How much should you spend on fun — and how does your hobby budget compare to everyone else’s? Fresh Bank of America Institute data, based on card spending through August 2026, lays out hobby spending by generation: older millennials lead at roughly $210 to $220 per person per month, Baby Boomers and Gen X sit near $200, younger millennials spend about $150, and Gen Z keeps it under $100. Overall hobby spending jumped 7.9% year over year, more than double the growth in transactions, a sign economists are calling “funflation.” The numbers reveal what each generation actually does for fun, and there are hobby ideas in them for every age and budget.

Hobby Spending by Generation: The 2026 Numbers

Bank of America counts hobby spending as money spent at arts and crafts stores, hobby shops, outdoor recreation providers, and specialty retailers covering activities like hiking, skiing, and scuba diving. Monthly per-person spending for the three months ending August 2026:

• Older millennials: about $210-$220, the highest of any group (Fast Company)
• Baby Boomers: a little over $200
• Gen X: around $200
• Younger millennials: roughly $150
• Gen Z: less than $100

More Americans than two decades ago now rate their hobbies as “extremely” or “very” important, per a recent Gallup poll cited in the coverage. Fun is a line item now. So what is each generation buying, and what can you steal from their playbook?

Gen Z: The $100 Hobby Masters

Gen Z spends the least on hobbies, but a higher share of them spend on hobbies than any older group. They just keep each hobby cheap. BofA analysts say Gen Z and younger millennials gravitate toward affordable pursuits like arts, crafts, and board games, and Gen Z’s video game spending rose about 20% year over year in August.

Steal their playbook:

• Crochet or knitting – starter kits cost a few dollars, with endless free tutorials
• Board game nights – one $30 game funds months of evenings with friends
• Sketching or journaling – a sketchbook and pencils go anywhere
• Long-play video games – cost per hour drops to pennies

Younger Millennials: The $150 Middle Ground

Younger millennials land at about $150 a month, between Gen Z and their older peers. Like Gen Z, a large share of them spend on hobbies, leaning toward affordable, social options. If you want to stretch those dollars, our roundup of cheap hobbies you can start this weekend was built for exactly this budget.

• Baking or bread-making – cheap ingredients, delicious output, doubles as gifts
• Community sports – rec leagues split costs across the team
• Thrift flipping – a hobby that can pay for itself

Older Millennials: The $220 Big Spenders

Older millennials outspend everyone at nearly $220 a month, and analysts theorize a big reason is young children: this group likely pays for kids’ hobbies on top of their own. They also lead in outdoor recreation and arts and crafts spending. The irony? A Census Bureau survey shows older millennials have the least daily leisure time of any group, about 4 hours and 15 minutes. They spend the most while having the least time to enjoy it.

• Hiking – free trailheads, real exercise, kids can come along
• Camping weekends – one gear investment covers years of trips
• Family craft projects – spend once, share the fun

Gen X and Boomers: The $200 Steady Spenders

Gen X and Baby Boomers each spend around $200 a month. The real difference is time: people 65 and older have more than seven hours of daily leisure, and the 55-to-64 group has nearly five and a half. Money plus time is the dream hobby combination.

• Gardening – modest startup cost, and the hobby literally grows
• Woodworking or pottery – pricier tools, decades of use
• Photography – a solid used camera pairs with any outing

Beating Funflation on Any Budget

Hobby spending grew 7.9% in August while transactions grew only 3.4%, meaning fun is getting more expensive per purchase. BofA’s read: after splurging on hobbies during pandemic-era distancing, then swinging back to pricier travel in 2022 and 2023, consumers are rotating back toward cheaper leisure as wage growth slows and fuel costs climb.

The practical move is simple, whatever you decide you should spend on fun. Pick hobbies where the upfront cost buys hundreds of hours: an instrument, a bike, a craft skill, a game collection. The generation spending the least may have the smartest strategy of all: spend on hobbies you repeat, not hobbies you consume once.

FAQ

How much should you spend on fun?

There is no single right number — it depends on your income, savings goals, and what you value. The 2026 data offers useful benchmarks: Gen Z averages under $100 a month, younger millennials about $150, Gen X and Boomers around $200, and older millennials up to $220. A sensible rule: fund savings and essentials first, then spend on fun from what is left — and favor hobbies with high replay value.

Which generation spends the most on hobbies in 2026?

Older millennials, at roughly $210 to $220 per person per month, per Bank of America Institute card data through August 2026. Analysts believe much of it covers their children’s hobbies too.

Why is Gen Z hobby spending so low?

Gen Z averages under $100 a month, but a higher share of Gen Z spends on hobbies than older groups. They favor cheaper pursuits like arts and crafts, board games, and video games, and have pulled back from expensive outdoor recreation.

What is “funflation”?

The term economists use for the rising price of entertainment and experiences. In August 2026, hobby spending rose 7.9% year over year while transactions grew only 3.4%, so each purchase of fun cost more.

How can I start a hobby on a small budget?

Stick to hobbies with tiny startup costs and high replay value: drawing, crochet, board games, baking, or bodyweight fitness. Many cost under $30 to start and provide months of entertainment.