What do you do in your spare time? It is easy to indulge and treat yourself, but your bank account doesn’t reap the same benefits that you do. If you’re finding yourself with more spare time than usual, the impact can be even greater, and the novelty of having nothing to do soon wears off. Fortunately, we have come up with a list of worthwhile things to do in your spare time that won’t break the bank.
Spring clean
It doesn’t sound exciting, but it is a great use of time. Being productive and organising your house, office or garage is extremely satisfying, and even helps reduce stress. Tidy house, tidy mind!Set exercise goals
The sofa can’t be your best friend forever, so use your new-found spare time to set realistic exercise goals. Working on your health through exercise is a brilliant long-term option if you have too much time on your hands.Start a blog
A blog can be an excellent way of documenting your feelings and memories as well as offering advice, tips, and entertainment for others. Or, if you’re more of an offline kind of person, write a diary - whatever comes more naturally to you.Plan a trip
It doesn’t have to be exotic, but planning trips is an exciting task, and an active use of time. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to visit a nearby city, or somewhere further afield. If so, use your free time to bargain-hunt - you’ll thank yourself later!Read
This might seem like an obvious choice, but it’s a classic for a reason. Having a time-out and losing yourself in a book is not only intellectually stimulating, but it can be pretty enjoyable too. Plus, if you sign up to your local library it’s free!Join a club
It can be daunting being the new person in any social situation, but that fear quickly disappears, and joining a club or team brings long term benefits. Making friends for life, learning new skills and developing passions, are all potential benefits from investing your free time at a local club.Learn a new language
This seems like a big commitment, but it is certainly do-able and an extremely handy life skill. There are many cheap or free apps to get you started. Once you’re on your way, take weekly classes, watch Friends in Spanish and change your Facebook language settings; you’ll be fluent in no time.Catch up with friends and family
We all know that life gets in the way, and it’s easy to realise you have drifted apart from those you were once close to. It’s extremely refreshing to rebuild friendships, so use your spare time to catch up over a coffee. You could always catch up to play one of the best board games of all time.Experiment with food
Cooking is something that may feel like a chore, but if you do it properly it can be thoroughly enjoyable. Find recipes that you’ve never tried before and expand your taste buds, and your cooking skills. We’re sure your family will love you for it!Volunteer
Volunteering is a superb way of spending your free time. Making the time to help others is not only extremely beneficial to them, but also to you. Give back to your community and make a difference to those around you - The Army Cadet Force is the perfect option. Find out more about the benefits of volunteering and why it’s worth giving up your spare time for.
If you want to find out more about how you can transform the lives of young people, visit our volunteering page to find your local detachment and get involved.