"flashlight budget"?

who out there actually has a "flashlight budget".how much do you allocate each month and more importantly how do you get it past your wives/partners.gc.:huh2:

No actual budget, but I seem to be guided by that little voice in my head, that sounds suspiciously like my wife. Over the years I've probably averaged about $20-$25/month.

Geoff

Budget? :laughing: I try, but there is WAY too much temptation around here. I am currently well over budget and a purchasing freeze is in place ( I hope). I do not actually have a budget. It's a matter of what is left from my weekly "allowance" that I take each week after allocating funds to all the other necessities of life. I try to buy only those lights that I have an actual need for, and not just buy for the sake of upgrading to the latest and greatest.

As for the wife......She knows I have been spending on these. If she knew exactly how much, I'd probably be in a world of hurt. :candle: I just make sure that the invocies that come in each package meet Mr. shredder real quick.

I have no set bugest really, but funds have been low ever since I started with flashlights anyway so Im on a plan I liek to call "I really want it but cant afford it" Seems to keep my spending down to a minimum, lol...I manage to squeek otu soem cash here and their for lights, but its a good thign I am broke because if I had the money to spend I woudl spend it all...and probably regret some of it later...

flashlight budget??? what is it!?

flashlight budget, never heard of it

I tried to keep it under $250 total, but was completely unsuccessfull.

I keep my IRA **EDIT 501k** funded to the IRS limit $15500/yr and the Roth as well @ $4000/yr. Then there is the "rainy day fund" which I'm building up to about 6 months living expenses and the car fund at about $500/month since I'm not currently making car payments. After all that I pay off the mortgage and the groceries, bills and gas, etc.

Whatever is left I get to spend on TOYS! No specific budget for flashlights, but I try to keep things under control.

Around $150/month, but this month already $200

Budget ? :huh2:

i may sound crazy but i dont need 200 flashlights im happy with my surefire i carry every day so i guess i do have budget :lolsign:

Well I don't have a budget really, but I try to really really think my purchases through before ordering. I tend the resell alot of stuff to fund future purchases when I get sick of my current light or if I find myself not using it all that often.

All in all I don't spend very much money on lights and considering it is my only hobby that I spend money on I figure it could be ALOT worse (booze,drugs,etc).
I do see some members collections and am completely blown away. I see how much they are spending on lights and hope that they make well over 100,000 a year because if not they are spending way too high a percentage of their income on flashlights.

So long as the wife is not complaining.........i am alright..he heh heh

No budget, here. Usually, it's sort of a spur of the moment type thing. Sort of like daring yourself to jump off of a high cliff into a deep pool of water--my purchases are usually adrenaline fueled, that way, my contemplating mind doesn't have a chance to talk me out of it.

Budget? Hahahaha, what's that?
I'm a student, so whatever over after books, beers and dates, that's what's left for lights. Except for food and rent.

My meager budget is highly evolved and scientificaly tested to yield only the necessities.

New toys come out of my beer money.

[Edit: added thought]

Since I work second shift and need a light at work, lights and batteries are tax deductible. How many SureFires will the IRS allow me to deduct?

My wife and I have had an allowance system for the last 15 years or so. We each get X dollars per months to spend on our hobbies. It prevents a lot of arguments and one-upping.

Greg

cave dave said:

I keep my IRA funded to the IRS limit $15500/yr and the Roth as well @ $4000/yr. Then there is the "rainy day fund" which I'm building up to about 6 months living expenses and the car fund at about $500/month since I'm not currently making car payments. After all that I pay off the mortgage and the groceries, bills and gas, etc.

Whatever is left I get to spend on TOYS! No specific budget for flashlights, but I try to keep things under control.

Click to expand...

Your going to be set when you retire. I'm trying to save a good chunk of my money as well and am saving for a house, so my flashlight budget is near $0 for awhile.

iced_theater said:

Your going to be set when you retire.

Click to expand...

I hope so, but who knows. People imagine all sorts of emergencies in which they will need lights, etc in order to justify their purchases, but I think for most Americans a financial emergency is immanent.

I think its all kind of crazy, USA being the wealthiest country in the world and yet having one of the lowest savings rates in the world. Even the Chinese populace has a higher savings rate and think about their incomes.:thinking:

P.S. As noted above I pay myself first and then after the savings and living expenses I have some "real" disposable income left over. I would say that last year my flashlight expenditures were about 10-20% of the disposable income. However so far in 2007 my flashlight expenditure has been zero. I imagine it won't stay that way. :naughty:

I have to travel for work, and such trips are usually just for the one shift and then I get to go home, but often I have to be away overnight or for several days. When I am away for more than just during my shift, I get expenses for incidentals and meals. Any excess money I put in my own account, separate from the family account, and that funds my flashlight hobby.

As a result of this, I have acquired quite a few non-traditional Military, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services duty-style flashlights, which I often loan out to my partners to try out during their shifts. This has lead many of my previously "unenlightened" partners to up-grade their own flashlight gear. This "enlightenment" has resulted in purchases from LED Logic, J. S. Burlys, Tactical Flashlights Store, Battery Station and e-lectronics.net, as well as interest in the MagLED modules.

Just trying to do my part to "enlighten" the Military, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services world!