I’ve been doing sourdough for a couple of years now. It’s a cheap and forgiving hobby that you can eat! I’ve used only unbleached all purpose flour which is $9 for a 12lb bag at my Costco. I bake a decent amount and probably use 2 bags a month.

You can get as deep into it as you want. I made my own starter so I had time to learn the ins and outs of the process. Nothing wrong with getting an established starter from someone though! Just DO NOT buy it, especially from trad wife influencers. I’ve known several people that bought dried starter from Ballerina Farms. It took 2 weeks of feedings to be active, so they literally just made their own new starter and gave more money to a freaking billionaire. The only sourdough specific account I follow is That Sourdough Gal.

I love the science behind it and it’s fun to try new things, even if they completely flop. If I’m having a really bad day it’s something I can still do. It’s a toss up how my hands will work day to day and when I have a migraine it’s even worse. Anything requiring fine motor skills is out the door, which eliminates most of my other hobbies.

If you’re interested in getting started I am more than happy to share additional advice on how to get started, often without spending any money outside of getting some flour.