“Someone else is happy with less than what you have.”– Unknown

You don’t need to spend a fortune or any money to have a good day out or at home. I’ve compiled a list of 100 fun things you can do for free that will help to keep you entertained, have fun, learn something new, or just relax. If you’re stressing about money this is a great way to think outside the box and enjoy the free things in life.

Check out your local area’s website for free things to do

A simple Google search will help you to find out free things that are going on in your local area. I used Eventbrite and found several free things that I could attend/do, there was a free yoga class, museum tour, scavenger hunt, etc.

Ready, steady, cook with things from your kitchen

Find what ingredients you have in your kitchen and challenge yourself to come up with a dish from what you have. It’s fun to think outside of the box and create something new that you’ve not made before.

Do a makeup or hair tutorial

Try a new look with your hair or makeup using a free video online, loads of celebrities are always posting tutorials on their Instagram stories or you could search for one on YouTube. It’s fun to try out a new style and won’t cost you a thing!

Watch comedy

There are loads of comedy channels and stand-up comedy performances that you can watch for free at home. Why not have a comedy night with your partner or friends and have a laugh!?

At-home spa day

Give yourself or your partner a relaxing massage, have a hot bubble bath, and do facials, pedicures, manicures, face masks, exfoliate, etc whilst listening to relaxing spa music and lighting some candles around your home.

Have a festival at home

This is a great fun activity to do with your partner or friends! Find live performances of your favourite artists on YouTube and create a playlist of your favourite songs to watch.If you have noodles, nachos, hotdogs, burgers, or anything else festival-food-like in your house, rustle these up and enjoy a few drinks in the comfort of your living room.

Learn a new language

Duo Lingo is an amazing free app that you can use to learn several different languages. It’s really fun and easy to use and you can learn a new skill in your spare time.

Have a picnic in the park

You can make a picnic for free at home using things that you already have in the house, you could have sandwiches, crisps, cakes, biscuits, fruit, pastries, etc, and grab a bottle of wine, a few cans, some squash or soft drinks that you already have. Grab yourself a bag and something to sit on and you’re all set for a lovely day relaxing in nature.

Watch a community sport

Why not get yourself along to a local football match and support your local team!? You’ll get some fresh air, and entertainment and might make some new friends while you are there. You might even be able to join the team if you’re interested.

Throw a party

You could throw a party at your house for free. Invite some friends over, make a great playlist, and free party games. I’m sure you have some booze in your house already and some snacks that you can put out, so crank up the tunes and dance the night away!

Try some baking

Why not search for some recipes online for delicious things you can bake at home for free with ingredients you have in your kitchen already? Many recipes need fewer ingredients than you think and you can make some delicious treats to enjoy.

Listen to podcasts

There are countless podcasts that you can enjoy and listen to for free. They’re great for learning something new, they’re entertaining, and can be very informative.

Browse a local market

It’s fun to go to your local market and have a nice stroll around the stalls to see what’s on offer. Lots of local markets are usually on over the weekend and it’s fun to have a browse.

Play a card game

Grab a deck of cards and search for some games online that you can play alone, with friends, or with your partner. You could also play games like Cards Against Humanity or Exploding Kittens if you already have them.

Dig out old photos

It’s fun taking a trip down memory lane and looking at old photographs of yourself. It’s nostalgic and you could share your photos with your partner if you like, which will help to bring you closer together when you share stories from the past.

Go glamping in your living room

I did this for a date night and my partner loved it! I hung a load of sheets up and put cushions and blankets on the floor. I had a fake fire on the TV and put on some nature sounds. We then sat and roasted marshmallows, drank, and played games.

Go to the beach

If you’re lucky enough to live within driving distance of the coast, you can enjoy a lovely day out walking along the beach, paddling in the sea, sunbathing, making a sandcastle, playing ball games, having a picnic, etc. It’s a great free day out where you can enjoy the fresh sea air and make fun memories with your loved ones or friends.

Try yoga or Pilates

There are loads of videos on YouTube for yoga and Pilates classes at all levels to enjoy for free in the comfort of your own home.

Take a free online class

You can learn new skills online for free from several amazing websites, Skill Share and Open Learn offer countless courses in different areas. They have free courses on blogging, cooking, mental health, leadership, web design, etc.

Go on a bike ride

It’s an amazing form of exercise and a great way to get out and about in your local area and see new things. If you don’t have a bike you could ask a family member or friend if you could lend theirs for the day and go out and explore.

Have a movie marathon

Dig out your box sets of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or whatever films you’re into, and enjoy a cosy day of binge-watching your favourite movies.

Plan a future holiday

It’s fun to plan a trip away to somewhere exciting even if you can’t afford it right now, it will give you the motivation to save and work towards getting there. Find your perfect holiday destination, activities, restaurants, and bars you want to visit when you get there and get excited about the future.

Download a free running app

If you want to get fit and motivated but need a little help or you’re a newbie to running, download the Couch to 5k app. It’s an amazing free programme that will help you to begin running over 9 weeks. There are also loads of free apps for your phone that chart how many steps you’ve done in a day and how far you’ve walked or run.

Phone someone you haven’t spoken to in a while

Reconnecting with an old friend or family member will lift your mood and improve your relationships. Why not take the plunge and call someone that you miss, I’m sure it will make your day and theirs.

Spend the afternoon colouring

We all used to love colouring as children but for some reason we stop when we get older. Grab yourself a colouring book or print a template out and enjoy relaxing.

Work on a business idea

We all have ideas for businesses that we’d love to start one day and to be able to work for ourselves. Why not spend a day brainstorming and researching possible business ideas and make a plan of how you could set up your own business!? You never know where it might lead you if you start working on your dreams!

Have a clothes swap with a friend

We all have clothes that are sitting in our wardrobes that we never wear but still feel like we have nothing new to wear. Clear out your wardrobe and find things that you could swap with a friend, it’s a great way to get new items of clothing for free and to try a new look.

Try meditation

There are loads of free meditations that you can try out on apps and YouTube. Meditation isn’t always just sitting in silence and concentrating on your breath. I prefer guided meditations that have an element of hypnotherapy in them because they make a massive impact on my mental state. Try a free trial of the Superhuman meditation app and enjoy some relaxing sitting or walking meditations.  

Go to a museum

Go to your local free museum and have a nice day out learning and discovering new things about the past that you wouldn’t normally be exposed to. You could also try out a local art museum for free and check out their new exhibitions.

Hike

Get out in nature and enjoy a hike around somewhere new in your area, it’s a great way to get exercise and see new places.

Make a time capsule

This is a fun activity that you can do for free, simply grab a box and fill it with things from the present. You can bury it somewhere and come back to it in 10-20 years and reminisce about your life. You could add a letter to your future self, photos, and objects that your future self will appreciate.

Play a game in the park

Grab your partner or your friends and enjoy a day in the park playing fun games, you could try rounders, basketball, football, volleyball, etc. It’s a great fun and free way to socialise with your friends and create memories together.

Play old video games

Dig out your old Gameboy or other games you used to love playing as a kid and enjoy reminiscing! You could also get your friends over for a games night or enjoy playing against your partner.

Play a board game

Spend the afternoon playing a board game like Monopoly, Cluedo, or Risk with your partner, family, or friends. It’s a great fun and free way to pass the time with your loved ones.

Stargaze

There are loads of free apps to download on your phone that help you to see what constellations you are looking at. Why not spend an evening wrapped up cosy and learning about the stars?

Binge-watch a TV series

Grab your old favourite boxset or start a new series on Netflix and binge-watch a good program all day in your pyjamas. It’s good to have some downtime and to do nothing for a day sometimes.

Start a blog

Have you ever wished that you could set up your website and make a blog? Why not spend a day learning how to get started on WordPress and launch your fashion, travel, lifestyle, or whatever else interests you, blog?

Go on a scavenger hunt

You can find free scavenger hunts online with a quick Google search. There are also themed ones for Valentine’s, Christmas, Easter, etc, it’s a great fun and free activity to enjoy.

Tick things off your to-do list

We all have countless things on our to-do lists that we never seem to find the time to do. A great way to spend a free day, is to get around to achieving these tasks. Not only will you be less stressed but you’ll feel really good about yourself and have a massive sense of achievement.

Take photographs

Grab your smartphone or your camera and get outside in nature or around your local city/town and start snapping away at anything interesting you see. It’s a fun, free way to spend your day and you might capture some amazing images and build memories.

Donate your old things to charity

Spend a day clearing out your wardrobe, drawers, and shelves to find things that you no longer use and give them to a charity shop. Not only will you be making more space and tidying your house but you will be giving back to people who are less fortunate than yourself, which makes you feel amazing.

Play an instrument

If you don’t have an instrument, ask a friend or family member if you can borrow theirs and watch a tutorial video for beginners, and start learning a new skill. If you haven’t played your guitar or keyboard for a while, download some sheet music and have a go learning a new song. It’s a great activity to do with your partner if you both play instruments.

Listen to music

Put on an album that you haven’t listened to in forever but you love and give it your whole attention, maybe go for a walk, a drive or have a long hot bath and blast the album. Listening to music makes you feel good and it can bring back positive memories. It’s a great free way to pass some time. Why not make a playlist with all your favourite songs and sing and dance around your house?

Watch nature programmes

You could spend a day binge-watching nature documentaries and learning more about our planet and the creatures on it. It’s a really chilled and interesting way to spend an afternoon lying on the sofa.

Paint

Grab some paper, a brush, and some paints, and try painting a watercolour of anything you like. It’s a very therapeutic and fun way to spend your day, you could do portraits of your partner or pets.

Go to a car boot sale

Go to one of your local car boot sales and have a browse around, you could also sell your things and make a little extra cash too.

Go to the library

Libraries don’t just offer books, you can find CDs, DVDs, and other materials that you can lend for free. Libraries also tend to have free talks or activities that you can sign up for as well.

Make a loaf of bread

Grab ingredients already in your cupboard and why not try making bread from scratch? It’s a great skill to have and it’s fun to bake with your partner and you can enjoy the bread with your dinner.

Try origami

There are loads of free tutorial videos on YouTube on how to make paper animals out of paper. It’s a fun and creative activity to enjoy for free.

Camp in your garden

You don’t need to travel far or pay to enjoy the camping experience. Simply set up your tent (or lend someone else’s if you don’t have your own) put your sleeping bag, pillow, and torch in, and enjoy a night of camping in your garden. You could make a fire and cook your food and s’mores, play music, play games, have a few drinks, and tell ghost stories.

Swim

Find if there are any free swimming pools around your area or go swimming in the sea or a lake. It’s a great way to get some exercise for free and it’s fun too.

Learn a card trick

Grab yourself a pack of cards and search for tutorials on how to do card tricks. Spend some time learning a new trick that you can wow your friends and family with.

Watch a theatre production

Search for free screenings of a theatre show or lend a video from someone you know and sit down with some popcorn or ice cream and enjoy the production.

Try out a new recipe

Find a recipe of something you’ve always wanted to try and make at home and spend an afternoon or evening making a meal from scratch. You can make homemade pasta with just flour, oil, and eggs which everyone tends to have in the house already and you can make a tomato sauce using tinned tomatoes, etc.

Start a journal

Journaling is an amazing way of releasing tension, stress, and emotions that are playing on your mind. It’s also a great way of figuring out what you want out of life and how you’re going to get it. Check out my journal prompts page https://livethequote.com/journal-prompts/ for journaling questions that will help you in all areas of your life!

Do a fitness video

There are countless online fitness classes that you can find on YouTube for free. You could try a HIIT workout, Pilates, yoga, Zumba, a dance class, aerobics, etc all for free, in the comfort of your own home and you’ll get an amazing workout and feel good about yourself.

Make a bucket list

Make a list of everything that you want to achieve and try before you die. It’s a fun way of setting goals for yourself and envisioning the exciting future that you can have to reach these goals. Check out my post https://livethequote.com/10-ways-a-bucket-list-will-improve-your-life/ for the top 10 reasons why a bucket list will improve your life for good!

You can make a couple’s one for yourself and your partner as well if you like, you could write things like go on holiday together, get a couple’s massage, climb a mountain together, watch a sunrise, etc, it’s a great way to plan and get excited about your lives together.

Build a fort

Why not get in touch with your inner child and build a fort in your living room!? You can then cosy up with blankets and pillows and watch your favourite show or film in the comfort of your fort.

Read a book

Grab that book that’s been sitting on your shelf for months or years gathering dust and finally sit down to read it.

Play a sport

Get some exercise and have fun for free at the same time by playing a sport like football or basketball with your friends in your local park.

Swap books, DVDs, CDs, games with a friend

Swap your media with a friend and enjoy playing a new game, listening to a new album, watching a new film, or reading a new book all for free! It’s a great way to try new genres that you might not have explored before as well.

Go to an art show opening

Search for free exhibition openings in your local area, it’s a fun way to meet new people and see some art for free. They sometimes have free wine and nibbles as well, so what’s not to love!?

Search your family tree

Ask your family about your heritage and spend some time researching your family tree and history. You never know what new and exciting things you’ll learn about your past and your family.

Sunbathe

Depending on the time of year and where you live, you can always spend a relaxing afternoon sunbathing in your garden, local park, or beach. Chill with friends and a few drinks or simply zone out by yourself with some music and get your dose of vitamin D.

Write a letter to your future children/grandchildren or yourself

Write a letter with words of wisdom and comfort to your future family or yourself. You could write on the envelope to open when… you’re getting married, you’re feeling low, etc.

Volunteer

Offer your time to a charity or local project volunteering. You’ll meet new people, help those in need, and feel good about yourself all in one. It’s also a great thing to put on your CV as well.

Learn how to juggle

Spend an afternoon learning how to juggle by watching a tutorial on YouTube. It’s a great party trick to impress your friends and you can learn for free.

Message your favourite celebrity

People used to write fan mail to celebrities back in the day, so why not send a DM to your favourite celebrity when they post something that inspires you? You never know, you might get a reply back that will make your day.

Have a candle-lit bath

Run yourself a hot bath with bath salts, a bath bomb, and bubble bath, and light lovely scented candles. Pop on some relaxing music and unwind with a glass of wine and have some pamper time for yourself.

Re-organise a room

Try your hand at Feng shui and move things around in your bedroom or living room to make a more organised and positive space. It’s relaxing when everything is in its right place and it will give a new sense of energy to a room.

Start a book club

If you enjoy reading why not start a book club with your friends, colleagues, or neighbours? It’s a good way to socialise, read new things, and learn.

Make a goals list

Think of things that you want to achieve in life, in the next year, the next 6 months, and the next week. Write down things you want to achieve with your health and fitness, finances, relationships, and mental health. It will help you to achieve your goals if you have them somewhere visible so they are always at the forefront of your brain.

Play in the snow

Depending on the time of year and where you live, enjoy the snow by having a snowball fight, building a snowman, going on a snowy walk, or sledging.

Play get to know you better games with your partner

You should never stop learning about your partner, playing get to know you better games is a free and fun way to feel more connected with your partner. Ask questions like “Would you rather have your dream job or a million pounds?”, “If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?” etc.

Attend a religious service

Even if you’re not religious it’s good to be open-minded and to learn about other people’s beliefs and practices so you can understand others more. Attending a religious service will help you to see other views and maybe meet some new people as well.

Seduce your partner

We often get too comfortable in our relationship and forget to make our partner feel special and wanted. Why not make an effort and treat your partner to some one-on-one time?

Make a YouTube video

Even if you don’t want to post your video online, it’s fun to shoot your own video with your partner or friends. You could do any kind of video you want; tutorial, interview, dance routine, etc whatever you like, simply grab a camera and have some fun!

Take a child out for the day

Take your niece or nephew, little brother or sister, cousin, or any child you know to the park or beach for the day. You’ll all have fun and it’s a great way to build relationships and memories with the little people in your life. Take a packed lunch so you don’t need to spend any money on food or drink!

Do a puzzle

Do a crossword, word search, or sudoku on your phone or in the newspaper. It’s great for your mind and a fun way to pass a few hours of your day.

Go on a walking tour of your local area

Why not search the local tourist trails and spots around your local area and spend a day exploring the sights that you often miss or take for granted? You’ll get some fresh air and exercise at the same time, as well as find hidden gems you didn’t know about.

Deep clean a room

There’s nothing more therapeutic and satisfying than deep cleaning a room in your house that’s been bugging you for a while. Clean and organise your kitchen cupboards, sort out your drawers and wardrobe, or scrub your bathroom. Once you’re done you’ll feel a lot calmer and accomplished.

Learn something new

There are loads of free courses and videos online if you want to learn something new. You could try learning a new language, sign language, or skill, like how to set up your own blog or design a website. You could also watch documentaries on a topic that interests you or loan some books from your local library for free.

Play with your pet

We’re often too busy or we forget to spend time playing with and pampering our pets. Take your dog to the beach or spend an hour playing with your cats’ toys, not only will you have happy pets but you’ll feel happier as well. If you don’t have a pet you could always offer to take your family or friend’s dog for a walk in the park. Animals make us feel happier so spend some time giving back to your furred friends.

Spend an afternoon writing

Writing is an excellent way of expressing ourselves, so why not spend an afternoon writing? You could journal, write a poem or love letter, write an article for a blog post, or start work on that novel you’ve always wanted to write.

Have a nap

There’s nothing better than enjoying a nap in the afternoon if you’re feeling tired or unmotivated. You could try a sleep app or hypnosis for free on your phone and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your day.

Clean out your wardrobe

If you’re like me you’ll have loads of things piled up that you’ve never worn and that still have the tags on them. Sort through your wardrobe and find things that no longer fit or that you won’t wear and sell them on eBay or Vinted if you want to make a little extra cash or donate them to a local charity shop if you want to give back.

Meet your neighbours

It’s good to make an effort to get to know your neighbours because you can help each other out with things you might need to borrow or help with doing things. You could form a good friendship and it’s good to have support or people you can turn to if you need them.

Prepare food for the week

Food prepping will not only help you to eat better throughout the week but it will also save you money because you’ll be less inclined to waste money on snacks or fast food you don’t need. Make meals out of ingredients you already have in the house to cut back on waste and save yourself money.

Paint a rock

I’m sure when you were younger you would have painted a rock or an egg at school. Why not get creative and get in touch with your younger self and paint a rock of your favourite animal or design?

Read blogs you like

Spend some time reading posts on blogs that you admire and learn some new things or skills along the way.

Make a homemade gift

If you’re trying to cut back on your spending but you have an occasion coming up where you need a gift, you can make a homemade gift for someone you love. People will appreciate the thought and effort that went into you making the gift, instead of just buying the first thing you see in a shop. Search for free homemade gift ideas for some inspiration online, you could make homemade cocktails, candles, jewellery, clothes, etc depending on what you already have in the house.

Learn a magic trick

Find a tutorial on how to do a magic trick and practice so you can show it off to your friends and family in the future.

Karaoke

Find karaoke songs on YouTube and make a karaoke playlist that you and your partner or friends can enjoy belting out for a fun free night in.

Learn how to knit

If you or a family member has some wool and a knitting needle, this is a great skill to have and you could create some lovely things once you’re more confident at knitting.

Have a yard sale

Why not set up your own yard sale or get people in your street to join in and make a bit of extra cash in your spare time?

Do a craft

You could make your own greeting cards that you can give to your friends and family, which are a lot more thoughtful than regular cards. You could make decorations for Christmas or learn how to cross-stitch.

Read a free newspaper or magazine

There are always free newspapers or magazines on local transport or in shops where you can find information about your local area and events that are happening. They also have recipes and other articles that may be of interest and you can do the free crossword or wordsearch puzzle.

Make a dish out of a cupboard staple

Grab the first tin that comes into reach out of your cupboard and make a dish centred around that. It’s a great way to be inventive and find new recipes that you can make from the humblest ingredients.

Have a sleepover

We shouldn’t stop having fun when we get older, get the girls around, and have a sleepover party. Get your favourite pyjamas on, pamper yourself, have picky food from the house, and watch your favourite films together.

Start a gratitude jar

At the end of every week write down something good that has happened to you on a post-it note and fold it up and put it in a jar. At the end of the year, you can open up the jar and read about what an amazing year you’ve had and everything that made you happy. It’s easy to lose sight of the good things that happen in your life and this is a great way of looking for the positives and being grateful for your life.

It is possible to have a great day without spending money and I hope my list of 100 fun things you can do for free has inspired you and given you something fun to do if you’re running low on funds or are feeling indecisive or bored.

“The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”– Plato

Follow my Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/livethequoteblog for my daily challenges and small tasks/tips to help improve your life!

Also, check out my recipe page https://livethequote.com/category/recipes/ for quick, easy, and delicious meals for every diet!