Living alone doesn’t mean sitting at home waiting for something exciting to happen.
But it also doesn’t mean I want to spend a fortune every time I decide to get out of the house. 😂
One thing I’m learning after 60 is that some of the best ways to enjoy my time don’t cost very much at all.
Sometimes I want to go somewhere. Sometimes I want a little project at home. And sometimes I simply need something different to break up the routine.
So I started thinking about inexpensive things I can do on my own that I would actually enjoy — not things somebody thinks a woman over 60 is supposed to enjoy.
Here are 10 simple ideas for getting out, trying something different, and enjoying your own company without spending a lot of money.
1. Take Yourself on a Little Day Trip
You don’t have to go far enough to need a hotel for it to feel like an adventure.
Pick a small town you’ve never explored, a state park, a beach, a river, an old historic area, or even a back road you’ve always wondered about.
Pack some snacks and drinks from home, fill up the car, and go see what you find.
One advantage of going by yourself is that if something catches your attention, you can stop. There’s nobody sitting beside you asking why you’re pulling over to look at some old building. 😂
A simple day trip can give you that feeling of getting away without the expense of an actual vacation.
2. Explore Somewhere Local You’ve Never Really Seen
Sometimes we know more about places hundreds of miles away than we do about what’s right around us.
Look for walking trails, local parks, historic sites, farmers markets, small museums, gardens, old cemeteries, festivals, or interesting little places within an hour of home.
Many are free or inexpensive, and you might be surprised by what’s been sitting practically in your backyard all along.
I especially like places that make me curious — somewhere I can walk around, look at things, and wonder about the stories behind them.
You don’t always have to travel far to feel like you went somewhere.
3. Spend a Morning at the Library
Libraries have changed a lot over the years. They’re not just shelves full of books anymore.
Many libraries offer free classes, craft groups, book clubs, computer access, movies, community events, and other activities that don’t cost anything.
And even if there’s nothing going on that day, wandering through the shelves and finding a book or magazine that catches your attention can be a pretty nice way to spend a quiet morning.
It’s also somewhere you can go by yourself without ever feeling strange about being there alone.
Free entertainment, air conditioning, and nobody expects me to buy anything? That’s hard to beat. 😂
4. Start a Small Garden or Container Garden
Gardening can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.
You don’t need acres of land or an elaborate garden. A couple of pots with herbs, tomatoes, peppers, or flowers can give you something to tend and look forward to every day.
There’s something satisfying about watching something grow because you planted it and took care of it.
And if you grow something you can eat, even better.
A tomato somehow tastes better when you’ve spent three months checking on it like it’s one of your children. 😂
5. Pack a Lunch and Spend the Day Outside
A day out doesn’t have to include a restaurant bill.
Make a sandwich, pack some snacks and drinks, grab a chair or blanket, and head somewhere pretty — a park, beach, river, lake, or picnic area.
Bring a book, take a walk, listen to music, or just sit there and enjoy being somewhere different for a while.
I think we sometimes feel like we need to do something for an outing to count.
Sometimes sitting somewhere beautiful with nowhere else you need to be is the activity.
6. Try a Craft or Project You’ve Always Been Curious About
There are so many things I’ve thought, “I’d like to try that someday.”
Painting, photography, sewing, refinishing something old, making decorations, learning a new recipe — it doesn’t have to become a serious hobby.
You can start small, use things you already have, and find free tutorials online before spending much money on supplies.
And if your first attempt looks absolutely nothing like the person’s in the tutorial?
Congratulations. You made an original. 😂
The point isn’t to become an expert. It’s to give yourself permission to be curious and try something new.
7. Have a “Tourist in Your Own Town” Day
Pretend for a day that you’ve never been to your own area before.
Look up the places visitors are told to see. Walk through a historic downtown, stop at a local landmark, take pictures, visit a little shop you’ve passed a hundred times, or find somewhere new to have a cup of coffee.
It’s funny how easily we overlook things simply because they’re close to home.
And going alone means you can spend twenty minutes somewhere or two hours. Nobody else gets a vote. 😂
Sometimes seeing a familiar place with fresh eyes is enough to make an ordinary day feel different.
8. Learn Something New for Free
One of the things I like about this stage of life is that learning doesn’t have to have anything to do with a job.
You can learn simply because something interests you.
There are free videos, tutorials, podcasts, library resources, and online classes covering almost anything you can imagine — gardening, photography, cooking, history, crafts, technology, languages, and plenty of things I probably don’t even know I’m interested in yet.
Pick something that makes you curious and follow it for a while.
You never know when “I wonder how they do that?” might turn into something you really enjoy.
9. Take Yourself Out for Coffee
Going somewhere alone can feel a little strange if you’re not used to it, but I think there’s something nice about learning to enjoy your own company in public too.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive meal. Find a little coffee shop, order something you enjoy, and sit for a while.
Bring a book, people-watch, write in a notebook, or just enjoy being somewhere different.
You don’t need another person sitting across the table for an outing to count.
Sometimes taking yourself somewhere simply because you want to go is its own little form of independence.
10. Give Yourself Permission to Do Absolutely Nothing
This one might be the cheapest activity on the entire list. 😂
We spend so much of our lives feeling like we should always be accomplishing something.
But there’s nothing wrong with having an afternoon where you sit outside, watch a movie, listen to music, read, take a nap, or wander around the yard doing absolutely nothing productive.
Living alone means you get to decide what a good day looks like.
It doesn’t always have to involve going somewhere, finishing a project, or checking something off a list.
Resting and enjoying your own home counts too.
You Don’t Need a Big Budget to Have a Good Life
I think one of the best things about this stage of life is realizing that enjoyment doesn’t always have to come with a price tag.
A good day might cost a tank of gas. It might cost a cup of coffee. And sometimes it doesn’t cost anything at all.
What matters is continuing to give ourselves things to look forward to — places to explore, things to learn, projects to try, and ordinary days that feel good.
I’m still figuring out what life after 60 is going to look like for me.
But one thing I know for sure:
I don’t want to spend the next chapter waiting for someone else to come along before I start enjoying it.
If I want to go somewhere, try something, learn something, or simply enjoy a beautiful day, I can.
And maybe that’s one of the nicest things about learning to enjoy your own company.