Mean income.....

[Billinsd]

It's funny you say that...for a short time in college I worked a restaurant job in a fancy place on the top floor of a local building. The guy the entire building was named after would occasionally eat there. None of the servers ever wanted his table because he was such a bad tipper. Guy was a real estate developer and literally worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

I believe a lot of these types of people have worked their butts off to the bone their entire life. And as their empire grows they realize they have more to lose and can become neurotic about money.

 

[Trial153]

generlizations are just that generalizations.....

 

[Billinsd]

Yet people are making 50k, driving $50k worth of trucks. Bad economics.

Reminds me of a guy making about $50k and bought a $50k truck and a $50k bassboat and lives in an apartment with his family.

 

[Billinsd]

generlizations are just that generalizations.....

Isn't there a lot of truth in generalizations, or is that a generalization?

 

[Newtosavage]

Reminds me of a guy making about $50k and bought a $50k truck and a $50k bassboat and lives in an apartment with his family.

I always said never own a boat that cost more than the truck pulling it. I see that rule violated all the time though. LOL

 

[Trial153]

Isn't there a lot of truth in generalizations, or is that a generalization?

Depends on how smart and sexy you want to sound. There are plenty of well off people that have no issue parting with their money, and some are tightwads. Same goes for people who earn hardly nothing.

Personally I have hard time understanding why making money is so difficult for some people. That said Everyone comes at different set of experience and expectations.

 

[OXN939]

I'm intrigued.
It's been brought up recently & I'd really paid attention.

Random new dude asks for advice on a rifle. Usually something sane, safe & normal like 'which sub $500 .30-06 should I buy?' And it seems like every single answer is some form of "buy a $3,000 seekins .300wm." ".338 cheytac's the future". "Just buy a 6.5 PRC custom-$5000-whatever & you're set for moose at 3 miles as long as you have a such-and-such 2 grand scope. Bergers only though...."

What the hell are you dudes earning that y'all's go to answer is generally "Throw 5 grand at it"???

From the answers in this forum, I'm guessing that 9/10 of you have more in one rifle than I do in ALL of mine. And my truck!

I've killed literally one elk. No moose. A metric shit-ton of deer & more than that in hogs. I've killed game from "get the f**k off me!!!" to 606yds (measured) and I've never yet owned a rifle, scope & amo combo that you couldn't buy for a grand.

Am I missing something??

I could literally get by, very comfortably, with any single rifle in my safe right now. None of them are magnums. My old Swede has accounted for over 100 southern deer (it shits the 6.5Manbun into a cocked hat, ballistically) my .358 win does everything my .308 does with a tad more 'whomp' & my .30-06 does the same thing, but 100yds further out.
Any single one if those fellas is more that capable MORE THAN CAPABLE of knocking any critter over at 300+ yds. Not one of them has cost me over a grand (hell, most are under $500 including the damn dies!)
When the hell did shooting shit become a snob game?!

I can, honestly, see spending some decent coin on a nice rifle. If you get a high end production as your first upgrade, it can also reasonably be the last rifle you need. Morally speaking, I also wouldn't point a rifle topped with a $50 junk optic at a sentient being. So I'll throw down some coin (read: one third of the Seekins you mention) on a nice rifle and scope.


Seconding Pezboat, I think the optics section is where your observations are most noticeable. Half of the threads on there are essentially "SwaRovsKi oR bUsT." I hear podcasts all the time referring to $450 binoculars as "cheap backups to keep in the truck somewhere." I hope these hosts know that even a lot of really fanatical hunters out there see that as snobby at best. A lot of listeners just assume the show isn't meant for them and turn it off when lines like that get thrown around. I'm in the woods every day I can be, and will never upgrade the $150 pair of Diamondback binos I spotted my Blacktail buck on Kodiak from 1000 yards with until the warranty expires.

 

[DoubleDown]

Reminds me of a guy making about $50k and bought a $50k truck and a $50k bassboat and lives in an apartment with his family.

And nothing wrong with that, each of their own.

 

[hunt1up]

Coming to a site like Rokslide or Archerytalk will expose you to a higher percentage of gear junkies(sell admitted gear junky myself) compared to the general hunting public. It skews reality. There's usually about 20 guys at our yearly deer camp and my total gear spend is probably 10x what any of those guys spend on hunting, probably more than that. But hunting is my thing and something I do and think about all year round, where most guys it's just another occasional hobby. You can buy some pretty custom hunting gear for what the average American spends on their truck.

Researching and acquiring quality equipment is part of the fun for me but I'm fully aware that 90% of it is unnecessary. I'm about to order a semi-custom rifle because I want one. Not a need in the slightest.

 

[Tod osier]

Same kinda guys buying fancy rifles as those paying a photographer to take fancy boudoir photos of themselves or those kinda guys that get their body fancied up with tattoos...

Normal guys... just different priorities....

I said to myself a few years back, I won't buy a wood shotgun with utility grade wood again, I won't buy a non-stainless rifle... We all have our things to piss money away on and lines we draw. I sure as hell wish I was smart enough to buy a $1000 rifle and a $1000 scope 20 years ago - would have saved me a lot of grief and money in the end.

 

[JasonWi]

Having been on both sides of this conversation and knowing that feeling of having to buy the "latest and greatest" and the stress that inevitably leads to chasing that rabbit hole.

Sadly one of the greatest lessons I learned was after my ex wife left and I had a mortgage, truck payment, CC payments, etc, etc. Somehow all those needed items went by the wayside and were utilized to pay off all the debt.

A few years later and no CC debt, no truck payment and finally reaching the ability to purchase things as I want. But oddly enough I can't hardly get myself to buy new things.

I chose to rebarrel my 43 year old rifle as it has worked so well up to this point that it was a worthwhile investment for me..although I could of bought a new Tikka for less.

This has been a fun thread to follow and see everyone's perspectives.

 

[Billinsd]

And nothing wrong with that, each of their own.

It's EXTREMELY irresponsible! However, it's still a relatively free country and we are free to be irresponsible, yes.

 

[16Bore]

There’s very little functional obsolescence with rifles....but there’s busy ass marketing departments.

 

[Billinsd]

Personally I have hard time understanding why making money is so difficult for some people. That said Everyone comes at different set of experience and expectations.

You answered your own question. What do you mean that making money is difficult for some people? Do you mean making some money, a lot of money, or just holding a job. I make a decent living and making money is difficult, because I don't like what I have to do.

 

[KSadventures80]

Gear junkies are exactly that. However, I wish someone could've convinced me when I was 19 to commit to quality gear up front. I would then own 1 great ride, bino etc. Probably be well ahead now.

 

[Billinsd]

A few years later and no CC debt, no truck payment and finally reaching the ability to purchase things as I want. But oddly enough I can't hardly get myself to buy new things.

Once you climb out of credit card debt or see loved ones get trapped it's harder to live beyond your means. I actually use my credit cards whenever possible for the payback. However, the totals are paid off each month. I do fantasize about getting a big diesel truck and 5th wheeler in the near future after my kids are finished with college, if I have any money left and it's a big enough priority.

 

[16Bore]

When it comes to gear, try to buy shit with meat left on the bone and the more the better. It takes patience for sure.

My “rule” is shipping is worth my time so if that’s all I lose tripping a piece of gear, then no problem.

 

[eoperator]

Wish I would have been smart enough to buy a custom rifle a long time ago would have cost much less than 12 cheaper ones

 

[MaxHenderson]

Gear junkies are exactly that. However, I wish someone could've convinced me when I was 19 to commit to quality gear up front. I would then own 1 great ride, bino etc. Probably be well ahead now.

This is what I’m doing, at 21 I have a pretty solid gear setup. Friends and family give me a hard time about wasting money, but then they get quiet when I remind them that Starbucks and McDonalds adds up pretty quick. Quite a few people I know eat out several times a week, plus coffee a couple times a day adds up very fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Azone]

Most of the really wealthy people, multi, multi millionaires, I know and have known are generally very frugal in general. Not that I know a lot, lol.

I would have to agree very much with that statement. I've got friends and acquaintances that range from having seven figures in a bank account to one step above skid row. Most of the rich ones I know, you would never even notice it on first glance, I mean they have a few nice things that are obvious signs of doing well for themselves but no Ferrari or pet tiger type things.
The ones at the lower end of the line sure do act the part but their whole net value doesn't come close to the cash that some people keep in they're gun safe. Images can be very challenging for some people along with gaining attention and constantly having the latest and greatest to keep said image up and feel accepted. Self imposed peer pressure? Maybe. Fillet mignon taste on hamburger income, not wise at all.