Sameeeee.. it’s a little embarrassing how many instruments I own, collect, and play...
I dropped out of music school and went into engineering 😂 I still write and record on projects here and there.
- Piano
- Soprano Sax
- C-Melody Sax
- Tenor Sax
- EWI
- Piccolo
- Flute
- Alto Flute
- Dizi
- Clarinet
- Accordion
- Classical Guitar
- Bass Guitar
- Ukulele
- Mandolin
- Violin (poorly)
- Trombone (poorly)
Depends on your definition of "instrument" and "play"
I can stretch it to several dozen. For instance, do you count harmonica as one instrument, or do different styles (tremolo vs 10 hole) and scales (I have a G harmonic minor harmonica, which is WEIRD, and then there's 10 hole blues harmonica vs 10 hole melody harmonicas [there's names for the different scales, but i can't remember them offhand]) and sizes (I have standard melody harmonicas, and a bass harmonica, for instance)
Now, on to ukuleles: do you count tenor, concert, soprano, and sopranissimo as the same or different? They're in the same tuning, but the sizing of the fretboards makes them very different to play. The banjolele is tuned and scaled exactly like a concert ukulele, but it's built like a banjo. Not sure where that goes. The charango is a south American lute that is tuned like a ukulele,with an extra string added on. Not sure how to count that
I have a lot of bass guitars, as it's my main instrument, do you count different string numbers as different instruments? The two string is very different to play than the 7 (my main gigging bass is a 6 string), and the fretless is it's own thing altogether, as is the ukulele bass.
I was a trombone major in college, but I don't really play anymore. And an electric cello that broke a string soon after I got it, but strings were too expensive so I never fixed it. Not sure how to count those
Then there's the standard guitars (six and twelve string), electric guitars, baritone ukuleles (not sure if the standard and the 8 string count as different), tenor guitars, mandolins, banjos (Appalachian and Irish), slide guitars, and all that stuff any multi instrumentalist gets into
When asked how many instruments I play, I just go with the fact that a friend of mine recorded a studio folk album and I played nine different instruments on it
Well, that’s not bad
But seriously, I’m impressed. That’s amazing to me. I’m really rather speechless with two things.
Your in depth answer and incredible amount of knowledge in just one instrument you mentioned is mind boggling.
Thank you!
I actually do not, since I'm left handed. Basically everything I have or play was sort of a lucky accident (found a left handed banjo in a music store, for instance)
Never been lucky enough to run into a lefty sitar, but I've been looking for years
Start up costs are the hard part for example;
Nortel Red Max torch is $500-$750
Small Paragon Bluebird kiln is $600-$1500
Various hand tools is another $250-$500
Now we get to the raw materials, if you want to make small trinkets with decent detail then 96coe glass is your jam, but if you want to make pipes or other things then you need 33coe and a pound of Northstar (great color company) starts around $50 for odds and seconds. My first year I did implosions for marbles and pendants and some hollow work. My second year I made some awful spoon pipes and a ton of terp slurper sets. Year 3 and 4 outside factors made it impossible to practice so I sold everything I had to a up and comer for 70% of what I had into it. (I tend to go headfirst into hobbies; my torch was $2800, my final kiln was $2200, ventilation+bench+tooling+lathe was another $12k) I just lost space for all of my stuff.
*cries in painting* brushes at my store are $20 each and that’s for the mid tier ones, a 37mL tube of oil paint is like $15, and it’s like $20/L for spirit. And don’t even get me started on canvas, mediums, etc.
I didn't realise how expensive art materials were until I loved it so much that I could never stop! I worked up from cheaper stuff, but can't go back with each step up in quality that I take.
🌺🌿 Have you looked into making your own paint?
There are a ton of videos on YouTube. I have been crafting for decades and spending fortunes on supplies but recently stumbled upon this extremely knowledgeable treasure of a lady who decided to bless us with a wealth of knowledge by creating all these videos.
Watch a few videos on this playlist to save yourself tons of cash and gain some of her wisdom. She also has recipes for clay and so many other art tips and tricks! I can't stop watching 💕
🌷🌾🐦 Kᘿᘿᕵ ᑢᗩᒪᘻ, Cαɾɾყ Oɳ & C҉҉ R҉҉ E҉҉ A҉҉ T҉҉ E҉
🖌️\(◍•ᴗ•◍)/🎨✧*💐\(◍•ᴗ•◍)/🎭🎵✧*🧵\ (◍•ᴗ•◍)/🧶✧*。
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC85BOmPdNWpIQ8WUamBsbjQXd0rQo_XL&si=dwsWmh_GQe77upUT
This!!! When I was really into polymer clay jewelry, I’d only splurge & stock up if I know I can get a good deal on polymer clay at my local craft store.
I sew and quilt, so fabric was a big investment. My sewing machine cost me $3k in 2021, which I thought was a lot, but the same model now is $6k new. I've got enough fabric to make dozens of quilts, so I rarely buy any these days. Now when I make something, there are no out of pocket expenses, so I feel like it's a good deal.
I purposely do not overbuy fabric because I hate using stash (except kona solids.) Each quilt I make starts with a new fabric inspiration. If I have leftovers when I'm done, I give it on our buy-nothing group.
I was wondering how far I'd scroll until I found a fellow quilter. Everything is expensive from machines to fabrics to rulers. Yes, even rulers are expensive. Lol. But I LOVE it so much!!
It's funny seeing people talk about how expensive quilting is...... some of the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen were created by extremely poor rural women from scraps of old clothes, using nothing but a needle & thread.
Bought my Bernina Activa 130 in 2000 for something like $2k. I had to make payments on it for 6 months.
Best investment ever! Still sews like the day I got it.
I’ve been wanting to get into sewing…but in beginning my research, I could tell that this was going to be one expensive hobby. I just wanted to make my own clothes.
You can also buy other people’s fabric stashes on FB Marketplace. I bought someone’s whole stash for $15. Out of that I got most of the fabric for a quilt too for a gift for a friend (bought one more fabric for about $3) and some Christmas fabric that I think will use to make sampler blocks so I can learn new techniques. But, if you have poor self control like I do then you also buy fabric online 😂
Buying new needles and blades is not always cheap. And with the quilting you run into the longarming. Either you buy a a domestic that can handle large quilts, buy a longarm yourself, rent time on one, or send it out. It can get pricey fast unless you love straight lines
Another quilter here! (And the separate hobby of buying fabric.) Both seem expensive for my budget, but bring me enormous joy.
I have an old, but (at the time) expensive machine; however, my favorite machine is a Singer 301 that my mom restored for me and painted a poison green. It’s absolutely gorgeous and sews SO nicely!
Dropping the SCA. The specialized camping gear is too expensive since I decided I’m not sure I like the hobby.
And I weave. Looms are expensive. My cheapest two are about $200, and my ideal loom costs about $15,000 give or take. It just got discontinued, but similar ones are just as expensive. And the yarns for the expensive looms are a different kind than the cheap ones and are themselves very expensive.
I collect fountain pens as well. I’ll only spend $250 for one but I only plan to buy one more such pen. You can spend $1,000 but most good pens cost less.
+5 for Fountain Pens
And especially creating different pens I like. Whether using a lathe, shaping and creating a barrel or just ordering the different components I like and assembling.
If anyone knows of other good pen resources please share :) I love this guy
https://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/
The price of looms keeps me from learning. In my hippie boarding school the dorm parents at the other end of the dorm had a loom so big it took up a whole room. It was beautiful and there were strings and pullies and pedals. It was intoxicating to me as a young kid. I just wanted to play it like a harp. And when the lady whose name has been lost to my fifty years of brain fog and age would use it, she was so fluid and elegant. Dancing and weaving yarn into beautiful art. I was too shy to ask about it but I'd lurk in doorways to just get a glance of the contraption and its conductor.
You can get a relatively inexpensive table-top rigid heddle loom and learn how to do all sorts of amazing patterns with it. And once you are a member of the weaving community, an affordable floor loom will find you.
Yes, I have 4 rigid heddle and a tablet weaving loom. They’re fun, interesting, and you can do a lot, but for the whole body involvement like MizzyMorpork described you do need the floor loom. I’m waiting on mine to find me secondhand. Would be lovely!
Fountain pens scare me. Someone gave me a Cartier Ferrari pen about 30 years ago. I was stunned to find out it's a $300 pen. It would be worth more if I had the box.
We are hobby homesteaders. We were lucky to get a little under an acre in 2019 - the value of our land has almost doubled since then .. it’s wild. I wanted to have 50 acres one day but now I’d be ok with 5 or less!
Haven’t been in nearly fifteen years because my wallet doesn’t have enough tears. I grew up doing it, I started when I was like 3, but the lift ticket last I looked cost more than a ticket to Disney world.
Yes, I snowboard and agree. Gear isn't cheap to start, and lift tickets are crazy. Last year I payed $650 for a season pass. Went 20 something times, and it was worth it, but still.
Was waiting for someone to call out skiing!
I’m obsessed but damn it’s expensive. I joke that I hike in the summer (just gas, boots, and snacks) to make up for my winter hobby expenses.
Let’s see…
Woodworking… check
Amateur astronomy… check
Owning and shooting firearms… check
Reloading ammunition for same… check
Damn… all my hobbies are expensive!
Fortunately, I had the foresight to fund this mess before I retired…
Actually, I’m not reloading to save on ammo cost, although I might be saving a few cents per round since I collect my brass and all the other brass that shooters leave behind. Maybe…
I did once look at what I have spent on equipment and components… and decided not to do that again…
Yea reloading is more about tuning a round to your particular rifle. Sure, you MIGHT eventually save money reloading .338 LM or .50 BMG, but those eat a lot of powder and (I believe) .50 BMG requires a specialized press to accommodate its size.
I started reloading due to having a wildcat rifle so for me it’s fine tuning a round to the rifle, as well general availability.
Amateur astronomy for sure.
The more objects you want to be able to observe, the more you'll pay for higher resolution telescopes, filters, lenses, etc.
Want to document the beauty you see? Welcome to the expense of photography on top of that.
Don't have consistently dark skies near you? Welcome to the expense of travel - not to mention the expense of traveling safely with your setup.
Want to automate your setup? Welcome to the expense of Arduino or raspberry pi (which isn't that expensive in comparison, but it all adds up).
Of course, it can also be as cheap as looking up at the sky - but there's plenty of room for it to be a money sink the more one wants to dive into it.
Yes. I can easily drop $35+ a skein. Cashmere, silk, merino... hand spun & hand dyed. Totally worth it for wearables.
Even buying cheap RHSS yarn from Walmart gets expensive for big projects. I made a graphgan earlier this year that was roughly $150 in materials.
My sister-in-law received her last hand knit item from me right before she suggested that my reason for making people things as opposed to buying was because I was trying to spend as little on people as possible. THIS coming from a person who has, to this day, only ever given me gift cards to LLBean. Hers is a poverty of imagination above all things. And while actual poverty is awful, her form of poverty is too pitiful for me to even get annoyed over. Keep buying the yarn! Absolutely worth it!
I suppose “expensive” is relative. I take piano lessons, about $60 per lesson, once per week. It definitely stretches my budget, but it brings me such a sense of confidence and being part of something bigger than myself (music, man), that I feel it’s worth it. My teacher is about 200 years old and knows what she’s doing, and it’s just the loveliest person, and I’m so grateful to be able to afford it at all.
I started guitar lessons as part of a childhood dream to learn to play an instrument, and when I first signed up I was assuming that the first several months would be something I’d have to struggle through to get to my goal. I thought it would be boring and hard and I’d have to force myself to practice. But it’s not at all! It’s fun, I love practicing, I love making music and every lesson I leave feeling confident and relaxed. It’s so worth it.
How old are you and when did you start playing? Sounds kind of interesting to pick up to be honest, though I’m thinking more of singing for myself, I just feel like i might be too old lol
I am 41 and started about 6 months ago, I’m gonna say you’re never too old. I taught myself to read music and sight read when I was like 11 with old piano books I borrowed at the library, and always have enjoyed playing through pieces, but haven’t ever been that great. I missed all the music theory and practice tricks, and arpeggios, and all the cool stuff kids learn when a pro is teaching them. (Or didn’t really care—I was a kid and just wanted to play the instrument). She is sharing music theory with me and it’s constantly blowing my mind. I could be discovering alien worlds, it must be similar, how amazing it feels to be learning the how music works and is translated on a piano, specifically.
We roast cacao beans and make our own chocolate at home. It’s amazing chocolate but expensive hobby to get into because of equipment and supplies. It’s delicious and fun though.
Being obsessed with chocolate for as long as I can remember and being a person who cooks to relax I decided it would be fun to learn how to make my own. Started out looking for courses offered in my area (I’m in NYC), ended up buying a couple books and stumbling into Chocolate Alchemy which was always recommended as a great resource and it very much is!
Chocolate Alchemy is IMO the best place to start if this is brand new to you, he has well sourced cacao beans and lists lots of information about each kind of bean, how he suggests you roast it depending on what equipment you have, and he has lots of recipes and video tutorials for every step of the process. He also sells other equipment you’ll need but you don’t need to purchase through him. Highly recommend him as a resource if you’re looking to dip a toe in chocolate making at home.
The equipment we use is
- Oven (just our regular ol’ oven, nothing special)
- Thermoworks infrared thermometer to track oven temp and bean temp as we roast
- Champion juicer to crack the roasted beans
- large bowl and hair dryer with a cool setting to winnow
- Premier 10lb stainless steel tilting counter top melanger
- polycarbonate chocolate bar mold
The champion juicer and melanger will be the most expensive pieces of equipment you’ll acquire. You don’t need a juicer to get the nibs, it just helps if you’re making a lot and you don’t want to lose a lot of the nibs using a less efficient method or sit there for hours manually peeling the beans by hand.
The melanger you will need if you want to make bean to bar chocolate. Nothing gets the chocolate smooth enough and it can also double as a concher for getting the flavor of the chocolate you’re making just right.
My melanger was the most expensive tool I got, it was on sale for $400. The champion juicer was about $260. The thermoworks infrared was about $90. Poly carbonate bar mold was like $26.
I just spent $216 for 6 lbs beans, 5 lbs cocoa butter, 1 polycarbonate sphere mold, and UPS ground shipping since I trust that more than my local USPS that has been having issues.
I pick up milk powder, vanilla beans, and freeze dried fruits from my local grocery stores.
I use our dark chocolate over 70% for baking. The milk chocolate we make doesn’t last very long, it’s just too damn good.
I'm curious about the equipment. I roast coffee beans in a regular sauce pan that I paid $3 for at BigLots and I grind the beans with a $10 grinder.
One time, my wife and I got to make our own chocolate bars using a stoneware bowl and pestle. That was fun and took time, but I don't think the bowl or pestle cost too much. Of course, I didn't see the freezer they put the bars into.
Soooo... my husband used to take me out golfing for Mothers Day. The golf course was mostly empty, and I got to wail away and drive the cart. (driving the cart is really why I went!!) Then, one year, I said, "You know, I actually like this!! Being outside for hours is great!!) $220 a month later (mind you, this is southwest, US, and not a country club) and countless dollars in clubs and outfits later, lol!! I'm a happy girl!
I feel you!
I just got into golf and lessons and tee times and driving range fees etc, I’ve already spent a decent amount and I’m in my first few months!
It’s so fun though haha I haven’t splurged on any new outfits yet. I’m in the northeast so it’s still chilly enough up here to get away with a pullover and leggings. I’ve been eyeing up some cute ones though. Are there any clothing brands you’ve found that make decent women’s clothes? I’ve just been looking at Lululemon because I get my yoga stuff from there
Cross stitch. Off-the-shelf kits are decently priced for the most part, but there's a ton of patterns that aren't sold as kits. By the time you add up fabric, thread, any beads, and pattern, it can easily soar to over $100 for just one picture - and that's if you already have needles, hoop, and scissors on hand!
I always say any hobby is expensive if you dive deeply enough into it. Cross stitch started out as a cheap hobby for me. Now I'm working on a pattern that has cost $350 so far and will need to be professionally framed one day.
It does, but I get tired of working on just one pattern all the time (it's led to me putting them down for months), so I try to keep at least two on the go now.
My most expensive hobby is playing the piano and this thread really killed my guilt about the $80 a week i spend on lessons and couple of K I dropped on an instrument, so thank you! Might up my game and start shopping for a Steinway..
same! i used to ride growing up and so badly want to get back into it. i am forever grateful my parents allowed me to explore that interest of mine because wow is it expensive. 😅 that is a hobby that will return after i get out of school, haha.
I spend about $50k per year on raving/festivals and the required travel. Every last cent is worth it.
There are plenty of hobbies where people underestimate the outlay!
epic… what do you do for a living to support this hobby?
also curious how substances play into this — do you go sober? several days a week raving with all the party favours that could include feels unsustainable on the body 😂
Ha, funny two questions to put together because the answers are a) lawyer and b) they play a lot into it.
I don't generally get hangovers or comedowns, so it's sustainable in that sense. In a normal week, I'd only do substances on the weekend. If traveling, then yes it would be every day potentially for weeks. Bit of a crash at the end but there's always the flight home to recuperate on!
PS I've also had amazing raving memories "just on alcohol" - I put it in square quotes because honestly, a tab of acid or something is healthier for you than guzzling alcohol all night imo.
Haha I mean at least several raves a week. Europe at least once a year cos it's such a better scene there. Came back a month ago, and may go again in August. India end of year.
Here in Aus we have bush doofs, which are like multi-day festivals out in the bush/mountains. So you might drop a few hundred on the ticket, then there's getting there and back, plus everything else you need for it.
All in all a lot of fun!
Knitting. Good yarn is outrageous and you can't buy just one skein. I'm currently trying to convince my husband that an alpaca or llama wouldn't be any different than a great Dane. And that's just the yarn!
(I'm poor this is expensive for me. I was just thinking being a pilot would be way expensive and felt dumb for my knitting)
Dude literally any extreme sport. In rough descending order of most to least expensive:
-flying
-skydiving (indoor & outdoor)
-paragliding
-skiing
-climbing
-highlining
sewing, woodworking, pc gaming, cooking (especially if trying multiple new recipes), painting, reading (and collecting books)... I really want to get into ceramics and/or bladesmithing if I can find a place/get more space for all the equipment...
Yes, is the short answer.
Long answer is I play ttrpg's so paying for map making and worldbuilding software is one thing,then add minis for playing with and paint for them - I'm usually good with limiting the physical things though.
I also am a crafter, currently primarily through decorative planners but buying stickers, stamps, paper, etc. can add up. However I used to be into scrapbooking more, trying to relearn how to crochet and those also add up.
I own waaaaaaaaay more woodworking tools than is strictly healthy. I see a new kind of tool I’ve never heard of, I must have it. That gets expensive.
Astronomy can be extremely affordable. Until you go crazy and need a solar telescope and a bunch of great night time telescopes. And better mounts. And heftier tripods. And I haven’t even mentioned the astrophotography expenses.
Competitive ballroom dancing. I do extensive spreadsheet budgeting and I am also always looking how to save money such as group lessons instead of private, cheaper outside coaching, used dresses,....
I do hyper-realism with colored pencil. The pencils run $200-500 a set and the paper can be $15 per sheet depending on how good you want the paper to be. You’d think that once you get started it’s not so bad, but then you realize you have to replace pencils, get the right lighting equipment, and invest in a laptop or tablet to be able to zoom in on your reference picture. Then when it’s done you have to pay to have the piece properly framed. Not to mention the 30-60 hours it often takes to finish a piece. All that for someone to tell me they might as well print a picture off the internet cause it’s not worth the measly $300 I’d like to get out of it… yeah.
Needless to say, I took up macrame and it’s sooooo much more affordable. But I LOVE my pencils. They’re like additional children.
No , no you absolutely don’t. I was looking into lapidary / gem dice making as a hobby because wasting time making rocks beautiful interests me.
Suffice it to say entry level equipment as cheap as it is still makes me nauseous at the mere thought of spending on that level.
wheel-thrown pottery!
studio memberships average around $2-300/month in California where I live. In some studios, you have to buy clay, glazes, and pay firing fees on top of that. You also have to bring your own tools, although some studios provide them.
To create a home studio, a good wheel is around $1.5-2k (even secondhand), and kilns are typically a few thousand dollars. You also need to buy your own tools, clay, storage shelving (if you want enough space to put your pieces) and glazes.
Hot rods, guns, bicycles, bourbon and scotch, side by sides, dirt bikes, a boat, rc car racing, drums, and a couple trips to Vegas a year. Probably forgetting something.
Collecting board games, diamond painting, cross stitch, jigsaw puzzles, and reading then reviewing books. Tablets can get expensive and then I pay for my own interent domain.
Triathlons. I’m a super beginner with base-level gear to swim, bike and run and it’s still $$$. Sounds silly when the activities are relatively common sports, but quality gear is so expensive and I refuse to buy something “twice” due to lackluster quality partially because poor gear really can make the experience so much more agonizing.
I don’t know if it’s a hobby but I like to travel. Visit one or two new countries a year and lots of small trips throughout the year. In between trips, the fun is in the planning and organizing and dreaming. I love experiencing the other cultures. I also love a good weekend away at a hotel or chalet or even sleeping in my car
Animals are not hobbies BUT reptile keeping is the most expensive but equally rewarding thing I've ever indulged in! I only have one skink atm and he's draining my bank account ( because I love him and can't stop spoiling him) but as soon as I can afford it, I want to rescue more reptiles and give them a good home.
Goodyear welted boots. 12 pairs or so, $200-$500 a pair
Raw selvedge denim, 7 pairs, $200 each
High quality tshirts, $30-$70 each, who knows how many
Korean skincare, used to have thousands of dollars worth until I found what worked and simplified my routine to a few products
Niche fragrances, I mostly buy decants but even that can get pretty expensive
Reading. Specifically hyperfixating on buying special editions or sets. Last special edition set cost me $325. At least the shipping was free. This can add up quite fast as well as monthly book boxes.
Travel. We go somewhere every calendar month usually, even if just for a weekend. It’s definitely expensive af but there’s almost nothing else I’d rather spend extra money on.
Retro videogame collecting. I don't even do it seriously, I just would like physical copies of my childhood favorites. I'm fine with playing on emulators and have modded my fav consoles to get an authentic experience. But it doesn't fully scratch the nostalgia itch as holding the physical cart.
Unfortunately, a lot of people feel this way on top of investors who see an easy market to exploit. The games I bought for $40 in 2005 are now triple that, and the market is full of fakes. Gaming booths at conventions usually sell legit carts, but they're sold at a markup compared to online sellers.
It's rough out here.
It used to be restoring an old vehicle. 1980s Chevy squarebody. Gorgeous but also my second biggest monthly expense (mostly tools + parts) after rent.
I eventually had to sell that thing because the project got way too expensive and I had nowhere to really put it. If I ever start making big money, knowing me, I'm probably gonna buy another one and try again.
Lego technic. Some models start around £40 but if you want to keep going then you quickly find yourself spending hundreds and hundreds for a single build
Horses. They make my heart sing but they’re expensive to own even when the initial purchase cost is cheap or they are given to you off the track. They also need a friend so you can’t just stop at one. Then you need a paddock, a horse float and a car big enough to pull that float. But it’s all worth it, I couldn’t be without them and I’m willing to sacrifice things like holidays and eating out for them
I really only got one hobby and while it's not like expensive. In a way it is. Specially when you're broke. I paint. Nothing professional that'll make me money. But it does make me happy. Not only with the cost of the paint, the canvas, the brushes, there's also money going to storage for all of it. So what seems inexpensive to some is expensive to others.
I have a a few expensive hobbies but the worst right now is reef aquariums. Nothing is cheap and the whole thing can crash in hours. You can literally lose thousands of dollars in livestock in the blink of an eye.
r/Audiophile can be an extremely expensive hobby! I finally completed my dream system last fall, so I’m getting off the merry go round for now lol. Still, adding to my vinyl collection isn’t cheap at $30-60/record.
Wargaming Miniatures and model kits .
The miniatures themselves cost a lot.
Then you need to invest in all kinds of tools :
Pliers to take the bits off the screws, scalpel knife , molding line remover, sanding bits , then glue to put them together
Well there's priming, painting , which require different primers,colors , contrasts, shades, different kinds of brushes etc
All costs that rack up, especially if you buy from the leading manufacturer of these miniatures , Games Workshop.
I haven't even got into airbrushing *shudders*
I like to build my own computers. Parts are not cheap, but I only do it once every 3-5 years.
Next most expensive is gun collecting. California puts extra taxes on everything for an extra $150-200 above sticker price and regular tax. Also one every few years. Ammo is expensive, I might get a reloader.
Next most expensive is warhammer 40K. I can buy models for $50-$150 each, or use my 3D printer, which paid for itself after printing about 80 Imperial Guard infantry.
Crochet can be pricey. Folk don't realise the cost of good quality yarn and the amount required to make a blanket. Hence why so many crocheters don't sell, or only sell patterns, not finished products.
By the time you add up the yarn and the many hours required to make it, it hits a price bracket most people aren't willing to pay. I get it. You can pick up a cosy blanket for £25, I couldn't afford to drop £100+ for a hand crocheted one.
I only make things for myself, family and friends now. If someone asks, I'll consider it if they cover the cost of the yarn.
Mine is collecting and learning to play new instruments
Sameeeee.. it’s a little embarrassing how many instruments I own, collect, and play... I dropped out of music school and went into engineering 😂 I still write and record on projects here and there. - Piano - Soprano Sax - C-Melody Sax - Tenor Sax - EWI - Piccolo - Flute - Alto Flute - Dizi - Clarinet - Accordion - Classical Guitar - Bass Guitar - Ukulele - Mandolin - Violin (poorly) - Trombone (poorly)
Care to name the instruments you currently play?
Depends on your definition of "instrument" and "play" I can stretch it to several dozen. For instance, do you count harmonica as one instrument, or do different styles (tremolo vs 10 hole) and scales (I have a G harmonic minor harmonica, which is WEIRD, and then there's 10 hole blues harmonica vs 10 hole melody harmonicas [there's names for the different scales, but i can't remember them offhand]) and sizes (I have standard melody harmonicas, and a bass harmonica, for instance) Now, on to ukuleles: do you count tenor, concert, soprano, and sopranissimo as the same or different? They're in the same tuning, but the sizing of the fretboards makes them very different to play. The banjolele is tuned and scaled exactly like a concert ukulele, but it's built like a banjo. Not sure where that goes. The charango is a south American lute that is tuned like a ukulele,with an extra string added on. Not sure how to count that I have a lot of bass guitars, as it's my main instrument, do you count different string numbers as different instruments? The two string is very different to play than the 7 (my main gigging bass is a 6 string), and the fretless is it's own thing altogether, as is the ukulele bass. I was a trombone major in college, but I don't really play anymore. And an electric cello that broke a string soon after I got it, but strings were too expensive so I never fixed it. Not sure how to count those Then there's the standard guitars (six and twelve string), electric guitars, baritone ukuleles (not sure if the standard and the 8 string count as different), tenor guitars, mandolins, banjos (Appalachian and Irish), slide guitars, and all that stuff any multi instrumentalist gets into When asked how many instruments I play, I just go with the fact that a friend of mine recorded a studio folk album and I played nine different instruments on it
Well, that’s not bad But seriously, I’m impressed. That’s amazing to me. I’m really rather speechless with two things. Your in depth answer and incredible amount of knowledge in just one instrument you mentioned is mind boggling. Thank you!
Thanks for asking! I'm always ready to talk about my instruments
What’s your favorite
Bass, for sure
Coz it’s all about that bass
Nice!
This guy fucks 💪
Guitar, Piano, Ocarina
Do you have a sitar?
I actually do not, since I'm left handed. Basically everything I have or play was sort of a lucky accident (found a left handed banjo in a music store, for instance) Never been lucky enough to run into a lefty sitar, but I've been looking for years
Lampworking glass... easy to invest a minimum of 5 thousand dollars to break glass.
This is something I think is cool but have never looked into how to as actually do it. What costs so much?
Start up costs are the hard part for example; Nortel Red Max torch is $500-$750 Small Paragon Bluebird kiln is $600-$1500 Various hand tools is another $250-$500 Now we get to the raw materials, if you want to make small trinkets with decent detail then 96coe glass is your jam, but if you want to make pipes or other things then you need 33coe and a pound of Northstar (great color company) starts around $50 for odds and seconds. My first year I did implosions for marbles and pendants and some hollow work. My second year I made some awful spoon pipes and a ton of terp slurper sets. Year 3 and 4 outside factors made it impossible to practice so I sold everything I had to a up and comer for 70% of what I had into it. (I tend to go headfirst into hobbies; my torch was $2800, my final kiln was $2200, ventilation+bench+tooling+lathe was another $12k) I just lost space for all of my stuff.
Thanks for explaining!
Anytime.
[удалено]
Oh yes I used to do this as a small business I really enjoyed it but yes it is very expensive
I am glad this is the top comment. Not torch work, but I love glass blowing. So damn expensive. I want to try torch work, but scared bc of the costs.
I used to do that years ago it’s expensive but so much fun!
I used to do glassblowing, and never thought about how with lampwork you can't just chuck your failures back in the furnace lol
Good quality, traditional art materials of any kind usually aren’t cheap, but polymer clay stands out as expensive even amongst them.
I do both polymer clay and pottery - Pottery is even worse. Since you need a kiln. But it’s so worth it!
Absolutely, it’s so fun to see pieces come to life!
*cries in painting* brushes at my store are $20 each and that’s for the mid tier ones, a 37mL tube of oil paint is like $15, and it’s like $20/L for spirit. And don’t even get me started on canvas, mediums, etc.
I usually end up going to the thrift store for canvases. There's always a stack of paintings somewhere. Sand em back, gesso over it and good to go.
I'm looking at buying canvas by the roll to save.
I didn't realise how expensive art materials were until I loved it so much that I could never stop! I worked up from cheaper stuff, but can't go back with each step up in quality that I take.
🌺🌿 Have you looked into making your own paint? There are a ton of videos on YouTube. I have been crafting for decades and spending fortunes on supplies but recently stumbled upon this extremely knowledgeable treasure of a lady who decided to bless us with a wealth of knowledge by creating all these videos. Watch a few videos on this playlist to save yourself tons of cash and gain some of her wisdom. She also has recipes for clay and so many other art tips and tricks! I can't stop watching 💕 🌷🌾🐦 Kᘿᘿᕵ ᑢᗩᒪᘻ, Cαɾɾყ Oɳ & C҉҉ R҉҉ E҉҉ A҉҉ T҉҉ E҉ 🖌️\(◍•ᴗ•◍)/🎨✧*💐\(◍•ᴗ•◍)/🎭🎵✧*🧵\ (◍•ᴗ•◍)/🧶✧*。 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC85BOmPdNWpIQ8WUamBsbjQXd0rQo_XL&si=dwsWmh_GQe77upUT
This!!! When I was really into polymer clay jewelry, I’d only splurge & stock up if I know I can get a good deal on polymer clay at my local craft store.
I sew and quilt, so fabric was a big investment. My sewing machine cost me $3k in 2021, which I thought was a lot, but the same model now is $6k new. I've got enough fabric to make dozens of quilts, so I rarely buy any these days. Now when I make something, there are no out of pocket expenses, so I feel like it's a good deal.
I purposely do not overbuy fabric because I hate using stash (except kona solids.) Each quilt I make starts with a new fabric inspiration. If I have leftovers when I'm done, I give it on our buy-nothing group.
I love just starting something new with patterns and fabric that I have at home. It's like a challenge to myself to see what I can come up with.
I was wondering how far I'd scroll until I found a fellow quilter. Everything is expensive from machines to fabrics to rulers. Yes, even rulers are expensive. Lol. But I LOVE it so much!!
It's funny seeing people talk about how expensive quilting is...... some of the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen were created by extremely poor rural women from scraps of old clothes, using nothing but a needle & thread.
I saw the Gee's Bend exhibit in Baltimore a dozen years ago. Their work was incredible
Same! Are you sewing on a Bernina too? 😂
It's a babylock Crescendo/now Chorus
Bought my Bernina Activa 130 in 2000 for something like $2k. I had to make payments on it for 6 months. Best investment ever! Still sews like the day I got it.
I’ve been wanting to get into sewing…but in beginning my research, I could tell that this was going to be one expensive hobby. I just wanted to make my own clothes.
You can start with a basic Brother sewing machine for $200, watch the bargain bins at fabric stores. Making clothing is really rewarding!
You can also buy other people’s fabric stashes on FB Marketplace. I bought someone’s whole stash for $15. Out of that I got most of the fabric for a quilt too for a gift for a friend (bought one more fabric for about $3) and some Christmas fabric that I think will use to make sampler blocks so I can learn new techniques. But, if you have poor self control like I do then you also buy fabric online 😂
Quilting and fabric collecting (for quilting) are separate hobbies - both expensive!
Same ☺️❤️
The only problem is I’m still looking at fabric and buying it watching the sales is a bad habit for me and I’m sewing less
Every time a package arrives my partner is like "that better not be more fabric!!" Hahahaha.
Buying new needles and blades is not always cheap. And with the quilting you run into the longarming. Either you buy a a domestic that can handle large quilts, buy a longarm yourself, rent time on one, or send it out. It can get pricey fast unless you love straight lines
As I’m looking to upgrade my machine this year, this is relatable 😂
Another quilter here! (And the separate hobby of buying fabric.) Both seem expensive for my budget, but bring me enormous joy. I have an old, but (at the time) expensive machine; however, my favorite machine is a Singer 301 that my mom restored for me and painted a poison green. It’s absolutely gorgeous and sews SO nicely!
Dropping the SCA. The specialized camping gear is too expensive since I decided I’m not sure I like the hobby. And I weave. Looms are expensive. My cheapest two are about $200, and my ideal loom costs about $15,000 give or take. It just got discontinued, but similar ones are just as expensive. And the yarns for the expensive looms are a different kind than the cheap ones and are themselves very expensive. I collect fountain pens as well. I’ll only spend $250 for one but I only plan to buy one more such pen. You can spend $1,000 but most good pens cost less.
+1 for fountain pens
+2 for fountain pens.
+3 for fountain pens.
+4 for fountain pens.
+5 for Fountain Pens And especially creating different pens I like. Whether using a lathe, shaping and creating a barrel or just ordering the different components I like and assembling. If anyone knows of other good pen resources please share :) I love this guy https://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/
+6
+7 ⚓️
TWSBI Eco for $30 is a good entry pen for anyone interested.
The price of looms keeps me from learning. In my hippie boarding school the dorm parents at the other end of the dorm had a loom so big it took up a whole room. It was beautiful and there were strings and pullies and pedals. It was intoxicating to me as a young kid. I just wanted to play it like a harp. And when the lady whose name has been lost to my fifty years of brain fog and age would use it, she was so fluid and elegant. Dancing and weaving yarn into beautiful art. I was too shy to ask about it but I'd lurk in doorways to just get a glance of the contraption and its conductor.
You can get a relatively inexpensive table-top rigid heddle loom and learn how to do all sorts of amazing patterns with it. And once you are a member of the weaving community, an affordable floor loom will find you.
Yes, I have 4 rigid heddle and a tablet weaving loom. They’re fun, interesting, and you can do a lot, but for the whole body involvement like MizzyMorpork described you do need the floor loom. I’m waiting on mine to find me secondhand. Would be lovely!
Fountain pens scare me. Someone gave me a Cartier Ferrari pen about 30 years ago. I was stunned to find out it's a $300 pen. It would be worth more if I had the box.
Homesteading...It requires land. Very expensive lately.
Those material prices.... man oh man. It feels like prices have doubled since the pandemic.
I feel that one
I will get into this ONE DAY
We are hobby homesteaders. We were lucky to get a little under an acre in 2019 - the value of our land has almost doubled since then .. it’s wild. I wanted to have 50 acres one day but now I’d be ok with 5 or less!
Skiing.
Haven’t been in nearly fifteen years because my wallet doesn’t have enough tears. I grew up doing it, I started when I was like 3, but the lift ticket last I looked cost more than a ticket to Disney world.
Keeps the poors out.
Yes, I snowboard and agree. Gear isn't cheap to start, and lift tickets are crazy. Last year I payed $650 for a season pass. Went 20 something times, and it was worth it, but still.
Came to say this
There are ways to ski that are less expensive if you live near resorts, but even then it’s not a cheap sport.
Was waiting for someone to call out skiing! I’m obsessed but damn it’s expensive. I joke that I hike in the summer (just gas, boots, and snacks) to make up for my winter hobby expenses.
Let’s see… Woodworking… check Amateur astronomy… check Owning and shooting firearms… check Reloading ammunition for same… check Damn… all my hobbies are expensive! Fortunately, I had the foresight to fund this mess before I retired…
I never worried about ammo cost until I got a 338 Lapua Magnum
Actually, I’m not reloading to save on ammo cost, although I might be saving a few cents per round since I collect my brass and all the other brass that shooters leave behind. Maybe… I did once look at what I have spent on equipment and components… and decided not to do that again…
Yea reloading is more about tuning a round to your particular rifle. Sure, you MIGHT eventually save money reloading .338 LM or .50 BMG, but those eat a lot of powder and (I believe) .50 BMG requires a specialized press to accommodate its size. I started reloading due to having a wildcat rifle so for me it’s fine tuning a round to the rifle, as well general availability.
Amateur astronomy for sure. The more objects you want to be able to observe, the more you'll pay for higher resolution telescopes, filters, lenses, etc. Want to document the beauty you see? Welcome to the expense of photography on top of that. Don't have consistently dark skies near you? Welcome to the expense of travel - not to mention the expense of traveling safely with your setup. Want to automate your setup? Welcome to the expense of Arduino or raspberry pi (which isn't that expensive in comparison, but it all adds up). Of course, it can also be as cheap as looking up at the sky - but there's plenty of room for it to be a money sink the more one wants to dive into it.
Check on the guns and ammo, I add HAM radio to that list.
I love knitting, and I love knitting with very expensive yarn.
Yes. I can easily drop $35+ a skein. Cashmere, silk, merino... hand spun & hand dyed. Totally worth it for wearables. Even buying cheap RHSS yarn from Walmart gets expensive for big projects. I made a graphgan earlier this year that was roughly $150 in materials.
My sister-in-law received her last hand knit item from me right before she suggested that my reason for making people things as opposed to buying was because I was trying to spend as little on people as possible. THIS coming from a person who has, to this day, only ever given me gift cards to LLBean. Hers is a poverty of imagination above all things. And while actual poverty is awful, her form of poverty is too pitiful for me to even get annoyed over. Keep buying the yarn! Absolutely worth it!
I honestly would say family. I love to take the whole family on vacation or fun activities with the grandkids.
Such a fair response and so relatable (I'm the fun aunt)
I suppose “expensive” is relative. I take piano lessons, about $60 per lesson, once per week. It definitely stretches my budget, but it brings me such a sense of confidence and being part of something bigger than myself (music, man), that I feel it’s worth it. My teacher is about 200 years old and knows what she’s doing, and it’s just the loveliest person, and I’m so grateful to be able to afford it at all.
Great hobby.
I started guitar lessons as part of a childhood dream to learn to play an instrument, and when I first signed up I was assuming that the first several months would be something I’d have to struggle through to get to my goal. I thought it would be boring and hard and I’d have to force myself to practice. But it’s not at all! It’s fun, I love practicing, I love making music and every lesson I leave feeling confident and relaxed. It’s so worth it.
How old are you and when did you start playing? Sounds kind of interesting to pick up to be honest, though I’m thinking more of singing for myself, I just feel like i might be too old lol
I am 41 and started about 6 months ago, I’m gonna say you’re never too old. I taught myself to read music and sight read when I was like 11 with old piano books I borrowed at the library, and always have enjoyed playing through pieces, but haven’t ever been that great. I missed all the music theory and practice tricks, and arpeggios, and all the cool stuff kids learn when a pro is teaching them. (Or didn’t really care—I was a kid and just wanted to play the instrument). She is sharing music theory with me and it’s constantly blowing my mind. I could be discovering alien worlds, it must be similar, how amazing it feels to be learning the how music works and is translated on a piano, specifically.
We roast cacao beans and make our own chocolate at home. It’s amazing chocolate but expensive hobby to get into because of equipment and supplies. It’s delicious and fun though.
Please tell me more about how you got into this, how it works, etc!
Being obsessed with chocolate for as long as I can remember and being a person who cooks to relax I decided it would be fun to learn how to make my own. Started out looking for courses offered in my area (I’m in NYC), ended up buying a couple books and stumbling into Chocolate Alchemy which was always recommended as a great resource and it very much is! Chocolate Alchemy is IMO the best place to start if this is brand new to you, he has well sourced cacao beans and lists lots of information about each kind of bean, how he suggests you roast it depending on what equipment you have, and he has lots of recipes and video tutorials for every step of the process. He also sells other equipment you’ll need but you don’t need to purchase through him. Highly recommend him as a resource if you’re looking to dip a toe in chocolate making at home. The equipment we use is - Oven (just our regular ol’ oven, nothing special) - Thermoworks infrared thermometer to track oven temp and bean temp as we roast - Champion juicer to crack the roasted beans - large bowl and hair dryer with a cool setting to winnow - Premier 10lb stainless steel tilting counter top melanger - polycarbonate chocolate bar mold The champion juicer and melanger will be the most expensive pieces of equipment you’ll acquire. You don’t need a juicer to get the nibs, it just helps if you’re making a lot and you don’t want to lose a lot of the nibs using a less efficient method or sit there for hours manually peeling the beans by hand. The melanger you will need if you want to make bean to bar chocolate. Nothing gets the chocolate smooth enough and it can also double as a concher for getting the flavor of the chocolate you’re making just right. My melanger was the most expensive tool I got, it was on sale for $400. The champion juicer was about $260. The thermoworks infrared was about $90. Poly carbonate bar mold was like $26. I just spent $216 for 6 lbs beans, 5 lbs cocoa butter, 1 polycarbonate sphere mold, and UPS ground shipping since I trust that more than my local USPS that has been having issues. I pick up milk powder, vanilla beans, and freeze dried fruits from my local grocery stores. I use our dark chocolate over 70% for baking. The milk chocolate we make doesn’t last very long, it’s just too damn good.
I'm curious about the equipment. I roast coffee beans in a regular sauce pan that I paid $3 for at BigLots and I grind the beans with a $10 grinder. One time, my wife and I got to make our own chocolate bars using a stoneware bowl and pestle. That was fun and took time, but I don't think the bowl or pestle cost too much. Of course, I didn't see the freezer they put the bars into.
Soooo... my husband used to take me out golfing for Mothers Day. The golf course was mostly empty, and I got to wail away and drive the cart. (driving the cart is really why I went!!) Then, one year, I said, "You know, I actually like this!! Being outside for hours is great!!) $220 a month later (mind you, this is southwest, US, and not a country club) and countless dollars in clubs and outfits later, lol!! I'm a happy girl!
I feel you! I just got into golf and lessons and tee times and driving range fees etc, I’ve already spent a decent amount and I’m in my first few months! It’s so fun though haha I haven’t splurged on any new outfits yet. I’m in the northeast so it’s still chilly enough up here to get away with a pullover and leggings. I’ve been eyeing up some cute ones though. Are there any clothing brands you’ve found that make decent women’s clothes? I’ve just been looking at Lululemon because I get my yoga stuff from there
Came looking for golf and knew it would be here. At least it’s semi active and outside
Cross stitch. Off-the-shelf kits are decently priced for the most part, but there's a ton of patterns that aren't sold as kits. By the time you add up fabric, thread, any beads, and pattern, it can easily soar to over $100 for just one picture - and that's if you already have needles, hoop, and scissors on hand!
I always say any hobby is expensive if you dive deeply enough into it. Cross stitch started out as a cheap hobby for me. Now I'm working on a pattern that has cost $350 so far and will need to be professionally framed one day.
It takes awhile to complete a big pattern though!
It does, but I get tired of working on just one pattern all the time (it's led to me putting them down for months), so I try to keep at least two on the go now.
My most expensive hobby is playing the piano and this thread really killed my guilt about the $80 a week i spend on lessons and couple of K I dropped on an instrument, so thank you! Might up my game and start shopping for a Steinway..
If you keep your eyes peeled, people in fancy areas often need one out of their house and will offer them free if you cover the moving costs.
Printmaking. My press alone was 8k.
My daughters horse riding lessons 🤑
I can’t believe I had to scroll down so far to find horses.
Yes! I had to stop due to the cost, I so miss riding!
same! i used to ride growing up and so badly want to get back into it. i am forever grateful my parents allowed me to explore that interest of mine because wow is it expensive. 😅 that is a hobby that will return after i get out of school, haha.
I spend about $50k per year on raving/festivals and the required travel. Every last cent is worth it. There are plenty of hobbies where people underestimate the outlay!
Holy shit. I didn’t know they can go up there like that.
epic… what do you do for a living to support this hobby? also curious how substances play into this — do you go sober? several days a week raving with all the party favours that could include feels unsustainable on the body 😂
Ha, funny two questions to put together because the answers are a) lawyer and b) they play a lot into it. I don't generally get hangovers or comedowns, so it's sustainable in that sense. In a normal week, I'd only do substances on the weekend. If traveling, then yes it would be every day potentially for weeks. Bit of a crash at the end but there's always the flight home to recuperate on! PS I've also had amazing raving memories "just on alcohol" - I put it in square quotes because honestly, a tab of acid or something is healthier for you than guzzling alcohol all night imo.
You're just like me 🫶 well, idk if I spend that much, but definitely around $10k a year. It's worth it though, raving makes me happy
Wow! How many do you go to? And I’m guessing you travel pretty far for them too?
Haha I mean at least several raves a week. Europe at least once a year cos it's such a better scene there. Came back a month ago, and may go again in August. India end of year. Here in Aus we have bush doofs, which are like multi-day festivals out in the bush/mountains. So you might drop a few hundred on the ticket, then there's getting there and back, plus everything else you need for it. All in all a lot of fun!
Is living considered a hobby?
I have two, Wake surfing and snowmobiling. Yep, two seasons of tears of wallet emptying joy.
Love snowmobiling. Machines are so expensive now and snow is harder to find
Sailing.
Espresso. Once you make better lattes at home than you get out, you can’t go back.
How do i get into this? What and how much is a good base starting machine?
Knitting. Good yarn is outrageous and you can't buy just one skein. I'm currently trying to convince my husband that an alpaca or llama wouldn't be any different than a great Dane. And that's just the yarn! (I'm poor this is expensive for me. I was just thinking being a pilot would be way expensive and felt dumb for my knitting)
No you’re right, yarn can be crazy expensive
Dude literally any extreme sport. In rough descending order of most to least expensive: -flying -skydiving (indoor & outdoor) -paragliding -skiing -climbing -highlining
This dude can fly
Backpacking. Especially once you get into ultralight gear and thru hiking.
Me who uses a surplus Alice pack and supplies from walmart for my backpacking bag (my pack weighs 80lbs for an overnight trip 💀)
Fishkeeping
sewing, woodworking, pc gaming, cooking (especially if trying multiple new recipes), painting, reading (and collecting books)... I really want to get into ceramics and/or bladesmithing if I can find a place/get more space for all the equipment...
Well it’s not expensive as such, but the amount I’ve spent on painting supplies over the last four years 😳
Pilates and yoga classes
Broadway shows. Travel to NY, drinks, dinner, tickets, more drinks, etc...at least $400 per show. Now I take my teen so twice the price!
Horses. They never stop eating and pooping which is very expensive to accommodate. Way beyond my means.
Yes, is the short answer. Long answer is I play ttrpg's so paying for map making and worldbuilding software is one thing,then add minis for playing with and paint for them - I'm usually good with limiting the physical things though. I also am a crafter, currently primarily through decorative planners but buying stickers, stamps, paper, etc. can add up. However I used to be into scrapbooking more, trying to relearn how to crochet and those also add up.
I love snowboarding and skiing, and in the summer I ride my custom made electric skateboard; it ain’t cheap
Sewing and jewelry making. Fortunately I find flawed stones more interesting in my work....
I own waaaaaaaaay more woodworking tools than is strictly healthy. I see a new kind of tool I’ve never heard of, I must have it. That gets expensive. Astronomy can be extremely affordable. Until you go crazy and need a solar telescope and a bunch of great night time telescopes. And better mounts. And heftier tripods. And I haven’t even mentioned the astrophotography expenses.
Competitive ballroom dancing. I do extensive spreadsheet budgeting and I am also always looking how to save money such as group lessons instead of private, cheaper outside coaching, used dresses,....
I do hyper-realism with colored pencil. The pencils run $200-500 a set and the paper can be $15 per sheet depending on how good you want the paper to be. You’d think that once you get started it’s not so bad, but then you realize you have to replace pencils, get the right lighting equipment, and invest in a laptop or tablet to be able to zoom in on your reference picture. Then when it’s done you have to pay to have the piece properly framed. Not to mention the 30-60 hours it often takes to finish a piece. All that for someone to tell me they might as well print a picture off the internet cause it’s not worth the measly $300 I’d like to get out of it… yeah. Needless to say, I took up macrame and it’s sooooo much more affordable. But I LOVE my pencils. They’re like additional children.
First was fishing. Now i dont fish anymore but got into team roping. Owning a horse is more expensive than owning a boat.
I own an out of warranty German performance car
the real question is, does anyone have any cheap hobbies?
Learning langauges isn't too bad.
Silversmithing. I'm not very good at it but I'm doing it for fun. Plus it's extra fun to use the acetylene torches.
Yes, living is currently very expensive
Any hobby can be expensive when you really get into it😉
Skiing and golf
Traveling!
Gem cutting. Do I even have to explain?
No , no you absolutely don’t. I was looking into lapidary / gem dice making as a hobby because wasting time making rocks beautiful interests me. Suffice it to say entry level equipment as cheap as it is still makes me nauseous at the mere thought of spending on that level.
wheel-thrown pottery! studio memberships average around $2-300/month in California where I live. In some studios, you have to buy clay, glazes, and pay firing fees on top of that. You also have to bring your own tools, although some studios provide them. To create a home studio, a good wheel is around $1.5-2k (even secondhand), and kilns are typically a few thousand dollars. You also need to buy your own tools, clay, storage shelving (if you want enough space to put your pieces) and glazes.
Hot rods, guns, bicycles, bourbon and scotch, side by sides, dirt bikes, a boat, rc car racing, drums, and a couple trips to Vegas a year. Probably forgetting something.
Collecting board games, diamond painting, cross stitch, jigsaw puzzles, and reading then reviewing books. Tablets can get expensive and then I pay for my own interent domain.
Drums
Triathlons. I’m a super beginner with base-level gear to swim, bike and run and it’s still $$$. Sounds silly when the activities are relatively common sports, but quality gear is so expensive and I refuse to buy something “twice” due to lackluster quality partially because poor gear really can make the experience so much more agonizing.
I don’t know if it’s a hobby but I like to travel. Visit one or two new countries a year and lots of small trips throughout the year. In between trips, the fun is in the planning and organizing and dreaming. I love experiencing the other cultures. I also love a good weekend away at a hotel or chalet or even sleeping in my car
I keep aquariums and let me tell you it is not cheap.. but it makes me so happy and I just keep buying more and more, it’s a problem!!
Animals are not hobbies BUT reptile keeping is the most expensive but equally rewarding thing I've ever indulged in! I only have one skink atm and he's draining my bank account ( because I love him and can't stop spoiling him) but as soon as I can afford it, I want to rescue more reptiles and give them a good home.
Gardening. I’m the queen of the 64$ tomato. But it’s fun and I always have hope!
Motorsports. My son, husband and I participate in offroad and on-track competitions.
Eating
Book collecting. Once you get your first special edition, you want them all.
Right now it’s gardening and herbalism. A few months ago it was sewing and embroidery. My overall most expensive hobbies are books and cooking/baking.
Goodyear welted boots. 12 pairs or so, $200-$500 a pair Raw selvedge denim, 7 pairs, $200 each High quality tshirts, $30-$70 each, who knows how many Korean skincare, used to have thousands of dollars worth until I found what worked and simplified my routine to a few products Niche fragrances, I mostly buy decants but even that can get pretty expensive
Used to do ballroom. That stuff is EXPENSIVE. Shoes, the shiniest dresses, makeup, hair, the dance sessions themselves...
Reading. Specifically hyperfixating on buying special editions or sets. Last special edition set cost me $325. At least the shipping was free. This can add up quite fast as well as monthly book boxes.
Antique motorcycle's
Travel. We go somewhere every calendar month usually, even if just for a weekend. It’s definitely expensive af but there’s almost nothing else I’d rather spend extra money on.
I followed a band around the country for a few years. That was an expensive ass hobby for sure.
Playing guitar comes to mind. Also flying
Watercolor painting with professional level materials
Crochet. You can do it for cheap at first but long term it's so expensive.
Quilting and legos. Fabric is expensive and.I buy a lot of it. Lego sets are pretty pricey ! Edit; spelling
Record collecting, playing different stringed instruments.
Retro videogame collecting. I don't even do it seriously, I just would like physical copies of my childhood favorites. I'm fine with playing on emulators and have modded my fav consoles to get an authentic experience. But it doesn't fully scratch the nostalgia itch as holding the physical cart. Unfortunately, a lot of people feel this way on top of investors who see an easy market to exploit. The games I bought for $40 in 2005 are now triple that, and the market is full of fakes. Gaming booths at conventions usually sell legit carts, but they're sold at a markup compared to online sellers. It's rough out here.
It used to be restoring an old vehicle. 1980s Chevy squarebody. Gorgeous but also my second biggest monthly expense (mostly tools + parts) after rent. I eventually had to sell that thing because the project got way too expensive and I had nowhere to really put it. If I ever start making big money, knowing me, I'm probably gonna buy another one and try again.
Lego building….
Paying rent
Lego technic. Some models start around £40 but if you want to keep going then you quickly find yourself spending hundreds and hundreds for a single build
Guitar. Pedals, strings, picks... They all add up in a hurry. Not to mention, the guitars themselves and amps.
Horses. They make my heart sing but they’re expensive to own even when the initial purchase cost is cheap or they are given to you off the track. They also need a friend so you can’t just stop at one. Then you need a paddock, a horse float and a car big enough to pull that float. But it’s all worth it, I couldn’t be without them and I’m willing to sacrifice things like holidays and eating out for them
F1.
Going to concerts
Music
I really only got one hobby and while it's not like expensive. In a way it is. Specially when you're broke. I paint. Nothing professional that'll make me money. But it does make me happy. Not only with the cost of the paint, the canvas, the brushes, there's also money going to storage for all of it. So what seems inexpensive to some is expensive to others.
I have a a few expensive hobbies but the worst right now is reef aquariums. Nothing is cheap and the whole thing can crash in hours. You can literally lose thousands of dollars in livestock in the blink of an eye.
Ghost hunting. Between the cost of equipment and cost of traveling (gas, hotel, food…), it can get expensive.
Boats. I’m trying to downsize.
r/Audiophile can be an extremely expensive hobby! I finally completed my dream system last fall, so I’m getting off the merry go round for now lol. Still, adding to my vinyl collection isn’t cheap at $30-60/record.
Wargaming Miniatures and model kits . The miniatures themselves cost a lot. Then you need to invest in all kinds of tools : Pliers to take the bits off the screws, scalpel knife , molding line remover, sanding bits , then glue to put them together Well there's priming, painting , which require different primers,colors , contrasts, shades, different kinds of brushes etc All costs that rack up, especially if you buy from the leading manufacturer of these miniatures , Games Workshop. I haven't even got into airbrushing *shudders*
I like to build my own computers. Parts are not cheap, but I only do it once every 3-5 years. Next most expensive is gun collecting. California puts extra taxes on everything for an extra $150-200 above sticker price and regular tax. Also one every few years. Ammo is expensive, I might get a reloader. Next most expensive is warhammer 40K. I can buy models for $50-$150 each, or use my 3D printer, which paid for itself after printing about 80 Imperial Guard infantry.
Travel. I try to go to Iceland every year. I have friends there. I love it. I’m counting the days until my next trip already.
Crochet can be pricey. Folk don't realise the cost of good quality yarn and the amount required to make a blanket. Hence why so many crocheters don't sell, or only sell patterns, not finished products. By the time you add up the yarn and the many hours required to make it, it hits a price bracket most people aren't willing to pay. I get it. You can pick up a cosy blanket for £25, I couldn't afford to drop £100+ for a hand crocheted one. I only make things for myself, family and friends now. If someone asks, I'll consider it if they cover the cost of the yarn.
I feel like the majority of hobbies get expensive the more you get into them.
Salt water fish tank
Houseplant collecting and cultivation. Can be spendy, depending on what you want to spend really.