The San Francisco Chronicle has an article by Angela Daidone, "8 Affordable Retirement Hobbies." These are also suitable for RVers with some caveats.
1. Photography is one. Once you have your camera, cost is negligible unless you print out your photos.
2. Genealogy has few costs, unless you travel lots of miles to check out family sites. That can be regulated to fit your RVing budget, however.
3. Reading and writing can also be inexpensive, especially if you have a library card where you can check out ebooks. RVers also trade books out at RV parks in book exchange areas. eBooks from Amazon and Barnes and Noble, for the most part, cost less than paper books, but borrowing is the best. Writing about your RV travels or recording family history are ways to express your creativity with little outlay.
4. Meditation and yoga are also mentioned. While an RV has limited space, there is a DVD for just that- RVing Yoga DVD. (See my review.)
5. Arts and crafts are another category. We know many RVers who bead. That hobby can be expensive- especially if you keep or only give away your creations! The other constraint for RVers is weight and space. Still, there are many arts and crafts you can do on the road. Read the original article for more suggestions on less expensive arts and crafts to do.
6. Sports and physical activities have added health benefits besides a fun way to spend your retirement years. Some cost a fair amount of money - like golf and skiing- but you can find deals for seniors or play on public courses as you travel. Biking is popular with RVers and costs little other than your initial investment. Often we can bike for longer periods of time than we can walk as we age.
7. Games and puzzles are also entertaining. RV parks and resorts that cater to long term residents often have activities like this on a regular basis. There may be puzzles to borrow or one underway on a table that anyone can work on.
8. Volunteering is the last suggestion. This dovetails with the RV lifestyle, especially if you like volunteering at national parks or wildlife refuges or for Habitat for Humanity. You can easily get to these places for your commitment and then move on to the next. Plus you have your own housing. Check out the RV Care-A -Vanners group of Habitat for Humanity if that interests you.
RV retirement is an adventure. It's good to know that there are many choices of activities and hobbies that don't have to have much impact on your RV budget. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Reading is not exactly a hobby for me -- it's my life's blood. The only hobby I ever did was decoupage (and I have all my equipment with me). The problem is space. The art is time-consuming and there's nowhere to leave the work out, and any draft will blow all the small bits of paper around. So far, I haven't figured out how to do it in my RV.
I am considering getting certified as a CPR instructor. Not exactly a hobby but a useful skill and something I can teach anywhere.
Posted by: Lindig | March 25, 2012 at 02:59 PM
I know what you mean about reading- same for me! I would think decoupage would be difficult to do in an RV or any other hobby where you need to leave it out between steps.
CPR could be a way to earn some extra money.
Jaimie
Posted by: Jaimie Hall Bruzenak | March 25, 2012 at 03:45 PM