Ok, here is my basic info. I am 23 years old, I have a 4 year old son, I work full time, and I live in a rural community with little to do. I feel like I have drifted away from all of my friends and that we no longer have anything in common.

I am in dire need of a hobby. I'm not real artsy and I don't have much money.... does anyone have any suggestions for hobbies that I can easily get into that don't cost much money and where I can meet people my age?

Any ideas will be much appreciated!!!

mraquino21

I enjoy doing scrapbooking. It is a release for me and you can remember you and your families memories. They make great gifts you can find most stuff on sale print things from the computer and organize photos.

Also, I found the internet is a good source to find people like on myspace and all in fact I met my husband online.

That's just a couple of things I have more but they may or may not be for you.
Hope it helps.

supriya _82

Try visiting LibriVox It is a website which provides free downloadable audiobooks to everyone. All the books which are in the public domain ie not under copyright are read by volunteers chapter by chapter and available for any one to download. You just need a computer and perhaps a headset mic costing $25 to get you started. It will be fun if you enjoy books.

N0help4u

If you don't get much time away from your son try to think of projects you and him could do together. Scrapbooking is a good start.

Also think of your interests and things related to them.
Looking up things on the internet can be interesting too.
Like if you like watching peoples behavior you could look up psychology stuff'
or you could look up stuff on child raising & other moms


here are a couple sites you can see if you like them

Pregnancy & Parenting: For Today's Mom - iVillage

Moms Free Chat Rooms

Scottish2008

A really good hobby do do with you and your kids is putting together puzzles. Allot are cheep and you can find them almost anywhere.

jillianleab

Could you and your friends start up a reading club? Pick a book a month and get together once a week to discuss what you've read. Check online if your friends aren't readers.

What about a writing club? If you and your friends enjoy writing you can compose pieces and get together to share a critique, give advice, etc. You might be able to find on online one if this doesn't work for your friends.

Or what about a game club? A friend of mine (who is a stay at home mom) plays Bunco one night a week with other moms in her area. It gives them all time away from the kids and they have something to do together. You could do card games, board games, Bingo (my fire station does cheap Bingo every week), anything you can think of. Or just have Margarita night!

Scrapbooking is a great idea, especially since you have a child, but it can be an expensive and time-consuming habit. There are some digital scrapbooking sites which you could look into that might be less expensive. These are also good if you aren't especially crafty.

My husband and I have recently started learning French; we are teaching ourselves and it's a lot of fun. You can pick up tapes/dvds/cds from your library at no cost. This is also something your son can do with you, children are usually great at learning new languages.

Photography is another option. If you already have a camera the cost is minimal. Go to websites and learn about composition and lighting (or get books from your library) and then take your son to the park, or go for a walk yourself and start shooting. Most kids love photo shoots! If you have a digital camera, you can wait to develop the pics once you have the money to do so, and in the mean time you can just enjoy them on the computer. Set up a free Flickr account (or something similar) to share what you've done with family and friends. Once you have the money to print the pics, have them framed and hang them in your home or give them as gifts.

Hope I helped!

aneangel22

I think scrapbooking would be to expensive, my opinion. I LOVE to scrapbook but have to wait for birthday or christmas to get the necessary tools. I can go into a store and drop $50 bucks easy and still not have enough to do a page that doesn't look lifeless and corny.

If you take pictures and are looking for a bit cheaper way to get the printed, try snapfish.com. They have prints for .09 cents a piece and you can find free shipping coupons online all the time. Photography is also an expensive hobby too tho.

aneangel22

This is an excellent idea!

WVHiflyer

Since you're in a rural comm, how about bird watching, or observing other wildlife? An inexpensive pair of binoculars and even a cheap camera would be all the equipment you'd need. A 4yo should be able to enjoy it. A magazine that could help is Birds and Blooms. It is relatively inexpensive for a subscription (I think they now have web site you can check).

IM4U

If you are inclined toward elderly folk, could you visit with some of them in a nursing facility? If you are squeamish about the healthcare setting, what about a personal care type home where the people are more able. You could do this kind of thing as part of a service group from church or other community organization--or you could do it on your own.

Many confined folk need help with letter writing and other errands. Many just need someone to listen as they talk about their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!

What about being part of a support group for deployed troops? You might find on the internet how to send letters or care packages.

Giving to others has a high return emotionally for ourselves, though I think the return should not be our motive but "perk."

What about container gardening or just plain out in the yard or field gardening. Joining the Creator in utilizing His sun, water, soil, and plant food can be therapeutic, and it is part of "having dominion" over the earth as the Bible teaches. It's fun to watch behind your work and see the results.

Do some thinking about whether you prefer to work with your hands, people, or information. Something may come out of one of those categories. Also, ask folk around you about their hobbies. Well, that's what you are doing here, isn't it?