How much have you spent on modeling in 2020?

[Paul Marsh]

As question. As there has been no shows, less income, etc.

[SR 71]

They dare not say in case the wife reads it

[Jon H]

I have spend £2000 ish on toys this year. Only one was a model, a 90 inch P51. The others were an OS320 pegasus engine (2nd hand) and 2 guitars.

I have also been selling off surplus equipment, things i will never use etc and i think i have more or less broken even.

[Callsign Tarnish]

I plead the 5th.

[Robin Colbourne]

Its a trick! Our wives and girlfriends are either holding Paul hostage and have hijacked his account, or else they've discovered what he has spent and are going to tell his significant other if he doesn't get us to spill the beans.

As the saying goes, I pray when i die my girlfriend doesn't sell my model stuff for what I told her I paid for it.

All I'm prepared to say is, that throughout lockdown, eBay was still working and the Sussex Model Centre were still doing mail order!

[Brian Cooper]

Hey, it's a hobby. . . Who keeps exact records of the expense?

[Flyer]

You can't value happiness......... and that's what aero-modellying gives me (and because swmbo may see this!)

Cheers

Ade

[Stephen Smith 14]

To much but only about 2 grand this year but the previous 2 years about 5 grand each

[Bob Cotsford]

Less this year, and that will be effectively reduced as I'm selling off a few models that haven't been flown for a couple of years. That this also makes room to store more new builds is purely malicious gossip

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 06/08/2020 12:43:51

[Jon H]

Posted by Brian Cooper on 06/08/2020 11:52:12:

Hey, it's a hobby. . . Who keeps exact records of the expense?

Me, otherwise i risk spending beyond my means!

[Nigel R]

Twenty quid a week would cover my normal outgoings, fuel & build costs, etc. I keep track of the major outgoings, big lumps like a TX or engine, because, household budget and all that - there have been none this year.

Bought a couple of second hand four strokes and sold some two strokes that I am unlikely to use (with more to sell yet) as the writing's now sadly on the wall for the two strokes at our club site * probably a net zero there.

* PS still looking for a second 40 surpass if anyone is selling.

[Stuphedd]

with the lack of swap meets I have spent very little !! The fund pot is still fairly healthy !!

but built/re-built a fair few !!

cheers

[kc]

Surely if any thread is to be closed by the Mods it should be this one! This thread could cause divorce, loss of subscribers to RCME, loss of hot dinners, more closures of modelshops,demand for more expenditure on the house, buying of more new clothes ( for her ) clothes not laundered, new curtains, scrutiny of credit card statements, inventory of how many models you have, confiscation of credit cards, more and more new shoes,..........and endless undesirable repercussions!

However chaps in all honesty I have spent far far less than you have .........I am doing this for you not for me!

Sorry Paul .....if only you had started a thread saying how much money have you SAVED.........or how much cheaper is the model club subs than the local golf course fee......or have you saved more money on haircuts than you spent on model aircraft.....

[kevin b]

Who cares how much you spend ? You can't take it with you and if there is any left, others will spend what the tax man doesn't take.

As long as you can afford it and don't have to sell the children for medical experimentation (not always a bad idea).

In the scheme of things these days, our hobby is not particularly expensive compared with what a lot of people spend on theirs (and I don't just mean football tickets). Vanity is an extremely expensive pass time for instance !

It isn't "how much" you spend. It's whether or not you get "value for money".

Just as long as you get your priorities right (The mortgage is paid, as is the TV license. There's enough fuel in the car and plenty of beer in the fridge.).

kevinb Yorkshire and proud of it.

[kevin b]

Talking of haircuts. My next door neighbor (don't you just hate American spell-checks) told me today that she was looking forward to going to the hair salon now it has re-opened. She then told me how much it was going to cost her. I haven't spent that much on haircuts in over 10 years. (I added it up).

There are 2 things in life I have never been able to figure out how they work. The Universe and a woman's mind. I leave these matters to those who have more time to waste, while I continue with the important things like making sure batteries are charged and that I have enough glow fuel to last me until the next trip to the LMS..

Edited By kevin b on 06/08/2020 19:23:09

[Eric Robson]

I have spent a lot of money this year on my hobby, even when my wife was alive I told her what I spent. I gave up smoking in 1976 to buy my first Futaba radio set. I was smoking 30 cigs. a day which now would cost over £100 pound per week. The big bonus is I am in my mid 80's and still enjoying good health, have a great hobby in the fresh air when I am not building or repairing .

[Geoff Copping]

Don't drink, don't smoke, don't......................well, at my age I've got to do something to keep my mind active.

[Neil James]

Posted by kevin b on 06/08/2020 19:21:18:

Talking of haircuts. My next door neighbor (don't you just hate American spell-checks)

Don’t cast any spells and you’ll be fine! 🤣

Edited By Neil James on 07/08/2020 09:38:39

[iqon]

No divorce needed money spent but none wasted..

[Stephen Smith 14]

Modeling is relatively cheap compares with many things.

My son raced motor bikes for 10 years right up to golden era superbikes, need minimum of 7 rear tyres and 4 front tyres per weekend plus entries, fuel, travel accident damage and 4 people having 2 days of work, and if we did the practice on a Friday it was another 6 or 7 rears and 3 or 4 fronts plus all the other costs and another day off work,

Do this 12 plus times a year and its getting expensive.

[Cuban8]

Expensive is a relative term. Our hobby can be enjoyed for almost next to nothing other than a few pounds here and there, or others choose to spend thousands of pounds on new models and equipment on a very regular basis. Having a big modelling budget because one is fortunate enough to have a considerable disposable income doesn't necessarily mean a greater fulfillment from flying - often quite the reverse. A number of chaps I've known over the years who have gone headlong into flying with the best of everything at the start and have then burned out in a couple of seasons and subsequently gone on to something else.

Others fly the same old hack for ages with ancient gear and never look back.

[Geoff S]

Posted by Eric Robson on 06/08/2020 19:42:42:

I have spent a lot of money this year on my hobby, even when my wife was alive I told her what I spent. I gave up smoking in 1976 to buy my first Futaba radio set. I was smoking 30 cigs. a day which now would cost over £100 pound per week. The big bonus is I am in my mid 80's and still enjoying good health, have a great hobby in the fresh air when I am not building or repairing .

Many years ago a friend gave up smoking and bought an expensive camera on HP evn though he could have paid cash. The weekly repayments were the equivalent of his tobacco expenditure and he ended up healthier with a decent camera. Coincidentally my wife and I picked up 6 discarded cigarette packets on our regular walk yesterday on the half mile of road we have to use and we wondered just how much money they'd cost.

Like most here I don't keep a record of what I spend on what might be described as toys nor do I keep anything from my wife. I'm pretty sure it's a lot less than last year. It was the same when I built our bicycles/trikes - I bought and fitted the parts I needed to make a decent, reliable machine.

My hairdresser cuts my hair for free and then spend the money we've saved on her own hair

Geoff

[Mike Etheridge 1]

Apart from my RCM&E subscription I paid just before the lock-down situation I have spent nothing on the hobby as my flying opportunities are too restricted. I have taped up my Wildthing that was coming apart, but cannot bear to look at my planes in the garage or loft as any time spent on them would appear to be wasted. The only other pass time I have currently is Table Tennis , but we cannot play at the moment, so gardening seems to be the only option.I did spot a Jersey Tiger Moth in my garden last week, the insect not the plane. Even that looks as if it needs a wing repair!

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 07/08/2020 14:54:51

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 07/08/2020 14:55:53

[Doctor Chinnery]

Hard to say, and I'm reluctant to do the sums. BUT, the pleasure from the building, the flying, the maintaining/repairing/rebuilding, the companionship up at the field, and the craic - they are all beyond price. Furthermore, the pleasurable concentration that this pastime requires ( bit like fishing ) that keeps you 'in the moment' induces a mindfulness which is better for you than a shelf-full of tablets and/or expensive psycho-goo-goo! How many misery-guts are there up at any flying field? I rest my case.

Oh - and if you're embarrassed/guilty about how much you're spending on the hobby, you ARE spending too much. And that, as they say, will take the gilt off the gingerbread.

[flyless]

Today want to local model shop for glue. I hour later come out with a new Jet..