Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Holas all. Just wondering if I may please get your ideas for a low-cost and low-maintenance hobby. I have many hobbies that cost money or are free, but am always curious to pick up something new. Low-cost meaning very little start-up costs, and low-maintenance meaning almost anyone can do it. One of my hobbies that I consider low-cost and low-maintenance is hiking. What are yours?
G.O.O.D.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Reading, hiking, cycling, photography, teaching, cooking, coaching, investing, dog training, gardening, fish breeding, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing, cross-country ski camping, ….
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
There is a similar posting from Summer of 2014 about hobbies and their cost...viewtopic.php?t=142794
I will repeat my 2014 posting........
My main hobby is woodworking. The good thing about woodworking, once you make the investment in the main power tools, then the on-going expenses are relatively low......wood and consumables (glue, sand-paper, varnish, stain, etc). I probably average less than $1,000 per year the last 10 years on the consumables.
I have made everything from wood locks......http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenpadlock.htm
....to wood models......http://dalemaley.webs.com/daleswoodmodels.htm
...........and all types of furniture...
The last few years, the items I make I give as Christmas gifts to family members...........including these wood flowers last year for the ladies..........http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenlilyflowervase.htm
I will repeat my 2014 posting........
My main hobby is woodworking. The good thing about woodworking, once you make the investment in the main power tools, then the on-going expenses are relatively low......wood and consumables (glue, sand-paper, varnish, stain, etc). I probably average less than $1,000 per year the last 10 years on the consumables.
I have made everything from wood locks......http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenpadlock.htm
....to wood models......http://dalemaley.webs.com/daleswoodmodels.htm
...........and all types of furniture...
The last few years, the items I make I give as Christmas gifts to family members...........including these wood flowers last year for the ladies..........http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenlilyflowervase.htm
Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks is through an index fund that charges minimal fees. – Warren Buffett
- LiveSimple
- Posts: 2312
- Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:55 am
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Join Toastmasters you will love the company, some great speeches , develop leadership qualities, etc.
https://www.toastmasters.org/
If you want to be competitive, then participate in the Toastmasters contest, all the way up to Internatinal speech contest and become world champion of public speaking
https://www.toastmasters.org/Leadership ... h-Contests
https://www.toastmasters.org/
If you want to be competitive, then participate in the Toastmasters contest, all the way up to Internatinal speech contest and become world champion of public speaking
https://www.toastmasters.org/Leadership ... h-Contests
Invest when you have the money, sell when you need the money, for real life expenses...
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Go for a nice walk. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes and you likely have a pair already.
We live a world with knowledge of the future markets has less than one significant figure. And people will still and always demand answers to three significant digits.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Birdwatching. You can get started with a moderate cost binocular and do perfectly well. Obviously you can also pay big bucks for top of the line optics but it isn't necessary to enjoy the activity.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
-
- Posts: 641
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:34 am
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I enjoy the idea of cycling, photography, and cross-country ski camping as low-cost hobbies...livesoft wrote:Reading, hiking, cycling, photography, teaching, cooking, coaching, investing, dog training, gardening, fish breeding, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing, cross-country ski camping, ….
edit: and woodworking!
My vote is for reading (from the library) and yoga (at home)
- dbCooperAir
- Posts: 1107
- Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 9:13 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Ham Radio, you can spend as much or as little as you like. You can join a club if want some eye to eye contact. Its a life time hobby, don't think a person could do every thing it has to offer in a life time + it changes all the time!
The last 10 years I have been a VE (testing the new guys and gals), that's free for the most part, just your time and gas.
The last 10 years I have been a VE (testing the new guys and gals), that's free for the most part, just your time and gas.
Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him. |
-Dwight D. Eisenhower-
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I haven't tried it but geocaching might be fun. https://www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx
Mike
Mike
-
- Posts: 18502
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:05 am
- Location: 26 miles, 385 yards west of Copley Square
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I can give you the other end of the spectrum and say to not start auto racing. It's the sure way to make a small fortune by starting with a large one.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
-
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:19 pm
- Location: 30.286029, -97.530011
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Some of these on the list are EXTREMELY expensive, from my point of view.livesoft wrote:Reading, hiking, cycling, photography, teaching, cooking, coaching, investing, dog training, gardening, fish breeding, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing, cross-country ski camping, ….
Cross-country ski camping? The darn skis can cost the price of a used honda civic.
Investing? Jeeze, man you need what 5,6,7 figures to invest.
Dog training? First you need a dog. I can't even afford a mouse, let alone a dog.
Fish breeding?
Let's just add open your own winery in napa valley, and that would complete the list.
My #1 least expensive, low effort, and high value hobby:
- walk 10K steps every day.
Research-after-research shows that 10K steps a day has a lot of health benefits, not even matched by other types of exercise.
Last edited by TradingPlaces on Sun Nov 01, 2015 1:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
OK, let me add wine-making to my list.
- JMacDonald
- Posts: 2386
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:53 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
You are a regular John Muir: http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WIRead ... l#Link0149DaleMaley wrote:There is a similar posting from Summer of 2014 about hobbies and their cost...viewtopic.php?t=142794
I will repeat my 2014 posting........
My main hobby is woodworking. The good thing about woodworking, once you make the investment in the main power tools, then the on-going expenses are relatively low......wood and consumables (glue, sand-paper, varnish, stain, etc). I probably average less than $1,000 per year the last 10 years on the consumables.
I have made everything from wood locks......http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenpadlock.htm
....to wood models......http://dalemaley.webs.com/daleswoodmodels.htm
...........and all types of furniture...
The last few years, the items I make I give as Christmas gifts to family members...........including these wood flowers last year for the ladies..........http://dalemaley.webs.com/woodenlilyflowervase.htm
Best Wishes, |
Joe
- cheese_breath
- Posts: 11787
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Walking.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
-
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2013 11:11 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I'd second Geocaching - Hiking with a purpose.
These days, any smartphone can serve as the GPS, or a tablet if you want a bigger screen - no need for speciality gear to get started.
These days, any smartphone can serve as the GPS, or a tablet if you want a bigger screen - no need for speciality gear to get started.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Stargazing/Astronomy. Runs the entire range of cost.
You can start with your eyes and clear, dark night. Move up to a pair of binoculars and if desired add in a modestly priced Dobsonian Telescope. But at the higher end, you can invest in specialized digital camera, high-end telescopes and on and on. I've run the range over a lifetime of enjoying looking up at night. Some of my results with astrophotography are here: http://www.astroimages.org
You can start with your eyes and clear, dark night. Move up to a pair of binoculars and if desired add in a modestly priced Dobsonian Telescope. But at the higher end, you can invest in specialized digital camera, high-end telescopes and on and on. I've run the range over a lifetime of enjoying looking up at night. Some of my results with astrophotography are here: http://www.astroimages.org
- Steelersfan
- Posts: 4129
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:47 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Volunteering at an organization who's aligned with your interests.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Nice images!jamacq wrote:Stargazing/Astronomy. Runs the entire range of cost.
You can start with your eyes and clear, dark night. Move up to a pair of binoculars and if desired add in a modestly priced Dobsonian Telescope. But at the higher end, you can invest in specialized digital camera, high-end telescopes and on and on. I've run the range over a lifetime of enjoying looking up at night. Some of my results with astrophotography are here: http://www.astroimages.org
Emotionless, prognostication free investing. Ignoring the noise and economists since 1979. Getting rich off of "smart people's" behavioral mistakes.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Duplicate Bridge. Around here, it costs $6 for an afternoon or evening's entertainment. It keeps your mind active, and you meet some very interesting people. For more info, see http://www.acbl.org
-
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:47 am
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
...
Last edited by small_index on Thu Dec 17, 2015 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Since your current hobby is hiking, I take it you like outdoor physical activity in natural settings?
If so, bird watching, rock hounding, orienteering, or mushroom hunting?
Whatever your pursuit, I suggest purchasing only when you see the usefulness and/or need to. If you think woodworking might be for you, start out small and take a class or workshop. Don't go out and buy a whole equipment set until you know what you're buying and why.
If so, bird watching, rock hounding, orienteering, or mushroom hunting?
Whatever your pursuit, I suggest purchasing only when you see the usefulness and/or need to. If you think woodworking might be for you, start out small and take a class or workshop. Don't go out and buy a whole equipment set until you know what you're buying and why.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Pick up a musical instrument. A three hundred dollar guitar and the Internet can keep you busy for decades.
-
- Posts: 11647
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:42 am
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I like hiking, camping, backpacking and being outdoors. I live in the Pacific Northwest and there are lots of beautiful places to hike, backpack and camp without any fees other than a maybe a Northwest Forest Pass ($30/yr) to park your car at a trailhead. In the winter, I like snowshoeing.
My mom lives in California and there are free tennis courts. This was great for us as we have always enjoyed playing tennis.
When I'm not outside, I like reading and posting at Bogleheads.
I'm finding that I now enjoy cooking and a little bit of baking.
My mom lives in California and there are free tennis courts. This was great for us as we have always enjoyed playing tennis.
When I'm not outside, I like reading and posting at Bogleheads.
I'm finding that I now enjoy cooking and a little bit of baking.
- Jazztonight
- Posts: 1339
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:21 pm
- Location: Lake Merritt
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
+1.warowits wrote:Pick up a musical instrument. A three hundred dollar guitar and the Internet can keep you busy for decades.
Any musical instrument that you are attracted to--the flute is what I'm playing now. You can get good used instruments from a number of different sources. Learning materials can be had for free at your library or on YouTube. People are giving pianos away all over the place; you just need to move them. Music stores sell used rental instruments of all kinds.
Yes, an instrument can "keep you busy for decades" or the rest of your life.
Of course, singing is another option. Choirs you can join are everywhere!
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Ditto to ham radio. I was first licensed in 1957. It's hobby that has many facets to it and never grows old.dbCooperAir wrote:Ham Radio, you can spend as much or as little as you like. You can join a club if want some eye to eye contact. Its a life time hobby, don't think a person could do every thing it has to offer in a life time + it changes all the time!
The last 10 years I have been a VE (testing the new guys and gals), that's free for the most part, just your time and gas.
Best wishes, |
Michael |
|
Invest your time actively and your money passively.
- just frank
- Posts: 1949
- Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2014 3:13 pm
- Location: Philly Metro
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
You can buy a mini-quad copter for $36. http://www.amazon.com/Hubsan-H107-Micro ... B009M1PO7W
Get the blade guard and a spare parts kit for maybe another $10, and you're ready to fly in the house or outside.
I got one last month and its been a lot of fun. Pro tip: let it rest a few minutes between battery changes, or you'll burn out a motor.
Get the blade guard and a spare parts kit for maybe another $10, and you're ready to fly in the house or outside.
I got one last month and its been a lot of fun. Pro tip: let it rest a few minutes between battery changes, or you'll burn out a motor.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Yard & property maintenance without powered equipment except chainsaw & walk-behind lawnmower. Compared to what I see around me and read here, it's a profit center. The trick is to keep it sort of messy and relaxed, no chemicals, no fancy expensive nursery plants that require constant life support. Once you figure out that what you thought were weeds are the most interesting thing in your yard, it gets easy. Biggest expenses (outside of the results of using 10% ethanol in my chainsaw): some modest purchases of small native plants from local garden clubs, the occasional new hand tool or wire fencing, nature books I end up buying out of curiosity to understand everything that's going on (both feathered, furry & leafed), and nowadays Ibuprofen. I see more nature looking closely in my back yard than most people do out hiking.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I agree. There may be more living species in one's yard than on a coral reef.gd wrote: I see more nature looking closely in my back yard than most people do out hiking.
-
- Posts: 1093
- Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:13 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
deleted.
Last edited by YttriumNitrate on Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
By chance, I live near a 40-acre dog park. I take the dogs almost daily, so at $75/year, it's cheap. I get much better walking cardio, not having to wait for the dogs to conduct their investigations like I do when they're on leash, in a beautiful grass-and-woodland setting, plus the dogs come home exhausted and happy.
Indoors, I've been cooking a lot more. My partner is the dinner chef; I enjoy investing time in making interesting lunches that I never had time for when I was working, like perfecting my Spaghetti Carbonara or composing a Salade Niçoise. My current project is learning how to use sodium citrate to maximum advantage to make velvety cheese sauces. (The ongoing challenge is keeping portions appropriately small.)
While we don't watch broadcast or cable TV, we do have Netflix and enjoy watching series, an episode or two a day. (We're currently working our way through the first season of The Black List.)
Otherwise, subscriptions to online publications that I enjoy reading (e.g. the New Yorker, NYT, the Economist, the Financial Times). I get much more out of these than I pay for.
Indoors, I've been cooking a lot more. My partner is the dinner chef; I enjoy investing time in making interesting lunches that I never had time for when I was working, like perfecting my Spaghetti Carbonara or composing a Salade Niçoise. My current project is learning how to use sodium citrate to maximum advantage to make velvety cheese sauces. (The ongoing challenge is keeping portions appropriately small.)
While we don't watch broadcast or cable TV, we do have Netflix and enjoy watching series, an episode or two a day. (We're currently working our way through the first season of The Black List.)
Otherwise, subscriptions to online publications that I enjoy reading (e.g. the New Yorker, NYT, the Economist, the Financial Times). I get much more out of these than I pay for.
-
- Posts: 3181
- Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:33 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I am gardening / landscaping. I do all the yard work myself, except for removing trees. I have my 0.45 acres landscaped nicely. Being outside in the yard and gardens is enjoyable for me and provides for good exercise. I spend a few hundred $s each year in acquiring special plants such as conifers for my landscape, and that has become a specific hobby with contacts on the internet and within a local garden club.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Drawing can be a really low-cost hobby. You can start with a <$10 set of pencils and find plenty of tutorials on YouTube for any kind of drawing you might want to do. Zentangle is an easy (no artistic abilities necessary) form of meditative pattern drawing that can be very beautiful and very relaxing. Adult coloring is a huge business now and a great way to play with color and figure out what you like for cheap. You can get started with a set of 50 Crayola colored pencils for <$20, and there are lots of free drawings online that you can print and color. (Artists post them for free to get publicity for their adult coloring books.) There are also lots of Facebook groups for all of these where people post what they've drawn/tangled/colored, and YouTube is an amazing resource for learning all of it. (There are a surprising variety of techniques for making the coloring look great.) If you have artistic talent, of course you can go much further into drawing and painting for not much money.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Vegetable gardening, if you have a yard. Cheap initial cost for seeds, small tools, etc. and you can eat the produce.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I would focus less on finding a low cost hobby and more on 1) Finding one you really enjoy that 2) is not overly expensive. In other words, for something so important to your life, I wouldn't avoid moderate or middle cost hobbies.
Also, there is a personality issue. At one time I did some skiing and scuba diving. I find skiing just way too expensive. But I find both just too much trouble to build a trip around and I don't want to do something that I can only do once in a while or have go to a special location far away to do (which I define as more than 15 minutes from my house).
I have regular hobbies like running and traveling. But my uncommon hobbies are playing pool and frisbee. I have turned playing pool from low cost to a middle cost hobby but it really fits my lifestyle and surroundings. I am a dedicated runner but at age 50 I know that someday that may be taken away from me by injuries as I age. But hopefully I can always play pool.
Also, there is a personality issue. At one time I did some skiing and scuba diving. I find skiing just way too expensive. But I find both just too much trouble to build a trip around and I don't want to do something that I can only do once in a while or have go to a special location far away to do (which I define as more than 15 minutes from my house).
I have regular hobbies like running and traveling. But my uncommon hobbies are playing pool and frisbee. I have turned playing pool from low cost to a middle cost hobby but it really fits my lifestyle and surroundings. I am a dedicated runner but at age 50 I know that someday that may be taken away from me by injuries as I age. But hopefully I can always play pool.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Music: Learn to play an instrument: harmonica is the lowest cost I can think of. Digital pianos have come down in price. You can get a good beginner guitar for $200 or less. You can spend years playing music. Open mic nights are usually free at bars.
Fitness: running and swimming are two of the cheapest if you have a lake nearby. Weightlifting is inexpensive after the initial equipment investment. Sports: fun and cheap sports: basketball, volleyball, tennis (if you have public courts nearby). Since you already hike, you might like nature photography especially landscapes.
Cooking: you have to eat, might as well make something good and you can do it inexpensively.
Fitness: running and swimming are two of the cheapest if you have a lake nearby. Weightlifting is inexpensive after the initial equipment investment. Sports: fun and cheap sports: basketball, volleyball, tennis (if you have public courts nearby). Since you already hike, you might like nature photography especially landscapes.
Cooking: you have to eat, might as well make something good and you can do it inexpensively.
You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf
-
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:19 pm
- Location: 30.286029, -97.530011
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Well, I read both of your articles. I know that sailing is the ultimate "i-am-rich-b!@#$" sport/hobby, much more so than golf, tennis, or even polo.YttriumNitrate wrote:Indeed, many hobbies can be astronomically expensive or rather low-cost depending on what you make of them. For example, you can get into competitive sailing for a few hundred or you can spend considerably more.TradingPlaces wrote:Some of these on the list are EXTREMELY expensive, from my point of view.
However, I happen to disagree with respect to calling your first type of sailing as hobby. So you need to be consistent, responsible, good learner, and basically show up WHEN THEY WANT you to.
You know what else fits that definition? My job. I happen to like it. I spend very little money on my job. As a matter of fact, they are paying me well over 6 figures to just show up to work.
If only IRS would agree that my job is a hobby. I could be in heaven.
-
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:19 pm
- Location: 30.286029, -97.530011
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Very sound advice. My insurer has a $20 /M gym plan, using which I can join some national gym chains.mbk734 wrote: Fitness: running and swimming are two of the cheapest if you have a lake nearby. Weightlifting is inexpensive after the initial equipment investment.
So for $20 a month, I can attend gym equipped with the following:
- very good classes (aerobics, boot camp, yoga, kick-boxing),
- excellent equipment (aerobic, weight lifting, free-weights),
- pool.
You can't argue with $20 a month, can you? At that price, I would not want to make my home a gym.
- Epsilon Delta
- Posts: 8090
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:00 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Startup is less expensive if you just use hand tools, and you'll use less wood.DaleMaley wrote:My main hobby is woodworking. The good thing about woodworking, once you make the investment in the main power tools, then the on-going expenses are relatively low......wood and consumables (glue, sand-paper, varnish, stain, etc). I probably average less than $1,000 per year the last 10 years on the consumables.
As a hobby it's supposed to be fun. So automate the parts you find tedious, but some people enjoy cutting a dovetail with a handsaw and chisel or hand finishing to a fine sheen. Ornamental carving with just a pen knife also has its adherents.
- DonCamillo
- Posts: 1050
- Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2013 9:27 pm
- Location: Northern New Jersey
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Not a benefit. The difference between a job and a hobby to the IRS is that for a job you get to deduct some of your costs. For a hobby, all income is taxable.TradingPlaces wrote: If only IRS would agree that my job is a hobby. I could be in heaven.
Les vieillards aiment à donner de bons préceptes, pour se consoler de n'être plus en état de donner de mauvais exemples. |
(François, duc de La Rochefoucauld, maxim 93)
-
- Posts: 232
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:16 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I play guitar and mandolin with a bunch of AARP eligible pickers/singers. We play gratis one night a week in a senior center. After a 40 yr layoff I started again with a $75.00 garage sale Yamaha 6 string.
Gardening: 30' x 50' vegetable garden with much produce given away much to a food bank.
Gardening: 30' x 50' vegetable garden with much produce given away much to a food bank.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Cell phone photography, if you already have a smart phone.
Only half in jest. Finding ways to take fine photographs within the limitations imposed could be an interesting challenge.
Remember, it is a poor craftsman who blames the results on his tools! (or her tools).
Only half in jest. Finding ways to take fine photographs within the limitations imposed could be an interesting challenge.
Remember, it is a poor craftsman who blames the results on his tools! (or her tools).
We live a world with knowledge of the future markets has less than one significant figure. And people will still and always demand answers to three significant digits.
- Epsilon Delta
- Posts: 8090
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:00 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
That doesn't seem right.DonCamillo wrote:Not a benefit. The difference between a job and a hobby to the IRS is that for a job you get to deduct some of your costs. For a hobby, all income is taxable.TradingPlaces wrote: If only IRS would agree that my job is a hobby. I could be in heaven.
For a job all expenses are deductible, (you can have a net loss) for a hobby expenses are deductible only up to the amount of hobby income (so no net loss).
Of course over the long term one of the differences between a hobby and a job is that the job makes a net profit, so limiting job expenses to job income would only be a timing issue.
-
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Tue May 05, 2015 11:11 am
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
For the low cost of a decent smoker, you could smoke meats. Hey, you've gotta eat anyway. This has the added benefit of allowing you to sit out on your patio and drink beer all day, while you tend the fire. Welcome to Austin.dubsem wrote:Holas all. Just wondering if I may please get your ideas for a low-cost and low-maintenance hobby. I have many hobbies that cost money or are free, but am always curious to pick up something new. Low-cost meaning very little start-up costs, and low-maintenance meaning almost anyone can do it. One of my hobbies that I consider low-cost and low-maintenance is hiking. What are yours?
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I like needlepoint.
When pricing a pillow canvas and yarn, it seems expensive. But the needlepoint work takes so long that it comes to less than $2 an hour. Since I can only put in several hours a week, the projects take a long time.
I design my own canvases btw.
When pricing a pillow canvas and yarn, it seems expensive. But the needlepoint work takes so long that it comes to less than $2 an hour. Since I can only put in several hours a week, the projects take a long time.
I design my own canvases btw.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I had the same reaction. It depends a lot on your personal financial situation. dubsem, what do you consider low cost?TradingPlaces wrote:Some of these on the list are EXTREMELY expensive, from my point of view.livesoft wrote:Reading, hiking, cycling, photography, teaching, cooking, coaching, investing, dog training, gardening, fish breeding, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing, cross-country ski camping, ….
If you live in an apartment or condo complex, please do not do this. I suffered many years listening to beginner instrument students. I had one neighbor who was a brilliant pianist, and I didn't mind getting woken up on Sunday morning by his piano. Then his daughter began violin lessons and his son began clarinet lessons.Jazztonight wrote:+1.warowits wrote:Pick up a musical instrument. A three hundred dollar guitar and the Internet can keep you busy for decades.
Any musical instrument that you are attracted to--the flute is what I'm playing now. You can get good used instruments from a number of different sources. Learning materials can be had for free at your library or on YouTube. People are giving pianos away all over the place; you just need to move them. Music stores sell used rental instruments of all kinds.
Yes, an instrument can "keep you busy for decades" or the rest of your life.
Of course, singing is another option. Choirs you can join are everywhere!
Totally. I recommend buying as you go rather than diving in with all the best equipment. If you join a class, which I recommend, your teacher will likely be able to tell you when you should upgrade. With classes, there are often more advanced students selling their used equipment.YttriumNitrate wrote:Indeed, many hobbies can be astronomically expensive or rather low-cost depending on what you make of them.
In my experience, drawing is something you can get very good at with a short course of lessons, but it's hard to improve quickly on your own. I improved more in 5 two hour sessions of a painting class than I did in dozens of hours trying to learn myself.Statch wrote:Drawing can be a really low-cost hobby. You can start with a <$10 set of pencils and find plenty of tutorials on YouTube for any kind of drawing you might want to do.
The photographs people have taken with a smart phone or basic phone are amazing. Fancy equipment is necessary in certain photography situations, but smart phones can take great pictures in ideal outdoor lighting situations.Rodc wrote:Cell phone photography, if you already have a smart phone.
Only half in jest. Finding ways to take fine photographs within the limitations imposed could be an interesting challenge.
Remember, it is a poor craftsman who blames the results on his tools! (or her tools).
In terms of blaming the tools, I'd say it depends on the skill. Someone with great talent and/or who has already mastered the craft can get away with using pretty much any tool. But for beginners, there is sometimes a major advantage with using fancier tools. Case in point, experienced ice skaters can skate decently with bad blades and ill fitting shoes. For a beginner, especially if they have unusually shaped feet, bad skates can totally prevent them from advancing and can even lead to physical problems. On the other hand, starting with a Steinway grand piano doesn't help a beginner pianist at all.
Your teacher can give you guidance about buying equipment.
dubesm, do you have a sense of what you'd prefer in terms of the following? That can help us provide more specific suggestions.
*Solitary, small group, or large group? Who would be in the group?
*How much personal interaction with others?
*Budget
*Outdoor or indoor?
*How much physical activity?
*Limitations due to personal factors (e.g., mobility, athleticism), geographical location, type of residence?
*How often would you participate (daily, weekly, monthly)?
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
No real specifications as I'm open to anything new. I've loved the responses so far, and I enjoy seeing what other bogleheads recommend to spend their leisure time. I might start up some very basic woodworking and see where it goes from there.dubesm, do you have a sense of what you'd prefer in terms of the following? That can help us provide more specific suggestions.
*Solitary, small group, or large group? Who would be in the group?
*How much personal interaction with others?
*Budget
*Outdoor or indoor?
*How much physical activity?
*Limitations due to personal factors (e.g., mobility, athleticism), geographical location, type of residence?
*How often would you participate (daily, weekly, monthly)?
G.O.O.D.
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Reading books from the library, yoga and other exercises at home that just use your body weight.
- Tim
- Tim
-
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:05 pm
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
Join Chess.com and play against people from around the world. It will give you your mental exercises, it's fun to watch your score go up and down, and it's free!
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
I get a $25/month gym membership and lately I've taken up swimming. I like the quiet, the solitude (though I've made some friends), and of course the exercise. Pretty cheap -- goggles, suit, gym membership.
I have played guitar most of my life, but lately I've been taking piano lessons. The piano wasn't cheap, but the lessons give me something to do every day for two weeks in between. Pretty reasonable.
If you live in a town with a non-profit indie movie-house, become a member there and go once a week. Good value, great entertainment, and you might learn something.
Lastly, I fear I'll be laughed out of the room for this, but video games are easily the best bang for the buck out there. Modern games give you 100+ hours of compelling play time (e.g., Witcher III, Metal Gear), and they cost $60 -- you can do the math on the value vs., say a movie. Add in the cost of the console and you're still way, way up.
I have played guitar most of my life, but lately I've been taking piano lessons. The piano wasn't cheap, but the lessons give me something to do every day for two weeks in between. Pretty reasonable.
If you live in a town with a non-profit indie movie-house, become a member there and go once a week. Good value, great entertainment, and you might learn something.
Lastly, I fear I'll be laughed out of the room for this, but video games are easily the best bang for the buck out there. Modern games give you 100+ hours of compelling play time (e.g., Witcher III, Metal Gear), and they cost $60 -- you can do the math on the value vs., say a movie. Add in the cost of the console and you're still way, way up.
- White Coat Investor
- Posts: 17413
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
- Location: Greatest Snow On Earth
Re: Low-cost and low-maintenance hobbies?
My cheap hobbies are disc golf, rock climbing, running, computer games, movies, road cycling, and reading.dubsem wrote:Holas all. Just wondering if I may please get your ideas for a low-cost and low-maintenance hobby. I have many hobbies that cost money or are free, but am always curious to pick up something new. Low-cost meaning very little start-up costs, and low-maintenance meaning almost anyone can do it. One of my hobbies that I consider low-cost and low-maintenance is hiking. What are yours?
My expensive hobbies are hiking, ice hockey, skiing, traveling, mountain biking, and especially boating (wakeboarding, wakesurfing etc.)
If hiking is cheap for you, you're doing it all wrong. Here's a picture from my hike last week:
By the way, the hike at the bottom of the picture is one frequently recommended on this board. The hike at the top of the picture is a little more, shall we say, technical?
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy |
4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course