Views on money (fish/tank purchases vs other purchases)

argan · #1 12-23-2008, 07:08 AM

I think its because its something we are passionate about, and other things are just passing fancies. This hobby has me obsessed like nothing else I do.

Ken · #2 12-23-2008, 08:57 AM

I just spend for the fish.... and not actually for myself. Regards Ken

whatcaneyedo · #3 12-23-2008, 09:23 AM

My car needs new headlight covers because my old ones are so discolored and yellowed I can hardly see when I drive at night. It would cost $400+ because I have to buy the whole damn units. Needless to say I wont spend the money.

On an unrelated note I just spent $900 last month for my new bluewave ballast and lumenmax pendants...

Mrfish55 · #4 12-23-2008, 03:20 PM

I try to look at the cost as an investment over time, I think if you break it down far enough over the 18 years I've been doing this it's only $0.16 an hour. Thats pretty cheap for a hobby these days right?

michika · #5 12-23-2008, 03:49 PM

I suddenly feel really cheap....

I am starting to have a hard time spending a lot on my tank. I never spend on my tank though until all the bills are paid, and I've put my savings away. Although now its harder to spend the extra money I have. Its like the longer I've been in the hobby the cheaper I get. Last year I picked up the RKE without a thought, and this year, I would definitely think it over for a week or two.

Parker · #6 12-23-2008, 04:27 PM

Spend it... spend it all! You only live once.

That's seems to be my philisophy as of late. I used to be pretty tight with my smaller tanks, but I swore to myself I wasn't cheaping out on the big tank. The only problem is I have more then one expensive hobbie!

Delphinus · #7 12-23-2008, 05:11 PM

Actually I'm sort of with Michika on this. There was a time I wouldn't have batted an eye at some of things you can buy, now I measure every decision carefully. I still make mistake purchases too (the last $200 of SPS for example ... nicely converted into a collection of calcium reactor media now). And some of the costs of things nowadays compared to 5 years ago. Holy crap. There was a time that $800 gave you a high end skimmer to end all skimmer purchases. Not so anymore. With a family now my household net income is the same as what it's been for the last 8 years but now it's stretched out over 2 adults, 2 kids and the cost of everything during this time has not similarly stayed the same. I find the situation just brutal. Maybe if I didn't have kids I'd feel differently but personally I'm finding myself more and more shut out of the hobby as time goes on.