Finding a cheap hobby
By Jennifer McPhee • Bankrate.com

Participants can post the coordinates of a cache -- usually a waterproof container with trinkets or information inside -- on Geocaching.com and others simply plug a postal code into the web site to find out where the closest caches are. All you need is a good quality GPS (roughly $100) and Internet access.

Bereziuk stumbled upon the world of geocaching after buying a GPS for hunting and fishing. "Where I live, I've got 25 caches within a 10-minute walk," he says. "They are everywhere. They are beside your house or apartment and you don't even know it. It's unbelievable how big it is."

Some caches include coordinates to another cache and so on until you reach a final destination; another type of caching is based around a theme, such as a tour of a cemetery, the best bird-watching sights or beautiful places to photograph.

While visiting his son in Barrie, Ont., Bereziuk tracked down a cache that led him to a massive iron bird with wings that moved in the wind. "The most appealing thing is that it takes me to places I never would have gone," he says.

Hobbies can save you money
To save money and stop wasting time, Kaz and Rhiana Ehara recently cancelled their cable. Instead of watching television, Rhiana began making home décor items with the sewing machine she received as a wedding present from her husband's grandfather.

So far, she's made cushions, a dog bed and a wall hanging and is working on a sling for her sister's baby. Her new hobby also allows her to fix ill-fitting or damaged clothes instead of throwing them away.

Since material can be pricey, Rhiana scours second-hand clothing stores for cool vintage fabric, and finds deals online or at the discount fabric store near the couple's Toronto apartment. Eventually, the university student plans to start making her own clothes.

"Sewing is probably not cheaper than buying the cheapest things from Wal-Mart," she says. "But in terms of quality and control over the finished product, I think it's worth it."

Practical reasons aside, she enjoys the process of sewing because it's creative and therapeutic. "If I'm angry, it's great to have a piece of fabric and a pointy, sharp needle I can jab at it," she jokes.

Teresa Vander Kooi, owner of Country Lane Treasures in Schomberg, Ont., has turned her talent for crafty hobbies into a business. She opened her little shop about 18-months ago in order to sell her own jewellery, cards, and seasonal crafts. "It's always been a dream of mine," she says.

Endless options
If you've got the time, the options for frugal hobby-seekers are limitless. Public library websites often post information about book clubs, knitting circles and French conversation classes. The Meetup website is also a great place to find local clubs focused around your passions and interests.

Jennifer McPhee is a freelance writer in Toronto.