Good morning Dinks. Let me ask you a question, do you have a hobby? Some of us go stir crazy from being inside during the winter and when spring comes around we try to find any excuse to spend time outside in the sunny warm weather. Some of us just get bored and need to find new ways to spend our time and some others (like me) find a new hobby because we will use any excuse to pursue another one of our passions.
I recently started running and I plan to use my love of travel as my motivation to get fit and become the best runner that I can be. I have body limitations with a very weak lower back so unfortunately I can’t train every day, but I plan to push my body to its limit over the next year while staying under the watchful eye of my trusted chiropractor. I started running intervals twice a week on a treadmill and I plan to run my first 5K in Boston next year. I try to maintain a variety between my 3-4 workouts each week which includes a mixture of yoga, the treadmill and weights, but I just love running.
I usually spend all of my vacation time travelling to cities for various blogging and social media conferences, but 2013 is going to be the last year that I will do that. In 2014 I plan to use my newfound running hobby as an excuse to travel. Next spring I plan to be in Boston for a 5k run called Boston’s Run to Remember and next fall I hope to visit Washington D.C. for a 5k run called The Colour Run.
As I become obsessed with my newfound running hobby I have learned that new hobbies can quickly become very costly habits. It’s easy to want to have all of the newest running gear but I won’t let my new running hobby put me into debt or tempt me to spend money that I don’t need to. Depending on your hobby you may even want to check Kijiji and Craigslist to buy equipment second hand.
3 tips to keep your new hobby cost efficient:
1. Try something new. New hobbies are a great way to try something different and experience something new. If there is something that you have always wanted to do but just never had the chance, think of taking it up as your new hobby. Your hobby should be a way to try a new experience without costing you a lot of money. I have a cousin who wanted to become an avid sky-diver but that is a very expensive hobby.
2. Get on social media. The best way to find discounts and deals for your new hobby is to connect with people who also share the same passion. Get on Facebook, join Twitter and read blogs to meet new friends. I have found great deals on workout gear and even had some suggestions on which new running shoes to buy from my new running friends on Twitter.
3. Recruit your friends. If you need some motivation to stay on track with your new hobby then recruit your friends. Whether it’s building toy train models or rock climbing you most likely have a friend who shares the same passion and also wants to try something new.
Photo by Diesel
Kristina Tahnyak
Tahnya is a Certified Financial Planner and former Investment Advisor turned marketing and communications professional She holds a degree from Concordia University, is debt free and currently works in the field of digital marketing.
I also am a runner and have found it to be a relatively low-cost activity to participate in, plus you have to factor in all the health benefits. Some other low cost hobbies I participate in are reading and writing.
My wife and I recently joined a gym and have picked up the hobby of working out. It costs a bit of money for the membership, but the cost is pretty low considering how much time we spend there. A few of my other hobbies that are pretty cheap (after the initial start-up cost) are hunting, fishing, and blogging.
My hobbies consist of working out, watching TV, and working on my blog. They are not very expensive hobbies.
My husband hobbies are sports, video games, and supplements. His hobbies tend to be moderately pricey. :/
We try to keep our costs down :)
I think a great idea on saving money with a new hobby is to definitely buy it pre-owned or refurbished. Then as you ramp up your hobby and become more dedicated to it, you can invest in more expensive tools down the line. I also like your idea of checking social media accounts for discounts and coupons — smart ideas here!
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