Fun "inexpensive" hobbies

[SmallCityDave]

I tend to combine several inexpensive hobbies into one. Here's what I mean; I enjoy motorcycle riding and wrenching on said motorcycle, especially for off pavement riding. I enjoy fishing and I enjoy gold panning in those streams I fish. I also enjoy shooting. So, I'll take my highly modified motorcycle into the woods to go fishing and if the fishing isn't all that great, pan for gold. At some point, something needs to be shot at, a target of some sort.
I find it best to stay low key when enjoying my hobbies.
My motorcycle;

I recently modified the rear axle to fit a 12" trailer wheel and mounted an ATV tire for the extra traction it provides;

I can't see the 1st pic is the second one a DRZ400?

 

[SmallCityDave]

A lot of hobbies can be done inexpensively. But you need discipline to not get caught up in the "gear war."

For example. Have binoculars? Then you are ready for bird watching and sky gazing. But temptations await you. For bird watching, you may want a camera. Then a telephoto and fancy tripod. Then trips to exotic places. Same can be said about sky gazing.

Hiking? Get a pair of good boots. But gear wars could await you there too.

Gardening? It can get out of hand if you are not careful. Next thing you know you've remodeled the basement for your seedling grow room.

And so on. Keep it simple. Be satisfied with learning and keeping memories, and it is all good.

I've never heard that term before but it appears to be consistent with all of these inexpensive hobbies.

 

[braumeister]

I'm also an avid runner. Shoes are not cheap, ut they don't break the bank and they do last quite a while

And they seem to keep getting better. I used to count myself lucky to get over 200 miles from a pair of running shoes, but my last pair went for over 550 and were still pretty decent. Definitely not cheap, but extremely well made.

 

[6miths]

So far for me those on the list. Hiking - we have some beautiful areas around here and cottage. Tennis on public courts free except for balls - inexpensive at Costco. Gardening - pretty much free now with perennials all over the place and exchanges. Ice hockey too but ice time not free and post-game beers probably even more of an expense!

 

[skipro33]

I can't see the 1st pic is the second one a DRZ400?

You can't see because of the camo? Ha!

Actually, this is a Yamaha TW200. But highly modified. Several other motorcycle parts swapped out. The tank is a XT225, the motor is a TTR230 and the rear wheel is a modular trailer wheel with a ATV tire on it. Here's a photo of the bike prior to modifying;

 

[JoeWras]

Gardening - pretty much free now with perennials all over the place and exchanges.

Every gardener should learn how to split and share with their neighbors. Great for socialization too!

 

[Philliefan33]

A lot of good ideas so far so I will add one that hasn’t been mentioned.

If you like watching live sports, become a fan of your local high school or small college teams. Some events will be free, others might have a small entrance fee but many schools offer an all-access pass for less than $100 annually. The level of play won’t be anything near what you see on tv, but with regular attendance you might find yourself with favorite players or getting to know other fans.

 

[Midpack]

 

[Marita40]

One of my hobbies is genealogy. I thoroughly enjoy a rainy or cold afternoon researching on ancestry.com and building my tree. Membership is about $340 a year. I consider it a bargain for the fun I get out of it. There are free sites, too, of course but ancestry has the most going for it.

 

[Dtail]

Pickleball for me costs about 30 monthly which includes a paddle, balls, shoes, gas.

 

[harllee]

I've never heard of a birding app... it looks like it helps you identify the birds?

Audubon has a good free birding app, available in the Apple app store (and I assume other app stores too). The app has pictures, a description of the bird and the bird song.

 

[Bamaman]

We have a fifth wheel RV that we keep in a member owned campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia.

Our yearly dues are $450 a year, and it costs us $1 a night up to 14 days per month. That's a bargain.

Since we keep our camper in secured storage there @ $32.50 a month. The campground moves our trailer for us onto campsites.

It's such a fabulous facility (2 pools, tennis, huge clubhouse) that we don't camp anywhere else. It's such a safe and simple way to spend vacations.

 

[harllee]

A lot of good ideas so far so I will add one that hasn’t been mentioned.

If you like watching live sports, become a fan of your local high school or small college teams. Some events will be free, others might have a small entrance fee but many schools offer an all-access pass for less than $100 annually. The level of play won’t be anything near what you see on tv, but with regular attendance you might find yourself with favorite players or getting to know other fans.

Agree. I am a sports fan and am fortunate to live in a college town with great sports. Many of the college sporting events I go to are free or very inexpensive--tennis, softball, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, womens basketball . Mens basketball and football are the only expensive tickets. I have really missed sports during Covid but I did get to a baseball game last weekend.

 

[luckydude]

A wonderful hobby I picked up after FIRE is the afternoon nap. It's free, requires zero effort and always leaves me well-rested, relaxed and refreshed

 

[ejman]

Another vote for hiking. A pair of hiking boots is about it for equipment (although I've seen hikers wearing sneakers just fine). I'm hopping to get back into it soon.

 

[Kroeran]

Sub 250 drone photography is relatively unregulated and a few hundred. DJI Mini 2 is gold standard

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMmnVTajW4C/?igshid=p8d0rgit8ux6

 

[Walt34]

I have a couple of hobbies that can be expensive but can also be very inexpensive. Photography has already been discussed so I won't do that again. But if I ever win the lottery there's a $7k Nikon DSLR that I'd love to enjoy.... Oh, and the lenses are extra. Definitely not cheap.

Radio control models is another one. I've been flying R/C airplanes off & on (mostly on) for several decades. If airplanes aren't for you, there are of course R/C cars, trucks, boats, ships, submarines (yes they submerge and fire torpedoes) heavy construction equipment, and about any other mobile "thing" you can think of. If it moves, someone has built an R/C model of it. Many of them are museum-quality replicas that do more than just look pretty.

As with most hobbies there is no upper limit to what one can spend, but the lower limit is pretty cheap. Value Hobby sells an airplane radio transmitter and receiver for $28, the electronic speed control is as low as $5 there or at Hobby King or Amazon, and I've bought servos by the bag for as little as $3 each. Add in a dollar or two's worth of Dollar Store foam, some glue, and your own design or one found online and you're in business for under $100. And that's buying all new stuff, of course it's all cheaper used, but of course you have to do the scrounging. I don't have the patience for that.

At the other extreme is a quarter-scale Boeing 747 with turbine engines that start at $3k+. Each. And you haven't even started building the airplane yet. That kind of model is way over my budget (and skills) but they're neat to see.

 

[rk911]

traveling in our motor home; general aviation; amateur radio. <sigh>

 

[donheff]

Cycling is my favorite. You can go cheap, expensive, or in between. I also just returned to drawing using an iPad mini, an Apple Pencil, and Procreate software.

 

[donheff]

I like to draw and started using a free program, Sketchbook, for the iPad. The iPad and pencil were not inexpensive, but no ongoing cost (until I wear out the pencil tip at some point).

I just discovered Procreate and am impressed. James Julier’s tutorials on YouTube are an excellent introduction.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I'm a dog lover. I put a lot of effort into training my dogs in performance skills such as agility and obedience. A lot of areas have nonprofit dog-training clubs where members get instruction from each other. It can be a rewarding hobby and an inexpensive one ... or as expensive as your bankroll will allow.

 

[Trailwalker]

A few

Hiking: I hike at least five miles per day to take the edge off my border heeler.

Roasting coffee: I did this professionally for five years. Now it’s a hobby with inexpensive equipment costs. I save money on every pound I roast.

Brewing beer and making wine. Same savings over buying product.

 

[JoeWras]

Cycling is my favorite. You can go cheap, expensive, or in between. I also just returned to drawing using an iPad mini, an Apple Pencil, and Procreate software.

I'm not an avid cyclist despite my avatar, but I do get out at least 3 times a week for 8 to 10 miles or so. I'm using my 2006 model Giant hybrid. Heavy as bricks, but who cares? I'm not racing. It cost about $450 at the time and I've done my own maintenance since, including a few new cables, brake pads, and multiple tires and tubes. No bearings or cassettes: I'd probably opt for something new when that time comes.

When I bought it, I was chatting to the guys there and for some reason they started discussing people with bike gear addictions. They pointed out a computer ($500) and these really high end carbon fiber wheels (thousands) that were lined up in the corner. They said a guy comes in every few weeks for new gadgets, and these are the ones he's ready to pick up this time. They seemed pretty excited. I got the feeling he kept the little shop in business.

 

[albireo13]

Birding apps I have and like:
eBird
Merlin Bird ID
Audubon
Smart Bird ID

 

[Starsky]

After having to put most of my hobbies on hold, I've started to enjoy baking and making pasta as a hobby, and I'm also learning how to cook my favorite Asian dishes. My goal is to someday be able to make hand-tossed Asian noodles. (My DW has always been the chef; but as long as I keep the kitchen clean, she's happy to let me use her stuff.)

Making music is one hobby I've been able to maintain at home. Once you own the instruments, the rest is free. (I can't wait to get my shots in early April so that I can get together with my friends to jam!)