How do you do it?

While I am not exactly a beginner, there is something I (and others I am sure) would like to know:

What is it that all of you do that you are able to afford the amount of equipment you have?

I admit that my wife and I make enough to live fairly comfortably for the cost-of-living in my area (we're not wanting, anyway) but I just don't understand how you guys can afford to purchase some of the collections of equipment I've seen posted here. Although I am sure a lot of you obtain equipment through trades and purchases in the Astromart Classifieds, that still doesn't explain some of the collections that are out there.

I've seen used equipment such as larger Discovery and Starmaster dobs with Zambuto mirrors going for close to $10K, RCOS OTAs for multiple $10ks, and forget about decent astrophotography CCDs.

I couldn't even fathom the idea of having an EP collection like Floyd or having a Takahashi or Astrophysics setup with more than one OTA. I'd love to upgrade from my 5" mak-cass setup, but my wallet and bank account cringes every time I buy a used mid-level EP.

How do/did you guys do it? How can you afford to make that kind of investment?

Aaron, even though my scopes are NOT in the league of the equipment that you listed, I can tell you that I was able to purchase my main scope with the bonuses that I got from a great job that I used to have.(that company closed it's doors a couple of years ago...)

Since then, I've been able to get all the "extras" via side-jobs that I do every once in a while... (I've been working on/with computers for the last 26 years, before the first IBM PC came out...) 8)

>>>While I am not exactly a beginner, there is something I (and others I am sure) would like to know:

What is it that all of you do that you are able to afford the amount of equipment you have?
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Certainly it is not necessary to spend large sums of money to enjoy astronomy or to have some very competent equipment.

But even if one has $20K invested in an Astrophysics Telescope and mount... This is a piece of equipment that will last a lifetime or two... When I travel to my dark sky locations I am continually being passed by multi-hundred thousand dollar motor homes towing trailers filled with Dune Buggies and motorcycles, ATV, boats, all kinds of toys. Each one probably costs more than an AP Scope and will be worn out in but a few years, junk.

So in many ways, it's a question of values and priorities. Many people think nothing of spending say $25K on a car that will be dust in a few years.

Me, I ride my bicycle to work (which of course is great fun and a 100 miles a week is great exercise), save a $1000/year in parking fees, and drive a car that cost me $3000 and I expect to last for 10 years.

It is really a question of what is important to you and yours....

Jon

It was all brought home to me a few years ago by a friend who told me a story he had read. We were both into astronomy, he was an Attorney and I am just your average working guy, but the basic idea of the story was that Astronomy is cheaper than Fishing. Heres why, look at most of the people that you know that like to fish, they will have $1000 to $3000 tied up in rods, reels, lures bait and other items, after fishing for a while they get a boat. First boat only gets a guy for a couple of thousand, but then they get a better boat for 10k, then more specialized rods and reels, pretty soon your next door neighbor has $25,000 to $40,000 wrapped in what is just a hobby, and he still has to get the boat licensed and a fishing license and the trailer licensed every year adding another couple hundred or so to the bill. Sure they get fresh fish, but its about $700 bucks a pound. I just buy my fish at the store and use the savings for Astronomy.

Well, over and above the obvious (some people are wealthy), you have to adjust for the fact that everybody has their priorities. Would you compare our hobby with fishermen, or ski boat enthusiasts. Or those who like to go "camping" in an RV.

Do you know what a sailboat tied up in its little dock costs? (Let's just say $500 a month would not be unheard of just for the dock fees)

While some pieces of equipment may be expensive--our hobby does not rank up at the top in terms of expense.

Alex

Aaron Tornow said:

What is it that all of you do that you are able to afford the amount of equipment you have?

It might help to moonlight (literally) as a Liquor Store Asset Reduction Consultant.

I sometimes ask the same question when I drive and see a Hummer go cruising by.
But the answer is simple and fairly self evident: Some folks have a lot of discretionary income, most have some discretionary income, and some have little. The factors that allow for "discretionary" vary greatly from household to household and often change over time within a household. This is not a Nobel Economics Prize winning piece of news.
I'm doing college payments right now...No Taks for me.
I quickly thought of what the members in my club own and it's really like a bell curve. A few have some very nice high end toys, an equal few are using bargain equipment or borrow the club's loaners, and most are probably just like you - in the vast middle ground. If you've got a 5" mak I'll bet you're probably in the the same spending range of the majority of folks who are into this hobby.
Used equipment (Astromart) is a great way to stretch a finite budget.
Larry

Aaron,
You do it one EP at a time and over a period of time your collection grows into a fine one.
As for the scopes. I trade up by selling the scope I have and adding some more to the amount to get the next one.
I do not make a lot of money. My wife is the major bread winner of the family. I work for myself and do computer repairs and software issues.
I also make accessories for scopes. I save the money I make and then use it for my hobby. It does require not drinking, smoking or partying or even going on lots of trips or nights out, but I do what I have to do. 8)

Aaron,

If you have not yet done so, read "The Millionaire Next Door." It is a report on who the millionaires are. One of many points the authors make is that you cannot tell who is a millionaire by what they have. Some very common people (like Sam Walton who drove a pickup) have more than enough money. Other people driving very fancy cars are mortgaged to their eyeballs.

You just cannot tell.

Alex

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Aaron Tornow said:

While I am not exactly a beginner, there is something I (and others I am sure) would like to know:

What is it that all of you do that you are able to afford the amount of equipment you have?

....

How do/did you guys do it? How can you afford to make that kind of investment?

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Hi Aaron,

Very good question.

1.) No RV

2.) No Boat of any kind

3.) Almost no other expensive hobbies, ie. wood shop, Golf etc.

4.) Less house than I might have been able to afford

5.) No Cabin on the lake (miss this one)

6.) Minimal skiing in the winter. (hmm, might change this one)

7.) Herb has setup a virtual "loan" system. If you buy good used equipment, you can get back most of the original investment when you sell it, so unless it's the bottom end Chinese stuff, or it gets broken, there is only a hole in your pocket while you physically own the eqp. You can generally come out fairly even.

8.) Kids are still in grade school

Yeah I know, easier said than done.
I thought about buying my first scope for many, many years. Years I can never get back.
I kept putting it off, telling myself I couldn't spare the money.
When I finally broke down and took the plunge, I was astounded at how much I enjoyed what I saw.
Having reassessed my priorities, I've spent ten times my initial investment since then.
I've cut back drastically on other things, and yes, I've even put some major items on my home equity line.
You've got to do what you've got to do.
Linton