“A buck or less a book, and you can take a break from even the worst austerity program.”
I find “geocaching” one of the cheapest pursuits with great benefits (exercise, area history, something to be done with friends/family or alone); I get out with the kids, and show them things you could pass within 100 feet of every day of your life without ever knowing it was there.
That sounds like fun, and a good chance to build woodcraft skills (and pass them along as well). I am always pointing things out to the grands, and you don't have to be far from your doorstep to do it.