Attempting to fit your family’s hobbies into the budget this year? Since hobbies are purely discretionary, these pursuits are often a difficult bone of contention for families who need to rein in their spending.
Fitting your family’s hobbies into the budget
While it’s certainly important for everyone to have a way to enjoy themselves, many hobbies are expensive.
Alter Hobbies to Fit the Budget
One of the best approaches to meet this challenge: alter the hobby or hobbies to fit your family’s means. Find a lower cost variation of the hobbies
you, as well as your family, enjoy doing. For instance, love playing golf, but the country club fees are eating you alive, investigate community courses! Or, resolve to spend some time on the driving range.
Try Something New
If there’s no way to alter existing hobbies, try something more thrifty. At the very least you’ll have a learning experience, right? Even if the new pastime doesn’t equal the passion your family has for the present pursuit, know you are saving for the day you bring these things back into your life.
Think Digital
It’s amazing how many hobbies have online components, whether in the form of actual software creating the experience, or via enthusiast
communities.
Let’s face it. For most of us, the only thing we enjoy more than our beloved hobby is talking about it. In the short term, can you satisfy your passion for
the pursuit by joining a forum? Perhaps lend your expertise to a “newbie?” It gives you a chance to sharpen your own skills since you don’t want to pass on incorrect information.
Stay in a Good Place in Your Head
The thought of giving up something you, or your family, love to do because of money is genuinely painful. That’s the “forever” trap, and it’s the number one reason budgets and diets fail. These projects aren’t about “forever,” they’re about “until.”
When you craft your new budget, decide on a milestone letting you re-incorporate the hobby or hobbies into your life. Say to yourself: car payment finishes, it’s back to such-and-such hobby. Having no guilt is a powerful motivator for budgeting properly, and accomplishing the predicate goal.
Above all, however, never go cold turkey and give up spending time on something you love altogether. Think out of the box! Perhaps, give lessons and receive payments doing what you love. We all need to release stress, so don’t let anyone tell you and your family’s hobbies aren’t important. It is important, however, to be responsible about the money you spend on those hobbies in these tight economic times.
Author Bio: Ms. Bekiroglu is a published author, freelance writer and editorial consultant for secureloanconsolidation.com. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida, she faced the mounting obstacle of paying over $24,000 back in student loan debt. Determined to eliminate the debt, she became knowledgeable about money management. She seeks to educate others with tips on managing student loans and other kinds of debt, as well as in general personal finance and money saving tips.
