefits of walking and immersion in nature. A walk in the woods keeps my body fit, enhances my positive thoughts, inspires my creativity and helps to de-stress me from the daily grind,” Alt says.
If it’s too cold out where you live, you can always go to a nice, warm mall to get your steps in.
6. Check Out Library Events
Libraries often hold free workshops and presentations on everything from nature to genealogy. But during the holidays, libraries really shine.
You’re likely to find that your local library is offering workshops on topics such as holiday cookie decorating and handmade decorations and cards. You might even geta visit from Santa Claus or a free book as a Christmas gift.
7. Do Some Holiday Baking
You’ll have to spend some money at the supermarket for this one, but unless you’re baking dozens and dozens of cookies, you’re probably not going to spend a fortune. You can create great memories if you bake with children, and you can pay it forward by gifting the sweets to family, friends and co-workers.
[RelatedThese Are the 10 Cheapest Grocery Stores in the U.S.]
8. Go on a Holiday Lights Drive
Some places charge you to drive through their displays, but you can probably find a nearby neighborhood with holiday lights you can look at for free. There’s almost always somebody around who goes crazy with the lights and tries to outdo everyone within a 100-mile radius. Go drive by that house, marvel in appreciation and be thankful you don’t have to pay that electric bill.
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8 Fun and Low-Cost Holiday Things to Do originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/04/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
