How to Save Money On Your Hobbies
If you’re working a full week then you can feel like you have precious little time to yourself. So it makes perfect sense that we all want to enjoy that free time as much as possible. Whilst nobody is disputing that some of us spend an awful lot of our hard-earned money on hobbies and pastimes which might be better spent elsewhere. Perhaps so much money that we could even afford to work a little less in the first place. If you haven’t taken stock of your pastime spending yet, or you’ve already realised that it’s more than you’d like, then here are a few tips on how to save money on your hobbies.
Sports
Lots of us practice a sport and in an age where so many people are guilty of leading a very sedentary lifestyle, keeping active has never been more important. Within the huge umbrella of sports there are some that are practically free and some that are enormously expensive. Something like jogging could cost you as little as a pair of running shoes every now and again, whilst something like horse riding could cost you stabling fees, farrier fees, feed, stabling, tack, training and not to mention the cost of the actual horse!
Of course, if horse riding is the sport that you love the most, then you should still be able to enjoy it. One of the ways that you can cut the cost dramatically is to find a share a horse scheme. Depending on where you live, you might have to travel a little to find one, or you might find a more casual agreement with a local horse owner. Sharing the costs equally would obviously cut your costs by half, but some schemes allow you to share for a tiny fraction of the cost of actually owning a horse. Those who already own their own horse might consider enrolling into a share scheme too, in order to ensure they keep their beloved friend, but also save a few dollars here and there.
That needn’t be the only way to save money on sports though. For sports that require a lot of equipment, like golf, archery or shooting, it could be a good idea to loan equipment to save money. If you play very often and it makes sense to own your own, then try to buy second hand where you can. All of these tips are fundamentals in managing your money the right way so you could take the loaning or second hand buying approach in other areas of your life to see the effects there too.
Computer Gaming
Gaming can be a relatively inexpensive hobby, but it’s still possible to save money if you know how. One of the simplest ways to save money is by waiting for a few months after the release date to buy a game. Games are never released with an immediate discount, so waiting for around 6 months means you could save half of the price. Steam has regular sales and will notify you of them if you sign up to their mailing list. Sometimes you’ll save on the base game, sometimes on expansion and stuff packs. These large savings accumulate quickly and can really make a difference to your bank balance.
If you prefer to play online games then looking to cut down on the smaller transactions is the best way to save. Fans of iGaming should always check to see if there are new sites that have their favourite game available as there are often competitive deals for new customers, that existing customers can’t get. Vegas Slots Online have trawled the internet for companies offering no deposit casino bonuses and compiled a list here. These sorts of bonuses don’t require you to make a deposit in order to claim the bonus, so you can essentially play for free. The sites are all rated out of five stars for security, variety of games and withdrawal methods, so you can see at a glance which site might be the next one you should sign up to. Computer games that involve microtransactions, where you pay small amounts to skip ahead or customise your game, are also easy to save money on. For one month only make a log of the microtransactions that you make and see how it affects your total gaming spend. If you’re spending more than you’d like to then set a cap for yourself. Whilst big savings add up quickly, small everyday savings can make a big difference too.