Make one out of two!

Make one out of two!

If you're on a budget and can only dream of owning a figure-of-eight microphone from a well-known global vendor, you can find workarounds, IF you know your gear and a few other details.

Now, let's take a closer look at the pattern of a 'figure-of-eight' microphone.
This type of microphone can record sound from both sides with (almost) the same sensitivity. The polarity is positive '+' on one side and negative '-' on the other, which can be useful in certain situations.

However, when you compare the pickup pattern of a figure-of-eight microphone to that of a cardioid microphone, you'll notice quite a few similarities.
What if you can't afford a figure-of-eight microphone or realize you forgot to put one in your bag while you're in the middle of nowhere?
Then, it's time to create a "one out of two." Take two cardioids and mount them facing each other. If you're in a rush, just mount them at the same height. If you're not getting too close to the sound source, the slight time difference won't matter much.
However, the closer you get to the sound source, the more important it is to align the microphones' diaphragms in the same line.