My Favourite Frugal Hobby

Hobbies are often thought of to be the activities of people with more time on their hands, who lead more relaxed lives or who are perhaps retired already. Children are often made to try lots of different hobbies, when younger to gain knowledge and different skills. But, as an adult with a full time job, it can quite difficult to fit in time for hobbies, and they can often get pushed out of your everyday schedule due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

 

Having a hobby or two as an adult is important though; they can offer an escape from the everyday routine, build your self-esteem, get you out and about and meeting new people, and give you more knowledge and expertise to share with the world. You get the chance to learn new skills and some people even turn their hobbies into full time careers.

 

My favourite frugal hobby?

 

Reading.

 

I have always loved reading; ever since I can remember I have enjoyed reading stories, escaping the present and into a world of imagination and wonder. I remember reading The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton and wishing there was a world at the top of a tree. I remember reading Matilda and hating Mrs Trunchbull, who clearly must have been the worse head teacher ever. All of the Jacqueline Wilson books with their interesting characters and life lessons thrown in. The possibilities are endless.

 

The reason why I love reading so much is there are unlimitless books to read, different worlds to be immersed in, lessons to learn and knowledge to be gained. There are so many genres within fiction, then there’s non fiction, self help, travel, cookery and many more in between. One of my weaknesses is to go into a bookshop; it’s a dangerous place for me to go. I find nothing better than getting a new book, the smell of the pages and the anticipation of the story within the pages. I balance buying new books with getting books out from our local library, which is a fantastic free resource.

 

Here are some of the books I’ve read lately and really enjoyed:

 

• One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon. An easy read, though explores the dynamics of a family in a struggle, this one is definitely good for a summer read. Sitting outside in the sunshine with this and a cold drink would be a perfect afternoon.
• Down To Earth by Rhonda Hetzel. A book by the wonderful Rhonda, who writes the Down To Earth blog, about back to basics and simplifying your life. There are so many helpful hints and tips within the is book that I think every young person should read when they first own their own house.
• Gone Girl and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I read Gone Girl first as lots of people seemed to recommend it and I really enjoyed it. The suspense of not knowing what the outcome was going to be to begin with and getting to know the ins and outs of characters. After enjoying it so much, I looked at another one of Gillian’s books called Sharp Objects. Again, another thriller with a twist at the end I didn’t see coming, I read this pretty quickly; in fact I couldn’t put it down!
• The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike) by Robert Galbraith. This is the second book in the series (the first one is called The Cuckoo’s Calling (Cormoran Strike Book 1)) and I loved it just as much as the first. Another thriller, detective novel that weaves in and out throughout the story. There is lots of exploration of the main character too – Cormoran Strike – and how he works. Another excellent, if darker, read.
• The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas Stanley. Regularly cited on personal finance books to read, I’ve recently read this for the first time. Though it might seem a bit dated, and a bit American-ised if you’re from the UK, the underlying facts about wealth, perceptions of wealth and appearances are the very underpins to becoming and staying wealthy. Again, another book that I think everyone should read at least once.

 

A bit of a mixed bunch in terms of genre but I try to read a variety of books. We all have individual interests and like different things. Reading is definitely my favourite frugal hobby and I’m looking forward to reading lots more books in the future!

 

What’s your favourite frugal hobby? Have you got any book suggestions? 

 

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