According to a 2024 survey, 45% of young people see themselves in precarious financial circumstances. In a separate study, it was also revealed that 39% of 25-to-34 year olds relied on financial support from the ‘bank of mum and dad’ within the past year.
With that, the ‘hobby-to-side hustle’ phenomenon that peaked as a result of stay-at-home mandates has stayed the course. Amid the endless TikToks teaching you macramé techniques or DIY interior design hacks, you’ll also find videos inspiring people to transform their favourite pastimes into thriving businesses.
But what happened to our hobbies just being passions for leisure? We could all do with some extra pennies, but for most, we spend so much of our work and study lives fixated on being productive, burnout looms.
So, does our leisure time really have to give as well?
The challenge persists in that hobbies are rarely kind on our wallets. It’s no wonder there’s been a huge movement toward run clubs in recent years with running itself generally seen as one of the few ‘low-cost’ or even ‘free’ passions an individual can pursue. The popular running app Strava found there was a 9% rise in races being logged in 2024, while SportsShoes reported over a quarter of Brits now run at least one to three times per week.
But as individuals become more dedicated to their choice of leisure activity, not even running is immune to an increase in spend on specialised equipment. An Aviva study found UK homes are host to almost £46 billion in hobby-related equipment.
For many Brits, horse riding is one such passion – but let’s face it, it’s one of the more expensive. From saddles to grooming kits, even the smallest essentials can set you back a fair bit.
UK-based horse rider Millie Stennett, however, has found a smart way to maintain her passion, cutting costs without cutting corners.
Millie, a 22-year-old rider from Suffolk, has been around horses since childhood. While she loves riding, she dreads the chore of cleaning and maintaining horse riding equipment, known as tack. It’s a tedious but necessary routine to keep saddles and bridles in top shape. The last straw came when she found out her mischievous dog chewed up her only cleaning sponge.
Frustrated, Millie vented to a friend in a social media post. “I won’t be letting my dog near my tack again!” she joked. But what really irked her was the thought of buying yet another expensive sponge from a tack shop. “Every time I go there, I feel like I’m getting robbed. I don’t even want to think about how much I’ve spent on tack cleaning sponges in the past,” she admitted.
Determined to ditch the markups, Millie turned to Temu, the fast-growing online marketplace where shoppers buy direct from factories – cutting out middlemen and cutting down costs. A quick search later, she had her answer: a pack of sponges for less than the price of one at her usual store.
When they arrived, she was pleasantly surprised. “The quality is just as good as the ones from professional tack shops.”
Armed with her new stash, Millie got to work. At first, the sight of dust-covered leather made her groan, but once she got into the rhythm, she even admitted she found it weirdly relaxing.
Temu has been making waves for its wide selection of quality products at low prices, thanks to its direct distribution model. And the savings add up—according to research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), UK households could save around £3,000 a year by shopping this way.
Other specialised hobby and sporting equipment that doesn’t cost the earth includes this Outdoor Running Vest Hydration Pack, perfect for amateur pavement pounders ready to step it up and train for a half- or full-marathon.
Meanwhile, yogis can balance out the budget, swapping one of their weekly yoga classes for a home-stretch using this affordable 3-In-1 EVA Yoga Brick Set, which includes two blocks and D strap.
An amateur golfer based in the UK, in another example, decided to ditch the hefty price tag typically associated with specialised sporting brands. Sharing the purchase of his new golf bag in a social media post, Yeatesgolf said; “this bag cost me £100. The quality of [it] is the same as what you would get from a Vessel bag! It’s waterproof, full leather, and with a choice of three colours and personalisation.”
For the creatives out there, there are quirky items on Temu that make it not only easy but cost-effective to maintain your crafty passion at home. SHumeraDesignwithus, a UK crafter of handmade, home decorations, shared on social media their use of Temu’s diamond stickers to create a colourful “diamond painting”.
Finally, with this Air-Dry Modelling Clay with 40-Piece Pottery Sculpting Tools Set, ceramicists can work with clay at home to create a variety of objects, from utilitarian items to sculptures and decorative art.
Now, British riders, golfers, artists, and hobbyists alike have even more choice, as Temu expands its network of UK-based sellers, with some products available for next-day delivery. By the end of 2025, half of all UK sales are expected to come from local sellers and warehouses.
And if Millie’s dog gets too curious again? No stress—she knows exactly where to find a bargain replacement.
