[MandiD]

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 i.e. 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 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.

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 though.

[aneangel22]

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.

This is an excellent idea!

[WVHiflyer]

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!!!:)

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?

[0rphan]

Hi MandiD,

Judging by your post, you seem a very busy lady, what with working full time and your 4year old son, are you thinking of hobbies for the evenings and of course the weekends?

Evenings I'm thinking will be difficult, obviously your son will be in bed, so how about this...

I don't know where you are, but over here we have house parties, I'm not talking party as in alcohol loud music etc... but house parties where you might sell clothes... called pippidee parties,or kitchen ware,makeup or tupperware parties, even cakes.

The idea is that you put an invite through your neighbours doors, invite as many friends and family that you can... the more the merrier,and better for the outcome of your party.Everything you sell gives you a pecentage, say 20%, the more you sell the more you make for treats for yourself,plus think of all the new friends you could make.

It's nomal for people who attend your party to then book a party in their home, which obviously you get to go to... you don't have to buy anything you can just go for a gossip and a laugh, just having a general look at what's on offer that evening, all that the host needs to provide is light refreshment and maybe a biscuit what ever the preference is.

If you are all young Mums, then as you get to know each other you could maybe arrange regular baby sitting evenings, where all of you could in turn, have an evening away from the home, whether it be a film night, a quiet drink and chat at your local, late night shopping or just a refreshing walk.

At the weekends... you could take your son kite flying, every lad loves kites.Let him choose the kite if possible, take him somewhere quite high up and open, preferably the beach, if not an open field or alike away from the main road.He can take it in turns holding it using up excess energy which will make for a peaceful time later. Maybe you can takes some friends make a day of it, take lots of photo's which can be pasted in a book later,you can then make it a nighttime story by means of the days adventure.

The following week try something different... maybe a railway adventure, I'm thinking you have a local railway station, well... take books and pencils and of course the camera.Let your son draw the train, people around it, give them names,ask him to imagine where the train is going... he can make it up it dosen't matter,again take lots of photo's, ready to paste in your book for that bedtime adventure... everyweek choose something different, and before long you and your son will have had lots of very cheap entertainment, made lots of friends, whilst being out in the fresh air... now that has to be good for both of you

Hope this gives you some ideas

[mybaseballcards]

I feel that there is no better hobby than baseball cards (well maybe one that is better) and I highly recommend baseball cards. There is a link in my signature to a free community where you will find many collectors and it is free to join if you think it would be fun for your family. You could all get involved at the site, post pictures of cards, see pictures of cards, sports videos and much more. A lot of family friendly fun is there.

[tsila1777]

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).

I would like to add: some bird feeders are also cheap, but the birdseed does get expensive. Humming bird feeders are cheap and you can make the food yourself with water and sugar. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, it's 3 parts water and 1 part sugar? And you don't have to add red color, just use a red feeder or place it near a red plant. It's so much fun to watch them up close.

I live in a rural community also and I get to see rabbits, deer, squirrels, and all kinds of birds. It's very relaxing and peaceful.

[maupin]

Go to the shooting range. You don't really need to buy a gun. Some ranges let u rent them and its inexpensive to do that. However when and if you do buy a gun it can get pricy. Its fun. You could take your son too. If you don't want to because he's young wait a few years then take him. Shooting is a great hobby to get into . Just ralized you're a woman. So you might not like it. Its still a great hobby

[JudyKayTee]

go to the shooting range. you don't really need to buy a gun. some ranges let u rent them and its inexpensive to do that. however when and if you do buy a gun it can get pricy. its fun. you could take your son too. if you don't want to because hes young wait a few years then take him. shooting is a great hobby to get into . just ralized your a woman. so you might not like it. its still a great hobby

The women outnumber the men where I shoot - and you have to provide your own gun/pistol. None for "rent" or borrowing. Would sort of defeat the purpose of being a good shot if you can't get your own gun set up and adjusted to shoot.

[unluckynut]

Try cake decorating cakes, not to expensive and you can make your own birthday cakes for your children and maybe others too, And make money too. Go to wilton.com and look at the stuff. Try looking at 'Hello cupcake" book. You can sell this stuff to neighbors. Or go to work in a bakery. You'll need to make cupcakes when yoiur kids are in school anyway. It's a lot of fun and people will think your great.

[JudyKayTee]

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