Hobbies are fun, but if you’re not careful, hobby-related expenses can really add up.
Right now, my most enjoyable hobby is salsa. So far, my investment in this budding pastime has been (1) the $12 fee per class and (2) the one hour lesson per week.
My lessons are one of the highlights of my week, but now I find myself impatient at how slowly the class is going. I know I can improve faster if I went to salsa camps ($60 for four-hours) and got private instruction ($75 per hour). But both of those things cost money. I also wanted new Latin dance shoes ($75-$150).
So how did I decide that it was the right time to invest in my hobbies? I asked myself 3 questions:
1. Am I committed to this activity?
There’s no need to spend money if I’m not going to stick with salsa for the long term. But I have been dancing salsa for the past seven weeks, and I plan to continue my classes. I enjoy salsa – it’s a fun, social activity and a good form of exercise. Not to mention, it’s good for my relationship!
2. How necessary is this equipment / lesson to my safety and health?
In sports or dance, equipment is very important. In dance, proper footwear make all the difference. I have been wearing regular heels, which, really, have done a number on my feet and back. If I want to continue dancing, I should pluck down the cash for a pair of proper dance shoes.
3. Can I find deals or specials within my budget? If not, can I wait until I can?
I’ve already waited for almost 2 months! So when my instructor offered students the chance to purchase shoes at the wholesale price, I jumped at the opportunity. In the spirit of compromise with my budget, I decided to forgo the salsa camps for now. And instead of buying a pair of shoes for $65, I chose a plainer style for $55.
I am so excited to pick up my shoes next week and dance up a storm in my new and suede-soled 3-inch T-strap Latin heels!
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Very good post !!!
I have an “addiction”, but not a hobby I spend time and money on … eyelash extensions!
Spending money on hobbies is probably the easiest type of spending for me to justify. Sometimes it is hard to know how committed you are because even start-up costs are high.
Salsa didn’t grab me as much as it did you — it was fun, but I wasn’t very good! Maybe I’ll try again later with a better instructor. I didn’t like mine at all. Have fun!
Not really related to the content, but when I first started reading your post I thought you were talking about Salsa as in chips and dip. I was like “$75 an hour to learn how to make salsa…wtf?” Haha.
Hobbies are my downfall!
I always want the best of the best for whatever I try, even if it ends up falling by the wayside… the best jewelry-making tools, the best horseback riding tack and gear, the best electric piano. It adds this whole new guilt-factor when I have to abandon one of them.
I think if salsa is something you love and you know you will stick with, though, it’s worth paying the price.
It’s only been the past 4 years or so that I had started to spend money on hobbies other than my home decorating and clothes. I have found that it really makes me happy. I gad heard a seminar on how we should take the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I’ve found it really makes me happy. And I’ve been able to give things to people that I wouldn’t have been able to but for ‘investing’ in my hobby, so all the better!
@Debt Ninja
LOL! Although around here cooking classes are $60-$70 a class, so I’m SURE a sauce & salsa class will run that rate. Maybe it’ll be longer for an hour though.