Being "bored" is the same thing as being lazy (in my book). But having a tight budget doesn't limit doing fun or productive activities. There are so many things to do for free or cheap, so being "bored" will become impossible to you.
100+ Free & Cheap Things To Do When You're Bored
- camp in your back yard and look at the stars at night
- go fishing
- use magazine to make mosaics
- go to random places to take artsy pictures
- chalk on the sidewalk
- walk the dog
- soak in a bubble bath, light some candles, and play relaxing music
- paint your nails with cool patterns and colors
- clean out and organize your bedroom (or other rooms of your house)
- gather up items to donate to charity
- plant flowers or a garden
- clean out the garage
- scrapbook
- journal, write a fictional story
- do a random act of kindness or good deed for someone
- make a music video or home video
- lay out and get a tan (wear sunscreen!)
- spend time and play with your pets
- write letters or emails to family members, update them on what's going on in your life
- catch up with old friends from high school or college
- make something completely new from scratch without a recipe book or any previous knowledge how to make it and just guess the ingredients/measurements (example: cookies, quiche, egg rolls, pie, pasta, salsa, etc). See how it turns out!
- learn a new language or re-study a language that you learned a while back but forgot most of it
- take your vitamins
- iron clothes hanging in closet that need it
- clean out and organize your game/video drawer
- pay bills and go through all of your mail, reply and send in your mailbox
- get paid to take surveys online
- make a homemade bird feeder (pinecone, peanut butter, seeds, and a string to hang in a tree) and bird watch
- order prints of photos from your camera and send to friends and family, or update your photo albums
- get a new hair style (or dye your hair back to "natural" so you don't have to spend so much money per month to keep your roots touched up)
- repair or replace something in the house that needs to be fixed or updated
- cook fancy dinner at home
- watch your favorite movie or have a movie marathon
- watch a foreign movie with subtitles
- go on a bike ride
- work out (fitness DVD, yoga, go walking, etc)
- play solitaire
- read a new book at the local library, coffee shop, on your front porch swing, in hammock, or in your favorite recliner at home
- learn new cocktail or coffee recipes
- organize storage cabinets at home
- learn how to draw people or animals
- paint a canvas (if it looks weird, distorted, or doesn't make sense, call it "modern art")
- blog
- brainstorm and record creative ideas (invention ideas, businesses you could start, names of businesses, creative advertisement slogans, skits, logo sketches, girl and boy baby names you like, list of all your favorites--food, drink, animal, color, etc.)
- tarnish your silver and gold
- sell something at a pawn shop
- send an inspirational message in a bottle at a nearby lake or ocean
- do a Bible study
- add reviews to products/services/movies/etc on the Internet
- answer people's questions on wiki.answers.com or ask.com
- watch the History channel, Discovery channel, or 60 Minutes and learn something new
- watch old Disney or childhood movies
- pick some wildflowers and put them in a small vase
- pull weeds around the garden, flower areas, and pots
- play computer games
- start recycling bins at your house, or take your recycle bins to a local Recycling Center
- clean out and organize your attic/basement
- unsubscribe from all your spam/junk emails
- update your calendar with events, birthdays, appointments, due dates, and others
- download new songs and update your mp3 player or iPod
- download random free songs from iTunes or other sites and listen to them (you may find a really good one)
- learn a new vocabulary word a day: open a Dictionary to a random page and put your finger down, study and learn the word your finger landed on.
- watch TED videos
- create a bucket list: places you want to go, goals you want to accomplish, things you want to do, foods you want to try, etc. If you have trouble coming up with ideas, look online.
- clean out your fridge or freezer
- pick berries and make berry pie or jelly
- swimming
- start a new hobby
- clean out and organize rooms in the house, donate unwanted or unneeded stuff to charity
- learn to knit or make a fleece tie-blanket
- rearrange furniture in your house or redecorate
- hand wash your car and clean the interior
- plant a small garden or try to grow a potted flower/plant
- learn a new useful task like changing your tires, learning how to drive a manual car, etc.
- pull harmless pranks on friends
- learn magic tricks
- volunteer at animal or homeless shelter
- volunteer for community service projects or help manage a 5K race
- browse around at an antique mall
- get involved at church, join bible study group or volunteer at event
- learn origami with dollar bills (great for tipping)
- go to a garage sale, or have your own garage sale
- sit in a lecture at a university and act like a student, learn from the professor
- design your dream house
- scrapbook
- have a Pinterest-Making Day (do the crafts, home décor, recipes, etc. from your boards)
- mow the yard
- water plants
- go on YouTube and try learn how to fix something that needs repair in your house
- call grandparents, siblings, or parents and catch up a little
- try new hair or makeup styles at home (only if you're not going out anywhere that day...just in case you mess up badly.)
- join a local club of interest: book, sewing, running, golf, singles, bible study, garden, etc.
- wash your dog or cat, brush the loose fur off them
- check the air pressure on your car's tires to make sure they are not too low or high
- update your GPS, laptop and computer software
- find out how to take your home and cell phone number off government and telemarketing/spam calling lists
- give yourself a pedicure and manicure
- watch Wimp.com videos
- catch up on current news
- catch up on your favorite TV shows on Hulu
- practice a song on your guitar, piano, etc. or other old talent
- do yoga or stretch for better flexibility
- sell something on Craigslist
- donate plasma
- carry around a "idea" journal and anytime you think of something innovative, important, inspirational, creative, a funny joke, a question you want to find an answer to, or anything else, write it down.
- cook a fancy dinner at home
- watch your favorite movie or have a movie marathon
...and MANY MORE! Just look around the house and see what you can do today.