7 Fun Things to Do in Retirement on a Budget

Retirement offers you the time to do everything you always wanted to do but couldn’t because work filled up your schedule. Of course, retirement also typically means living on a fixed income, which may limit your ability to live too lavishly. But even if your budget isn’t unlimited, you can still have a good time in retirement. These are seven fun things to do in retirement that won’t break the bank.

A financial advisor can help you create a budget to manage retirement spending.

Retiree Fun by the Numbers

Retirement can be fun, and in fact, it is for most people. According to a 2025 study by TIAA, 92% of retirees were “very satisfied” or “moderately satisfied” with retirement life.

Goldman Sachs found similar results in its study from the same year, sharing that retirees are embracing retirement with greater positivity. “Over the past five years, we have observed a trend of declining stress levels and increasing confidence in their ability to save for retirement.” Researchers go on to share that over 80% of retirees feel financially prepared with sufficient savings to avoid running out of money in retirement.

Based on these findings, it seems likely you can have a good time despite living on a fixed income. Even better, many of the best ways to spend your time in retirement are not necessarily expensive.

Budget-Friendly Fun Things to Do In Retirement

Entertainment in your later years does not have to be expensive with these seven fun things to do.

1. Read and Write

Reading books, magazines and newspapers was among the activities found to reduce the chance of depression, according to the Health and Retirement Study by Social Science & Medicine. Also found relaxing were writing letters and keeping journals.

2. Indulge Hobbies

Hobbies are defined as leisure activities people engage in for pleasure. They typically involve imagination, novelty, creativity, sensory activation, self-expression, relaxation and cognitive stimulation.

Specific activities in these studies include several fun and affordable hobbies.

Gardening
Cooking
Baking something special
Doing projects
Listening to and making music
Drawing
Dancing
Model-making

3. Be Social

Interacting with other people in social settings is another inexpensive and effective, readily available and potent way to keep the retirement blues away.

Meeting with others for a book club, going out for dinner, attending parties, going to the movies and joining other social gatherings can bring a lot of joy. It can also be an opportunity to make new friends.

4. Go Outside

A retired woman swimming in an indoor pool.

Staying home all day, every day can make retirement dull for anyone, regardless of age. Whether you visit the theater, check out a local museum or tour a new art exhibit, you can enjoy retirement more fully when you get out and absorb some culture.

Studies have shown that art can have a highly positive effect on emotional health, regardless of whether you engage actively by creating or passively by enjoying others’ work.

5. Play Sports and Games

Sports and games encourage physical activity and interaction with others, which are two activities consistently shown to improve retirement by boosting both your mental and physical health.

You don’t have to run ultramarathons or train like an Olympic powerlifter to benefit from engaging in sports and games in retirement. There are many other fun activities you can do that are lower-impact and affordable, too. Such as:

Walking
Hiking
Dancing
Bicycling
Horseback riding
Swimming
Tennis
Pickleball

6. Take on Mind Challenges

Mind-stimulating leisure activities were tied to higher levels of well-being, as well as lower levels of loneliness, pain and depression, in a large, cross-cultural study of seniors published in Frontiers in Public Health.

The study included activities like number and word games and playing cards, which are all popular activities among retired adults.

7. Volunteer Your Time

Volunteering is another low-cost way to stay engaged and add structure to your retirement years.

Many community organizations welcome help from retirees who have time, experience or specific skills to offer. Opportunities range widely and can include mentoring students, supporting food banks, helping at libraries, assisting animal shelters or participating in community improvement projects.

Studies often link volunteer activity with higher levels of purpose, life satisfaction and social connection among older adults. These roles not only create routine but they also provide meaningful interaction with others and offer a chance to stay active without an added financial burden. For some retirees, volunteering is also a way to explore interests they did not have time for earlier in life.

Volunteer commitments can be as light or as steady as you prefer. Whether you help a few hours a month or several days a week, sharing your time can add variety to your schedule while connecting you with people and organizations that strengthen your ties to your community.

Bottom Line

Once the workforce is no longer a part of your daily routine, there is much more room for fun activities that can greatly increase your enjoyment during retirement. Scientific studies have found a variety of mental health, physical and emotional benefits from easy and inexpensive pastimes, including hobbies like art and gardening, playing games, attending cultural events, joining clubs and reading.

Tips for Enjoying a Happier Retirement

Talk to a financial advisor about managing your savings and investments effectively. Having an advisor on your side who understands your concerns about money can help you come up with a game plan for using your assets effectively. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Figure out what matters most to you in retirement. Eliminate those things that may be wasting your time or adding to your depression. And surround yourself with people who motivate you to enjoy your later years.