Spending on hobbies/special interests ?

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I used to spend a fair portion of my money on random stuff that I liked and a lot of it was related to my then-special interest. I've definitely cut back on buying things for myself. Whenever I'd spend any money on myself, my family would accuse me of being "bad with money" so I now barely buy anything unnecessary, only things like clothes (never anything expensive however), food, and grooming products (and just basics like shampoo and toothpaste). I wish I honestly had more money so I could buy more books, more craft and art supplies, and then other things related to my interests but I know I need to wait until I earn more money to do that.

I'm considering selling some of the stuff I have related to my old special interest, I even have a friend who said she is interested once I decide what I want to part with. Plus, I'm trying to save up money to buy a (working and reliable) car and then move out hopefully. COVID has definitely slowed things down, however, but I'm still trying at least.

I actually don't' have an issue managing finances, then again its not so often that I spend on hobbies and special interests ...

This month has been challenging to keep my overall budget on task. I have already spent my allotments on my hobbies as there were some special items on sale that I bought. One of my comic book publishers (Chaos/Dynamite) that I collect just released a 25th anniversary signed/sealed art card pack for $35/card. The comic book shop put in an order for seven cards months ago, but did not get all of them due to their allotment limit. I had talked to the comic book owner first about them so I had first shot at purchasing when they came in.

They got in three cards this week and I bought two of them, with a friend buying the remaining card. He was offered the chance to buy the other card, but turned it down. They were each sealed in a red envelope, so you could not see them before you bought the pack. I was hoping to pull an Evil Ernie sketch, but alas I did not. I have an almost complete collection of Evil Ernie comics.

However both of my sketch cards were signed in metallic gold ink which is very rare. The comic book dealer said that those usually go for over a $100/card for the versions that I got. One of the sketches I got was a major character by a highly sought artist, so it is worth even more. My friend pulled his out and the design was smudged. It also was a regular blue ink signature, so he was very disappointed. I offered to trade him one of my cards, but he refused. Since then, he has been showing signs of jealousy towards me. I feel bad, but it is luck of the draw in what you get in those card packs. So I searched online and bought another pack to give to him for Christmas. I just hope he can pull a gold card.

Those cards were on top of the usual monthly comic book buys that I normally do. At least I am saving money on eating out due to the local virus restrictions. Good thing I got my Christmas shopping done early while I still had the money budgeted for it on hand.

When my budget had $10/mo for "entertainment" I'd go to the thrift store and buy some brass object at less than the scrap value, and then spend a day or so polishing it until it looked like gold, or a week making it into something new. It turned my depression around.
Come to think of it, Not spending money is a major hobby of mine. I drive reliable, economical, unfashionable cars for less than $200 pa in parts and depreciation. The current one needed some rust repair, and I had enough fiberglass left over from work to do it. My appliances are at least used bargains, with some rescued from the garbage with an easy repair. I make my own seasonal decorations, and do my own house repairs. My tool collecting pays those dividends, and was acquired at less than half list price on average. 90% of my visiting happens as an add-on to practical travel.

Before the virus hit, I would go to the thrift stores looking for silver and silver-plated items on the cheap. I picked up several sterling pieces for less than the price of plated. Often the workers did not know how to read the hallmarks on the bottom and assumed that they were made of pewter. There is something calming about polishing silver that I always enjoyed, so I understand why you liked to polish brass. I no longer go there due to the risks of exposure.

Hmm. I should read more silver, but I've never found Sterling, nor a four-leaf clover. Prospectors used to do well in the cutlery dept. Two of my best brass pieces looked like cheap plated steel, but were badly lacquered solid. Another was well made because it was originally silver plated.

Somewhere in our field we had a whole patch of 4 leaf clovers, but I doubt they are there now as my brother has piles of woodchip on there.

It's not a weekly recurring cost. It's more a 'There's a new testing company .I must try its ancestry calculator' kind of thing. It's quite 'addictive', but not in a 'I'm not paying my bills because of it' way. All essential bills are paid by direct debit, and I have 4 figure savings.

I would think so long as it doesn't prevent spending with things needed it should be OK.

Though I am the most erratic spender on things I don't need unrelated most of the time to my hobbies and interests.

For example I would much rather fund a mic and cameras for streaming etc than spend it on alcohol as it would give me control and a sense of purpose - whilst i await going back to work, which come to think of it. I really should try focus on.. touche'

Hello, I am into recording too. I have a degree in Sound Technology from LIPA.

There are quiet a few amp modellers on the market now, some that sound really awesome.
Although due to being amp modellers, there are some things you will never be able to do with an amp simulator,
such as generating authentic feedback etc.

still, it is a cheaper method to get most the right sounds.

UAD do some really awesome emulations of Ampeg bass amps/speakers. Although in order to use UAD plug ins you do have to invest in at least one of their DSP devices or one of their audio interfaces that has a certain amount of DSP chips built in.

Softube do some of the same emulations and you don't have to use UAD DSP hardware.
Overloud Thu, Line 6 Helix, Brainworks, amplitude 4 and stacks of others.

I also spend every spare penny that i get on building up my recording equipment, so that eventually, i will have all the equipment i need to make / produce lower level pro recordings.

Solidus VS8100 amp sim 32.50 EUR

Last edited by madbutnotmad on 05 Dec 2020, 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

When I'm really poor I'll sometimes take a gamble on a DVD or CD from the pound shop. Getting a great film to watch for £1 is exceptional value. Even getting an average film to watch for £1 is a very good deal and it's a nice distraction from being poor.

You can also usually sell it back to them for 10p afterwards as well, lol

Re. Amps, if I ever had the chance I'd be spending a lot of money with Orange

sure, i like orange amps, they are very British sounding, I like the way they break up.
Orange do a hardware amp sim in a micro amp format, at that also breaks up really well.
Don't think it costs that much.

good for fun jamming etc. My guitar playing isn't to the level that i need super expensive amps.
More of a tinker with guitars than an obsession/

Same here, but I fancy the idea of playing badly really loud!

I agree that it is very interesting. But, I'm in the U.S. and I am not native American so I am necessarily, completely descended from immigrants. My primary goal would be to be to answer the question "What are you?" That is, how much do I have of what different national origins.

Since you're in England and interested in the ancestry calculators should I guess that your ancestors have not been in England since forever, but have been there long enough that the national origins are not all clear?

I am very much retired and therefore have too much to do. Genealogy could definitely use more of my time.

My surname 'Gatty' was supposedly originally 'Gatti' according to this Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Henry_Gatty
On my maternal side I have 'Fletts' that may have originally come from Norway.

Cousins matches are primarily British , but there are some Scandinavian ones too. Chr 7 for me across the companies gives quite a few Scandinavian matches,

I've not really ever written "this much for hobbies" in a budget but do have a good feel for what I can get away with each month depending on what else is happening.

For instance, the 2 months a year where the 2 cats each have their annual checkup and vaccinations, a $90 USD event any more, there isn't going to be much of any hobby spending unless some extra money comes from somewhere.