I melt metal and turn it into things...Mine is on the left: 
All in, Im about $75 into this whole thing,so it can be a pretty cheap hobby if you are a scrounging ninja!
I melt metal and turn it into things...Mine is on the left:
All in, Im about $75 into this whole thing,so it can be a pretty cheap hobby if you are a scrounging ninja!
Man, ya'll are crazy! I'm trying to reduce my hobbies!
Lesse- I have too many hobbies. I took up the mountain biking as a necessity in high school (I needed to go places and it was shorter to cut through the woods) and it turned out I was ok at it. Bikes can be had in good working order for ~300$ on CL, and it'll be good stuff too, REALLY good stuff if you know what's up.
R/C cars- This is one I started recently. I've been infatuated with suspension dynamics ever since I got bent on making my ms3 outhandle my MINI- both theoretically on the same set of tires (Well, same model IE Z1 star spec). R/C is a great way to learn that without spending a grand a pop to redo your suspension. You can usually find a mid to upper range R/C truck on CL for 150$. I see Team Associated T4's all the time on there, that was the first truck I bought. Fun as HELL to build em new too, and unlike model cars, you get to play with the results when you're done. Add that you can custom paint the bodies, run multiple terrains etc... it's a helluva good time for minimal output. And if you stay electric, you can fuel your 20-30 min of fun for about 25 cents!
I'd suggest collecting old video game stuff.... but we won't discuss how much I have sunk into that or how many times the wife has threatened me with death upon learning of a new purchase. Suffice to say, Miata would have been a better answer.
Ooooh, and someone suggested Frisbee golf. This is a fun one. Average disc is about 10$... and you really only need one to play a round (I have about 10? I think, but that's because I get ADD about the colors) Greens fees are non existent, and the courses are usually pretty cool to look at, as they're barely cut out of some random field/forest/park area. Plus it's thinly disguised excercise, as you gotta go chase that damn frisbee when you shank one. And you WILL shank one.
Javelin wrote: Food is an *excellent* hobby! This year we had snap peas, green beans, summer squash, zucchini, some sort of spicy little peppers, strawberries, onions, carrots, kale, and green onions. Oh, and the tomatoes! Oh man there is nothing like an actual, fresh, ripe tomato.I'm hungry, I think I'll go water the garden and snack...
We also "can" food or freeze food. We know people who have apple trees that will just give you apples.......we bought a food mill at a garage sale for $10 and make a ton of apple sauce that we freeze.
Home made apple sauce in January with some pork, dumplings, and kraut? priceless!
you could participate in Aquatic Billiards, or Pool Pool... 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvjt2VDPk-w
ditchdigger wrote:It goes anywhere you care to take it, entertains you and others, it can challenge you if you want it to or you can just relax with some cowboy chords and take it easy. Low initial cost vs a lot of other hobbies as well.
I agee! Although I'd expand on that to suggest taking up any instrument that you like and fits your budget. My two interests in life, other than my family, are cars and music. When I was younger I spent most of my energy on cars, but as I get older and my bones get creaky, some work on cars is much less appealing. But music I can do until I die as long as I don't cut off a necessary part of my body working on a car!
Dingy racing,
Yes boats have a reputation for being expensive but if you keep em small its downright cheap. When I was taking sailing classes last summer we raced dingys a several times.
It was a blast!
There are even a few skills that cross pollinate with car racing (namely the concept of a "racing line", the need to stay close to the plyons, passing strategy, etc)
This is a GREAT thread!
Hobbies. Sheesh. I don't think I need any more. Gardening--growing cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, lettuce for my family. Biking--trying to ride my late 80's vintage Schwinn two or three times a weeks to stay in shape. Photography--been at it since about 1990. Getting ready to blow a wad (of cash) on a DSLR outfit. Model trains--my older son is very into trains. Problem is, we haven't settled on a scale. We currently own Lionel, HO, and N-gauge stuff, plus some plastic G-gauge toys. Leaning toward N-gauge, since you can build a decent layout in a small space. I love the scratch-built modeling thing. Things with gasoline engines--Various cars, an old KZ-400, Yamaha Chappy, Go-kart for my boy. Currently looking for a mini-bike. Vintage audio--I think I still have every piece of stereo gear I've ever bought. Recently helped a friend replace the tweeters on a set of mid-70's Infinity's someone gave him. They sound AWESOME! +1 on Parts Express. Cooking--my built-from-scratch pizza is legendary and has been since 1983. Investing--amazing the resources the average online investor has available. You've still got to work to make money though.
I think that's most of mine. Not sure I have time for any new ones.
Model rockets? I was thinking about them today and it looks like most of them are pretty cheap. Who doesn't like to play with rockets?
PubBurgers wrote: Model rockets? I was thinking about them today and it looks like most of them are pretty cheap. Who doesn't like to play with rockets?
Yeah, I left that one out. My sons are enjoying the launches, but I'm the one that builds 'em and makes 'em pretty! We've got one ready to go--our first ever two-stage rocket.
Pinstriping? anyone here familiar with it? I'm searching rite now also.
I make my own beer. It's cheap, but, like anything, can get expensive if you become crazy with it, but it's mostly cheap.
Music is a great hobby, but it can get VERY expensive. Guitars can be pricey if you end up getting really good and want to join a band, because then you have to buy all sorts of equipment. Starting out isn't so bad, especially if you get an acoustic, but beware if you take to it well! I play bass and regular guitar, and they both cost about the same to play. A couple hundred will get you in the door with a beginner setup, but don't say I didn't tell you once you're lusting after that crazy guitar rig and expensive guitars!
Drums are by far the most expensive instrument. I don't know how many thousands I have into my drums over the years, but I probably could have bought a lot of cool cars or a nice down payment on a house. 
They are fun as hell to play though. 
Other hobbies I'm into:
-Video game collecting
-Record collecting (mosty hard rock and metal albums)
-Die-cast car collecting
-Photography
Try inventing something young girls would buy.
914Driver wrote: Just doinking around in the basement, and she'll be the first to tell you she's no artist; she's got enough in her sock drawer to buy my next Challenger. Dan
That's awfully nice of her. :)
Take your dog running.
After a week, the way he/she spazes out every time you even look at your shoes, will be incentive enough.
Google Hash House Harriers.
Futbol. Watching at the pub is great, playing is even more fun. Newbies are always welcome and pickup games are pretty easy to find.
Music. I play guitar (badly), but I have fun.
Food and drink. Love to cook, love good wine and beer.
Garden Railroading. That's the big G scale stuff. Not cheap, but lots of fun, particularly if you have kids.
Learn about something you are fascinated with. I read just about everything I can find about earthquakes and check the USGS site almost every day.
Get your dog out playing ball/frisbee. My Aussie is awesome at leaping through the air.
Biking, shooting and RC cars are also a great idea.
Unfortunately, I have a basset hound. He is pretty active, but he is still lazy at heart.
My problem is too many hobbies - keeping cars and motorcycles operational and restoring them and taking care of a shop and garage SHOULD be a hobby, but at some point it becomes essentially an unpaid second job from which one needs a break. For this I:
I wish I was independently wealthy so I could dedicate my life to the pursuit of pastimes...
motomoron wrote: I wish I was independently wealthy so I could dedicate my life to the pursuit of pastimes...
Amen to that.
beer drinking...
TucoRamirez wrote: Try inventing something young girls would buy.
I was reading an article in the WSJ today and saw how Oprah made everyone famous; Rachel Ray, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and now Nate Berkus.
So I was thinking that whatever mom's want is what I need to sell. Or be more like Nate......naw, that's not going to happen.
Platinum90 wrote: Unfortunately, I have a basset hound. He is pretty active, but he is still lazy at heart.
as bad as my knees are now he and I could probably enjoy a nice "run"...
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