How to Explore New Hobbies on a Budget

Having limited funds shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying yourself or exploring new activities that are likely to help you build who you are. And they definitely shouldn’t stop you in your tracks when you start investigating how to start. Unfortunately, LHA London knows all too well how easy it is to be put off trying something new by the cost of equipment, classes and clothing.

But, with these tips, you can easily throw yourself into learning a new skill whilst sticking to your budget.

Figure out what you need

Categorise equipment into things you absolutely need, and things that would be nice to have. This will help you better prioritise where to spend your money.

So, if you were considering taking up dancing as a hobby, you might feel as though you need to buy gym clothes that are best for dancing. However, as long as you have a good pair of sweatpants, leggings or shorts that you feel comfortable and can move in, you don’t actually need to buy anything new.

If you pursue the hobby, it will eventually come in useful to have some specialised, good quality clothing that is more suited to this type of movement, but it’s not essential to have right away.

On the other hand, if you’re taking up hiking then you definitely need to invest in walking boots with ankle support right away so you don’t injure yourself. It all depends on the activity.

Find deals on equipment

If there is equipment that you need, or when you do reach the point where you want to invest in your new hobby, make sure you’re looking for the best deals. You might want to consider shopping around for a little bit to find how much the equipment is supposed to cost and then set yourself a maximum budget based on your findings.

For the very best deals, we would recommend the following:

Charity shops

Charity shops are undoubtedly one of the best places to look for deals, although you may have to spend a little bit of extra time looking as your local shops might not have exactly what you need.

Everything that ends up on the shelf in a charity shop is quality checked and cleaned before it’s sold, so you have peace of mind that what you’re buying is in good condition and you’re not being ripped off. But, you’re still getting a fantastic deal.

In addition to this, when you buy from a charity shop, you’ll be contributing to a good cause so it’s a win-win really.

Browse secondhand online

There are plenty of people selling old and unwanted items online at a much cheaper price than you’d find them in a physical shop. And you don’t have to look too far for them either.

Find verified sellers on sites like Ebay, Vinted and Depop for really great deals.

Buy outside of peak season

If the hobby you’re interested in is more popular at a certain time of year, then it’s possible to take advantage of seasonal sales to get equipment at a cheaper price, whilst retaining the quality of a brand new buy.

For example, if you’re considering card making, then buying christmas craft bits during the sales and storing them for the following year can save you a decent chunk of money.

Ask relatives for equipment

This one might seem a bit cheeky, but it’s a really fantastic way to save money on equipment whilst also giving your loved ones ideas of what to buy you for your birthday or any other gift giving occasion.

For example, if you’ve been inspired to start playing a musical instrument like a guitar, ukulele or claranet (or any other musical instrument really), you might not be able to afford it, but you could ask all of your relatives to chip in and buy you one big present instead of buying smaller things individually.

This might also save them a bit of money, and give them reassurance that they’re getting something you’ll really love.

Likewise, if you’ve been inspired to start a hobby because of a relative, try it out using their stuff first. You could borrow their musical instruments, crochet hooks or recipe books to make sure you really love it before investing in equipment of your own.

Look to the future

This means that you should make decisions based on your patterns of behaviour.

If you’re the sort of person who gets inspired to try new things easily but then either grows bored, or realises you’re not interested in pursuing it within a few months of starting the hobby, then definitely avoid buying equipment or spending lots of money on classes.

Start cheap, and build yourself up as your interest grows.

This way, you avoid spending money on something you might decide you don’t like.

Use Youtube

YouTube is a wonderful resource with some fantastic educational creators who release videos for free so you don’t have to pay for classes.

Spending a bit of money on classes is definitely not a bad thing, especially if you’re the sort of person who thrives off a community or learning as a group, but in the early days it can really pay to take advantage of all the free learning content out there.

You can also explore the different types of teaching styles and find which ones work best for you before searching for paid classes.

Choose a free hobby

Whilst some hobbies do require a certain amount of monetary investment, many of them are free, and require only time and a bit of dedication.

If you’re looking for inspiration, we recommend giving the following a go:

• Hiking
• Learning a new language
• Board game cafes
• Drawing
• Yoga
• Songwriting
• Stargazing
• People watching

At LHA London, we want everyone to feel at home in London, and having enjoyable activities that help you find community is a big part of this. As is your accommodation. Our hostels cover all major points on the city’s map and cover your bills too, so you don’t need to worry about any additional costs while you focus on building the life you want.

For more information about how our charity can help you get set up in the big city, take a look at our available accommodation and don’t forget to check out our offer to discover what we can offer you.