Advise me: What activity should I replace my TV with?

[night cycler]

I have had a TV since the early 1980s.
After all the years, I want to end the habit.
£180 now, which I will not be renewing

I like reading non fiction books.
I have a couple of bikes.
A car
I can walk.

My concern, I live alone I'm in my mid 60s,no family around, and I do not know what effect it may have on me, especially the long winter nights.

Berate me/advise me or sugest things
Thank you.

 

[All uphill]

Good for you. We barely watch TV these days too, and find that getting reducing it has improved our lives.

I've joined a book club, go for evening walks, do bicycle maintenance, read, and go to bed early.

Have you considered getting a dog?

 

[Animo]

Replying to all the letters you'll get from TV Licensing should keep you busy.

 

[stephec]

Start building Airfix models, but that could easily get a lot more expensive than £180.

 

[SteveH80]

I haven't watched the box for 10 years now, although SWMBO is addicted to the damned thing. Thankfully the house is big enough for me to read my ebooks in peace elsewhere 🙂

 

[Oldhippy]

Podcasts on any subject you can imagine. Audible books, a huge plethora of digital radio stations from across the world.

 

[AndyRM]

Drawing and jigsaws.

 

[Emanresu]

University course? Had a fried who took out a student loan to study at the Open University. The loan to be paid back once he reached the earnings limit. He was 67 and retired so will never pay it back. Better be quick as that loophole closes at the end of the year.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/student-support-for-the-over-60s/

 

[Pblakeney]

My winter activities are hi-fi and photography. Photography is particularly good as it involves going outdoors and you can post process indoors.
Neither activity is cheap to get into but virtually free once purchased.

 

[MontyVeda]

Radio.

It's a bit like telly... informs, entertains, educates, but you don't have to look at it.
Radios are cheap. You can have one in each room, garage, shed and garden so you can keep listening as you potter around.
I prefer talk radio in the day. I don't really listen to it... it's just background noise filling the void until something grabs my ear.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Watching You-tube is a good mindless past time, no need to watch a TV.
Play a few idle games online to help pass time.
Read/listen to books online.

 

[EckyH]

Photography is particularly good as it involves going outdoors and you can post process indoors.
Neither activity is cheap to get into but virtually free once purchased.

Photography can be cheap.
Every smartphone I know has a camera and that's enough to begin with - to learn photography: composition, lights and shadows, colours.
For me a really good book about photography is "Read this if you want to take great photographs" by Henry Carroll.
Most modern-ish smartphone cameras can save the photographs as DNG (don't know whether Iphones can), at least with an appropriate camera app. With that there is the whole post processing (rabbit hole!) possible. There is very good free processing software available for most platforms, eg. darktable, ART and Rawtherapee.

Drawing can be even cheaper.

Another activity could be to learn an instrument. For me it's the diatonic harmonica. Good instruments are available in the 50 quid range, top of the line around 100-120 quid. And after mastering the first difficulties to hit the right tones it can be played in the dark, contrary to visual arts.

E.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Join your local U3A (University of the 3rd Age). For a modest membership fee (~£20ish) you can sign up to as many of their groups as you want. They do all sorts, from walking groups, languages, international dining, photography, music, arts, bridge, backgammon etc and they’re all free to members. You name it, they probably have a group for it.

What are your interests and is there anything new you’d like to get into?

 

[Pblakeney]

Photography can be cheap.
Every smartphone I know has a camera and that's enough to begin with - to learn photography: composition, lights and shadows, colours.
For me a really good book about photography is "Read this if you want to take great photographs" by Henry Carroll.
Most modern-ish smartphone cameras can save the photographs as DNG (don't know whether Iphones can), at least with an appropriate camera app. With that there is the whole post processing (rabbit hole!) possible. There is very good free processing software available for most platforms, eg. darktable, ART and Rawtherapee.

Drawing can be even cheaper.

Another activity could be to learn an instrument. For me it's the diatonic harmonica. Good instruments are available in the 50 quid range, top of the line around 100-120 quid. And after mastering the first difficulties to hit the right tones it can be played in the dark, contrary to visual arts.

E.

All true. However, once you get into post processing you realise the limitations of phones, if you have something to compare against.
A good starting point on a budget but take phone specs/claims with a pinch of salt. The limitation is the lens and the sensor physical size.

 

[All uphill]

If you dream of travelling Duolingo is a great way of learning or improving a language. Ten minutes a day really makes a difference.