Detective D
Well-Known Member
Hmm, never thought about this really. I am in my 40's so my perspective may be different on this then a lot of people here.
Two factors to consider: age/ability and $$/financial ability.
If physical ability is not a factor but $$ is, which is what I think OP was getting at, then the answer would be a lot different then the other way around. Lots of money means you just spend on what you want, and find easier things to do. The cooking idea is brilliant, you will eat anyway and the satisfaction of preparing an excellent meal and getting to then enjoy it is a long tradition. Eating well costs more then not, but it is still within grasp of anyone that is in a financial position to consider anything a hobby at all. So it is a solid choice either way.
Sharing knowledge and social groups are also super inexpensive. You don;t have to bring a car to a cruise in to go hang out and share stories or otherwise visit.
Some people build models instead. Not everyone enjoys the nature of that though.
From a Wisconsinite perspective, there are other motorized things that can be worked on a lot less costly then a car. Old tractors for example. Or motorcycles. Or ATV's. Old boat motors. I have a retired friend/former co-worker that works on motorcycles. One of his latest things was a 1960's Honda. Little thing, it was complete but looked like hell. He rolled it into his walk out basement(this is WI) and enjoyed working on it in front of his gas fireplace looking out the window at the dreary winter outside. When he wanted a break he got a beer and sat on his couch 20 feet away. he took the thing down to the bolts and nuts and hand polished everything back, repainted things(not in his basement, went to his heated garage for that part) took a few day trips with the wife with going to the local powder coat shop as an excuse to go to town for a day, etc.
From the other direction, where physical ability is starting to wane off, the cruise in still applies, just drive a car you bought instead of built. Tractor are another good option, you can do most of the work standing up straight. You can make a profit if you know what you are doing and work on the right things. Yesterdays chore tractors or even "big" tractors on a farm are todays country home owners utility tractor. Things to look for: live PTO, hydraulics(2 are better then one but you can add them to many) and a 3pt system. Those three items make any tractor relevent even today, which means you can go back as far as the 1950's and find something to restore that will be desireable. Older then that will still have a market, they will cost little but the end result will not gain a lot of value. Still, pre-1950's tractors are extremely simple machines and are a hoot to drive around if you have space. Motorcycles are similar, the absence of the need to get up and lay down under things makes them easier to work on.
Some like video games, there is a social aspect to them, but it can;t be a lone hobby- not good for the health to sit all the time like that. Might as well call watching TV a hobby(minus the social part though). people my age grew up with them, my kids don;t know life without them. So more and more that will be a retirement activity.
Reading is cheap and not physical.
I will stop this got huge lol.
Two factors to consider: age/ability and $$/financial ability.
If physical ability is not a factor but $$ is, which is what I think OP was getting at, then the answer would be a lot different then the other way around. Lots of money means you just spend on what you want, and find easier things to do. The cooking idea is brilliant, you will eat anyway and the satisfaction of preparing an excellent meal and getting to then enjoy it is a long tradition. Eating well costs more then not, but it is still within grasp of anyone that is in a financial position to consider anything a hobby at all. So it is a solid choice either way.
Sharing knowledge and social groups are also super inexpensive. You don;t have to bring a car to a cruise in to go hang out and share stories or otherwise visit.
Some people build models instead. Not everyone enjoys the nature of that though.
From a Wisconsinite perspective, there are other motorized things that can be worked on a lot less costly then a car. Old tractors for example. Or motorcycles. Or ATV's. Old boat motors. I have a retired friend/former co-worker that works on motorcycles. One of his latest things was a 1960's Honda. Little thing, it was complete but looked like hell. He rolled it into his walk out basement(this is WI) and enjoyed working on it in front of his gas fireplace looking out the window at the dreary winter outside. When he wanted a break he got a beer and sat on his couch 20 feet away. he took the thing down to the bolts and nuts and hand polished everything back, repainted things(not in his basement, went to his heated garage for that part) took a few day trips with the wife with going to the local powder coat shop as an excuse to go to town for a day, etc.
From the other direction, where physical ability is starting to wane off, the cruise in still applies, just drive a car you bought instead of built. Tractor are another good option, you can do most of the work standing up straight. You can make a profit if you know what you are doing and work on the right things. Yesterdays chore tractors or even "big" tractors on a farm are todays country home owners utility tractor. Things to look for: live PTO, hydraulics(2 are better then one but you can add them to many) and a 3pt system. Those three items make any tractor relevent even today, which means you can go back as far as the 1950's and find something to restore that will be desireable. Older then that will still have a market, they will cost little but the end result will not gain a lot of value. Still, pre-1950's tractors are extremely simple machines and are a hoot to drive around if you have space. Motorcycles are similar, the absence of the need to get up and lay down under things makes them easier to work on.
Some like video games, there is a social aspect to them, but it can;t be a lone hobby- not good for the health to sit all the time like that. Might as well call watching TV a hobby(minus the social part though). people my age grew up with them, my kids don;t know life without them. So more and more that will be a retirement activity.
Reading is cheap and not physical.
I will stop this got huge lol.
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