Being frugal doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun in spare time, it’s not about sitting staring into space because you’re saving money.
And it’s certainly not what you want to do if you’re saving for FIRE and want to retire early, because if you find yourself with an abundance of time and nothing to do with it you’re going to be unhappy.
Which is why hobbies are important.
But they don’t have to be expensive, especially in the early days of a hobby, because you don’t want to waste a ton of money on something you’ve barely started which is why you need to work out your MVH, Minimum Viable Hobby
This is the minimum amount of equipment you need to actually start the hobby.
Because the chances are if you’re starting something for the first time you’re in the trying it out phase, you don’t need all the fancy shmancy gear that the pros have, you just need enough to try it out and see if you enjoy it. Then once you know you enjoy it you can invest more into it if you need to.
Photography is a common trap for this, I know of several people who have started getting into photography, they go out and spend hundreds, even thousands, getting shmancy cameras, lenses, bags, accessories only for 6 months to pass and it’s all disappeared into the cupboard.
Whereas if you’re interested in photography you should start by taking pictures, and pretty much everyone has a smartphone with a great camera on it. More than enough to get started on photography and see if you enjoy it.
Because if you can’t take a decent picture on your phone you’re probably not going to be able to with a camera that cost a month’s wages.
But it’s not just photography the same goes for pretty much all hobbies. Of course if the hobby you want to start is recreational skydiving or something equally as expensive then you need to head back to the drawing board and think of something else.
My Experience Of Using MVH
I’ve recently rediscovered the joy of running.
I used to practise parkour in my younger years which had me fit, healthy, and outside all the time, I even ran a half marathon during that phase and had a lot of fun, but I let it slip as I got stuck into working online and I miss it.
So I’m running again, I even want to see if I can one day run a 100-mile ultramarathon so this is going to be a long haul journey. (A journey I’m documenting on Instagram if anyone is interested)
Now.
What I really want to do is kit myself head to toe in under armour, get a shmancy new sports watch that can track my distance and heart rate, I even really want some barefoot trainers to run in.
But I don’t need any of it.
I need to go out and run.
Because I’ve only been on 4 runs which I’ve really enjoyed but the weather has been great and it’s still new and exciting. I have no idea if come the winter and snow I’ll still want to get outside and run. If that were the case I’d have wasted all my money and I’d have my unused watch and new shoes sitting guiltily in the cupboard.
So I’m not going to go that route.
I have some joggers, I’ve got old t-shirts, and I have a pair of trainers.
They’re not the best trainers, a really thick heal and maybe a little too big but they’re fine. I’m not running that far, or for that long, so for now they’ll do.
And I don’t need a sports watch because I downloaded Strava, a free running tracker and can use my phone to track how far I’ve gone.
I’ve even set myself rewards goals. If I keep up running for 3 months I’ll get some better trainers. Then come Christmas or January if I’m still going, and still feel I need one I can look at sports watches. Even then I’ll find the basic one and try it get it second hand.
Years from now if I’m still running I’ll have a better idea of what I need to fully do it but I’ll still be enjoying the base of it all which is running.
What To Watch Out For
The reason I think a lot of people dive into hobbies with such gusto and start buying everything is that it’s easy.
What’s hard is actually committing to starting something new, trying it and admitting you’re not very good but you want to get better.
Buying more expensive trainers won’t help me get out of bed and go out for a run when it’s raining, they probably won’t even help me run any further or faster, at least not yet.
Researching all the things you need to do it is just a distraction, a distraction away from actually getting stuck in and achieving something.
Find your MVH and establish what you absolutely need to start and then go out and have fun! if it turns out it’s not for you that’s totally fine, at least you won’t wasted any money in getting there.
– Flint
Running is a frugal hobby, even the races are pretty cheap. But don’t scrimp on shoes. You should be able to find a decent pair (look at the reviews) for $60-80 and remember not to run over 500 miles in a pair or you’ll begin to risk some chronic injuries. Point to note, running shoes never look worn out, you can’t see the breakdown in the internal cushioning. And if they are the wrong size, like too loose, you really ought to get ones that fit. Some people say no more than 5 months between pairs but I’m pretty sure mileage is the only thing that counts, not the age of the shoe, unless you are a shoe company plant. My wife and I run a lot and play tennis. Now tennis is not at all frugal at our level because I spend close to $700 per year just getting my broken racquet strings replaced. Plus I break one or two racquets a year and they are about $250 each. Not to mention the shoes only last a couple of months. Good post!
Great tip for the 500 miles per pair steveark! I knew there was a rule about mileage but didn’t know the specifics.
Yeah shoes are something I’m prepared to spend on, not for designer but good practical shoes, your feet are to important to risk after all, definitely the first thing I’m going to upgrade.
Now tennis is something I’ve never got the hang of, tried at school and no joy at all. Maybe if I took some lessons I’d get somewhere but for now running will keep me going and Wimbledon can fill my tennis needs. Thanks for stopping by!
This started as a good tip for me but then got slightly addicted buy the obstacle course craze that started sweeping across the country the last few years, i got so into the running that without consulting myself or remembering the initial saving money of it I booked one, then another although they seem to be disappearing again as the craze where’s off so forced saving again 🙂
Awesome Nicola thanks for sharing. At least it sounds like you got past the minimum viable hobby to a point where you were loving it so I think it’s ok that you were spending the money because you certainly weren’t wasting it 🙂
Running’s been my hobby for a good few years now. I’ve learnt the hard way about getting injured if your trainers get worn down. But a free running app and a cheap digital watch does me just fine. Entry fees for the big races soon add up (£56 for the Great North Run), but the smaller local runs are better value and the buffets afterwards are usually immense.
Buffets afterwards??? I just finished a half marathon at the weekend and all I got was an apple and some shortbread! Though I have to say it was the best tasting apple I’ve ever had. Good idea, I’ve got an app just need to start filling it in more when I run!