how do you afford the gear

[dotman]

I work hard . Not trying to sound rude or anything but education is the best bet and work harder then everyone else.

 

[Rucker61]

I work hard . Not trying to sound rude or anything but education is the best bet and work harder then everyone else.

Truly. I tried the trustafarian route, but evidently you have to pick rich parents. Wish I'd known that a long time ago.

 

[Ross]

We live by much of what has been noted and make a budget for each month of the year to plot what extra spending money is available. If not in the budget will live with what I have acquired previously.

 

[Jtelarkin08]

I buy way to much stuff all the time.. Me and my wife are lucky to have great jobs, no kids and zero debt(other than our house). That makes it easy for me to blow way more money than i need to..
The no kids part is about to change tho..

 

[Wrongside]

I am a doctor so at this point I can buy whatever, whenever. As an encouragement to others I remember holding my newborn daughter in a grocery store and asking my wife "should we buy food or diapers?" because we couldnt afford both. Keep working hard, all honest work is admirable and is eventually rewarded. Most important money lesson by far?......Tithe first.

Great thread. Love the diversity of responses, but really appreciate the overall tone of financial responsibility, faithfulness and living at, or below, ones means.

Having lived on both sides of the financial scenario- scrounging for grocery and diaper money as a young couple... Making foolish financial decisions and then working long and hard, for years, to get out from under the burden of debt and long term financial obligations... To now, being mainly debt free and having a successful business built up which allows me some degree of flexibility... I can safely buy pretty much whatever gear I want, but, while nice, gear isn't nearly as important to me as time. Time with family, friends and in what little unspoiled Creation there is left...

Having the time is key! Gear ain't gonna make or break a well planned and prepared for hunt. We used to do this stuff all the time in blue jeans, sneakers and cheap framed packs... And had a blast!

 

[JWP58]

Having the time is key! Gear ain't gonna make or break a well planned and prepared for hunt. We used to do this stuff all the time in blue jeans, sneakers and cheap framed packs... And had a blast!

I think this is HUGE. One of the main reasons I didn't become a teacher/coach (I love football, but football unfortunately takes place during hunting season). Instead I opted for a job that allows me to work 4 days a week, and get three weeks of vacation every year (plus accrued time for vacation). Some guys I work with that have been on longer take the entire month of Sept. or Oct. to hunt/guide. That will be me in a couple of years

 

[tttoadman]

I have worked for the same steel fabrication shop for over 20 years. I have made it from a hammer swinger to a project manager and everything in between. My wife is self employed and works harder than most people even dream of. We are almost empty nesters at the "young age" of 45. We have had nothing but fun for way too long, and we are in debt to our asses. I then decided it was important to me to have a small pc of property with a fixer upper. big mistake!! I have now sold everything that wasn't very important to me including my quads, camp trailer, and full size pickup. My company truck does not come with any real restrictions, so I use it for everything. I have over 60 vacation days banked and I get 4 weeks added every year.

I think all you can do is buy the best gear you can afford, but only after you really convince youself you need it. As it has been stated many times, the gear doesn't make the hunter. The biggest bull my brother and I have ever gotten is the bull he got with his bow in 1984 when we hunted in army surplus cottens when we were 14 and 16. We packed it out with 2 old army issue packboards.

My goal is to find a balance between time away with the wife and time in the woods. I believe it is achievable, but not easy.

 

[TEmbry]

Hmmm maybe your "enjoyment" comes from things that other folks see as wasteful or moronic...(ie drinking, smartphones, 70" flat screens, 60k bro-trucks, ect, ect).

Grabbing dinner out with the woman, catching a movie, or downing a 6 pack with the friends won't kill anyone's gear budget...and if it does you need to adjust your gear budget. I wasn't saying live on credit cards and be an affliction shirt douche in a lifted truck, just that if you are eating bologna sandwiches and picking up cans on the side of the road so that you can buy a swarovski spotter, it's time to re evaluate why/how you hunt. It (life, not just hunting) is supposed to be fun. Hunting for most of us is basically a 3-4 month season. Life is 12 months/year for me.