What is your BUDGET ?

[recycledelectrons]

Before I found CPF and BLF, I shopped DealExtreme almost exclusively. I have never been happy with a light that cost more than $25.

Now I have a (DinoDirect) Klarus XT11 and a (CnQualityGoods) Balder HD-1 on order. If these lights are at least brighter an more reliable than other lights I have in those categories, I may raise my budget. If they are horrible, I will go back to $13-$21 lights from DealExtreme.

Most of my batteries are harvested from old electronics. I am currently trying to bring back x5 Panasonic 18650 cells from an old laptop that was last running Windows ME, though I did have to order some 14500 batteries yesterday.

 

[DanglerB]

I have a couple "fancy" $20 to $30 lights, but most of the flashlights around the house are free from Harbor Freight, and while I like both of my "fancy" lights, the Coast is seriously showing its age, and the Maglite despite being my brightest, is the mostly likely to be replaced with a newer cheaper brighter tail clicker in my next purchase.

I don't have a budget, but can't see a light or situation likely to drag more than $40 out of my pocket for a flashlight, and if I see a cheap $11 shipped from China I like, that is fine too.

Huge bucks are being spent right now to get LED lighting into houses and cars, with battery tech being driven by portable devices like tablets and phones, so MUCH better and cheaper flashlights are coming. Why spend a bunch on something that will be old in months?

 

[Empire]

Jan2012-Today
Spent $4,600 on Knives/Tools/Lights
Jan2011-jan2012 spent $300 on knives/tools/flashlights

 

[KirthGersen]

I've spent probably around $300-500 so far, on Sportsman Extreme 300-lumen lanterns, upgrading our old Maglites and a slew of other cheaper lights (I have a fondness for some older metal and rubber designs), an LED maglight with window-busting cap for the wife's car, and a couple of AAA lights. My next purchases will be a Zebralight SC51, as well as a 2D Maglite incan, two AA -> D converters, 1000-lumen 3-level drop-in, and tail cap. Then I'll be done for quite some time, maybe, although I could see myself enjoying a 1XAAA and 1XAA collection.

 

[mikekoz]

I have no idea how much I have spent for lights, other than too much! My most expensive light is a Fenix TK40, which cost around $140.00 at the time I got it. I would not spend more than that on a light. I see no reason why any of the lights I have read about on this forum should cost $200.00 or more. Cannot really say I have a budget, but to me a nice light costs 40 to 80 bucks, and below that would be a budget light. I also do not buy lights outside of the US, so all my budget lights, or most of them (Just bought a few cools lights from Amazon for $5.00 a pop!) are from brick and mortar stores.

 

[elenore]

for me, $500.00 is a high budget

 

[smokinbasser]

Not having a mate to have to get permission to acquire new flashlights means I don't really have a budget except leaving enough $$$ to pay the bills with, well that and common sense.

 

[harro]

Untill early this year i would spent $10.99 to $45.00 on a light.
So i figured a budget light was a cheap light.WRONG!

Since buying a RRT01,M11R and a PC10 my idea of budget has changed.
So I determined my new budget light will be $75.00 to $125.00
But $500.00 anually.

A $500.00 anual budget would be less than my boys video games or pokemon cards and my
wife spends that much alone on 1 coach purse.

So ive established $500.00 as a low budget for my household.
If i get 1 light $75. Fathersday
1 light $125. Birthday. Then those are my budget lights.
Because at christmas time i still have $300.00 in my anual budget and at 3X the price the
Christmas light would by far excede my individual light purchase.

What do you think of your budget???

Good Grief!!
I'm still trying to work out ways to sneak my lights into the house without ' SHE, who MUST be obeyed ' finding out.
My budget is generally O/T, but it still doesnt alter the fact, whats mine is her's and whats her's is her's!! LOL. Probably max. spend on 1 light would have been $450.00 AUD

 

[cancow]

Buy quality in things you NEED, not on what u want. Desire is the root of all suffering...

 

[Soltani231]

New to this but it seems that the more you get involved the more you spend so any budget for 2011 will be 1/2 of what I spend in 2012. And with more LED's on the horizon and new models, will it ever end?

 

[harro]

Before I found CPF and BLF, I shopped DealExtreme almost exclusively. I have never Most of my batteries are harvested from old electronics. I am currently trying to bring back x5 Panasonic 18650 cells from an old laptop that was last running Windows ME, though I did have to order some 14500 batteries yesterday.

This is an interesting point. I tried a similar thing with 10 x 18650's out of a cordless drill pack. Two were knackered and the other 8 were fine. I guess as long as you are careful about how low you run the cells, in the case of unprotected cells. HKJ has a really good thread about the anatomy of an 18650 cell, which i learnt a heap from.

 

[Torpedo]

Well a budget is kind of a relative thing. I will probably spend a little more on lights this year than I planned, but I did not get to go fishing much, or take a vacation due to work constraints.I figgured I would spend around 500.00, but I am at about 450.00 now and the holidays are coming up. And new lights keep coming out .....

 

[jamesmtl514]

Myflashaholism started early, i was gifted my first lights. Then i spent maybe 50$ a year on Maglites. Solitaire, then 2xAA, and 3&4 D.
Then i saw an add for a surefire E2D, whoa! Over 100$ for a flashlight? MADNESS! A few years went by. Bought a few more 2x AA mags to replace the ones I'd lose. I joined a car forum, saw that a lot of people were carrying surefire lights in their pockets in the 'what do you EDC threads'. I looked up the 6P defender, found a misplace that carried it. Went to see it, found it expensive and too big. The guy behind the counter had a E2D on him, he let me hold it and i spent over 100$ on a light, the last light I'd every need and buy i told myself.
I found out about CPF, joined, found out surefire launched the LED version, which was brighter with a better runtime. About 200$ later i had the E2DL. The last light if ever need.
Then the backup came out, better on batteries and smaller, easier to carry. This would surely be the last light I'd ever need.
Then i saw the custom light forum, Mac's Ti SST-50 EDC. I now spent a ridiculous amount on a custom. For sure this would be my ultimate light, last light I'd ever buy....yeah right.
I remember telling myself that 100$ for a light was ridiculous. Not too long ago i justified spending 1100$ on a single light. I knew then i lost my mind. I was scared to take it out of the safe. I quickly sold it. (yet i daily wear a watch worth several times the price of that light).

I've been very fortunate that i could afford most lights i wanted. I never set a budget. I haven't been making the same kind of money I'm used to making lately, yet i haven't curbed my spending. I need to set a budget and stick to it.
There are so many great lights and parts out there, when making multiple small purchases it really adds up fast.

I really like all my lights, however if i had to get rid of all but one, I'd keep my bead blasted McGizmo warm Mule. (and the Merc light i got as a gift)
You really do get what you pay for. I rather own one light knowing I'm saving up for another great light I'm sure to enjoy.

Hope this post helps someone.

Cliffs: save for your grail light. Be happy with what you have.

 

[KirthGersen]

Yesterday I spent $198 on batteries (Tenergy D cells for the Mags and lanterns, plus more AA and AAA Eneloops) and a charger. :sick2:

 

[Brian10962001]

I used to say if it was over $20 it wasn't budget. Now I have a $50 Solarforce L2P in my pocket and I consider it a budget bargain. Hey at least it's running some salvage laptop cells, those cost me $0

 

[jmpaul320]

Figured I'd update my budget since my wife lost her job and is going back to school my budget has gone from whatever I want to about $100 a month

 

[harro]

New to this but it seems that the more you get involved the more you spend so any budget for 2011 will be 1/2 of what I spend in 2012. And with more LED's on the horizon and new models, will it ever end?

NO, This NEVER ends. Like the rest of us, u r a FLASHAHOLIC. Best get used to it. LOL Best wishes.

 

[Soltani231]

NO, This NEVER ends. Like the rest of us, u r a FLASHAHOLIC. Best get used to it. LOL Best wishes.

Thanks, I'm glad I'm flashaholic

Hoping to learn from all you masters of light on here!

 

[southland]

Got into flashlights about 2 years ago and quickly spent $2800 in my first 6 weeks, thankfully I came to my senses and quit buying altogether for about 2 years but spent about $150 last week on lights.

 

[AaronG]

Wow budgets really range around here! So far this year I've spent $90 in lights. I don't set limits for individual light prices I just save money until I have enough for the light I want. My cheapest light is a $20 Fenix E05. My most expensive light is Sunwayman V10R ti with kuku tritium button. I'm into that one for about $260. I actually prefer the lights in the sub $100 range because they're compact and have the features I like. I try not to buy lights until I've used the previous purchase for awhile. That way I can figure out what I like and dislike. Also it keeps the hobby interesting and I don't get burned out.