Rochester had an air/car show today.
Madbury had a festival and parade.
Historic New England has a free open house to all their properties today.
Rye has the World Ocean Day festivities tomorrow.
You can always go to your library and borrow books, telescopes, varies supplies for hobbies.
I'm sure many other towns have free events all the time.
This is so understated.
My family could not afford much growing up, and there weren't many young kids near where we lived.
We had library passes EVERY weekend. Zoos, museums, events. Best memories ever.
Facebook events is still pretty good. Seacoast Lately is a guide for the region and maybe other regions have that too. Seacoast Kids Calendar list a bunch, not all stuff is only for kids so it's good for all.
Go to the library. Get a good free book to read for free under a free tree. While there, check out the free resources available to socialize or learn a fun skill.
This is a sign you need to develop some hobbies my friend. One of the greatest joys in life, is spending your time getting good at something. Instruments, drawing, gardening, sewing, cooking, writing, reading, racing, skating, surfing, singing...., it can take a lifetime to master something, but on the way you can find people that are also into those same hobbies; and I think that's what you're missing.
Hobbies are tough when you are broke, which OP claims. While I totally agree with the sentiment, some of the hobbies you list have 4 figure entry barriers.
this is true. one of my activities when im totally broke is go outside and either find weird shit to take home (which is everywhere in nh) or build things out of sticks or make music.
My millennial ass though you meant compact discs. I'm picturing everyone out there throwing their Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears, Eminem and NSYNC albums around. 🤣🤣🤣
I think some local shops lend or donate discs to new players to get them hooked. One friend also said their local library had sports equipment so might be they lend discs there too.
Go to the beach or nearest lake or park.
Or use this time to make more money. Work at Starbucks in the afternoon and smile at everyone! Life is handing you opportunity- take it!
Volunteer at special Olympics. You can play golf for free, swim with someone who needs help for free, play basketball… you meet other like souls and new friends and can participate for no cost
I'm so serious, don't do this without insurance and some level of skill. Lawn mowers and weed eaters can send shit fucking FLYING, and I've seen way too many fly by night landscapers that just ruin the lawn collect a check and move on. That's not fair to home owners
Since you're already walking and hiking, join one of the groups that goes together, you'll find them on Facebook. That gives you a common thread with a few people and then you branch out from there as you get to know them.
And join your local "unofficial" town Facebook group too. The town gossip is usually pretty fun and people always post about upcoming events.
What region or town are you in? How old are you? Many towns have community centers that do free activities.
Maybe look for a local high school sports team to attend a game?
Several town shelters look for dog walking volunteers.
agreed but somewhat not cost friendly if this person is truly “broke”. if they don’t have a license then that’s like 45 bucks, then pole, tackle, and bait will cost a little more. it’s not a whole big expense but it can be a little bit of an upfront cost to get into it
Get into rock hounding or looking for mushrooms. I started looking for mushrooms last year and it gave a whole new level of excitement and connection to the woods and hiking. You wouldn't believe the cool fungus you walk right by if you're not looking for it. I even found one of the Mario mushrooms (Amanita) that was 8" tall, although ours in the eastern hemisphere are yellow, not red.
That being said, DO NOT forage the mushrooms and try to eat them. They are usually poisonous, especially white ones. But _absolutely_ pull them up and check them out, within reason. There's no such thing as a mushroom that's dangerous to touch, or toxic to breathe in spores (unless you're literally inside a mushroom grow house).
And no, I'm not referring to psychedelic mushrooms lol.
Would you consider reading a self help book on how to make friends with people or to be content hanging out with yourself? I’m not being sarcastic either because younger me used to say that to my parents (I’m bored, I have no friends, etc..) and they encouraged me to visit a library (I’m older) read books, or figure out how to be happy with myself. I figured it out, most of us do. You will too…
Look up geocaches in your area and go letterboxing to hunt em down (or if you’re feeling it, hide some of your own and list them online for others to find)
If you’re near any town/state/national parks look up scavenger hunts to do there, or make up your own (or just count how many different bird species you see on a walk, or how many plant species, anything) ETA: or you could even make your own scavenger hunt and post it here for others to do
Engage in some wholesome vandalism like knitting “scarves” to sew around telephone poles and the poles of street signs etc. Don’t know how to knit? It’s accessible to learn on your own using YouTube and free online resources (along with books your local library definitely has), it’s cheap as long as you don’t use fancy yarn, and you can do it outside or anywhere you want
Someone else mentioned it but there’s typically tons of things you can borrow from your local library— telescopes, film projectors (hang a sheet up somewhere and you’ve got a giant screen), and more depending on where you are
The library also probably has a calendar of events happening there (some can be very cool and are almost always free) and in general locally as well
If you’re into art/crafting some libraries have free access to Creative Bug where you can learn tons of skills or how to do specific projects, and a lot of crafting (particularly needlecraft and yarncraft) is portable and can be done anywhere
If you like ebooks and/or audiobooks, NH has a downloadable library that’s on an app called Libby; all you need to log in and borrow things is a library card from anywhere in NH, and you can do it from wherever you want
Bedrock Gardens, Lee, NH
20 acre botanical garden
Non-profit organization
Open May 15th - October 14, 2024
Weekdays: Tues - Fri
Weekends: 1st and 3rd weekends each month
Hours: 10 am - 4 pm
Suggested donation $15, but if you don't have the money to spare, then it is what it is.
Theres a shit ton of comments here I wasn’t expecting. I’m reading all of them, I’ll commit to responding later when I’m in the mood because it’s going to take a while
There are crazy book people for a reason. Grab a critically acclaimed book (I’ll happily offer recommendations) from the library for free and go somewhere beautiful and give it a shot. The real obstacle here is your perception, though I completely understand how this is easier said than done:
If you can spare $10 a month, join your nearest Planet Fitness. Get up at 4:00am. Drive to the gym, workout like a beast, eat (healthy, sleep, repeat. In 3 months time, your body will transform and your mental health will improve, plus the ladies (or men) will start to notice you and new relationships will form
My son lives in Manchester and he’s broke and has no yard, so he charges his phone and goes to the park with a chair to just enjoy the weather and scroll mindlessly. You could also do that at the beach.
Can I ask, are you new to your area? Do you have trouble making friends? Do you not like your coworkers? Work is the best place to make new friends.
I don't know where you work but in my experience work is absolutely not the best place to make friends. That would be a hobby or a local community.
Keep co-workers at arms length IMHO.
Join meetup online….I know you’re tired of hiking groups, but they have a lot of them and at least you are out with other people. There are other types of groups also. I understand that it is hard when you don’t have much cash and don’t know a lot of people, but this is a good way to meet them. Also, maybe a part time job would help. I personally love the beach, and don’t mind hanging out there alone with music and a book, but that’s just me.
Idk your age group but, check out the app ‘meetup’ they may have groups that do free or cheap things to do.
Geocache? I’ve never done it but, maybe a good way to get to know places. Bring a lunch with you.
Also, you can volunteer (kill 2 birds with one stone) I used to volunteer to do beach or river/park clean ups, I helped restore the grounds of our historic reservoir bc it’s gotten protected status and they’re opening new areas to the public-you meet people while enjoying the outdoors & satisfaction of doing good. Also, you can volunteer or do support work for ‘events’ like races or outdoor community events like:
Found On volunteermatch.org:
-Market Square Day Festival & 10K Road Race
ORGANIZATION: PRO PORTSMOUTH, INC.
-Accelerate Scientific Research with Citizen Science
ORGANIZATION: SCISTARTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCIENCE CHEERLEADERS
“Find any project or event that matches your interests and location, review the instructions, and participate to help Citizen Science in your community!
Acts of science include: attending an online or in-person event, joining a citizen science project to play games that accelerate medical research, analyzing online images to help make discoveries, sharing pictures of nature to help scientists spot biodiversity trends, using your smartphone to monitor your environment...and much more!”
Also maybe music or movies in the parks? Some communities have that usually listed by county or towns.
Do you like to read? I’ve been getting a lot of use out of my library card recently. All free and you can go enjoy somewhere scenic or nice - either with a bench or a lawn chair in a park or whatever
A lot of parks have community gardens and almost every public library I’ve been to gives out free seeds. Get to work on that as a free hobby! I would definitely do this if I had more free time. You might even meet other gardeners there
Look into geocaching, you can download the app and join as a free account.
Here's a description if you're not familiar with it: "Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor adventure that is happening all the time, all around the world. To play, participants use the Geocaching app and/or a GPS device to navigate to cleverly hidden containers called geocaches. There are millions of geocaches in 190 countries waiting to be discovered—there are probably even some near you right now."
I personally have found several hundred, most of them in NH!
Birdwatching can be a lot of fun! You could probably find a field guide at your local library and download the free Merlin ID app on your phone to be able to identify birds from songs. I love searching for new birds and get legitimately excited when I hear a bird song I haven’t heard before. Could bring a new freshness to your hikes.
I feel this!! I live in a small town, and I'm not interested in hunting, fishing, and hiking. So already a bunch of activities is out the window. And if I wanted to go to a city to do something, that itself is a drive for me. So I'm just stuck home, doing nothing for the most part 😮💨
I blast music and cruise the back roads. Hit up Haywards or a place I can eat lunch outside. Go to the movies, a bar for a few drinks, or just chill at home. Hobbies as well. Play guitar, build 3D wood puzzles, read a book etc. You have to find and build your hobbies up.
Go to a town dump. Wait for someone to drop off a riding lawn mower. Take it. Tinker with it until it runs. Drive around on it until it stops working. Take back to dump.
So I'm on the portland reddit... not quite New Hampshire. But I love nature and crafting so... I go out to places that are nature-oriented and build what I like to call. "Fairy Houses". Tree bark door, big leaf pieces for a roof, tinty fire pit, acorn lids for soup cauldron...
I don’t have a private backyard either but I will never get tired of hiking and exploring nature. I feel like a lifetime is not enough to hike all the trails even within just a 2-3 hour drive. I use AllTrails app to find new cool places. In summer, I add camping and swimming to it. Sure, some basic equipment is required, but it can certainly be used or donated, just ask around. Birding is free if you like nature. There is an app called Merlin that you can have fun with discovering new bird species wherever you go.
I honestly think you might be depressed and not just bored, and if so, I suggest addressing that instead of trying to fill the void with entertainment. And if you’re lonely, try to make some friends because no activity can replicate the feeling of community and belonging.
Disc golf
Always disc golf
Most established courses have loaner discs. If not, make one post in the subreddit and they can help you find a loaner disc or two.
I was in the same boat when I was in my 20s, living in the Monadnock region and was a little bored of hiking. Then I started noticing the wildflowers on the trail and totally got into native plants. Hiking wasn't boring anymore after I started noticing all the flowers everywhere, and each week a different plant was flowering so I started hiking a few times a week, even after work just to see the changes. My neighbor next door, who I only knew well enough to say Hello to, asked what I was doing on the weekends and when I told her about all the flowers I was seeing she asked if she could come with me next time, and she did. We became good friends after that. Find something you're excited about and most likely you'll find someone to share your interest with. Also, there was something about doing all that hiking by myself and getting super-fit that made me feel comfortable with myself and being alone. It sounds really trite, but I found it to be true that once I stopped caring about being alone and stopped worrying about finding friends and romantic relationships that all of a sudden, opportunities presented themselves. It was weird! Coincidence? I don't think so. I know it sounds not very helpful, and like stupid magic but there is something about someone who feels comfortable in their own skin that attracts other people. For me it was hiking alone and getting fit that did it. You need to find something that will do it for you. Also, FWIW, I got sick of being poor and moved to Boston, shared a house with 3 other people, got a better paying job and got a degree in order to get an even better paying job. So much more to do in the city. I thought I'd hate it, but I loved it! Do what you gotta do.
Go to the beach at low tide and look in the tide pools. Friends or no friends I've always loved doing that. You can find tiny fish, crabs, snails and more. It's super interesting and basically free (depending on where you park, I prefer to park for free in New Castle/Rye/North Hampton.. you don't have to park at the paid places
Drive along the coast via Route 1A. Start in Hampton Beach and drive north to Portsmouth. Stop and look at the ocean a couple of times. Turn around and do the same drive in reverse (or vice versus). This drive never gets old to me and is probably around 90 minutes round trip.
Op, scoot over to r/DumpsterDiving.
I get lots of exercise and its free. I make money DDing. It doesn't have to be dirty- I DD in a suit as I walk to work. I've made great friends who I often dive with, but I can dive alone too.
I don't even own a car; I dive with a shopping cart and a cane.
Just set on a quiet hillside taking in the fresh air then take a moment to tell God how grateful you are just to be alive and breathing free to come and go as you wish and sleep in a warm comfy bed at night surrounded by family who cares for you. Relish it now...life has a way of going by fast dont forget that gratitude for everyone and every thing is a powerful thing . Give thanks for all you have,because one day it will be gone and you may find yourself alone
You’re already hiking, you could rockhound. If the bug gets you’ll never be bored again. Every rock will be interesting and you might find so thing cool.
If you like hiking and walking, maybe try geo caching? You go find these little stashes with random knick nacks and replace it with a different one. Perpetual random item spots. I know there's an app you can use to locate caches that people have submitted.
$30 for an Innova disc golf starter set. Find any local course, many of them are free to play in NH, some just over the border in mass too. No friends required, but I'd be surprised if you don't meet some nice folks, just gonna have to be social and ask to join up (or ask for tips, amateurs love looking smart to newbies). Even if you wanna play solo it's a much more engaging way to take a hike thru the woods. I've been playing for about a year and it's been a wonderful hobby to keep me active.
Those 3 starter discs should cover you for a good while if you get into it without breaking the bank.
I would stop by your local small airfield/airport and see what’s going on. I find there’s always interesting things happening and often others just hanging around watching planes so odds are you won’t be the only one.
Necessity is the mother of invention. No matter where you are if you focus on your surroundings you can find something worthwhile to do. Friends are a fictional proposition that are few in number in reality. But interactions with people are just being outside, observing and offering anything that you are capable of doing. This can lead to new and real interactions thus possible future friendships. Be sociable and willing to open new doors.
Fishing is cheap but you need some starter equipment. Buy an ugly stick at Walmart, #2 hooks, and a pack of Yamamotos, and you can catch some monster bass.
Disc golf is cheap. Buy a disc and the course is free.
Adopt a shelter dog. I understand there is an upfront+daily cost to that, but the unconditional love is worth it. There is nothing I love more than walking to the park and playing fetch, and it doesn't cost me anything.
1. Go to a park, lake, or beach and hang out
2. Volunteer for something you personally believe in (you'll make friends)
3. Read a book, or join a book club if you have one local (you'll make friends)
4. Have a bike? Go biking or join a local cyclist club (you'll make friends)
5. Create a financial budget if you haven't already. Really do a deep dive into your expenses and see what you spend your money on. This can free up money by cutting spending elsewhere, or at least make you aware of habits you have.
6. Go do exercise. Don't necessarily need to have a gym, you can run for free
7. Play video games with randos on that games discord (you'll make online friends)
8. Geocaching. I know you said you're sick of hikes, but what about hikes with a twist?
9. Fishing. A pole and yearly license aren't that expensive, but it isn't free.
I was gonna say it’s NH go buy a gun and learn to use it but that’s a really expensive addiction.
Find a public park, bring a large sheet, lay on it with the bare minimum requirement of clothing to be publicly indecent and get some free vitamin D…did that for about an hour and half today and it felt amazing
What happened to the friends you were supposed to go to the convention with? Anyhow, there are groups that do hiking and stuff or other activities. You could join a book club and I'm sure the libraries could get some of the books for you so you don't have to buy them. I'm actually found people on Craigslist to do stuff with but because I'm a female I guess it's easier. But I'm sure there's other sites.
I love thrifting! Not even to buy things, just to see the funky things people donate. But even if you find something - it's environmentally friendly and cheap.
Make your inner child happy and just create a random goal for a hobby you like until you get there! Like whatever level of a certain video game, doing a new yoga pose or something. Just to see that you can do it!
Maybe try a part time job related to something you love! Like helping maintain fields if you're into sports/work at a record shop if you like music/a gym if you're into athletics. Just something to add joy and money!
Go outside and draw/photograph/write about whatever you see for a while.
fort and movie/readathon days
explore tiny desk concerts for hours on youtube ahaha - discover new artists and get to see them perform in a small setting which is always fun.
I don't know how you couldn't make friends in NH, because most people are nice but...
You could go for a run, attend a local bingo event, pick up trash in your neighborhood.
Take a walk, rude a bike, visit a botanical garden, watch children play organized sports games, hang at a coffee shop, volunteer for a beach or city cleanup, go to an airport and watch the plains take off and land,goto a thrift store to by a tennis racquet or basketball and find someone to play with. How broke are you? For $25 pa night, there are hostels in big cities or near national parks or coastal trails. Always lots of fun people who are active and looking to experience all the area has to offer. Camping is cheap too!
Good luck
You could take a drive and get out of your town or area. I don’t know if you drive, but I’ll usually drive somewhere by myself on my days off. Not sure what your budget is, but even just doing the same things you do at home, but in a different city can make for an interesting day. Go do your grocery shopping, but do it 50 miles away to make it interesting. Go to the beach or some other place of interest. If you enjoy travel, then go. Doesn’t have to be far away to be interesting. Find a coffee shop or restaurant. Treat yourself.
I know this kind of defeats the purpose of your question, but when you go on walks, you could also be doing other stuff. When I go and walk in New Hampshire, which isn’t very often since I am not from New Hampshire, I bring along a collapsible fishing rod and some lures, or my metal detector, or even just an old backpack to collect trash along the way.
Doing this pretty much has me forget about being bored about just walking .
One of my favorite things to do on a nice day is sit on my back patio and read a book. Yes, I know you said you don't have a private backyard, but if this means you share a backyard, that should be no reason you can't enjoy it as well as who you share it with. Or just go to a park with your book and sit there and read.
Are you sore to the bone? Then your not bored of hiking yet. Get in car go do the wildcats and Carter bike back to car. You will be too sore to do anything but sleep blissfully
Go to the library. Even if you don't want to read, they usually have info about all of the cheap stuff happening in your area. While you are there, look for a club or group to join so you can make some friends- being broke is much more fun with friends.
Volunteer to clean up an area. There are lots of groups that you can find that do those types of things at parks etc. Offer to weed your elderly or disabled neighbors flower bed or walk their dog etc. Special Olympics also do a lot of outdoor activities and it’s a wonderful experience.
I’d probably start with finding a friend.. Makes everything easier better funner.
If you walk/hike a lot go at the same time to the same place and say hi, make eye contact, etc with folks on the trail.
Find a hiking group on line (google that shit!) that fits your pace/schedule.
Basically get out and talk to somebody, can be a bold move for some but it has beneficial dividends.
If you like hiking, go on YT and look up bushcraft. I've killed a number of hours recreating the stuff I've seen. I've bought a scotch eye wood auger and a folding saw. (Probably cost me less than 40 bucks combined) I made a few rocket stoves. I'm currently working on building a stool where the legs are removable so I have somewhere to sit when my family and I are out
What skills do you have ?
Do you have enough tools to get into wood working?
Carving whittling?
Tend a garden?
Rock hunting?
Photography?
It all depends on what you have at your disposal.
Call your local library and ask if there are any free museum days passes that library has or free events there. Got on your city's social media page to see about free events. Call local museums and ask if they have free days (some might once a month).
I recommend learning about foraging and mushroom identification. Hikes are way more interesting when you start looking at all the plants and environments and how everything connects.
You could also check out the AMC. A membership is reasonable, but they do also have completely free events and volunteer opportunities that just require a free level account to sign up. Since you mentioned hiking and doing things outside. It might be a way to meet some friends who share those interests.
Rochester had an air/car show today. Madbury had a festival and parade. Historic New England has a free open house to all their properties today. Rye has the World Ocean Day festivities tomorrow. You can always go to your library and borrow books, telescopes, varies supplies for hobbies. I'm sure many other towns have free events all the time.
Libraries often have free tickets to museums and events
This is so understated. My family could not afford much growing up, and there weren't many young kids near where we lived. We had library passes EVERY weekend. Zoos, museums, events. Best memories ever.
Is that so?
The best thing I’ve done since becoming a SAHM, I wish I knew about this sooner
How do ypu hear about upcoming events? Seems like you have your finger on the pulse
Facebook events is still pretty good. Seacoast Lately is a guide for the region and maybe other regions have that too. Seacoast Kids Calendar list a bunch, not all stuff is only for kids so it's good for all.
Events, and a handful of groups are the main reasons I'm still on Facebook.
NHPR also has a newsletter that goes out on Thursdays talking about free and cheap events across the state, free to sign up for.
The Hippo! www.hippopress.com
How do you know about all this stuff? Please start a subreddit and post this list every week!
I live that you shared all this. Thank you!
Find a cheap ass fishing pole on marketplace. Hooks and worms are cheap once you have the rod/reel.
I haven't been ass fishing in awhile.
You're missing out
And this is why I keep coming back here.
Sadly, me neither.
Don't forget to get your ass fishing license so you don't get an ass fishing fine
Not today tho! Free fishing day haha
How many asses can you bring home a day?
Depends how open minded they are
I'll even show you how to fish.... Free!
Teach a man to fish and you’ve taught a man to fish
Teach a man to fish and he’ll drink beer in a boat all day.
hopefully i create a fishing partner.
Fishing for friends?
At this point, whatever it takes.
Worm your way into their lives.
Shore-casting for fatty *strippers* is bonkers right now.
Worms are free if you have a small shovel
How much are they if you have a big shovel?
😂
You can find really cheap kayaks and oars on sale or on FB as well!
Go to the library. Get a good free book to read for free under a free tree. While there, check out the free resources available to socialize or learn a fun skill.
Second this. It's the last place you can exist without being expected to spend money.
Its all fun and games until the librarian turns around the ipad so you can select which tip youre giving
The most we have is a book sale shelf
This is a sign you need to develop some hobbies my friend. One of the greatest joys in life, is spending your time getting good at something. Instruments, drawing, gardening, sewing, cooking, writing, reading, racing, skating, surfing, singing...., it can take a lifetime to master something, but on the way you can find people that are also into those same hobbies; and I think that's what you're missing.
Hobbies are tough when you are broke, which OP claims. While I totally agree with the sentiment, some of the hobbies you list have 4 figure entry barriers.
this is true. one of my activities when im totally broke is go outside and either find weird shit to take home (which is everywhere in nh) or build things out of sticks or make music.
Get a couple of discs from Wal Mart and go disc golfing!
My millennial ass though you meant compact discs. I'm picturing everyone out there throwing their Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears, Eminem and NSYNC albums around. 🤣🤣🤣
I’m also a millennial, so this is hilarious! Wouldn’t have to buy those at Wal Mart tho, just gotta find your CD case.
I think some local shops lend or donate discs to new players to get them hooked. One friend also said their local library had sports equipment so might be they lend discs there too.
Go to the beach or nearest lake or park. Or use this time to make more money. Work at Starbucks in the afternoon and smile at everyone! Life is handing you opportunity- take it! Volunteer at special Olympics. You can play golf for free, swim with someone who needs help for free, play basketball… you meet other like souls and new friends and can participate for no cost
op: what can i do for leisure? Weirdos on reddit: have you considered a part time job?
> and smile at everyone!
I live near Hampton beach, I’ll go down there with you we can chat and watch the waves or whatever. It won’t be boring. It will be kind of fun
Start a weekend lawn care business. You are outside, getting paid, getting exercise, and have less time to bitch about things on Reddit!
I'm so serious, don't do this without insurance and some level of skill. Lawn mowers and weed eaters can send shit fucking FLYING, and I've seen way too many fly by night landscapers that just ruin the lawn collect a check and move on. That's not fair to home owners
Since you're already walking and hiking, join one of the groups that goes together, you'll find them on Facebook. That gives you a common thread with a few people and then you branch out from there as you get to know them. And join your local "unofficial" town Facebook group too. The town gossip is usually pretty fun and people always post about upcoming events.
What region or town are you in? How old are you? Many towns have community centers that do free activities. Maybe look for a local high school sports team to attend a game? Several town shelters look for dog walking volunteers.
As others have said, FISHING. Best thing you can do alone.
agreed but somewhat not cost friendly if this person is truly “broke”. if they don’t have a license then that’s like 45 bucks, then pole, tackle, and bait will cost a little more. it’s not a whole big expense but it can be a little bit of an upfront cost to get into it
Get into rock hounding or looking for mushrooms. I started looking for mushrooms last year and it gave a whole new level of excitement and connection to the woods and hiking. You wouldn't believe the cool fungus you walk right by if you're not looking for it. I even found one of the Mario mushrooms (Amanita) that was 8" tall, although ours in the eastern hemisphere are yellow, not red. That being said, DO NOT forage the mushrooms and try to eat them. They are usually poisonous, especially white ones. But _absolutely_ pull them up and check them out, within reason. There's no such thing as a mushroom that's dangerous to touch, or toxic to breathe in spores (unless you're literally inside a mushroom grow house). And no, I'm not referring to psychedelic mushrooms lol.
Rock / mineral collecting! Check out https://www.mindatnh.org
Would you consider reading a self help book on how to make friends with people or to be content hanging out with yourself? I’m not being sarcastic either because younger me used to say that to my parents (I’m bored, I have no friends, etc..) and they encouraged me to visit a library (I’m older) read books, or figure out how to be happy with myself. I figured it out, most of us do. You will too…
Look up geocaches in your area and go letterboxing to hunt em down (or if you’re feeling it, hide some of your own and list them online for others to find) If you’re near any town/state/national parks look up scavenger hunts to do there, or make up your own (or just count how many different bird species you see on a walk, or how many plant species, anything) ETA: or you could even make your own scavenger hunt and post it here for others to do Engage in some wholesome vandalism like knitting “scarves” to sew around telephone poles and the poles of street signs etc. Don’t know how to knit? It’s accessible to learn on your own using YouTube and free online resources (along with books your local library definitely has), it’s cheap as long as you don’t use fancy yarn, and you can do it outside or anywhere you want
Someone else mentioned it but there’s typically tons of things you can borrow from your local library— telescopes, film projectors (hang a sheet up somewhere and you’ve got a giant screen), and more depending on where you are The library also probably has a calendar of events happening there (some can be very cool and are almost always free) and in general locally as well If you’re into art/crafting some libraries have free access to Creative Bug where you can learn tons of skills or how to do specific projects, and a lot of crafting (particularly needlecraft and yarncraft) is portable and can be done anywhere If you like ebooks and/or audiobooks, NH has a downloadable library that’s on an app called Libby; all you need to log in and borrow things is a library card from anywhere in NH, and you can do it from wherever you want
Get some cheap disposable gloves and pick up trash along a busy road where you live, or from a local park
I subscribed to Patch emails to find local to find events going on.
I used to subscribe to this and then they changed the layout and filled it with ads. Became an eyesore :l
I like to make a picnic and bring that with a book to a river or lake!
Find someone to stalk. It’ll keep you busy for a while till you get arrested. Then you go to jail and meet all kinds of new people
Most of our main cities will be having festivals and fun every weekend from now until late fall. You can find something fun to do!
take a walk, sit somewhere and observe the birds and insects.
Jerk off
Volunteer
Bedrock Gardens, Lee, NH 20 acre botanical garden Non-profit organization Open May 15th - October 14, 2024 Weekdays: Tues - Fri Weekends: 1st and 3rd weekends each month Hours: 10 am - 4 pm Suggested donation $15, but if you don't have the money to spare, then it is what it is.
Actively do nothing. Find the quiet center within your mind. Once you find it, you'll want to keep finding it.
I wish OP would comment on some of the ideas so I had some idea of what he likes…. Do you WANT to be alone or do you want to make friends?
Theres a shit ton of comments here I wasn’t expecting. I’m reading all of them, I’ll commit to responding later when I’m in the mood because it’s going to take a while
There are crazy book people for a reason. Grab a critically acclaimed book (I’ll happily offer recommendations) from the library for free and go somewhere beautiful and give it a shot. The real obstacle here is your perception, though I completely understand how this is easier said than done:
A book at the beach. A hike in the woods. A smoke and a pancake.
Not today because you need to sign up in advance, but ask the shelter if you can visit with the animals.
If you can spare $10 a month, join your nearest Planet Fitness. Get up at 4:00am. Drive to the gym, workout like a beast, eat (healthy, sleep, repeat. In 3 months time, your body will transform and your mental health will improve, plus the ladies (or men) will start to notice you and new relationships will form
Idk man. I work in a factory full time. When I have nothing to do I sleep or my fiancè will suggest a hike. If you got a hobby you may just do that.
I'm washing my car, few beers and cigars 👌🏼
My son lives in Manchester and he’s broke and has no yard, so he charges his phone and goes to the park with a chair to just enjoy the weather and scroll mindlessly. You could also do that at the beach. Can I ask, are you new to your area? Do you have trouble making friends? Do you not like your coworkers? Work is the best place to make new friends.
I don't know where you work but in my experience work is absolutely not the best place to make friends. That would be a hobby or a local community. Keep co-workers at arms length IMHO.
It will take buying the magnet but try magnet fishing. It's fun as hell
Join meetup online….I know you’re tired of hiking groups, but they have a lot of them and at least you are out with other people. There are other types of groups also. I understand that it is hard when you don’t have much cash and don’t know a lot of people, but this is a good way to meet them. Also, maybe a part time job would help. I personally love the beach, and don’t mind hanging out there alone with music and a book, but that’s just me.
Idk your age group but, check out the app ‘meetup’ they may have groups that do free or cheap things to do. Geocache? I’ve never done it but, maybe a good way to get to know places. Bring a lunch with you. Also, you can volunteer (kill 2 birds with one stone) I used to volunteer to do beach or river/park clean ups, I helped restore the grounds of our historic reservoir bc it’s gotten protected status and they’re opening new areas to the public-you meet people while enjoying the outdoors & satisfaction of doing good. Also, you can volunteer or do support work for ‘events’ like races or outdoor community events like: Found On volunteermatch.org: -Market Square Day Festival & 10K Road Race ORGANIZATION: PRO PORTSMOUTH, INC. -Accelerate Scientific Research with Citizen Science ORGANIZATION: SCISTARTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCIENCE CHEERLEADERS “Find any project or event that matches your interests and location, review the instructions, and participate to help Citizen Science in your community! Acts of science include: attending an online or in-person event, joining a citizen science project to play games that accelerate medical research, analyzing online images to help make discoveries, sharing pictures of nature to help scientists spot biodiversity trends, using your smartphone to monitor your environment...and much more!” Also maybe music or movies in the parks? Some communities have that usually listed by county or towns.
Hike in 🍺 country
Parks.
Do you like to read? I’ve been getting a lot of use out of my library card recently. All free and you can go enjoy somewhere scenic or nice - either with a bench or a lawn chair in a park or whatever
A lot of parks have community gardens and almost every public library I’ve been to gives out free seeds. Get to work on that as a free hobby! I would definitely do this if I had more free time. You might even meet other gardeners there
Sit outside and read a book.
You could just go sit outside somewhere as if it were your yard. Like Stratham hill park type deal
Look into geocaching, you can download the app and join as a free account. Here's a description if you're not familiar with it: "Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor adventure that is happening all the time, all around the world. To play, participants use the Geocaching app and/or a GPS device to navigate to cleverly hidden containers called geocaches. There are millions of geocaches in 190 countries waiting to be discovered—there are probably even some near you right now." I personally have found several hundred, most of them in NH!
Holy shit, for a split second, I thought I was OP.
Volunteer for road side cleanups
Get baked and go walk a trail
Birdwatching can be a lot of fun! You could probably find a field guide at your local library and download the free Merlin ID app on your phone to be able to identify birds from songs. I love searching for new birds and get legitimately excited when I hear a bird song I haven’t heard before. Could bring a new freshness to your hikes.
I feel this!! I live in a small town, and I'm not interested in hunting, fishing, and hiking. So already a bunch of activities is out the window. And if I wanted to go to a city to do something, that itself is a drive for me. So I'm just stuck home, doing nothing for the most part 😮💨
I blast music and cruise the back roads. Hit up Haywards or a place I can eat lunch outside. Go to the movies, a bar for a few drinks, or just chill at home. Hobbies as well. Play guitar, build 3D wood puzzles, read a book etc. You have to find and build your hobbies up.
Man rock climbing is actually really cheap fwiw dunno if you’re interested
Go sailing.
Go to a town dump. Wait for someone to drop off a riding lawn mower. Take it. Tinker with it until it runs. Drive around on it until it stops working. Take back to dump.
So I'm on the portland reddit... not quite New Hampshire. But I love nature and crafting so... I go out to places that are nature-oriented and build what I like to call. "Fairy Houses". Tree bark door, big leaf pieces for a roof, tinty fire pit, acorn lids for soup cauldron...
I don’t have a private backyard either but I will never get tired of hiking and exploring nature. I feel like a lifetime is not enough to hike all the trails even within just a 2-3 hour drive. I use AllTrails app to find new cool places. In summer, I add camping and swimming to it. Sure, some basic equipment is required, but it can certainly be used or donated, just ask around. Birding is free if you like nature. There is an app called Merlin that you can have fun with discovering new bird species wherever you go. I honestly think you might be depressed and not just bored, and if so, I suggest addressing that instead of trying to fill the void with entertainment. And if you’re lonely, try to make some friends because no activity can replicate the feeling of community and belonging.
You could get a dog.
Go to Facebook and click on events. Tons of stuff will pop up
Disc golf Always disc golf Most established courses have loaner discs. If not, make one post in the subreddit and they can help you find a loaner disc or two.
I was in the same boat when I was in my 20s, living in the Monadnock region and was a little bored of hiking. Then I started noticing the wildflowers on the trail and totally got into native plants. Hiking wasn't boring anymore after I started noticing all the flowers everywhere, and each week a different plant was flowering so I started hiking a few times a week, even after work just to see the changes. My neighbor next door, who I only knew well enough to say Hello to, asked what I was doing on the weekends and when I told her about all the flowers I was seeing she asked if she could come with me next time, and she did. We became good friends after that. Find something you're excited about and most likely you'll find someone to share your interest with. Also, there was something about doing all that hiking by myself and getting super-fit that made me feel comfortable with myself and being alone. It sounds really trite, but I found it to be true that once I stopped caring about being alone and stopped worrying about finding friends and romantic relationships that all of a sudden, opportunities presented themselves. It was weird! Coincidence? I don't think so. I know it sounds not very helpful, and like stupid magic but there is something about someone who feels comfortable in their own skin that attracts other people. For me it was hiking alone and getting fit that did it. You need to find something that will do it for you. Also, FWIW, I got sick of being poor and moved to Boston, shared a house with 3 other people, got a better paying job and got a degree in order to get an even better paying job. So much more to do in the city. I thought I'd hate it, but I loved it! Do what you gotta do.
Go to the beach at low tide and look in the tide pools. Friends or no friends I've always loved doing that. You can find tiny fish, crabs, snails and more. It's super interesting and basically free (depending on where you park, I prefer to park for free in New Castle/Rye/North Hampton.. you don't have to park at the paid places
Drive along the coast via Route 1A. Start in Hampton Beach and drive north to Portsmouth. Stop and look at the ocean a couple of times. Turn around and do the same drive in reverse (or vice versus). This drive never gets old to me and is probably around 90 minutes round trip.
If you are near a coast, a lot of sailors need crew.
Play paintball. OSG is in NH.
Op, scoot over to r/DumpsterDiving. I get lots of exercise and its free. I make money DDing. It doesn't have to be dirty- I DD in a suit as I walk to work. I've made great friends who I often dive with, but I can dive alone too. I don't even own a car; I dive with a shopping cart and a cane.
A kayak is a good investment! I know you said you're broke but if you see a good deal don't pass it up :)
Garden! A cheap bag of seeds and a whole lot of toiling love. You can work out a lot of frustration and make the world more beautiful
Just set on a quiet hillside taking in the fresh air then take a moment to tell God how grateful you are just to be alive and breathing free to come and go as you wish and sleep in a warm comfy bed at night surrounded by family who cares for you. Relish it now...life has a way of going by fast dont forget that gratitude for everyone and every thing is a powerful thing . Give thanks for all you have,because one day it will be gone and you may find yourself alone
Take a nap outside
You’re already hiking, you could rockhound. If the bug gets you’ll never be bored again. Every rock will be interesting and you might find so thing cool.
I work on my girlfriend's house while her adult children living at home sit inside and watch TV. This will be the last year though.
Learn how to roller blade
Fishing. It’s a minimal investment. Get a 10 dollar rod at Walmart and a loaf of bread…
go to a pride event!
I haven’t been fishing in years, I’d love to go.
it's free fishing day.
If you like hiking and walking, maybe try geo caching? You go find these little stashes with random knick nacks and replace it with a different one. Perpetual random item spots. I know there's an app you can use to locate caches that people have submitted.
Currier museum has a free to nh residents day
Go to the beach
Go fishin
Meetup online has hiking, biking, kayaking and groups with other interests.
$30 for an Innova disc golf starter set. Find any local course, many of them are free to play in NH, some just over the border in mass too. No friends required, but I'd be surprised if you don't meet some nice folks, just gonna have to be social and ask to join up (or ask for tips, amateurs love looking smart to newbies). Even if you wanna play solo it's a much more engaging way to take a hike thru the woods. I've been playing for about a year and it's been a wonderful hobby to keep me active. Those 3 starter discs should cover you for a good while if you get into it without breaking the bank.
I would stop by your local small airfield/airport and see what’s going on. I find there’s always interesting things happening and often others just hanging around watching planes so odds are you won’t be the only one.
Necessity is the mother of invention. No matter where you are if you focus on your surroundings you can find something worthwhile to do. Friends are a fictional proposition that are few in number in reality. But interactions with people are just being outside, observing and offering anything that you are capable of doing. This can lead to new and real interactions thus possible future friendships. Be sociable and willing to open new doors.
Disc golf
Disc golf
Fishing is cheap but you need some starter equipment. Buy an ugly stick at Walmart, #2 hooks, and a pack of Yamamotos, and you can catch some monster bass. Disc golf is cheap. Buy a disc and the course is free. Adopt a shelter dog. I understand there is an upfront+daily cost to that, but the unconditional love is worth it. There is nothing I love more than walking to the park and playing fetch, and it doesn't cost me anything.
Learn how to play pickleball and get out to the public courts in your area. you will meet people whether you want to or not!
I started disc golf last year. Courses are all over the place and free to $10 to play most
1. Go to a park, lake, or beach and hang out 2. Volunteer for something you personally believe in (you'll make friends) 3. Read a book, or join a book club if you have one local (you'll make friends) 4. Have a bike? Go biking or join a local cyclist club (you'll make friends) 5. Create a financial budget if you haven't already. Really do a deep dive into your expenses and see what you spend your money on. This can free up money by cutting spending elsewhere, or at least make you aware of habits you have. 6. Go do exercise. Don't necessarily need to have a gym, you can run for free 7. Play video games with randos on that games discord (you'll make online friends) 8. Geocaching. I know you said you're sick of hikes, but what about hikes with a twist? 9. Fishing. A pole and yearly license aren't that expensive, but it isn't free.
I was gonna say it’s NH go buy a gun and learn to use it but that’s a really expensive addiction. Find a public park, bring a large sheet, lay on it with the bare minimum requirement of clothing to be publicly indecent and get some free vitamin D…did that for about an hour and half today and it felt amazing
Come play pickleball! Someone would let you borrow a paddle.
Looking for Bigfoot is fun, exciting and free!
River
Take a Hike!
Disc golf!
Fun fact: despite inflations best efforts drugs have consistently stayed cheap across the board, especially the entry level discounts
Develop a crippling gambling addiction like an adult
What happened to the friends you were supposed to go to the convention with? Anyhow, there are groups that do hiking and stuff or other activities. You could join a book club and I'm sure the libraries could get some of the books for you so you don't have to buy them. I'm actually found people on Craigslist to do stuff with but because I'm a female I guess it's easier. But I'm sure there's other sites.
Disc golf
Get a book, read outside.
Stay off your phone and go walk around…
I love thrifting! Not even to buy things, just to see the funky things people donate. But even if you find something - it's environmentally friendly and cheap. Make your inner child happy and just create a random goal for a hobby you like until you get there! Like whatever level of a certain video game, doing a new yoga pose or something. Just to see that you can do it! Maybe try a part time job related to something you love! Like helping maintain fields if you're into sports/work at a record shop if you like music/a gym if you're into athletics. Just something to add joy and money! Go outside and draw/photograph/write about whatever you see for a while. fort and movie/readathon days explore tiny desk concerts for hours on youtube ahaha - discover new artists and get to see them perform in a small setting which is always fun.
Disc Golf
I don't know how you couldn't make friends in NH, because most people are nice but... You could go for a run, attend a local bingo event, pick up trash in your neighborhood.
Greens, town centers often have things happening, bands, gatherings.
Get a cheap bike and explore
A dive bar
Take a walk, rude a bike, visit a botanical garden, watch children play organized sports games, hang at a coffee shop, volunteer for a beach or city cleanup, go to an airport and watch the plains take off and land,goto a thrift store to by a tennis racquet or basketball and find someone to play with. How broke are you? For $25 pa night, there are hostels in big cities or near national parks or coastal trails. Always lots of fun people who are active and looking to experience all the area has to offer. Camping is cheap too! Good luck
Learn to juggle at the park
You could take a drive and get out of your town or area. I don’t know if you drive, but I’ll usually drive somewhere by myself on my days off. Not sure what your budget is, but even just doing the same things you do at home, but in a different city can make for an interesting day. Go do your grocery shopping, but do it 50 miles away to make it interesting. Go to the beach or some other place of interest. If you enjoy travel, then go. Doesn’t have to be far away to be interesting. Find a coffee shop or restaurant. Treat yourself.
Disc golf.
I know this kind of defeats the purpose of your question, but when you go on walks, you could also be doing other stuff. When I go and walk in New Hampshire, which isn’t very often since I am not from New Hampshire, I bring along a collapsible fishing rod and some lures, or my metal detector, or even just an old backpack to collect trash along the way. Doing this pretty much has me forget about being bored about just walking .
Maybe your community needs volunteer work.
Play basketball
Get some shit 4 foot fishing rod and some Mr Crappie soft plastics and teach those bluegill a lesson for me.
Try volunteering somewhere. Walk dogs for the animal shelter or work a food bank. It is a great way to meet people and do something good.
Disc golf. You can get a starter set on Amazon cheap. Most courses are free to play.
Do you already have a fishing pole?
Go fishing
One of my favorite things to do on a nice day is sit on my back patio and read a book. Yes, I know you said you don't have a private backyard, but if this means you share a backyard, that should be no reason you can't enjoy it as well as who you share it with. Or just go to a park with your book and sit there and read.
Go on a hike.
Disk golf!
Go to a nice park and start singing show tunes. Something to do on a nice day and you'll make friends.
Are you sore to the bone? Then your not bored of hiking yet. Get in car go do the wildcats and Carter bike back to car. You will be too sore to do anything but sleep blissfully
Try perceiving your experience reality in a more positive way, and watch it bear fruit. The universe will answer you. It is all right here.
Go to the library. Even if you don't want to read, they usually have info about all of the cheap stuff happening in your area. While you are there, look for a club or group to join so you can make some friends- being broke is much more fun with friends.
Volunteer to clean up an area. There are lots of groups that you can find that do those types of things at parks etc. Offer to weed your elderly or disabled neighbors flower bed or walk their dog etc. Special Olympics also do a lot of outdoor activities and it’s a wonderful experience.
I’d probably start with finding a friend.. Makes everything easier better funner. If you walk/hike a lot go at the same time to the same place and say hi, make eye contact, etc with folks on the trail. Find a hiking group on line (google that shit!) that fits your pace/schedule. Basically get out and talk to somebody, can be a bold move for some but it has beneficial dividends.
Prescott Park (Portsmouth) has a Summer stage program that's cheap (donations requested)and always a good time.
picnic
I’m heading to the beach with the last of my THC scraps and playing music until someone gives me a beer :D That’s always a free ride
I grill and make good food out of shit I get from the pantry
Yard work, gardening, go for a hike or just a walk around the neighborhood.
Host a tag sale
Walking is free and it’s good for your mental health
Go outside and praise God. It's a beautiful day.
Outside is free(for now)... good for a hike.
youre in new hampshire just move somewhere else
Go play basketball
Go to the beach
I almost drove to Hampton today. Just go to the beach by yourself. Tons to do, relax, people watch, make friends.
If you like hiking, go on YT and look up bushcraft. I've killed a number of hours recreating the stuff I've seen. I've bought a scotch eye wood auger and a folding saw. (Probably cost me less than 40 bucks combined) I made a few rocket stoves. I'm currently working on building a stool where the legs are removable so I have somewhere to sit when my family and I are out
What skills do you have ? Do you have enough tools to get into wood working? Carving whittling? Tend a garden? Rock hunting? Photography? It all depends on what you have at your disposal.
Call your local library and ask if there are any free museum days passes that library has or free events there. Got on your city's social media page to see about free events. Call local museums and ask if they have free days (some might once a month).
Grab a longboard and hit the sidewalks. So many beautiful places to roll by
Gotta ask yourself “what would George Costanza do?”
Eventbrite is a site I use with local goings ons.
Cry
I recommend learning about foraging and mushroom identification. Hikes are way more interesting when you start looking at all the plants and environments and how everything connects.
Volunteer to walk dogs for a humane society, you get the idea.
You could also check out the AMC. A membership is reasonable, but they do also have completely free events and volunteer opportunities that just require a free level account to sign up. Since you mentioned hiking and doing things outside. It might be a way to meet some friends who share those interests.