Unusual Hobbies for Fun and Profit

Hobbies are an ethereal part of life to many people. To others, their hobby is their life, work be damned if it interferes. The reasons to begin a hobby are numerous: boredom, weather (winter, summer, fall, spring), injury, illness, peer pressure from friends or family, and the quest for money. Everyone has heard the story of the man or woman whose multi-billion dollar financial empire began as a humble hobby. That could happen to you --- right? --- right. The pursuit of a hobby ends for any number of reasons: boredom, peer pressure from family or friends, injury, illness, weather, and the quest for money (the day job takes up too much time). Interesting how beginning and ending a hobby happen for such similar reasons.

Still, hobbies are fun. Hobbies are a way to learn new skills. Some hobbies are a great way to save money at Christmas (personal handmade gifts are always better than store bought --- aren't they?).

You can pursue the common hobbies. Join the throngs that begin and end the collecting of all sorts of things from trading cards to Hummel figurines. There is beading, calligraphy, playing in fantasy sports leagues, quilting, ham radio, whittling, building models and others that need little description. Or you could take a step outside the conventional box.

Go for a hobby that will make family, friends and perfect strangers say, "You do what?"

Astrology --- Not the kind of astrology where you check your astrology forecast in the morning paper. Learn to create a complete astrology chart. Using a person's birth date, time, exact latitude and longitude where they were born, you can determine their sun sign and their rising sign. From there you can tell them the strengths given them by universal powers and how to avoid the weaknesses from the same. There are Astrologists that have made a comfortable living from this hobby.

Vehicle Tricking --- Playing practical jokes on your car or mini-van --- wait that's not it. You've seen cars and trucks customized with flared fenders, spoilers like airplane wings, dark tinted windows, and flashy artwork on the body. Those wheels really stand out from the humdrum vehicles around them. Whether you drive a sedan or a pickup truck, there are customizing kits that will get you started. Let your imagination take over after that.

Dumpster Diving --- This is a hobby best left to those living in an urban setting. In suburbia or the country people wouldn't understand. Here is a hobby that combines adventure, mystery and the possibility of making extra cash. You never know what you are going to find in that next dumpster. It is also a great way to learn more about your neighborhood (or the rich people's neighborhood) by going through the trash. The law in most states says that once in the trash, items are fair game.

Contest Mania --- Enter every contest you find. Fill out forms, make phone calls, write short stories, clip UPC codes, or send in photos of babies or scenery. Do whatever it takes to win that money, bike, vacation trip, muffin pans or any of the multitude of prizes being given away. Keep in mind that Uncle Sam will want you to pay the tax on the value of your winnings.

Metal Detecting for Treasure --- You will need an electronic metal detector, a gardening trowel, long metal probe, good walking shoes, and patience. Here is a hobby that will get you outdoors. Sweep the disc of the metal detector anywhere people congregate like across the sand on the beach, the grass in a local park, or under the bleachers at the high school. Lots of loose change gets dropped. Wedding rings and silver necklaces come up missing. Antique items like coins can be found a few feet under the ground.

Those were five uncommon hobbies to try. There are many more. Hobbies can be a balm for a restless soul. Some might become a life's passion. Others will fade away and just be pleasant memories.