Author Topic: Hobbies that don't eat  (Read 11600 times)

MgoSam

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Hobbies that don't eat
« on: May 24, 2013, 01:39:46 PM »
I remember a quote of Benjamin Frankin, "Beware the hobby that eats."

Do you have any hobbies that are either free or aren't expensive? Currently I love to read (most books come from the library), hang out with friends at bonfires and board games (though there are other activities that cost money), running or hiking outside. These are all things that are either cheap or free. I would like to take the guitar.

Does anyone have any suggestions for new hobbies? I have no handyman skills, so anything related to that is likely not going to work for me.

Thanks!

Khan

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2013, 03:03:46 PM »
I'm trying to learn how to draw, I'm not particularly interested in art, per se, but I'd like to have decent drawing skills for a variety of reasons. I've spent ~200$ on books, and pencils that I love, but you could get away with spending ~20$ for some decent paper and just using the internet for the rest(although the internet does heavily suggest two of the books I bought).

Origami/papercraft can be quite cheap as well(though I haven't messed with it, I'm somewhat interested)

Video content from websites can provide all the pacification you ever need, there's several channels on Youtube that continue to increase in quality, there's really no excuse outside of sports for cable/satellite.

Yeah, outdoorsy things like biking, hiking, or if you live in a good area for it, climbing too.

oldtoyota

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2013, 03:06:15 PM »
Gardening (to grow food)
Writing
Reading
Hiking

=-)

nubbs180

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2013, 09:15:06 AM »
Refereeing your favorite sports.  It can be a "Hobby that [feeds]," moderate amounts.

beyondhuman

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2013, 12:19:38 PM »
My biggest hobby is wine making.  The equipment costs can bite a little but after a few rounds of brew the hobby pays you back and more (if you drink it instead of store bought).  I am considering developing an interest in beekeeping in order to get a 'free' supply of honey to make mead.

MgoSam

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2013, 12:44:52 PM »
Beyond, can you tell me more about winemaking? I have a beer kit and my first attempt went bad, but I am going to try again soon. Winemaking also sounds like fun.

matt_g

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2013, 12:52:27 PM »
+1 Gardening

beyondhuman

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2013, 01:05:51 PM »
Sure, there are different ways to get into winemaking and develop an understanding of the basics of the process but for the frugal I would suggest this.

Go to the store and buy a Carlo Rossi 4L wine jug--$10--it costs about only a bit more than buying a 1 gallon wine carboy and has a better shape, plus it comes full of 4L of crummy wine.  Probably go with the generic red or white because their version of more serious wines is a bit wanting.

Get your hands on an airlock, a bung to fit it, a ~5ft length of of food grade plastic tubing, and either potassium metabisulfite-sodium metabisulfite(basically the same thing).

Mix the 2 OZ of sulfite with 1 gallon of water- this is a sanitizing solution you will use throughout the process. Before you begin you should rinse all equipment very well with this solution.

Follow this recipe for Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange Mead (JOAM).

Joe skips a step for killing wild yeast you will have to pick up later but it shouldn't really matter much in this situation and once you get the feel for the whole process after this it wont be a big deal to add in for your next batch

The only adjustment I would make to Joe's recipe is that you zest the oranges and add the zest and the juice while keeping the pith out.

"1 gallon batch

* 3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
* 1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
* 1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
* 1 stick of cinnamon
* 1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
* optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
* 1 teaspoon of bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
* Balance water to one gallon
Process:

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen. Put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)( the yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.

If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make a different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make a good ancient mead."

Thats what you should do for your first time.  Kits tend to be way too expensive and make a large amount which you will probably screw up since it is your first attempt.  I also made a kit (well semi-kit) my first time and ended up with 5 gallons of terrible 18% abv hobo hooch.  JOAM was my next attempt and worked out far better.  It makes a sweetish, orange mead and since the recipe is so explicit it allows you to skip over issues of sulfiting, measuring sugar, racking, etc. while you figure out how to just make a wine come into existence.

Vilx-

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2013, 01:18:19 PM »
the internet does heavily suggest two of the books I bought).
I've been thinking about learning to draw too. I think it's a very valuable skill to have. Which books are those two? Would one of them be "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"?

Onlyif

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2013, 11:11:07 AM »
+1 Gardening.   Healthy fresh food practically free.   Plus this will rapidly lead to a new cooking hobby... :)    Just don't get caught up in buying things when you start a new hobby, whatever it is.  Once you've had some experience you'll know which things you really need and which are gimmicks.  Try to think of useful hobbies,  however you want to define useful.   


Khan

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2013, 02:55:03 PM »
the internet does heavily suggest two of the books I bought).
I've been thinking about learning to draw too. I think it's a very valuable skill to have. Which books are those two? Would one of them be "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"?

Yup, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and Keys to Drawing. The main internet guide/forum/resources I'm using is ( http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-draw-learn ), /ic/ is one of the boards of 4chan(a place with both good parts and the absolute worst parts of the internet).

workathomedad

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2013, 04:06:49 PM »
I enjoy walking on the beach and laying around in the sun. :-)

nktokyo

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2013, 04:40:16 PM »
If you like creating or learning then just about anything... writing, programming, cooking etc

StarswirlTheMustached

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2013, 04:51:55 PM »
I'm surprised no one has suggested writing.
Blog, fiction, nonfiction, fan-fiction-- whatever. You already have a word-processing device if you're on here, so it's going to be free. Odds are it's never going to be a hobby that feeds, but, hey, at least it's free. And who knows? You might strike gold.

Also neglected seems to music. Once you get past the big investment of the instrument, it should be clear sailing along the way. A local place I used to live offered no-questions-asked returns on any instrument after 30 days-- if you didn't take a shine to it, you could bring it back and try something else (or get cash). In the end, I settled on a 8$ harmonica; it fit the budget best, and has been a very rapid joy to learn.

nktokyo

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2013, 05:56:15 PM »
If you like creating or learning then just about anything... writing, programming, cooking etc

:P

MgoSam

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #15 on: May 28, 2013, 05:36:17 AM »
Thanks guys for the advice! I don't own my place and so gardening is out for the time being.

I have started brewing beer, which though requiring the initial expenses of equipment, should lower my alcohol expenses in time (so I hope), especially as when I buy beer I prefer better quality beers. In about two weeks my Irish stout should be ready. In my fermenter I have started an IPA that should be ready to bottle in about four weeks.

ace1224

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #16 on: May 28, 2013, 06:04:24 AM »
I enjoy walking on the beach and laying around in the sun. :-)
+1

Iron Mike Sharpe

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #17 on: May 28, 2013, 06:43:41 AM »
I play poker.  I spent a bunch on books at the beginning to learn the game.  But now I make money playing it.

exranger06

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #18 on: May 28, 2013, 07:35:08 AM »
I like fixing cars. It's an extremely useful skill and it can save you tons of money. You have to buy tools, but with all the money you save fixing things yourself, the tools actually pay for themselves. I've bought tools, even expensive ones, that paid for themselves the very first time I used them. And since cars are a hobby of mine, I work part time at an auto parts store. This not only gives me some extra income, but also gives me a substantial discount on parts, saving even more money.

StarswirlTheMustached

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #19 on: May 28, 2013, 07:47:55 AM »
If you like creating or learning then just about anything... writing, programming, cooking etc

:P

>_<;

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #20 on: May 28, 2013, 07:51:57 AM »
Thanks guys for the advice! I don't own my place and so gardening is out for the time being.

I have started brewing beer, which though requiring the initial expenses of equipment, should lower my alcohol expenses in time (so I hope), especially as when I buy beer I prefer better quality beers. In about two weeks my Irish stout should be ready. In my fermenter I have started an IPA that should be ready to bottle in about four weeks.

Mmmm.

We have a MASSIVE brew room in the basement.  My husband works a second job at the beer and wine supply store, so he can get everything he needs to brew, at a discount (and he rarely spends more on supplies than he makes anyway).  We've got at least 130 bottles of wine down there right now, probably 100 beers, 30 bottles of mead, 15L of port that is aging, and some sherry, I think.


GoStumpy

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #21 on: May 28, 2013, 07:55:03 AM »
Definitely fishing for me... I got started cheap, second-hand rod/reel, tackle box from when I was a kid, some flies, (fly fishing), found a leaky boat for $50 and sealed it up, bought a second-hand electric trolling motor for $60, and found a used deep-cycle battery for $50.   That's about all the original investment was, and had years of fun with those... only expensive part is the gas to get to good lakes!


Now I use a $650 boat that seats 3 comfortably, still using the same trolling motor, bought 3 new batteries ($100 each), won a new rod/reel @ a fishing derby, and probably have spent ~$50 on misc fishing tackle...

Still my absolute favorite hobby...nothing compares to the silence and serenity of sitting on a lake by yourself, only hearing fish jumping :)

limeandpepper

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #22 on: May 28, 2013, 08:00:04 AM »
<ahem> Spending time on forums </ahem>

Banyan_FL

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Re: Hobbies that don't eat
« Reply #23 on: May 31, 2013, 08:38:11 AM »
Belive it or not Video gaming can be a low cost hobby. Not by buying the latest consoles or titles at 60 bucks a pop. But by revisiting older games (ebay), or playing free to play games (there are many good quality f2p games for PC)