If you’re still in lockdown, you might have exhausted your usual forms of entertainment. Well, you’ll be glad to hear that the internet offers so many more options that might have never even crossed your mind. Plus, a lot of them are free as well! Take a look at the ten best ways how you can have fun online without spending a dime.
Learn New Things
Learning new things has never been easier. So many resources are now available online and many of them for free. For example, websites like edX, Khan Academy, Coursera, Udemy, and TED-Ed all offer free courses as well as some that you have to pay a fee for. From languages and humanities to engineering, computer sciences, and business studies, there is a vast world of online education out there.
Watch Funny and Educational Videos
While you are probably paying for Netflix and other streaming services, you should know that there are also platforms where you can watch videos for free. If you want quality shows, you can find many on Vimeo and YouTube as creators regularly release original content there. What is more, we all know that YouTube and TikTok are full of funny videos that you can watch for days on end. In case you’d rather watch documentaries and learn something new, you can look up Documentary Heaven and Documentary Storm. Plus, you can find various theatre performances and concerts online as well, which have been particularly popular since the health crisis hit.
Listen to Podcasts
An alternative to watching shows is listening to them is to listen to Podcasts. You can do this by going to a Podcast site or even downloading videos from YouTube and using a YouTube Converter to turn them into MP3 files. There are so many interesting podcasts nowadays that you can surely find a genre that you like and subject matter that is of interest. Whether you are looking for a sitcom, something spooky, a live comedy set, or an educational but funny series you can learn a lot from. Platforms like Castbox, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic are just some of the free podcast apps you can download.
Play Video Games
Even if you’re not a video game fanatic, you still might like playing something from time to time. In that case, you’ll be glad to hear that there is no need to purchase a PlayStation or an Xbox – many free games are available online. Particularly popular are the countless browser-based games you can try, which are super convenient as they don’t require any special software to play, other than the aforementioned browser. Platforms like BigPoint offer many high-quality games, you just need an unlimited internet plan and plenty of free time!
Give Free Slots a Go
If you’re interested in the world of gambling but don’t feel great about putting your money on the line, there is also something for you. Many online casinos offer free spins which means that you can try out slot games (and others) without risking your hard-earned money. Just be sure to check the terms and conditions to see if there are any restrictions on how much money you can walk away with or just what kind of conditions those free spins or bonuses come with.
Edit Your Videos
In case you cannot afford Adobe software but would love to touch up your photos before you post them online, you should be aware that there is free software that will allow you to do the same thing. Apps like GIMP, Paint.NET, and Pixlr all mimic the capabilities of Photoshop without the need to spend tons of money. And in the case of Pixlr, much like the video games we mentioned earlier, this requires nothing more than your browser to work.
Take Quizzes
Perhaps you want to test your knowledge on certain topics or figure out which fictional character matches your personality. What better way to do that than to take online quizzes? Luckily, there are countless ones available and you will find quizzes covering just about every topic. From proving your expertise when it comes to Disney movies to seeing whether the creator can guess your horoscope from the photos you choose, Buzzfeed and Quibblo offer tons of options.
Improve Your Cooking Skills
Your hobbies also deserve attention and if cooking is your passion, finding free tutorials and recipes online is something you’ve dedicated a lot of time too. However, not all of us excel at this and if you might need some help in this area, you can go to Instagram where many chefs offer free online cooking classes, sharing their expertise and imparting their gastronomic know-how.
Read Books and Comics
Just like watching shows and listening to podcasts is available online, so is reading books and comics. For instance, Open Culture offers various e-books and audiobooks and Project Gutenberg has over 56,000 books you can read for free. Keep in mind that they are mostly public domain which means that they might not be the current bestsellers. If you’re a big fan of comics, you can also find platforms that let you read for free.
Chat With Your Friends
Finally, if you have unlimited internet and the necessary apps, you can simply have fun with your friends. Call them on Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, or any other video chatting app and catch up with your closest ones. You can have quick conversations or organize a dinner with a dozen people – it’s up to you.
The internet is a vast place full of fun things you can do and countless new topics to explore and discover. Fortunately, many of these things are free and should you ever find yourself being overcome with boredom, the cure is but a few keystrokes away.
