Can You Find a Hobby That Actually Saves You Money?

Expensive hobbies can really wreak havoc on your budget. Fortunately, there are frugal hobbies out there that are enjoyable and offer money-saving opportunities. Here’s a list of ten hobbies that save you money plus how you can save money on each one of them:

Gardening

Fruits and vegetables are great for your diet, but not so nice on your wallet. Produce can easily be the largest category on your grocery bill. Picking up a gardening hobby can help you save money on fruits and vegetables. You can grow your own for a fraction of the price that grocery stores sell them for. What’s more is that most fruits and vegetables have seeds for you to regrow them at no cost!

How to save money on a gardening hobby: Opt for good soil when you shop. It may cost a little more upfront, but it will ensure that your fruits and vegetables grow properly nourished. You can also make your own compost from kitchen scraps rather than buying fertilizer.

Sewing/Knitting/Crocheting

Being skilled in sewing/knitting/crocheting/natural dyes will definitely come in handy. These skills serve well in making all kinds of items – from clothing to placemats. You’ll save money on the cost of those items and can also save money on gifts by gifting items you make to friends and family.

How to save money on a sewing/knitting/crocheting hobby: The best way to save money on this hobby is to find free or low-cost thread and yarn. You can do so on sites like Freecycle or Craigslist.

Cooking

If you enjoy cooking, you’re in luck because this hobby can save you a lot of money on an expense that everyone has: groceries. Cooking at home is often less expensive than dining out or ordering takeout. By simply cooking meals at home instead of dining out or ordering takeout, you are making a decision every day to save money.

How to save money on a cooking hobby: You can save money on groceries numerous ways. One way is to shop based on your grocery store’s sales – mainly buying items that are discounted that week. You can also find coupons online for your favorite brands.

Photography

Taking pictures is something we all do – but something that few do well. If you happen to be good at and enjoy photography, you can certainly use this hobby to save money. Simply use the photos you take as art in your home rather than buying expensive photos in stores. You can also give photos to family and friends as gifts instead buying them other gifts.

How to save money on a photography hobby: One way to save money is to buy used equipment rather than new equipment. Renting equipment before you buy it can also be helpful to make sure you’re making a sound purchase.

Drawing/Painting

Drawing/painting can be a very therapeutic hobby. It can also save you money in the way that photography saves you money. You can use your final products as art around the house and as gifts to family and friends.

How to save money on a drawing/painting hobby: Your best bet here is to shop during clearance sales. Art stores are notorious for being pricey. So when there are sales, make sure you jump on them.

Crafting

Crafting is a hobby you can do alone or with others. If you have children, it’s a great hobby to use as bonding time. The items you make can end up as nick nacks around the house or you can sell them for a profit.

How to save money on a crafting hobby: When it comes to buying items to use for crafting, don’t overlook dollar stores. Sometimes you can find top brand products in dollar stores at a fraction of the price.

Web Design/Development

If you have the skills and interest to design and develop websites, this hobby can both save and make you a lot money. It saves you money because you won’t have to outsource any work that you need done on a potential website; and designers/developers can be very expensive.

How to save money on a web design/development hobby: You can buy domain names on the cheap via GoDaddy. GoDaddy has promotions where you can get a domain name for $0.99 for the first year! From there, use your skills to build all the websites you want.

Thrift Shopping

Thrift shopping is a hobby I used to partake in when I was in college. I would find the most fashionable outfits for nowhere near what the original price tags were. Thrift shopping saves you money with each purchase, as long you don’t buy stuff you don’t need.

How to save money on a thrift shopping hobby: Thrift shopping is naturally a frugal hobby. It requires no cost except the money you spend on the items you purchase. One way to save, however, is to donate your unwanted items to a thrift store. Some thrift stores will give you credit or a discount for doing so.

Reading

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Not only is it relaxing, it’s educational. Reading saves you money because it’s less expensive than many other hobbies. Besides the minimal cost of books, there aren’t many other expenses that come with the hobby. All the frills like fancy bookmarks or ereaders aren’t necessary.

How to save money on a reading hobby: The one thing that can make reading an expensive hobby is if you buy books often. One way around this is to use your local library to borrow books for free. If you prefer to read books on an ereader, consider getting a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited.

Beer Brewing/Wine Making

Brewing your own beer and making your own wine at home are unique ways to save money and pass time. You’ll also enjoy much fresher drinks than the ones that have been bottled and shelved for months and years.

How to save money on a beer brewing/wine making hobby: To save money on beer brewing, consider growing your own malt rather than buying it. The same goes for grapes for wine making.

Final Thoughts

Hobbies can be fun and save you money at the same time. What’s more is that there are ways to save on even your most frugal hobbies. With the options mentioned in this article, there’s no reason for you to let an expensive hobby break your budget.