99+ Productive Things To Do With No Money (& Have Fun)

Has your mind drawn a blank?

You’re desperate to be doing SOMETHING but you have no money.

Are you supposed to just sit there like a couch potato watching TV? Only you’ve just got rid of cable and Netflix and don’t have Amazon Prime so……

You’re stuck at home bored, with no money and what you really want is a list of fun things to do without spending money, that are fun, productive and give you a real sense of achievement.

Not too much to ask is it?

you can have fun without spending money

Having no money doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun or stop doing everything. Far from it.

You can start doing so many productive and useful things that will improve your happiness, your finances and can also be fun! All without spending any money.

These are all free things to do that don’t require money, they are all free activities, apart from spending your time and energy.

I’ve compiled this huge list of things to do that don’t cost money especially for you, and I will keep adding to it as I think of yet more free activities.

I want you to see how there are many things to do instead of spending money. Free activities that are productive, fun and that you can do without spending any money at all, you won’t have time to get bored at home.

To make your life easier, because it is a very long list, I’ve loosely sorted them into fun things and productive things to do when you have no money and are bored.

If you’re keen to work on one area, why not click on the links below and have a look for inspiration?

(This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read more here)

Things to do without money – for your money

1. Choose A Savings Goal

Spend time talking to your partner or kids and think about something you’d like to save up for. Then set yourself a target of say 3 months or 12 months to achieve it.

Why not use the savings tracker in the Money Saving Mini Bundle? It’s FREE!

2. Create Your Survival Budget

This is your budget when the sh*t hits the fan. Like losing your job.

Not for the fainthearted but a great thing to have ready prepared in your back pocket to whip out if the worst happens.

Read my post on why you need a 2nd tight budget for detailed advice on what to include and how to create your survival budget. Includes a free budget template!

3. Develop your personal finance knowledge

The more you know about finance, the more you can make the most of your money by saving it, planning retirement and improving your financial situation.

There are probably a million and one books on personal finance and unfortunately most of them are pretty boring! These are my favorite books on money and finance that are both useful and interesting.

The Best Personal Finance Books

These are best personal finance books I recommend to anyone who wants to grow their knowledge and take control of their money. Try and buy a used copy - it's good money sense!

4.. Have A Bill Lowering Session

Want ideas on productive things to do instead of spending money or leaving home?

Pull all your recurring bills out, such as utilities, car insurance and home insurance and shop around to see if you can get them lower.

Remember there is no existing customer loyalty these days, indeed you’ll likely pay more if you never switch.

5. Create Your Financial Goals

Financial goals are often the difference between being successful with your money and not.

Financial goals are your chance to sit down and think about what you want to achieve with and for your money.

Save more money, buying a house, retiring early, paying for your children’s college education. These are all goals that need writing down and focusing on.

With focus you can achieve them. Without focus you are making it doubly hard to get there.

chalk board with money saving written and coffee cup

5. Create Your Monthly Budget

If you don’t already have one (you really should!) then now is the time to face the task head on and get it done.

Your budget doesn’t limit you, it frees you. It tells you how much you can spend.

Related posts:

How To Budget Your Money When You Don’t Know How

How To Save Money WITHOUT A Budget

How To Live Fabulously On A Budget (And Save Money)

5a. cancel Unwanted and underused subscriptions

Make sure you are only paying for memberships or subscriptions for things you are actively using and can justify the expense to your self.

Ask yourself these 3 questions:

  1. Do I get value from this service (or product)?
  2. Can I find it cheaper?
  3. Do I need it or can I do without it for now?

Cancel any that fail these questions. An even better way is to get TRIM to do this for you. Trim is a virtual personal assistant that constantly works to save you money.

Need to cancel your old subscriptions? TRIM can do this for you. Need to set spending alerts to keep your spending on track? TRIM can do this for you.

advert banner for TRIM financial

6. Track What You Spent Last Month

Recording what your spend every month is extremely eye-opening. I spent how much on chocolate?!

Pull out all your receipts, your bank and credit card statements for the last calendar month and list everything you have spent into categories such as:

  • Food
  • Eating Out
  • Fun
  • Clothing
  • Kids
  • Haircuts and Beauty Treatments
  • Don’t knows

Is everything as it should be? As you would want it to be? Are you happy with how much you spend on food? On eating out?

If you are overspending, here is your evidence of where your money is going.

Related posts:

30 Budgeting Mistakes I Have Made – And The Solutions You Should Use

How To Fix Budgeting Mistakes Right Now – 5 Simple Steps

7. Have A No Spend Day

When you’ve got no money, not spending is obvious. But we often still fritter a few dollars here and there. A no spend day is just that. For 24 hours don’t spend a single cent. Easily done. Or is it?

desktop with calculators pens and pencils, dollar bills and bank statements

8. Plan Your Retirement Income

Check out how much your pension is going to pay you when you reach retirement age. Then check what social security payments you will be entitled to.

Finally, consider whether these two amounts combined are enough for you to live comfortably on.

If not, now is the time to start thinking about saving for your retirement, maybe by embracing frugal living.

For loads more tips on managing your money check out this post: 40 Financial Experts Divulge Their Best Money Management Tips

9. Join A Money Saving Challenge

Challenges are a great way to save money. They are a target you are aiming for and who wants to miss a target?

You have a specific time frame in which to save money and an amount to achieve each week or month.

Related posts:

10 of the Best 52 Week Money Challenges For You

25 Best Money Saving Challenges To Boost Your Wealth

large jar with money in with saving on sticker

10. Unsubscribe Your Email

If you’re anything like me you will get a ton of emails every day that either you don’t read or don’t want.

Emails from your favorite stores can be hard to resist. Spend 30 minutes and unsubscribe from as many as possible. And get rid of all your trash emails right now.

11. Take An Online Course

There are hundreds and thousands of free online courses available that you can complete without spending money! Choose one that focuses on increasing your knowledge, learning a foreign language or perhaps learning a new skill.

12. Tackle A No Spend Challenge

A no spend challenge of a week or longer really focuses you on NOT spending money.

It’s hard to do but fantastic to achieve. It helps to plan ahead, think about what your week or month will involve.

woman sat on the floor with notepad using calculator

13. Organize Your Documents

Clear out your paperwork drawer and organize your personal documents so you can find them easily. Personal documents such as your I.D. docs, tax return paperwork, insurance certificates.

When you are looking for things to do when you have no money, this is the perfect task. I allocate spending time on tasks like this a wet weekend. It’s not exactly fun but it’s productive and useful for keeping on top of your financial life.

14. Organize Your Online Presence

Photos that you uploaded whilst you were at college or under the influence of alcohol are permanently available for friends, your kids and more to see until you actively choose to delete them.

Now would be a good time to do so – especially if you are actively searching for jobs (employers often check social media profiles).

woman sat at desktop on laptop

15. Review Your Online Name

Have you ever googled online for your name? You might just want to do so so you know what others see online if they decided to google you.

16. Backup Your Computer

If your computer was stolen or broken beyond repair you would still want access to the photos and documents it stored.

Backing up, ideally to a cloud, will ensure you have access should the worse happen.

17. Organize Your Laptop

Folders, files and desktop icons all get very cluttered over time.

And we have to make do with a slower computer and taking more time to find files because of this clutter.

Get rid of as many files and folders on your desktop, they belong in your drive not saved directly to your desktop.

(Mr2p is a nightmare for this, thankfully I don’t have to share a laptop with him!)

Arch of coins going between piggy bank and coin pile - productive things to do

Productive Things To Do with no money To Make money

18. Consider Turning Your Hobby Into A Cash Machine

Many hobbies have the potential to earn you extra money. Many from the comfort of home and without any real investment except spending time mastering your skills.

Check out my post on hobbies to make money from for lots of inspiring ideas.

Scan your receipts

Fetch Rewards is a free grocery savings app that rewards you just for snapping pictures of your receipts.

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Use code “APREWARDS” to redeem 3K points!

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Get a KashKick

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All you need is a few minutes and an internet connection.

From answering surveys to watching videos, there are always great, easy tasks for you to choose from with KashKick. Complete as many as you’d like – there’s no limit!

Your insights help companies grow, so they are happy to pay you for your time and effort.

KashKick offers the lowest payout thresholds on the market, and we deposit your money quickly, securely, and conveniently – starting at just $5 at a time.

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Sign up to Reward Survey

Get $30 in Reward Points to spend IMMEDIATELY! Get $30 to spend on great rewards for sharing your opinion

Surveys takes only minutes to complete, plus no credit card information is needed.

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get started with Survey Junkie

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This is your opportunity to be an influencer (and make a little money). Share your opinion to help brands deliver better products & services.

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19. Sell Your Stuff

Unless you are a minimalist, you’re likely to have stuff hanging around the house you no longer use. You could get a double win if you decluttered your home and sold these items.

You can sell locally on Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Craigslist, Gumtree and no doubt other places.

20. Sell Other Stuff

If you found selling your own stuff easy, why not go one step further and find other things to sell to make money?

Rob, from Fleamarket Flipper, has been buying and reselling/flipping since 1996 and now does it full time. He describes flipping as:

“the art of finding things that nobody else sees value in and selling them for a profit”.

Rob has written an ebook on how to find free stuff to flip. It’s a great introduction into the world of flipping used items for profit.

And his free book is the perfect place to start if you want to make some extra money but don’t have money to invest right now.

If you love finding a real bargain and like the idea of making money from your thrifting skills then you should sign up for Rob’s free 75 minute workshop.

In the workshop Rob talks you through how to turn your bargain finding passion into a business in as little as 14 days.

You can sign up here.

21. Become A Delivery Person

You don’t need a car to be a delivery person, indeed in a city it’s often easier to get about on your bike, and quicker.

Sign up for services like UberEats, Uber and DoorDash to make some extra cash.

22. Rent Out Your Home

No matter where you live, someone is likely to want to stay in your location for a night or more.

So why not at your house? You can rent a room or your whole house out via Airbnb.

For more ways to to make money check out my post on How To Make 300 Dollars Fast: 30 Proven Ways

red piggy bank with train of coins to a house to signify things to do without money

23. Rent Out Your Driveway

Renting out your driveway is easy to set up online and can bring in some adhoc money for you. People will pay you because they save money on the bigger cark parks that charge a premium.

I use JustPark when I am driving into London. I book a driveway via their app and rock up a few hours later.

24. Rent Out Your Car

You can even rent out your car these days. Why not make a little money if you are not using it?

25. Organize A Yard Or Car Boot Sale

When you are selling your stuff, sometimes it’s easier to do it on one day. Plan when you are going to hold your sale and how to advertise it.

Think about your prices, too high and you’ll be left with stuff you don’t want, too low and you’ll be giving it away.

26. Write An Ebook

Ebooks can be written and hosted directly with the likes of Amazon. Many ebooks are on a niche/small subject and can be as little as 25 pages long.

27. Investigate Work from home opportunities

If you are interested in flexible work from home jobs and making money from home then why not spend some productive time investigating the different ways you might do so?

pastel colored houses with a restored classic car in front to show things to do with no money

Being productive around the house instead of spending money

28. Do Your Laundry

You’ve got some time, so do some laundry. Reducing your laundry pile will give you a sense of satisfaction, especially if you do the ironing as well! Ironing might not be top of your list of fun things to do but you’ll be happy you did it.

29. Do Some Cleaning

Take a room at a time and give it a really good clean. Dust, shake out cushions, purge bookcases and wash down skirting boards.

30. Meal Prep For Next Week

Save time in the evening by having a meal prep session on a free weekend. You could batch cook a big dish of something or do 2 or 3 different dishes.

Portion them out and you’ve got meals ready prepared for the week ahead.

Learn how to prep 10 freezer meals in just 1 hour

Myfreezeasy are budget friendly recipes and designed to be prepped and in the freezer in just 1 hour.

Myfreezeasy meal plans come with videos, shopping lists and simple to follow directions to get your bulk meal prep done in no time at all.

You can try Myfreezeasy for free when you join the Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop

When you join the workshop you will also get a free sample freezer meal plan to try it out for yourself.

advert for freezer cooking workshop

31. Prep Tomorrow’s Clothes

Organize what you are going to wear tomorrow and iron it ready for the morning. You can have an extra 5 minutes in bed as treat.

line of glass jars filled with homemade preserved vegetables and fruits to show things to do with no money

32. Pack Tomorrow’s Lunch

Get ahead of yourself by organizing, making and packing tomorrows lunch today.

Because you are not doing it last minute you have the opportunity to make a really yummy lunch.

33. Create An Emergency Kit

We all have the odd power outage but sometimes they can last longer.

Gather together essentials for an emergency kit in case you lose power or water, think water purification tablets, food, candles, radio etc.

34. Put Together A First Aid Kit

When you have a first aid emergency, however small, the last thing you want is to be scrabbling around looking for antiseptic ointment, plasters and the like.

Create a basic first aid kit and keep it somewhere accessible.

white kitchen with steel appliances and breakfast bar - productive things to do with no money

35. Clean Your Fridge

Cleaning your fridge is probably at the bottom of any bucket list you have but fridges attract smears and droplets from goodness knows where. Pull everything out and give all the shelves and boxes a good wipe down.

36. Organize Your Closet

Closets get jumbled real quick. Give yours a tidy up and you’ll find things you thought were lost. I actually find clearing out my closets one of those weird but fun things to do, because of the things I find when I do.

37. Organize Your Junk Shame Drawer

We all have a shame drawer full of junk that somehow accumulates and never gets sorted. It’s bits of this and bits of that.

Take 10 minutes, be ruthless and clear the junk.

38. Give The Dog A Bath

Giving a dog a bath after a muddy walk is not going to be at the top of your list of fun things and probably gets rushed. Take some time when the dog isn’t muddy to give him a decent wash and dry.

shiny red watering can with pin flowers in on a red gingham check cloth to show things to do that don't cost money

39. Clean Your Garage

Garages can be a haven for anything that doesn’t fit in your house anymore. The result being a crowded garage full of STUFF. Clear it out.

If you haven’t used it in 6 months, take it down the dump, sell it or offer free to a good home.

40. Clean Your Jewelry

Jewelry, whether it’s the real deal or just fashion items, can get tarnished and faded. Give them a clean and shine them back up to their former glory.

41. Mow Your Grass

In the summer grass grows at such a rate you could cut it every couple of days. The smell of freshly cut grass is evocative of summer, mow yours today and enjoy the smell.

42. Create An Evacuation Bag

This is not an emergency kit, it’s more a ‘get the heck outta here right now’ bag. One that should be handily placed to grab and run.

Read this post from DollarsandDebts to find out why having an evacuation bag is not fun but a really a very good thing.

green piggy bank among grass and coins - productive things to do with no money

43. Weed Your Garden

Weeds grow like anything. If you leave them too long they’ll seed and then you’ll be fighting weeds for the next 7 years.

44. Plant Vegetables

You can gain the benefits of growing your own with just a few pots on a balcony. If you have a garden, create a couple of beds and plant vegetables that you like to eat.

One packet of tomato seeds will see you over run with tomatoes if you planted them all (I advise not).

45. Shine Your Silver

Or brass or any other metal ornaments. Silver becomes dull with time and exposure to air as do other metals.

Polish your ornaments and buff them up to a lovely shine.

purple flowers cascading out of white window boxes on window sills with white wooden shutters

46. Finish An Unfinished Project

You start a project with the best of intentions and then run out of time. Now is the time to finish that project off, sit back and admire your handiwork.

47. Sow Some Flower Seeds

There’s nothing better than a garden full of color. You can gather seeds for free from the seed heads of flowers and save for next season.

Sow now and you’ll have new plants and flowers within 8 weeks.

48. Research A New Project

DIY projects are great for spending quality time learning a new skill and improving your home. Check out cool ideas on Pinterest and choose your next project, or visit your local library to check out a DIY book or two.

string tied soap bar with notebook and red flowers

49. Make Soap

Making your own soap and choosing your favorite scents is a great de-stressor. Home made soap can also be very eco friendly as your soap is not bought wrapped in plastic and you control the ingredients.

If you have all the ingredients there is no need to spend money. Otherwise do the research and plan your soap making for when you can spend money on buying the right ingredients.

This is a great guide for beginners.

50. Declutter One Room

Many of us buy things and then can never quite bring ourselves to throw things away when they have either lost their usefulness or we admit we don’t need them anymore.

Declutter things that are either surplus to requirements or no longer bring you joy. Double up on your productivity and sell the things you no longer want.

Related post: How To Declutter Your Home FAST When You Ain’t Got Time For That!

51. Rearrange Your Furniture

You might be on a money saving mission but you can still update your home. Rearrange your furniture and you can end up with a completely different look.

Don’t limit yourself to within room arranging. Consider moving furniture between rooms for very different looks.

fresh green dining room with table laid out and white flowers in jar to show things to do that don't cost money

52. Sew On A Missing Button

We all have those small little sewing tasks that hang around for ages just waiting to be done.

It’s not that they are difficult, it’s just they are so small it doesn’t seem worth getting started. Now is a good time so you don’t spend money doing something else.

53. Change Your Pictures

Most of us have a number of family photos proudly displayed around our home. How often do you update them though?

Take time to go through family photos and pictures and update them for more recent fun ones.

54. Create A Favorite Recipes Folder

Pull together your favorite recipes into one place so you can access them easily whenever you are looking for inspiration.

bowl of blueberries and raspberries on white background to show things to do that don't cost money

55. Try Out A New Recipe

Don’t feel you need to stay with the same recipes you have always you used. Check out my Pinterest recipe board for ideas and try something different.

56. Use 5 Ingredients From Your Cupboard To Create A Meal

Think outside the box, create a meal using just 5 ingredients and be inspired by your creation.

Some of the tastiest meals have only 5 ingredients (or less!) and your cupboards have food you should use instead of buying more from the grocery store.

57. Plan Your Next Vacation

Try researching destinations that are off the beaten track. Your next vacation does not need to cost a lot, indeed it could be as cheap as chips!

Try to find the cheapest, most obscure location and research the area for free and fun things to do.

Related post: How To Save For Your Dream Vacation This Year

children lying in grass with daisies in their toes to show things to do that don't cost money

Get Healthy without spending money

58. Learn Something New

Use YouTube videos to learn something new. Why not check out ideas on how to cut your own or your partner’s hair? That’s a great money saving skill to have. You could cut your friends hair too!

59. YouTube Fitness

Using YouTube videos again, find a free fitness workout that suits you and do it. Incorporate it into your weekly routine and you’ll feel the benefits after just a couple of weeks.

60. Research Local Sports Clubs

Find out what sports club operate in your local area and join one. It could be running, tennis, squash or bowls.

No need to spend money, most clubs offer their first taster session for free to see how you like it.

61. Create Your Own free HIIT Routine

Recently Mr2p and I decided we needed to focus more on our fitness. We already do a fair amount of walking (16-20 miles each week) but little else.

So this month we are following this 5 minute HIIT routine three times a week.

62. Train Your Brain

Spend 10 minutes a day and do some brain training.

Spend 10 minutes a day and do some brain training. Memory games are great for training your brain and help you keep your wits sharp.

Card games like FreeCell, for example, can challenge you to use both your memory and strategy, all of which improve your brain function.

63. Have Yourself A Power Nap

A 20 minute power nap can be great for taking the edge off your tiredness and giving you back your energy.

Any longer and you can end up feeling more tired. Set yourself an alarm so you don’t go past the 20 minutes.

pinterest image for things to do that don't cost money

64. Run Up And Down The Stairs

Running up and down the stairs for 5 minutes is surprising effective at giving you a mini workout for free.

You’ll be surprised at how many times you can go up and down and how out of breath you get. No need for expensive gym equipment.

65. Turn Up The Music And Dance

Enthusiastic dancing is a great all over workout and calorie burner. Turn on and up your favorite music and have yourself a dance session. For even more fun, get friends involved. Your own dance night is one of those fun things to do for free with friends that everyone will enjoy.

If your neighbor works nights, maybe leave this until the afternoon.

66. Take A Cold Shower

I loves me a cold shower.

They wake you up in record time, make your skin feel alive and tingly and you will feel the benefits long after you have finished showering.

woman in purple dress holding out the skirt in a field of purple and yellow flowers to show things to do that don't cost money

67. Explore Your Neighborhood On Foot

Walking is the best way to get to know your local neighborhood. You notice more when you are on foot. Walking is great low impact exercise, you get plenty of fresh air and it’s free.

68. Go For A Bike Ride

A bike ride is a great way to explore your local area and a bit further afield without paying for any gas.

Being that bit higher than when you are walking you also get a different perspective of the area around you.

Why not plan a bike ride round your local area with friends and their kids? No need to spend money when you are having fun with a friend or two.

69. Practice Mindfulness

I am a recent convert to mindfulness. Training yourself to be in the moment and focus on just one thing helps to still an overactive brain.

Create a quiet space with no TV, radio or phone to interrupt you and take 10 minutes to practice.

I use a free app called ‘Insight Timer’ to do guided mindfulness which helps with my focus and feeling more positive about life.

70. Meditate

Take mindfulness a step further and focus on meditating for 20 minutes. You can find help on YouTube or download a free app like Insight Timer.

graffiti of keep learning to show things to do that don't cost money

71. Learn Another Language

Learning a different language is a great way to train your brain and learn something completely new. You can download apps to do this, watch video’s or sign up for an evening class.

72. Find A Healthy Eating Regime

You may have the perfect diet, but most of us don’t.

Research what makes up the best eating regime today and plan how you can alter your eating habits to accommodate best practices.

family picture of man, woman and child to show things to do that don't cost money

have fun without spending money with friends & family

73. Contact A Distant Relative

These days of social media mean we can sometimes forget those further afield, especially that friend who doesn’t use Facebook or WhatsApp.

Call a distant relative or friend and have a good chat.

74. Spend Quality Talking Time With Your Spouse

Living a busy life often leaves us with limited quality time. Add in our use of phones, TV and internet and there is often little quality time to spend with your nearest and dearest.

Switch off the distractions and have a deep conversation with your spouse. Try to keep it on a more relaxed and fun level, you don’t want to end up arguing!

Related post: How To Manage Money As A Couple: 9 (Successful) Strategies

red flowery teapot and cup and saucer with 2 dollar bills under the saucer to signify things to do with no money

75. Help Out An Elderly Neighbor

We are all living longer but as we get older we become less able and more frail. The older generations hate to ask for help but will be so grateful for a little of your free time.

It can be as simple as fixing a shelf, taking afternoon tea with them or helping them with their shopping.

76. Write A Letter To Yourself

Write a letter to your future self about what you hope to have achieved by the time you open this letter. Talk about your dreams, your emotions and your plans.

Seal the letter and set a date for it to be opened in the future – I suggest at  least 5 years time. Don’t be tempted to open it before that!

social media spelled out in plastic blocks to signify things to do with no money

77. Take A Break From Social Media

We all spend too much time on our phones, on different social apps.

Take a break from ALL social media, try 24 hours and see how it feels. It might take a bit of getting used to finding other things to do instead. You might need to phone your friends instead of texting!

If you’re for a longer break why not look into the 30 day digital detox challenge? This is digitally detoxing with a difference. It’s realistic and achieveable. You don’t have to give up your phone for an entire month.

Want your own copy of the 30-day digital detox challenge to keep on track? Get your personal copy here and keep it somewhere visible.

78. Have A Chat With Your kids

When was the last time you sat down and chatted with your kids without doing something else like cooking, driving or checking your phone?

Focus on the two of you and have a conversation or play a game, they will love it.

79. Ask Someone For A Date

If you’re single then take the plunge, pluck up the courage and ask that person you fancy at work for a date.

What have you got to lose? Choose something low key yet fun (it’s a first date), like a walk in your local woodland, park or beach.

80. Teach Your Dog A Trick

You could try teaching your cat but from personal experience you are probably going to fail that one! Whereas a dog is more pliable when it comes to training.

What’s more dogs are good at picking up new tricks, especially with practice.

variety of savory snacks laid out in flower shape of bowls to signify things to do with no money

81. Host A Pot Luck for friends

Gather your friends together for an evening meal by virtue of a pot luck supper. No-one needs to spend money on fancy food and you get to enjoy your friends company.

82. Have Friends Over For Drinks

You often go out for a drink with friends, why not have them over to yours instead?  It’s always fun to have friends round even if just for a cuppa and a biscuit.

83. Bake For Your Co-Workers

Baking muffins or cookies cost pennies but your co-workers will absolutely love your home baking on a tedious day at work.

Make it a Friday and they’ll be ready to enjoy their weekend after having your home made cookie.

84. Visit A Family Friend

If you’re local why not drop in and see a family friend you haven’t seen in a while? A surprise visit will leave both you and your friend feeling loved and with a deeper sense of friendship.

family of 4 walking along the beach shore line to signify things to do with no money

Be Happy doing things without spending money

85. Practice Gratitude

Practice the art of being grateful out loud. Look in the mirror and say out loud what you are grateful for.

Perhaps you are grateful for your health, your spouse, your friends, today’s weather? The spoken word is more powerful than your thoughts.

86. Create A Mood Board Of Future Dreams

Mood boards are a beautiful way to create a picture of the life you dream about.

Paste your favorite ideas, destinations, colors, house styles, anything and everything can go on your own mood board. It shows exactly what you want it to show.

87. Write Down Your life Goals

Where do you want to be in 5, 10, 20 years time? What do you want to have achieved by the time you are 70?

Thinking and writing about what you want to achieve is the first step towards making them happen.

88. Create A Bucket List

Bucket lists are the perfect tool to focus achieving very specific goals within a time-frame.

Many people create bucket lists of things to achieve before they hit a significant birthday e.g. 30, 40 or 50.

Once created, your mission is to tick those things off one by one before your self imposed deadline.

89. Watch a TEDTalk

TEDTalks are free and extremely useful for giving you bite sized information to consider and new ideas think about.

This is a great talk on how to learn something new in just 20 hours:

90. Write A Poem

If you’re like me you might not have written a poem for many years. But poems are a lovely way to spend some of your free time, they don’t even need to rhyme.

See what I did there?!

91. Start A Journal

A journal is a lovely way to record parts of your awesome life. Something you can look back on in later years, reminisce with friends and share with younger relatives.

They are also great for recording your thoughts and feelings and helping you to resolve internal conflicts.

flowery covered notebook stood up on it's long side pages with blurred image of flowers in a glass vase in the background to signify things to do with no money

92. Draw A Picture

Everyone can draw. You might be out of practice but drawing is something free you can do and it doesn’t involve spending any money.

Focusing on your subject will help still your mind and leave you feeling calm.

93. Write A Song

Songs don’t need to rhyme and can be about a million different subjects. You could even write new song lyrics to an existing tune.

94. Read A Book

Books broaden your mind, provide you with escapism fiction or new knowledge and are free from your local library.

A book can be digested in one sitting or spread over many days. Your library is a treasure trove of different genre’s, why not try a different bookt style? Or ask the library assistant for a recommendation.

95. Pull Out A Puzzle

I never do puzzles except at Christmas when visiting older relatives. Yet I really do have fun when I sit down to a puzzle. Why don’t we do puzzles more often?

I bet you have a puzzle in your attic – get it down, start it and enjoy the quiet concentration you will have.

4 pale pink glass milk bottles filled with orange and yellow flowers to signify things to do with no money

96. Give Yourself A Manicure

No need to spend $40 on a beauty treatment. DIY at home for free. Male or female – pamper your hands, clean them, moisturize and shape your nails.

Add nail color if you want – male or female!

97. Read An Ebook

No need to pay for ebooks – there are thousands you can download for free. Many are nice and short so you can try reading something completely different.

98. Go To A Free Museum Or Show

Many museums and local creative shows have free entry. Take advantage of a free museum or two and sample a different art culture and digest free, interesting information.

99. Find Out About Local Community Events

Local communities can be a hive of interesting, weird and amateur events.

Designed by and for local residents, they are fun, free and a great way to spend time in your local community making friends with old and new neighbors.

an uneven pile of books to signify things to do with no money

100. Join A Book Club

These have been growing in popularity for some time.

Book clubs are usually a group of friends who meet monthly to discuss the book everyone has been reading. You can get the book from the local library.

They often involve food provided by the host with the hosting circulating around all group members.

101. Sign Up And Grab Birthday Freebies

Who doesn’t love a birthday gift? And even better when it’s free. Many companies offer freebies on your birthday as long as they know when it is.

Check out Mrs Pinch’s birthday freebies post with over 40 companies offering your goodies.

101 Productive Things To Do Without Money

All these ideas should keep you feeling super productive and having fun with friends, family or on your own for a good while and they’re all things you can do with no money.

It just goes to show you, you don’t need to be spending money with friends to have a good time or achieve some great things.

Now, which ones are you going to start today?

Come and follow me on Pinterest for more money saving hints and frugal tips!

pinterest image for productive things to do

Last Updated on 3rd April 2023 by Emma

About Emma

I'm here to help you become confident in making the best money decisions for you and your family. Frugal living has changed my life, let me help you change yours.

3 thoughts on “99+ Productive Things To Do With No Money (& Have Fun)”

    • Thanks Bryan! Even if you only do a few they can make you feel productive about getting things done can’t they? Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  1. I agree that reading a book from the library is a fantastic idea. It can get even better. I don’t know if this is available outside the US but I can set up my !library card online and check out e-books, audio books, and videos on my computer. My favorite thing to do is listen to an audio book while I knit or crochet.

    Reply

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