There are many great hobbies that can indirectly and directly save you a lot of money. In these challenging times, be careful where you spend those hobby/recreational dollars. They are harder and harder to come by. I've made a conscious decision to simplify my life and minimize my concern with consumption and the the consumer-driven economy. You know what I really like to do? Spend time with my family. AND I like to spend time with my family because I made a conscious effort to do so. Marriages and families are work, and I've worked my tail off to be a better husband, father, and person. No, I'm not trying to make myself into a saint, but I am admitting that a family that plays together stays together.
Let me explain. Hobbies like gardening and home improvement provide wonderful pastimes. They save money because unlike pricey "money blowing hobbies" like shopping, fine dining, golf and other wallet-based hobbies, they fill your free time with meaning. Now of course renovating a house is expensive, but I differentiate between money spent investing in and improving your house through a hobby and typical disposable income. A $100.00 dinner is a one-evening thing. The enjoyment is fleeting and, at its core, etherial. Buying an expensive toy to putt around in on the weekends seems to me like a big waste of money. Autos are such an awful investment. An expensive night at the bar leaves you broke and hung over in the morning. Now I guess there's nothing wrong with these expensive hobbies I've just mentioned as long as you realize the money they take and you have the money to pursue them. But aren't you here at my blog BECAUSE you think there's more to life than expensive hobbies? These types of financial wastes are the financial equivalent to "empty calories." They come at a cost but offer little real benefit. Are you looking to get out of life's fast lane and slow down? Aren't you tired of keeping up with the Joneses? If you were really into collecting stuff and impressing people you don't know, you wouldn't be reading this. I'm amazed at the number of fancy cars I see on the road in Las Vegas(where I live) given the fact that nearly two-thirds of all homes in this market will be in/enter foreclosure at some point in the current ten-year period. Hey, they're broke but they sure look cool in that $60 k car...(not).
Two Hobbies that Pay You Back:
Gardening provides rigorous exercise, puts worries and cares out of mind, gets you into the great outdoors, and puts food on the table. Now that is a cost-effective hobby. It gets your hands dirty, pays off with organic, flavor-filled foods, and beautifies your yard. Don't forget the benefits of eating foods without devoid of pesticides, hepatitis, and ecoli.
Yeah, maybe my dad wasn't crazy. You see, my dad was a true gardener and an authentic person. How embarrassed I was when he'd pick me up from school in the Ford Pinto and other kids' dads and moms cruised by in their bimmers. But my dad put his family and its needs first...and did I mention he came home to a five-acre brick house on top of the hill? Yeah, he had his priorities straight, even if i didn't understand him then. He gardened and BUILT things with his hands. His husbandry of the soil is what impressed me most. What a joy it has been to discover my dad in every planted tree and turned shovelful of dirt. Gardening has changed for me. I've come to love it as I get older.
I want to re-live my childhood through my gardening, remember my dad in every tree I plant. I want to PROVIDE for my family in a tangible way. I want to bring forth from the earth its bounty, like a doctor proudly delivering another life into the world. I don't want to feed my family tainted food from foreign countries with suspect nutritional value. I want to create and foster life. I don't want to leave this earth with more problems than it had because I was born. Gardening helps avoid these problems (It's probably why i teach, too). My wife also plants flowers. We live in an HOA community and can't plant fruit trees or veggies in the front, so I let my wife fuss with flowers after I do the heavy digging and hauling. Hey, they make her happy, and if flowers make my wife happy, they make me happy.
Likewise,
home improvement provides for rigorous exercise, mind cleansing "focused on the now" time (if you're not focused while using power tools, you'll wish you had), and puts sweat equity into your house and pocket. Again, when I was little, I never understood why my dad MADE me help him repair things around the house. Now, the sense of accomplishment I've gotten from installing the crown molding in just ONE of the many rooms I've completed over the years has made all the sweat worth it. Yes, compound miter saws are frustrating at first, but the end result is incredible. I still catch myself looking-up at the eight-inch wide molding on our bedroom ceiling admiring the invisible lines where I made my cuts and joined the molding. Did I mention the feeling of accomplishment you get from fixing appliances, painting rooms, and repairing and installing appliances? Lastly, I must admit my wife finds it attractive that I am handy around his house.
On another note, I learned another valuable lesson about hobbies.
You can't add a hobby without dropping one. You can't do a thousand things at once. You have to cut somewhere. As I have begun homesteading and home improvement, I began to cut other things out of my time budget .
Golf clubs--were given away to my nephew. My toy trains were boxed-up and only brought out at Christmas.
Music--I must confess after collecting and listening to music my whole life, I'm burned out on music and it's just not important to me any more. I'll turn on a song or two, but buying music or going to an expensive concert is completely out of the question now. I may, however, treat my wife, a closet old school hair band devotee, to a concert this summer. I'll take one for the team here. There are probably other hobbies I've put on the back burner as well. I'm guessing you have, too. Now that's me and I certainly don't want you to think you have to follow my lead. I'm not preaching and I'm not here to think for you. It's your life and you need to make it work for you. Be true to yourself and follow your passion. For me it's God, family, and improving our home. I hope my perspective helps you find yours.
One last thing, if your life is running you ragged, pick up a copy of Elaine St. James'
Simplify Your Life. Her book is pure clarity. It's a collection of suggestions on how to live simply. She was living life in the fast lane and she improved her life immeasurably by slowing down. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
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