The Great Depression began in the United States in 1929 and ended in 1939. One silver lining of the Great Depression was the expansion of hobbies.

During the Great Depression, people found affordable ways to find joy amid the heaviness. According to Santa Clara University, “the hobby boom of the Thirties probably represented a real increase in mass participation…there was an important change in the meaning of hobbies as personal activity.”

Even with little money to spend, a number of frugal hobbies came out of the Great Depression. Many are still enjoyed today—and might become your next obsession.

6 frugal Great Depression hobbies

Sitting with friends and family to play a fun board game was an engaging way for people to spend time together during the Great Depression.

First created in 1904 by Lizzie Magie (who called it The Landlord’s Game), the popular board game Monopoly (as we know it today) was patented in December 1935 by Charles B. Darrow. Other board games created during the Great Depression that we still play today include Scrabble (invented in 1938) and........

© Upworthy