Please Help Me Find A Hobby, Preferably A Cheap And Productive One

Learn how to code. There’s a real rush figuring out how to solve a problem and see the solution immediately. It can also take up lots of time. Depending on your logical-thinking level, you can start with simple exercises like at Code.org and then see if you like that kind of thing. Of course, it could turn into a profession that’s profitable if you stick with it.

And it’s free (I assuming you already have a computer).

Jigsaw puzzles are great, but might not be enough of a “tangible result.”

Seems like you are interested in the idea of doing something with bricks, and they are available to you. What about some landscaping/making a new patio? Setting them properly might require some expenditure though on tools and material like sand as a bed.

You rejected gardening but I urge you to reconsider. I used to think I was a brown thumb too but it can be done, and you can certainly break even with care (or lose a little, but the process is worth it). Start with some really easy hardy plants like rosemary–should grow like a weed even in Missouri. Smells great, great in food. You’ll have to do a little research to figure out growing seasons and what plants work best in your area, but you already have an internet connection so no added cost! And there are probably gardening clubs in your area you can join for advice and socializing. Places like Home Depot and Lowe’s and garden centers often have classes on growing various things that will also help get you started.

And if you get good, you can grow non-food plants as well.

Just be sure to get different puzzles with the same cut pattern. :wink:

I’m addicted to sudoku. My game is always open on my laptop.

I’ll second fitness hobbies - hiking, jogging, bicycling, bodyweight exercises. All free or nearly so. Gym memberships are cheap enough ($10 a month at planet fitness) that you can take up weight lifting, too. I’m a huge proponent of the value of picking up heavy things only to put them down again. Very productive.

Sure, these may sound unproductive, but they’re less about creating something in the world, and more about creating a better you, one rep and one run and one more gram of muscle and one less gram of fat at a time. And it’s free, free! Or practically so.

Yeah, exercise will improve your whole day and over time, your whole life. If I remember correctly, OP has talked about possibly having BPD and smoking pot may be a form of self-medication against stress. Exercise is effective at reducing stress. You need to take it embarrassingly slow at first, keep turning it up a notch beyond your comfort zone and be ready to keep at it a few months to start seeing results.

You mention having no talent for art. I’d said the same thing about myself for years until I decided to just try sketching some things around me with a pencil, without worrying about how long it took, how realistic it was, or who was going to look at it. Within just a couple of weeks I was seriously surprised about the progress I made.

Give it a try, who knows?

This. You could maybe get away with a 50s style BBQ pit with chance bricks but not a bread/beehive oven. A buddy has built two now and it isn’t as cheap or easy as you would think these days. See:

I actually like the calligraphy idea. Once you get practiced and good I could see getting involved with doing some stuff for historic events/sites around you or even going into fraktur or something. I know a few people who have done things like that (from reproduction trade passes to fancy marriage certificates) and had a lot of fun at it.
And since this is where it is ------------ have you considered hookers and blow? Start small with a couple lines and some tired of ho and work your way up from there? :smiley:

Crochet or knitting. Definitely produces tangible results. I usually start people with scarves and potholders, eventually you work up to afghans, hats, socks, and sweaters. There’s an outlet for donating your work to charity rather than filling up your house - everything from little hats for newborns to items for cancer patients to nests for baby birds in rescue/rehab

You can get started inexpensively, it’s portable, and if you have the hand-eye coordination for video games you should be able to manage knitting or crochet.

I’d suggest writing too. It’s challenging enough when you’re good at it, but there’s also a certain crowd that fit within a range of mediocrity that seems to engender astonishing rates of output despite themselves. Maybe aim to be a part of that group.

Another option is 3D modelling/animation using the free software Blender.

Juggling or magic.

Get three lacrosse balls and it will keep you busy for the rest of your life. Same with a deck of cards or several coins.

Writing is a good cheap hobby. Doesn’t have to be fiction – you can write about your own experiences, your own philosophy, or anything else. Pour your brain out onto paper (or a computer screen) and see what happens.

I third “exercise.” You don’t have to hit it hard and go out for any results (muscle gain, weight loss). Just get your body moving and try to get outside.

I’ll also chime in on the exercise front: Walking, hiking, bike riding, etc. All are entertaining and will improve your mood. Best benefit is you will be healthier. My family has a history of high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as diabetes. I’m 50 and have excellent cholesterol and no signs of diabetes. My BP is borderline, but has been since I was fairly young. No prescription pills for me and hopefully I can continue that for 10-20 more years.

Someone else mentioned cooking. My wife and I cook nearly everything we eat from scratch and it is all delicious. I think it also helps contribute to our low cholesterol. But, it does take more time.

Hiking. Doesn’t cost anything to get started. If you like it, then you can buy some trail shoes.

Well I made a delicious quick bread last night, sugar-crusted cucumber-lemon loaf, which was indescribably delicious. If I do this every night I will indeed get fat(ter), as one poster suggested.

I definitely need to up my exercise game.

I think there will be a calligraphy starter set in my future.

Yes and yes.

Also, I appreciate the heads-ups about the bricks. I well and truly had no idea that this was a thing that mattered. Could have wound up with disastrous results, that.

Coloring adult coloring books doesn’t require artistic talent, but it can be creative. Blending colors and shading to get a cool effect is a skill you can learn. If you’re looking for something relaxing that helps to manage stress, this might be a good option for you. There are many, many adult coloring blogs and YouTube tutorials if you want to check it out. You could start small with a book or two and small set of pencils, then expand your supplies over time if you want to get more pencils or try gel pens, markers or pastels.

I hear you. I have a cousin that is a model, all that standing around with pouty faces. Were you modeling for TWA or something?

I think the modern term for that kind of place is" maker space" (or makerspace).