How do you pay for your gear?

[Decker9]

I don’t plan on dying with a big bank account. If I need or want I just do it given the bank account supports it.

 

[Northern Safari]

I've been buying a safari rifle every couple months, this is worse than a hard drug addiction..

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

I generally buy used or deep discount. I buy optics, bows, guns, and clothing from classifieds here and eBay. Europtic has some good discounts I've used. I've found that most people just want to have to look at or say they have and not usually use so most things bought used are in almost perfect condition.

I've worked outside for most of my adult life so I have a pretty good idea what works for me and I don't have to test as much stuff as others may need to.

 

[Honyock]

Cold hard cash. If I can't pay cash for a want, it doesn't get bought. Most of my gear has been bought on discontinued/clearance sales or from guys that wanted the latest greatest every year or "NWT did not return in time". When the wife complains, I show her the Rokslide Classifieds where someone is selling $2,000 of Sitka gear that they never worn and I tell her it always can be worse.

 

[KBC]

My kid started playing hockey a few years ago. Crazy how much it costs compared to sports I played growing up. Glad he isn't a goalie. It would be even worse.


My day job easily covers whatever I decide to buy. I do try to buy at a discount, and I always use a credit card if possible. It's super easy to save money if you don't need to be trendy with whatever flavor of Kool-Aid is in style that week.

Mine is a goalie. We get a discount on team fees but it doesn’t help much. At 8 years old I added up his gear, a new helmet and the rest was used, it was still $1k in gear hahaha.
Now he’s getting into some senior sized stuff and the price is much higher.
Oh well,
He’s having fun.

 

[Davyalabama]

One-I ran up debt in college, less than a thousand, thought I would never pay that off stinking cc companies coming after stupid college kids to get them hooked, they are worse or at least as bad as drug traffickers. I got it paid off until first wife, uggh stupid daddy’s girl from money. I digress, I’m not going in debt for anything except for a house, and it better be on a 7 year mortgage. I only use money to fix things I have, make our lives happier, make more money, or to give back to God what is rightfully His. Sometimes that our lives happier part includes crap I don’t need but think I do. My granddaddy would be ashamed of some of the hunting and fishing stuff I’ve bought.

 

[Benet30]

Scheels credit card

 

[Bigbuckbandit]

I use a citibank card and get 2% back all year. Usually pays for a big ticket item (backpack, tent, rifle) that I can utilize for hunting season. Also, keep an eye out for big sales like the recent Kuiu sale to fill out your kit.

 

[missjordan]

Wants vs needs for sure. The nice thing about hunting is most clothing, optics, guns, etc, is all stuff that lasts “forever” so when you buy you’re not replacing it every couple years or so.

So when you make a big purchase or two a year, you’ll blink and have everything you need by year 5 and beyond. I look at all our hunting equipment and we rarely buy hunting stuff anymore since we got everything we need already. We replaced a rangefinder that the computer unit stopped functioning but that was about it for equipment. We don’t have a fun money budget but really plan our big purchases out of advance and plan accordingly. Wait for sales and jump at the right time.


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[E.Shell]

I always tell myself "I'll go ahead and buy 'Y', then sell 'X' to get the money back. I don't really know what happens after that.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I'm going to revise my previous post. I buy whatever the hell I need whenever I want it. Credit card for Alaska miles.

 

[Davyalabama]

Hmm, I'm with NRA4LIFE, I might revise something on mine. Are you asking how we keep it from our wives, I don't, period, end of story. We are a team, we work together to have what we have, any major purchase, we stay on the same page. Sometimes she gives in, sometimes she doesn't, and vice versa. If she doesn't, she generally has valid reasons, she is very discerning. Marriage is give and take, sometimes the giving seems 80/90% you giving up over her, it's life. When you work on your budget each month, put it in the budget to buy/save for something you want, list it as a line item so you both see it. As a younger couple, you may have to give up something for a while, what's more important the cookies and chips/the soy lattes/the eating out lunches and supper/etc. If you don't have a budget, start one, now. Nope, they aren't fun to start. Nope, they may show something in everyone's spending that is wasteful, and we are ashamed. The thing is, that is how to have and keep money. A budget is a good offense and defense, I've been ripped over this next comment, but do not forget God's first 10%. Pray before doing your budget, and pray after the meeting, get your hearts and minds joined to Him. It works, you're the husband, lead, but with a firm gentle hand. If you are younger and just starting your hunting/fishing equipment purchases, you need to decide what is your most pressing needs, not wants. What do you need and make a list, you don't have to buy the greatest, don't buy trash either. Do a search, there a plenty that are asking those questions on what is needed to get started.