Finding Cheaper Hobbies Or Cheaper Ways To Enjoy Your Hobbies

Hobbies and sports are important parts of a balanced life, but some can get expensive in a real hurry. Consider how expensive golf can be, with special equipment (clubs, an expensive bag to hold the clubs, and a variety of little gadgets to go in all the pockets), supplies (balls and tees), clothes (special shoes, hats, shirts and pants), lessons, practice at the driving range and then finally green fees and a cart. Golf can get really pricey.

If you don’t golf and your spouse does, I suspect you’ve known that golfing can be very costly for a long time! Numerous sports and hobbies get expensive quickly. Here are some ideas to help cut down on the costs:

1.  Running is a less pricey sport than cycling. If you are interested in getting in shape, try running (you may need to try walking first, I know I did) rather than cycling. Not only is the bike expensive, but the carriers for the bike on the car, special shoes and clothes all make up make cycling more expensive than running.

2.  Golf on a cheaper course. Presuming you’ve already picked up golf as a sport, consider looking for cheaper courses to play or playing just nine holes rather than 18

3.  Make handicrafts pay for themselves. If you like crafting and want to do some money from your hobby—at least enough to cover the hobby—is careful not to over invest. Before you spend thousands of dollars on a quilting machine, borrow one to find out if you like using it and if you can sell what you made.

4.  Make it, then sell it. If you will very much like to restore old things like cars or furniture, you should get out all of your money back—and then some—when you sell the things you restore. It may be located in a position to earn a living with your hobby, but you can at least pay for all the resources required for it.

5.  Try genealogy. You may be shocked to learn how little you know about your grandparents and may know nothing at all about your great grandparents. Tremendous amounts of information are accessible to free from FamilySearch (it.Ly/h8stkr). Not only is genealogy easy and cheap to start. It will make you and your family a greater sense of who you are.

6.  Get it from the library. Have your books from the library rather than at the bookstore. You can even check out digital books at the library now!

People, even parents, all need a little time to play, to challenge themselves and to learn new things. Don’t be afraid of having a hobby—be scared not to have one. If your budget is tight, try things that are virtually unrestricted, like genealogy, walking, and reading. A hobby doesn’t have to be posh to practise; a hobby you can enjoy with your spouse and kids—at least some of the time—may be the best of all.