How Much Does a Hobby Cost?

[Brian Kent]

I admit it. I am helping myself and everyone else justify the costs of woodworking. If you have another hobby besides woodworking, how much does it cost?

Golfing: Include green fees 2-3 times per week, clubs, new clubs, and better clubs, cart, belonging to a golf club, drinks and food, and even moving to a home alongside a golf course.

Fishing: Include the bass boat or ocean boat, the tackle collection, lost lures, bait, new boat gadgets, a truck to pull the boat or a place on the lake or bay to store it, gas to go to your boat and to put into your boat, an updated fish-finder, boat repairs, more boat repairs.

Musician: Include instrument, lessons, sheet music, better instrument, replacement for stolen instrument, van for big instruments, amps, tuners, gas to get to gigs.

Insert other hobby here: Include not only the minimum start up costs, but what it really costs for a full-blown hobby addiction.

Brian

[Rick Moyer]

I learned a long time ago that whatever you choose as a hobby is gonna cost ya money!

Interesting thing you posted about golf: I have now done every one of the things you mentioned, except now it's only cart fees as the greens fees are included in the membership, except the occasional golf trip. This is my most expensive hobby, but the one I would probably give up last.

Motorcycle: initial cost of bike, gas, maintenance, customization (which can be in the thousands), trip expenses, medical costs (but hopefully not!), insurance, etc.

I don't want to add up the money spent on tools over the years.

[Al Wasser]

The alternative to a fun but costly hobby is to set at home and watch TV and read free library books --- No Thanks!!

[Stephen Tashiro]

Another question is: How much does lack of a hobby cost? Probably not much if you already have hobbies. Possibly a lot in mental health related costs if you don't have any.

I think if you make a accurate accounting of the cost of an activity, then you can't call that activity a hobby. In order to be a hobby, it must, in some respects, resemble a vice.

[Mitchell Andrus]

How about $3,200.00 for a tenor, $3,800.00 for a baritone and $8,400.00 for a bass saxophone?
.

[Brian Kent]

Stephen: "In order to be a hobby, it must, in some respects, resemble a vice."

Do they call it a "vice" when it gets a grip on you?

Mitchell: "How about $3,200.00 for a tenor, $3,800.00 for a baritone and $8,400.00 for a bass saxophone?"

That's what I'm talking about. I just talked to a professional violinist who leases her violin because she couldn't possibly afford to buy it.

Rick: How much does a golf club membership cost?

Al: We got rid of cable because it was absorbing too much time that could be spent on our own real lives (instead of watching other people's imaginary lives).

[glenn bradley]

Try scuba diving the Caribbean. I spend less days doing that than I spend in the shop but the annual cost is about the same ;-)

[Brian Kent]

I haven't done any diving for decades. I'm guessing $2,500 - $3,000 for full gear per person now?

[Rick Moyer]

Rick: How much does a golf club membership cost?

Well, almost everywhere else it would be prohibitively unaffordable, but here in economically-depressed central PA it is about the cost of a SawStop. In many parts of the country it is ten to twenty times that, at least. If it was much more than it is for me I'm afraid I'd have to give it up, but I guess this is somewhat of a golf gloat. I don't have the time (or $$$) for three hobbies so I am considering giving up the motorcycle. It competes with golf in the nicer weather; woodworking is mainly a winter hobby for me.

[Dave Johnson29]

...and the average US Male keeps a hobby for about two years and then gets a new one. Money makes the world go round. Sing it with me.

[Brent Leonard]

I like to fish.

Boat: 20k for a reliable, newer boat with nice electronics. (This is for a decent boat, not a cadillac pro boat)

Maintenence: $200-$500/year. This may be high some years, low in other years. Figures are a good average IMO.

Tackle: Initial investment - $1k - $2k. 2 grand would cover a small variety of good rods/reels, a good variety of tackle and all the stuff like a net, etc...

Cost per outing: $30 - $50 for bait, and lures (to replace the ones you lost last trip). $50 - $80 fuel for truck. $10 - $80 fuel for boat. Food & beverages cost depending on if you bring your own or buy at a marina/resturant.

Licensing: $30 - $100 annual pass for lakes. $30 - $500 annually for boat registration & property taxes (depending where you live). Insurance $100 - $500 annually.

Boat staorage may be an extra expense if you don't keep the boat at home.

Some states may be cheaper to own a boat and fish. I have lived in Colorado and Kansas. In Kansas I have several good lakes within 30 miles or less, so truck fuel is not a huge issue. In Colorado, you gotta pull the mountains and drive quite a ways more, so truck fuel could be $200 or more per trip. Kansas has yearly personal property taxes (few huundred $$ per year), Colorado had no personal property tax.


Some people fish for very little $$, with a small boat (or no boat), close to home. It can be done for a lot less than what I spend. Then again, it can be done for a LOT MORE too!

[ROY DICK]

A bunch.

Roy

[dennis thompson]

Well I have one that's cheap, but probably not considered a "vice". When I first retired I took up painting, I'll bet it didn't cost over $200, some paints, brushes & canvases & you're in business. In fact one of the first pictures I painted was out of a "tool" issue of FWW, it was a picture of 3 different type of planes, it's still hanging in my office & is one of my favorite paintings. It's a lot cheaper to paint planes than to buy them.In one way painting is like woodworking, I probably have 50 different brushes & use maybe 3 or 4 of them when I paint, I also have a few woodworking tools I've bought & don't use & I'll bet I'm not alone here.
Dennis

[Dennis McGarry]

Lets see..

Dinners (12 a year, at 100-150 each) 1800.00
Thinking of you gifts.... 1000.00
Clothing NOT inc shoes 3000.00
Nails and hair 1500.00
Hallmark holidays 500.00

Total 7800.00 a year
Discount for for allowing me to play with wood. - 10000.00 *est

So i would say the hobby for me completly justifies the cost!

[Dave Johnson29]

I also have a few woodworking tools I've bought & don't use & I'll bet I'm not alone here.

Sshhhhhhhh Dennis!
Tig Welder 2-years
Plasma cutter 2-years
Toolbit grinder with angle table 6-years
Pressure sand blaster 5-years
Tow hitch luggage rack 3-years
1200lb Motorcycle lift 1-year
52" pan brake 3-years
5 ton x 2hp power punch press 7-years
the list could go on but I am scaring myself already.

All NIB (New In Box)