• hydrospanner@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      1 year ago

      They don’t have to be.

      But in a profit driven economy, hobbies are fertile ground to make great margins by creating the illusion of need and effectively price fixing with competitors without actual direct organization.

      In so, so many fields, prices are set by no force more real than what the consumer is willing to spend. Not materials, not labor, not logistics…just “it costs this much because that’s what people are willing to pay”.

      That’s why it’s worth getting into non competitive hobbies: the difference between expensive gear and basic gear has far less impact on overall enjoyment of the hobby when that difference doesn’t correlate to the difference between having a competitive edge, or not, due to gear. At that point, expensive stuff is a luxury and an option, rather than a prerequisite to be on equal footing.

  • Cielnova@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    1 year ago

    I got both. Gunpla and programming are the two big hyperfixations for me. my wallet cries every time I walk into the hobby shop

  • Shayeta@feddit.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    26
    ·
    1 year ago

    I have the worst one. I am a hobby hopper. I buy all that is necessary to get adept at a hobby, get there and get bored and give up. Rinse and repeat.

  • Candelestine@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    tbf, the confluence of overpriced hobbies and autistic intensity of focus does open up a monetizable door. Most educational/tutorial content is very light on details, for efficiency’s sake. This content is useful for people new to whatever hobby.

    But, there’s also always a smaller segment of people looking to advance from the beginner to the intermediate level, or intermediate to advanced. These people need all the details, and that market is often unfilled, depending on hobby. Even if it is filled though, at that level of complexity, there’s usually more details that can be provided.

    So, you end up with guys like AJ Pickett and his Dungeons & Dragons content. Not that he’s autistic, he may or may not be. He’s just a niche, successful, hobby-education-oriented content creator.

  • SuperSpruce@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Me last year thinking I’m financially responsible: I’ll never spend more than I need to survive, and I’ll invest the rest!

    Me this year after catching the motorcycle bug: Need… Faster… Bike…

  • Classy@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Good think studying botany is mostly free

    looks up travel prices

    looks up field gear prices

    looks up cost of accreditation in order to get jobs in botany

    Never mind

    • MycoBro@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      My life is botany and mycology. I make money from it. Not spend money. You don’t need a accreditation to study, grow, love plants and you don’t need work for anyone else.

      • Narrrz@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        hmmm, any tips on making money from it?

        I’m a hobbyist gardener - or, rather, plant enthusiast - but even if I know that the plants themselves might be considered valuable, the scale I’d have to engage in it to make it capable of supporting me in its own is… daunting, to say the least.

        • MycoBro@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          A fun one is set you up a nice little greenhouse’situation (use what you got. Figure it out) and get a bunch of tomatoes started real early. Then you can sell knee high plants as soon as the frost is past for $20 a pop

            • MycoBro@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              Yes. People buy tomatoes. What? I’m glad you got motherfuckers just handing out fruits and vegetables in your neighborhood but you have to realize that you are a special case.

        • VaultBoyNewVegas@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          My killer is videogames, movies and TV shows and books. I bought a limited edition of Lord of the rings where it’s got gold leaf pages, coloured maps and is one volume and I’ve still been planning to read it 1-2 years later. It cost me 50-60 quid too.

          • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’m terribly sorry to inform you that it seems that we will be getting an even more complete extra extended edition for the 25th anniversary, at least that’s what Peter Jackson seems to be indicating in the commentary of the old extended edition.

            The book is a good read, though The Two Towers drags a bit. I do wonder for people that saw the movies first, if you’ll be as offended as a certain subsection of the fandom that just cannot understand why they didn’t do a line by line recreation of the book. (Spoiler, it wouldn’t have translated to film very well.)

            • Obi@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 year ago

              What?? You mean a 25 page description of a tree doesn’t translate well to film? Say it ain’t so…

            • VaultBoyNewVegas@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 year ago

              I read the fellowship years ago and ended up in a situation where I had all 3 books but they’re all different editions which annoyed me so I bought an all in one, the gilded pages and coloured maps and the extended glossary were all what sold me on the one I bought.

          • CrowAirbrush@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            With stuff like that, depending on the rarity obviously wouldn’t it be better to get a regular version to read?

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Figure out how to become a “trainer” or “expert” in your hobbies. At least then they pay for themselves, and you’ll naturally cycle through them, because honestly how many people will actually need a tandem hang-glide or skydive more than a couple times?