You’d think someone who crunches numbers for a living would have budgeting down to a science, but here I am constantly tripping over unexpected quirks. For example, my fascination with folklore means I’m always hunting for rare books or traveling to obscure festivals expenses that don’t exactly fit neatly into a spreadsheet. And don’t get me started on oceanography; those research-grade tide charts or spontaneous dive trips add up faster than I’d like to admit.
How do you balance niche passions with practical money management? Are there tricks for forecasting irregular expenses, or do you just accept that some hobbies will always be budget wildcards? Curious to hear how others handle this!