What are you going to do when you’re stuck at home and don’t want to spend a dime?
Spend money on activities? Nope, that’s not it.
You can absolutely stay entertained at home and keep your bank account happy at the same time.
Here are some of my favorite free activities and things to do at home alone!
Read a Book
I love reading! Settle in with a cup of tea, coffee, or a beer and get lost in a good book.
Reading isn’t just fun; it can also help you relax and make you smarter. Do you enjoy fiction or non-fiction? Horror or something light? Biographies or comics?
Whatever you’re into, grab a book from the library or download one to your Kindle and enjoy.
Take a Bath
Hot baths are the epitome of relaxation.
Make it feel indulgent by adding a bath bomb and a glass of wine.
If you love just sitting and unwinding, turn on some nice music and relax. But if the thought of sitting still makes you want to jump out of your skin, prop up your phone or tablet a safe distance away and watch a movie while you soak.
Dance Like Crazy
Turn up the music and let’s go! Everyone deserves a chance to dance, so let the music move you and have some fun.
Don’t worry about looking silly or being weird. No one is watching, so dance like no one’s watching, because no one is.
Take a Shower
There’s nothing like a long, hot shower to get you feeling great.
Want to level it up? Buy some eucalyptus stalks and tie them to your shower head. The scent is refreshing, turning your regular shower into a mini spa moment.
Yoga
Yoga isn’t just a form of exercise; it’s also a great stress reliever. You don’t need a fancy mat or a class membership either. Roll out a towel, pull up a free video, and stretch it out for 20 minutes.
Meditate
Sit somewhere quiet, close your eyes, and just breathe for a few minutes.
Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Even five minutes of quiet can help clear your head and reset your mood, and there are plenty of free apps and YouTube videos to guide you if you’re new to it.
Take a Nap
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is nothing at all.
Curl up, close your eyes, and let yourself rest. A good nap costs nothing and can leave you feeling like a whole new person.
Build Something
Dig through the garage or junk drawer and see what you can create.
Whether it’s a birdhouse, a shelf, or a fort with your kids, building something with your hands is a great way to pass the time and feels good to finish.
Clean Your House
I know, I know, it doesn’t sound fun.
But there’s something satisfying about a freshly cleaned space, and it’s free. Put on a podcast or your favorite playlist and knock out a room or two.
Organize Your Stuff
Tackle that closet, junk drawer, or pantry that’s been bothering you.
Organizing feels like a mini reset for your whole home, and you might even rediscover things you forgot you owned.
Cook a New Dish
Dig through your pantry and fridge and see what you can whip up with what you already have.
Trying a new recipe with ingredients on hand is a fun challenge and a great way to avoid a grocery run.
Paint
You don’t need to be an artist to enjoy painting.
Grab some paper and whatever paints or markers you have around and just create. It’s a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, and there’s no wrong way to do it.
Exercise
Get your body moving with a free workout video, a walk around the block, or even just some stretching in your living room.
Exercise is a natural mood booster, and it costs absolutely nothing.
Listen To Loud Music
Sometimes you just need to crank up your favorite playlist and let it fill the house.
Pick whatever matches your mood: an old throwback album, a pump-up playlist, even your guilty pleasure boy band phase.
Sing along, air guitar, whatever helps you shake off the day. There’s something about loud music that just shifts your whole energy, and your neighbors will survive.
Start an Indoor or Outdoor Garden
You don’t need a big budget to start growing something.
Regrow scraps like green onions, celery, or lettuce in a cup of water on your windowsill. Save seeds from peppers or tomatoes you already bought and start them in an old egg carton.
If you have some outdoor space, even a small patch of dirt can turn into a little vegetable garden with seeds you already have in your pantry.
Watching something grow is oddly satisfying, and it can save you money on groceries down the line too.
Make a Craft
Break out any craft supplies you already have and make something just for fun. Fold paper into origami, crochet or knit if you’ve got yarn lying around, or turn old magazines into a vision board.
Got kids at home? Get them involved too, glue, construction paper, and pipe cleaners can entertain everyone for hours. No pressure, no rules, just a creative outlet to pass the time.
Learn a Skill From YouTube
YouTube is basically a free classroom. Want to learn to crochet, play guitar, edit videos, speak a new language, or fix a leaky faucet? There’s a video for that, and it costs you nothing but time.
Pick something you’ve always wanted to try and give yourself permission to be a total beginner. You might just find a new hobby, or save yourself a repair bill down the road.
Face Mask
Give yourself a little at-home spa treatment. Whip up a DIY face mask with things you already have in your kitchen, like honey, oatmeal, mashed banana, or plain yogurt.
Mix it up, slather it on, and let yourself relax for 15 minutes while you sit back and do absolutely nothing. Light a candle if you have one and really lean into the spa day feeling.
Paint Your Nails
Give yourself a fresh manicure at home. Put a little Vaseline around your nails first to keep the polish from getting outside the lines, then pick your favorite color and go.
Do a base coat, let it dry, add your color, and finish with a top coat for extra shine and staying power. Turn on your favorite show while you wait for each layer to dry and make a whole evening out of it.
Write a Book
Don’t worry, this isn’t as scary as it sounds. This isn’t a book anyone else needs to read, so it doesn’t need to be good. This is just for you. Write whatever you want. If fiction doesn’t appeal to you, journal instead.
Write about your day, your goals, or things you’re grateful for. Just get your thoughts out onto the paper. No editing required, no outline required, just you and a blank page.
