I must say, even though I am a slow builder, and dont build nearly as much as I would like to, I am watching what little money I have evaporate on this hobby. Every time I get some spare cash, the first thing that I want to spend it on is a model or model related, its really not a good thing. Since I still am in HS and have no job (lucky me), I only have $150 to maybe $250 a year to spend, so I have to stretch it out. I fear that if I had more it would vanish before my eyes on numerous kits and extras that would end up sitting around for a year before I built them.

Anybody else have this problem with just wanting to buy too many models?

Firstly, I don't consider it 'burned', it's my hobby I enjoy it, and it stops me drinking and womanising. That's what I tel her anyway. secondly, I burn far too much. :-)

Vinnie

By the time I've bought kits and Am goodies I probably spend around £1,000 a year on modelling etc, but as Vinnie says it keeps me out of the pub.

Pete

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. :-)

I'm not saying exactly how much, unless I'm sure my wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed, could never find it on here. Let's just say way to much and leave it at that.

Of course I'm stashing for my retirement so once I have it all, I've got to make it stretch a long time.

Like Teacher says, there are far worse things I could "burn" my money on. My deal with SWMBO is these are the only kinds of models I fondle.

not a bad way of putting it. Not a bad deal either.

Matt, just wait. Ever hear the old addage, "the more you make, the more you spend?" If you've been bitten already you're in for it.

It just becomes a problem when you have a wife (one with expensive tastes no less) and kid (as the mother) AND you like to go to bars!!

burnd way too much last year.. maybe 5 K this year since I started with Dell I'm maken more but I think I've only burnd lil under 2 k so far.. now that I'm looking at buying ahouse.. I think the missus' has said enough is enough.. chuckles but little does she know I have the side buisnes for the extra money.. but I think I'll cut back on My burning and actually build.

lol

but then again hell who knows..


cheers

Matt,

Im in the same kind of situation your in . Im in HS also, but over the 3 warmer months i make a considerable amount of money doing odd jobs, like mowing lawns and collecting returnable beer cans up my camp. Then i put it in the bank and watch it grow. Since September when i started my little Excel list to see what kits i have on stock and how much $$$ ive spent, the tally so far is $688.03. Thats only from the 17th of Sept, with only 21 HS,Contests and Ebay purchases. Monthly, i usually spend in the $130.00 -175 range, but that differs from month to month.

Matt

Well I also tell the wife at least she knows I'm not out barhopping and drinking.......

lets see last year I burned (or as I put it enjoyed) about $100 worth of micromark tools for x-mas.. and about $200 more for a couple of kits I wanted and model building supplies such as paint..

but to put it in a real perspective I spent about 0.7% of my income last year for a hobby that prob gave me a couple hundred hours plus of enjoyement and entertainment.



not bad considering going to a movie for 1 person nowadays costs about $10 for a ticket.. $5 for soda and popcorn and you can count yourself lucky if the move is even close to 2 hours long...

Umm, I think ive spent about $1000 since the beggining of summer vacation. That was when I first started modeling. I hope my modeling doesnt slow down, im enjoying this hobby way too much. :-)

i felt ur pain matt, iam in hight school also, except i always manage to keep a job, started of passing the papers, and now iam working for a good company that works on trucks with my dad.

basicly, heres how i see things: i dont do drugs, i used to be a hardcore skater, during the march break, i spent over a gran on decks,clothes etc. i dont have the habbit to go out and get drunk

so i have plenty of money to spend... okay, not on models, dirtbike, fourwheeling, skateboarding but modeling has a share lol

Frank

Oh maybe a grand or two a year, I started collecting for my retirement in 95-96? Halfyank your a smart man collect now build when retired. I have this recurring nightmare that when I retire in a year or two and I'm on a fixed income I won't be able to buy stuff. I've got hundreds of kits don't get me wrong, I've also worked hundreds of hours of overtime to do it. No problem with the wife or kids either, as others have stated it keeps me out of the Gin Mills and its cheaper to imbibe at home anyway. With the retirement light I can see at the end of the tunnel I'm finally starting to build, never knew what I was missing, it relaxes me and I actually get a self satisfaction thing out of it I never had before. Right now when I retire I'll only have to cough up for paints and glues every once in awhile-yea right and evey other new kit that hits the shelves. Also participating on this site I'm learning things from fellow modelers and enjoying all the things they build.I gotta go now my beer is getting warm and my eyes are starting to well up, wow I guess I'm happy. - Cheyenne

I think we can all agree that a "hobby" regardless of what it is, will involve a cost that is best kept secret from those who don't share the interest. I feel I spend way too much, but I still go buy kit after kit after kit. :-)

So far this year I have spent around $1800. (But this includes a new airbrush which justifies it. - yes I am a little defensive about it )

I have found not only am I addicted to building models but I have now caught a collecting bug!

I enjoy stockpiling the little beauties almost as much as building/painting them!!!
My wife however does not share my enthusiasm and wishes I would spend my money on less important things such mortage repayments, clothes and food......

It is very interesting how things can develope.
I started modeling in 1989 in the 5th grade (a grey molded 1/100 Bf-110 and green 1/100 He-111 from Revell Germany) with my 10 DM (5 Euros) weekly pocket money. Later on there came some 1/720 Revell ships and so on, all unpainted. I really was satisfied with the amount of money and the kits I could buy. Pocket money increased time by time and was (as nothing else was really necessary) spended regularly for models. But since I have been going to University things seem to get slightly out of control? I rather collect more than build. I am jobbing besides study(ing) and got 300 Euros monthly which are "invested" in models (or model related things) plus Birthday and Christmas. Naturally being short of time I actually made an inventory of all kits as space is getting short either and (of course) to keep track of my collection. If I build constantly 2 kits a month, I would need 23 and half years.
Sometimes I would be glad not to be addicted to this hobby, especially when my girl-friend is nagging or when I have to see how good other people do this hobby. This can really be frustrating.
Stefan

If you burn money on models doesn't it melt the plastic?? Ba hahahahaha!!!

I'm not really sure. It must be somewhere in the $500 area. I also try to maximize holidays and minimize buying retail.

Guestimate, under $1000.

Why do so many people out there say way too much??? IMHO, I think I spend way too little on my wonderful hobby! Including kits and supplies, it probably runs to about $1,000 a year. That doesn't include all the things that I get for free such as dental picks from the dentist, finding pieces of wood and stones laying around for dios......
I also agree that I could spend alot more on wine, women and song, but building of armour and kits keeps me off the street at nite! I just gotta find a way to get both in my budget :-)

You see my biggest problem is that my parents wont let me touch my bank account. Its like a black hole, money goes in, doesnt come out, not until after I graduate college at least. That and that I have been unable to get a new tutoring job so I have no income (had to quit my last one for the soccer season and then hockey season, just was no time for me to do it)

Well I don't count up what I have spent yearly but I know its alot. I have plenty of kits to build. But I can't pass on something I will want to build. Like many others it keeps me "Out of trouble" so thats good enough for me.

What can I say I have a styrene habit.