When there’s a mismatch between what you love to do (passion) and what you can prudently do (budget), it’s difficult to limit your passion to your budget.
Since I have developed a slight case of Argentine tango fever, I’ve been taking 2-3 classes per week. The classes cost an average of $15, which means that if I go to class twice a week, I’d be out $120 a month. Ideally, however, I’d be attending class 3 times a week, or spending almost $200 a month.
That’s just one type of dance. Sometimes I need a break from the intensity of tango by jumping in the fun and sassy salsa, which also costs $15 per class. So add on one session of salsa to three Argentine tango classes a week, and suddenly, my “ideal” monthly dance budget has ballooned to ~$250 a month.
To be honest, I don’t particularly crave top brand names or fancy cars or cool new tech gadgets (okay, maybe except for the iPhone). My day-to-day guilty pleasures are food and books, which I’ve always found that I didn’t have to be too disciplined when it comes to spending money, because delicious food can be found for cheap (dim sum, tacos, etc. even nice restaurants have deals once in a while), and books are free at the library, or available for under $5 at used book sales or on Amazon.
But dance is completely different. It’s an activity that requires a consistent schedule. It’s difficult to not do something (or not to do as often as you’d like) you love because of budgetary restraints. Every week I can feel myself getting better – I’m still in the stage where every slight improvement yields a big marginal benefit, because I’m starting off so badly! The more classes I go to, the quicker my process. If I miss a class, I feel the back-sliding. And I want to get better because as fun as tango or salsa is right now, it will be so much more fun when I’m a better dancer.
In many ways, I suppose I’m fortunate. I could have fallen in love with skiing, or mountain climbing, or sailing, or horseback riding – hobbies which all cost far more than tango or salsa. So, it’s okay if I indulge in a few more classes a week, right? 
Do you have an expensive hobby / passion? And how do you limit your hobby expenses?
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Great post! This is a huge challenge for me; I love travel so plane tickets are a major expense, and difficult to budget for. I balance that out with a well-honed appreciation for experiences that “real” instead of “luxe,” and staying with family/friends whenever possible. I also tend to let an impulsive ticket purchase blow my monthly budget because a) I’m young, and I have years to recover from this and b) I’ve consciously made a choice to invest in experience over things. The learning and memories from travel are irreplaceable. One tiny note — staying with family and friends isn’t as cheap as it seems because I do try to invest in really nice hostess gifts…the relationships mean more than the money does!
oooOOoooh tango expenses. I so sympathize. My budget is getting narrower and narrower for it so I can mostly just go to the free milongas and a workshop or two, rather than the month of classes. (Plus my schedule changed at work so now I can’t even get the discounted package of classes.
) I’m trying to stretch every dollar. Anything I need (clothes, shoes) I try to buy used. Any time I can barter for a service, I try to do that. Tango is not the most expensive hobby that I could have, but I don’t see the expenses ever really going down. You take classes, need shoes, go to milongas for as long as you dance. *shrug*
I agree with you – even though dance lessons are “expensive,” they are hardly as expensive as other activities you could have fallen in love with. And if it makes you happy to do it, then you can always find room in your budget.
Unfortunately my passion lies in hiking / mountain climbing / skiing, which are all ridiculously expensive. But because it’s what I love to do, I’ve found a way to afford the things that I need to buy in order to keep doing it.
I used to dance (ballet) a lot. Like, 15 hours a week. But that was about 10 years ago, when I was a student, and um, when I was in high school and my parents paid for it. I’ve really wanted to take up ballet again, but can’t justify paying for it ($48 for a 4-class punch card). Instead, I pay about $45 a month to go to Curves. It’s not ballet, but at least I know I’ll get a full-body workout. I’d like to find a ballet class that I could attend once a week or something, just to get back into it…though I’m a bit afraid I’d end up trying to take multiple classes a week again (it’s an addiction, as you know!)! I also find it hard now that I’m working – I only make it to Curves (when I make it) because I force myself to go straight from work. It’s somehow harder to make it to a 6:30pm ballet class; the time crunch is hard when you can’t leave work until 6; and the 7:30 classes wouldn’t get me home until 9:30pm! Le sigh.
Excuses, excuses, right?
One day I will definitely have to take a tango lesson – you have inspired me! Yoga classes at the studio I like are very similiar in price – about $10 to $15 depending on type of class. I found out about a class offered at a jr. college for $50 for the entire semester and tried that. It definitely wasn’t the same (not as much personal attention and the ambiance of a small studio was totally lost in the big smelly gym) but it made a difference in my wallet! Another hobby I have is knitting (hello, grandma!) and I’ve committed to knitting through my current stash before purchasing any more yarn.
If it fits in your budget, I say go for it! I am constantly taking a class of some kind-yoga, bellydancing, hip hop-as an active way to spend time with some friends I don’t see often enough otherwise. I just make sure it is paid for out of my alotted entertainment money. I don’t feel guilty for a moment. What is money for if not fulfilling your passions? (If you read Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s blog, she did a post on having fun in the past day or two-it speak to just this matter).
A lot of my early 20′s debt was for hobbies I took up, music and painting followed by jewelry making. Each needed it’s own supplies, tools and had on going expenses. Some hobbies are very expensive, golf comes to mind, while others are practically free. The benefit of your dance obsession – better health! You’re getting your exercise in as well, so it’s a two for one deal. I promised Mr M I’d learn to dance, cause I’ve got two left feet it seems. Where are you taking classes?
I know what you mean. We just started classes for tango again, after years of taking expensive workshops and then taking a break (don’t ask, it happens), and just for classes for 2 of us we are spending like you said about $25 to $30 per couple, per class (x2 a week) and then milongas, and I just forked out over $200 to buy my husband a pair of nice shoes, and that means I now want new shoes. What’s worse is how you want to quit your day job to dance all day, which really becomes a budget nightmare ;0!!!! Sigh, the addiction of tango!
Unfortunately both my passions (travel and skiing) are expensive. I don’t really limit my expenses. I do both as often as I can but am always looking for deals (renting a condo instead of a hotel, using FF miles, etc.). I take care of my savings goals upfront so that I don’t feel bad about spending the rest on ‘fun’. Life’s too short…
I’m passionate about fashion, so naturally I’m always broke. I’ve also had love affairs with jewelry-making, horseback riding, and fancy gyms. So yeah: always broke.
I manage it by sacrificing things that have fallen down the priority list. I used to spend at least several hundred on clothes/accessories per month, but the past two months I haven’t bought a single piece of clothing. I had decided I wanted to do more than one big international trip per year, so that was the trade-off I made, and likely will continue to make. It’s actually been really liberating– not feeling the need to buy new clothes anymore and not spending all that time browsing online shops!
Photography is another expensive hobby of mine. I’m trying to limit expenses on this by figuring out how to make money off of it! I think this is the best way to go, if it’s a realistic/attainable option. Earn money while doing something you love. Unfortunately, it can take a while to get to that level.
I think for things that improve your health, you can definitely cut yourself some slack budget-wise. I’m the type who refuses to pay for a gym, but now I’m doing pilates regularly and that costs over $100/month (and it’s also really cheap where I live.) It’s completely worth it for the workout and improvement in posture, balance, flexibility, etc. Same goes for your tango!
My passion is cooking and baking, and that is always a point of contention between my husband and I. I try and budget, as we do spend a lot on food, but that is really the only thing we spend a lot of money on, aside from all of our day to day bills.
Well, if nothing else, at least this hobby allows you to “trick” your budget into thinking you’re investing in fitness! If your hobby was sitting on the couch and eating Ben & Jerry’s, it might be harder to justify. haha!
My main regular activity is (field) hockey which comes in around £300 (maybe $480) a year for subs plus travel and kit etc. It is so very worth it for the physical and mental health benefits, plus the social aspect, and I won’t consider giving it up til I get too old to play! It’s a matter of prioritising what’s important, and fitting it into your life. Work to live, don’t live to work!
I also have other expensive loves like travel, cycling, scuba diving, ski-ing etc which I do have to limit somewhat but still love to indulge when I get the chance.
It seems that all of your posts lately have been talking about spending money or remaining on a budget. Are you sad you don’t have a job? Are you trying to remain positive for your readers? I’m sure some days you are feeling bad or sad, but I’m not really getting that vibe. Do you not want to share that with us? Just curious. How is your freedom fund coming along? Is unemployment enough to keep you happy for now? Are your parents helping you especially since you just moved into the cool new place?
Typically, I’m not crazy about fashion, but I love tango shoes! The pair I own is $150.
Needless to say, I ate a lot of cheap spaghetti and tuna for a while after purchasing those. My ongoing tango expenses usually run about $100 a month for dances and lessons.
It’s worth it.
As one who has fallen in love with mountain climbing, I must say that the initial investment is huge, but it is very cheap after that. You can always collect more gear, but after awhile, it is sort of frivilous and certainly unneeded. I’m generally more fearful of recurring costs than a large one time cost, even if it is sometimes irrational.
It is a challenge. It is almost impossible to put a dollar sign on how much to spend on hobbies. Right now I’m trying to focus on not picking up new ones!
Stealing this idea/theme for my own post, if you don’t mind.
(But I wouldn’t look for it any time soon, it’ll be a few weeks… I’m insanely ahead with my posting. Or behind, depending on how you look at it.)
In short, though — As long as you can afford the spending and you deem it worth the cost, go for it! Sadly, chances for me to practice my hobby (racing) aren’t so available, so I definitely make sure I’m able to do it when I can. They’re also fairly expensive, though, so maybe it’s a good thing it’s not all of the time…