19 Hobbies That Won't Break The Bank Because Everything Is SO Expensive These Days
Who doesn't love saving a buck, especially when it's doing something you love? I recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share hobbies that will actually save you money in the long run. Here's what they had to say:
Note: Some submissions are from this Reddit thread and this Reddit thread.
1."Breadmaking. Supplies can be expensive and the waiting can be too much for some, but the results are worth it — especially if you like a higher-quality bread."
2."Card making. Greeting cards are expensive at the store, but I buy my supplies on sale and then enjoy crafting for my family and friends."
3."Gardening! The start-up costs can be a little high, but if you collect seeds and compost, you can save thousands a year on groceries."
4."Cycling started as an expensive hobby and has become a money-saving hobby for me. It took time to build fitness, but after investing in a few bikes and good equipment, I now drive very little for transportation and save money. I even sold my car and invested the proceeds after buying an old car for foul weather travel."
"This year I canceled my gym membership where I took spin classes. I signed up as a cyclist for Uber Eats delivery. I'm making some money rather than spending it."
5."Working out at home. We pay less in a year for a few added pieces of equipment or free weights than for a gym membership. Walking the neighborhood is also good cardio."
6."Running a greenhouse. I grow everything from cacti to peppers. It's all from pinches, cuttings, or saved seeds. I sell a lot of my plants and seeds to other greenhouses. When I've sold as many veggie plants as possible, I plant what's leftover, harvest everything, and then sell fresh veggies. I keep some for myself to can, freeze, or dehydrate. I've grown things as a hobby for years, but now my hobby makes me money."
7."I've roasted and brewed my coffee and espresso beans since 2011. You cannot beat the quality and freshness of this hobby. Not to mention, the amount of money one spends daily for a caffeine fix."
8."I love Pinterest. It has allowed me to learn how to bake and cook better. I can get free knitting patterns as well. So, it saves me money on fast food and convenience snacks. I also save tons of money because now I make people's presents instead of buying them."
—Kate from Kansas
9."Thrifting!"
10."Beekeeping. There's a steep learning curve, but once you are established and producing honey regularly, the money you can make from selling organic, locally-produced honey more than covers your start-up and ongoing maintenance costs, even with just one or two hives."
—Matt Britton from British Columbia
11."Amateur mixology. Going out for drinks is expensive, and there's so much good information on how to mix drinks at home. At-home cocktail nights are fun, and a fancy mixed drink can elevate an evening in."
—RJ from Illinois
12."Coin collecting! My husband has collected and invested in coins all his life and I inherited a small collection. It's a way to save that appreciates. Our retirement project will be selling the less sentimental collections to pay bills or possibly pay for a world cruise. We don't want to burden our children with storing or selling our collection."
—Anonymous from Kansas
13."Cooking, because you won't be eating out. I consider cooking my hobby because I strive to be better at it, routinely try new things, and create dishes without recipes."
14."Fishing can be an expensive hobby, but you can do it on the cheap. Freeze your filets and have fish for days."
15."Baking. So many people cook but don't bake. The markup on baked goods is huge."
16."Shopping estate sales and reselling the items. I buy antique books from estate sales and then sell them on Etsy. I make a pretty good profit and I have a blast treasure hunting at the estate sales."
17."I started crocheting last year, and almost all of my family received a handmade animal or plant as their gift for Christmas. I've already started on tiny and funny gifts to hand out to colleagues and neighbors this year."
"Crochet. I make my beanies, scarves, shawls, purses, throws, and blankets. And I make extra to sell."
18."Auto repair or anything mechanical. If you can fix it yourself, you don't need to pay someone else."
19."Sewing. Not always for making new clothes because good-quality fabric can be expensive, but especially for repurposing and alterations. It gives you a lot more options when second-hand shopping because you can alter and modify things to fit, or make them exactly as you want them to be."
"Sewing. My grandmothers taught me to sew when I was 11. That skill has saved me so much money as the mother of a daughter who LOVES clothes."
What's your favorite hobby that saves you money in the long run?
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
