Affordable lifestyle activities.

[Chaos]

We talk a lot about lifestyle and different activities that we'd like to do. But a lot of the things we talk about are not affordable... well they are but they're not cheap (or sometimes I have this sensation that they aren't). For example parachute jumping is cool but really expensive and difficult to make a hobby out of it.

What about making a list of actually affordable (let's say less than 300$ investment or less than 80$ a month) and simple things with the price range attached... I want to explore new things but I'm having a hard time finding something I feel passionate about which is also affordable... Here is what I'm currently considering:

- Learning to play the guitar. 10$ - 20$ hour.
- Hiking. Free except for the equipment. Maybe 200-300$ total.
- Surfing. About 30€ per class plus buying the equipment. Perfect if you leave near the sea (not my case).
- Biking. The price of the bike (100-300$).
- Painting. Learning how to paint at home via youtube videos (for starters). Prices of the material (50-100$ will get you started).

Any other suggestions?

[Edmond Dantès]

-Swimming (5-10€ max) per day
-Running (no costs)
-Learning parcour (no costs)
-Fotography (no costs, if you have a camera, you don't necessarily need an expensive one, equipment can be added over time)
-Acting (as a statist) (no costs, you get a few bucks for it, but definitely a cool thing to try)
-improv classes
-Boxing, Martial Arts (about 30 € per month)
-Yoga (also about 30€ per month, I guess, but am not sure)

Don't you have special freetime activity offers sponsored by your university? Mine offers over 150 activities, costs are about 10€! per class

[Chaos]

LOL, woUld be great... If I still went to the university

[Guyintheback]

This thread is a great idea!

-Dancing lessons (10 - 15 € per lesson)
-Badminton (with friends, no club membership): (30 € for okay racket, 5 - 10 € for balls, 3 - 8 € for 2 hours court time/person)

[SeXyBaCk]

lol - where do you guys live? Dancing lessons is like 70€ an hour here. I remember a frigging tennis lesson costs about a hundred. Golf? 200 for 90 minutes.

[Bulgakov]

also running is only free if you go barefoot and never race.

$100 - running shoes (to be replaced every 1000km)
$210 - cross country/aths annual club membership
$85 - season ticket 6 race pass
----
$395

...and don't get injured because physio is not cheap

[Guyintheback]

(05-03-2012 02:32 PM)SeXyBaCk Wrote:  lol - where do you guys live? Dancing lessons is like 70€ an hour here. I remember a frigging tennis lesson costs about a hundred. Golf? 200 for 90 minutes.

130.000+ German city.

I'm not talking about private lessons, though. Small groups.
Level: Beginner and intermediate.

Martial arts is more like 50 - 80 € per month, here.

[Zac]

Climbing.$100 for shoes, and $150 for a pad and you can go bouldering for the rest of your life =)

[IdEngager]

Wouldn't a lot of these really be up to yout level of commitment? Like one of you listed surfing, but I used to surf in high school, and you have to buy a board (couple hundred), wetsuit ($100), wax, gas to the beach (and living by the beach is expensive)... On the other hand, you could save a lot of money by buying a used board and only surfing when its warm, negating the need for a wetsuit (though watch out for nipple chafe. Seriously.)

Anyway, a couple of hobbies of mine and how to make them affordable:
- My two favorite sports to play: basketball and ultimate frisbee. Both have a thriving pickup game culture (games are free), decent shoes/cleats will set you back $50 or so and last a few years, a ball or disc is $10-20. You won't really meet girls (though there's a few in ultimate) but you will be in great shape. I suppose all the above also applies to soccer.
- Local art and music shows: usually set you back $5-10 tops. Lots of free events too. Save your money by not drinking, or predrinking. You will meet plenty of girls. They will likely be hot, and crazy. You will also see lots of shitty art and shitty bands, but once in a while someone will be good.
- Guitar: I'm self taught (free!), and I feel it's the easiest instrument to self teach. Buy one used and you should pick up a good instrument around $200. Don't go too cheap, if you quit you can sell back a decent instrument around the same price you bought. Cheap ones, not so much.
- Read: go to the library. Still free!

[Chaos]

Well, I do enough sports and I was looking for something different (gym + running + some soccer).

I really feel attracted to the surfing idea and that's the first I'm going to try. I've found a place where you get a "surf camp" for 290€ which includes 4 hour class during 5 days (total time of the camp is 7 days), bed and breakfast and the awesome opportunity to meet interesting people (that is, people who's actually doing the same I'll be doing). Already contacted them and I'll be doing it in the beginning of June.

I'm also thinking about either painting, acting or guitar. Photography has always attracted me but I don't have the patience to actually go out looking for a good shot nor real passion for it.

I think I'll go for painting since is something cheap that I can really do at home and that I've always enjoyed (even if I'm not to good at it ). Acting requires too much involvement right now and guitar too much money for something I'm not sure I won't quit, and I already have a violin at home that was just too difficult and time consuming to learn

[Guyintheback]

Since you seem to be interested in water sports: Have you considered scuba diving?
I've never done it myself, but I just around and it looks like basic open water diving courses range from 300 - 400 €.
Of course after that you'll still need to buy or rent equipment.

[roark]

(05-03-2012 02:59 PM)Bulgakov Wrote:  also running is only free if you go barefoot and never race.

$100 - running shoes (to be replaced every 1000km)
$210 - cross country/aths annual club membership
$85 - season ticket 6 race pass
----
$395

...and don't get injured because physio is not cheap

Invisible Shoes (http://www.invisibleshoe.com/ ) are going to be under $30 and last you a lifetime. I've been traveling around the world non-stop with them as my sole shoe for the past year and a half and they have held up well.

If you've read the New York Times bestseller "Born to Run" you've probably heard of the huarache, the running sandal worn by the Tarahumara Indians of the Sierra Madres in Mexico. The Invisible Shoe mimics the huarache, but it doesn't cost over $90+ like Vibram Fivefingers do.

If you slowly acclimate yourself to barefoot running (or minimalist footwear) you reduce your risk of injury compared to running shod (see the book I mentioned above).

There is no need to run in any race. Some people use running for meditation and relaxation, without adding the stress of a race or paying for the privilege of being able to run (?!).

[SeXyBaCk]

I take my feet to bed with me, I'm kind attached to them. So flipflops elsewhere than the beach? I think not. Don't get get the race thing but I entirely lack ambition. I run to exorcise (yes) the dog and my love handles.