If you cook more out of necessity than because you enjoy cooking, here are tips on how you can turn a chore into a fun hobby.

Sanjana had a full time job, and she had to come home and cook everyday for her family. The routine was really getting her down, and then one day she bought a cookbook. The first time she cooked from the book, it took her a while to find a recipe whose ingredients were available at home. It was fairly time consuming, and she didn't refer to the again for a while. A few months later, when she was leaving for grocery shopping, her eyes fell on the book, and she took it along with her. She picked out two recipes at random, and purchased all the ingredients listed. Some of the items she had never even heard of, and she had to ask the store clerk for help! And then she came home, and actually looked forward to cooking dinner.

For the first time, cooking was fun for her, and not just another chore. Before long, Sanjana had prepared every recipe in the book, and started looking forward to her cooking sessions. She then went and bought another book - this time on French cooking.

She also enlisted the cooperation of her family, and the deal they struck was that there would be no grumbling if they were served leftovers. Since everyone was getting to sample food that was so different, and things that they had never eaten before, her family readily agreed.

Making exotic foods can turn out to be much more expensive than just cooking regular dal and chapatti, but the satisfaction is well worth it. Also, many of the ingredients last for a while, so even if your food budget goes up, it doesn't go up that much.

In addition, many hobbies require investment. Painting isn't cheap - you will need to purchase expensive paints, a canvas, an easel, brushes, a palette, oils, turpentine etc, photography is expensive too, cameras are expensive, then getting the film developed, all add to the cost. If cooking is something you have to do anyway, why not invest in that, so not just you but your family too can reap the rewards of your hobby.

Also, invest in the equipment on a monthly basis. You may need to buy a fondue maker, you may need certain kinds of knifes or skillets - Build your collection gradually. The joy of cooking in new, different utensils itself will add to your excitement.

Remember, hard work doesn't kill, stress does. So you may need to work harder to cook new dishes every time, but if you enjoy what you do, it would be better you spent two hour doing something you enjoy, than spend twenty minutes doing something you detest.

Try and grow herbs at home. You don't need a garden for this - all you need are a few pots. Keep a tulsi plant at home to cut down the expenditure of one herb used so often in Italian cooking: basil.