Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Do you love your hobbies, but do not have enough funds to give to them as much as you would like? This is not a hopeless case: here are some ways to keep your spending in check while still having plenty of fun in your spare time.

Steps

1. 1 Find a less expensive hobby. Certainly, chatting with someone will cost less than motorcycle racing. Money isn't the only reason people choose or avoid a hobby, but you should keep in mind the estimated costs of a hobby.
   • Choose hobbies that take time, creativity, ingenuity, or knowledge, rather than money or gear. Learn to be resourceful, not just spend money.
   • Launching model airplanes, designer shopping, car modification, and playing the very latest video games are all likely expensive hobbies. Perhaps the best promising approach is to save on them, rather than try to participate in them without the amount of money that will allow you to really enjoy these hobbies.
2. 2 Containment of ancillary costs. Gardening is not a cheap hobby if you decide you need a mobile mower and truck for it, or if you change plantings as often as you change clothes. If you count, far more money is spent on gardening than on any other hobby. Instead, enjoy the hardships and have fun of growing from seed, transplanting, and pruning. Have cheap, smaller plants that you can grow to larger ones.
   • On the other hand, if you have a large mowing area, a steerable lawnmower can be a great investment, especially if it frees up your time to enjoy gardening in general.
3. 3 Stay close to home. If you have to drive for hours to see snow, then don't ski. Find something else outdoors, like skates or a bicycle.
4. 4 Learn a hobby long before you start buying. You can learn a lot about photography by using a $ 20 used camera for practice. You can make many astronomical "discoveries" for yourself with your own eyes and the binoculars you already have. Learning the details of a hobby is also a good way to avoid wasting if you tend to change hobbies frequently.
   • Hobbies that require large investments in gear, such as mountain climbing or hang gliding, should be tried out using a rental gear before purchasing your own.You can quickly become frustrated and end up with a lot of depreciating equipment.
   • Look for opportunities to use used equipment and materials. Many hobbyists sell their equipment in good condition through clubs, newspapers and online.
5. 5 Stick to hobbies and projects that you love. If you love to do something, then do something more of what you already have, instead of regularly embarking on new hobbies or projects.
   • Sometimes you can use shared equipment and create shared skills for your main activity while enjoying it in very different contexts. For example, if you are a classical violinist, you can play in folk groups. If you're photographing weddings, portraits, wildlife, or documentaries, you could enjoy sports photography (don't buy a monster lens, just increase your ISO a little) while learning how to photograph the most bouncy objects in the meantime.
   • This does not mean that you should not try new things. This means that you have to endure to the end, complete projects, master the hobbies that you have already taken up before, and not grab onto new ones.
6. 6 Consider new purchases carefully. For equipment, select items that will last a long time and give you the opportunity for long-term use. Assuming you will follow the hobby for a long time, plan your purchases to use them for a long time.
7. 7 Service your equipment. If you have good, long lasting equipment, do whatever is necessary to keep it in good working order. Often, minor maintenance along the way can prevent major maintenance later. Do not be lazy to wash your swimsuit or lubricate the sewing machine, it is imperative to keep the mechanisms in good condition.
8. 8 Buy only the parts that you are sure you will use. You can't knit without yarn or make a quilt without fabric, but that doesn't mean you have to stock up or hoard yarn. Try to anticipate needs before buying parts.
   • For some creative pursuits, it is worth keeping some details in stock so that they are available when inspiration strikes. If this is how you approach your hobby, gradually create a sane list of parts that your budget allows. Then try to get it all at an affordable price. Keeping stocks at a reasonable level will also help organize hobbies.
   • You must either use up your parts or "outgrow" your gear before buying another.
   • Keep in mind materials that will be in short supply or change over time. For example, paint or fabric swatches can change if you don't stock up on enough at the start of your project. In this case, the stock is a guarantee of quality, not overstocking.
9. 9 Get the best price. Buy a used one if appropriate. Many people stop taking an interest in hobbies after a while and sell or throw away perfectly good used equipment and materials. Watch the sales of items you buy new.
   • A one-dollar thrift store thread made a scarf, a toy hammock, and several coasters. For expensive items, start by exploring the possibilities of using used machinery or materials. A thrift store yarn or a skein of cheap acrylic yarn will go a long way toward learning how to knit or crochet for much less than you would make mistakes on expensive yarn. If you have $ 200 to spend on a bike, see if you can get an even better bike for the money that someone else has used.
   • If your hobby is seasonal, look for opportunities to get items at the end of the season when they are discounted.
10. 10 Choose a hobby that will save you money, or at least improve your lifestyle at a reasonable cost. Use the DIY - Do it Yourself store for home improvement. Study woodworking or canning. Grow your own food, or part of it. Cycling can save you a lot of money on fuel and wear and tear on your car, not to mention the cost of a gym membership.
    • Choose additional hobbies. If you enjoy cycling, try learning how to fix them. If you already enjoy cooking, canning or other food preservation methods can be a natural next step. One hobby could save money for another and expand skills without requiring a lot of new material.
11. 11 Choose a hobby that will lead to gifts you don't have to buy. Cooking and many crafts (woodworking, painting, crocheting, etc.) fall into this category, but don't forget teaching, storytelling, and helping others with fixes or improvements.
12. 12 Volunteer your time. It can sometimes be incredibly helpful to help others at a cost of little or nothing. And it can soon become a very enjoyable hobby.
13. 13 Set the pace. Plan for the costs of both money and your time. Set aside a certain amount of money every week, every month, or every billable day. You can use a pitcher, a separate bank account (like a Christmas Club account), or any accounting strategy to set aside money for the hobby. Use this money to buy materials, equipment, travel, and any other hobby expenses, but do not exceed it.
14. 14 Control your event and travel costs. Not all hobbies require relocation, but if yours involves travel or relocation to an event location, include those costs in your budget and keep the number and costs of activities reasonable. Decide what is reasonable for you.
    • Calculate all travel costs, participation fees, admission fees, hotel accommodation and any other costs associated with participation.
    • Attend only local events and gatherings, or attend local gatherings / exhibitions and one or two large regional events annually. Or consider visiting in different years.
15. 15 Practice your hobby on a modest scale. If you really are a motorcycle rider, do you really need more than one? Should it be the best one, or could it just be a reliable mid-range model? Remember that you have to maintain it, store it, transport it, etc.
16. Jewelry for sale. sixteen Become a pro. Some hobbyists make professions out of their hobbies, or at least make some extra money. The level where your sales cover your materials and labor is reached pretty quickly, but the level where you can use a hobby as a side job or even your main job requires more skill and more work. A self-sustaining hobby often allows you to use the best and most expensive materials and tools as they pay off with the best sales and the best price.
    • Sell ​​your creations. If you do something in the course of your hobby, get good at it and try to sell it. Be sure to rate it accordingly.
    • Sell ​​your services. If you've learned how to repair bicycles or cars, maintain a garden, paint portraits or take photographs, see if you can start a business, or work for someone else to do it.
    • Sell ​​your hobby. Offer lessons on how to do something that you are now well versed in.
    • Write about your hobby. Especially if you are into something unusual, write about your hobby and sell your book or advertisements on your website.
    • Invent equipment or equipment modifications related to your hobby and sell them.
    • Sample of children's shoes. Invent designs and sell plans or samples to other hobbyists.

Tips

• Find your own balance and your own budget. Most hobbies will be worth something. Do what you love, but keep money in mind when you start.
• Look for free or cheap local hobby courses where you can try a new hobby. You will meet other people who are interested and you can find a source of used materials and equipment when more advanced people who are passionate about their hobbies are happy to share with newcomers.
• Use your local public library and your internet. You will learn a lot about your hobby with minimal cost.

Warnings

• Remember, a lot of people start following popular hobbies for fun. When you try to make a business out of them, you will not be able to earn very much just because the supply exceeds the demand. At the very least, don't quit your regular profession until you are sure you can succeed with your hobby.
• Remember that turning a well-loved hobby into a successful business can be stressful, to the point of losing the joy you once had in your hobby. This can happen because running a business is often difficult and demanding, or because the business can force you to view activities as something that you are forced to do, rather than something that you want to do yourself.