Buying a new scope poll

[Hootsitabernacle]

i asked everyone to give me money for my birthday..that got me an 8" dob..next one I sold the dob and added a wee bit from my wages to get  a computerized one..next one I swapped for a diff computerized one and the one I have now I sold the biggie and got a 12" dob and left me with a few hundred pounds to play with

[DaveS]

Sell a house for a stupid amount of money and downsize drastically.

[Alfian]

For me it's mainly a slow steady accumulation week by week - the old adage of "look after the pennies ....." . Donations are sometimes sensitively suggested in lieu of birthday/Xmas pressies . Buying second hand helps a lot plus a bit of DIY, successful  or otherwise. I might be a bit old fashioned but I never buy anything I haven't got the cash to pay for. This means I will probably never buy a Tak' but it also means that I appreciate the value of what I have.

[Moonshane]

It depends really, I tend to use my monthly 'spends' but recently I took advantage of a card offer for zero interest cash withdrawals so drew down 12x my monthly spends and then bought some bits with that. I'll now repay that over the current calendar year and perhaps do the same, otherwise it's back to wages/savings. If I ever got into a fix financially, I'd just sell kit to repay it.

 

[davehawkins]

Save up for and Christmas / Birthday presents. I do a bit of research into what I want/need and get what I think will be good value for money. I don't usually find anything I'm looking for in the second hand market.

[Moonshane]

I've been refining my kit for some years and am likely to always be doing so in truth. It's good to have an available pot of money although things always seem to come up when I don't!

I pretty much know what I want next at all times and have a 'wants list' of about 10 things which I update once I buy something on it - you have to have something to look forward to eh?

[nightfisher]

I usually sell some kit to "help" fund, but i am lucky that i look after the pennies and the pounds so if i want some thing i can buy it then sell the out going item, i am planning a big purchase next year for my RC flying hobby and for once i have started a savings tin, i hope to have about £300 in this by april next year plus i get a very decent bonus from work in January so it will be a big spend maybe a 690 umbrella folding Hexacopter, but this will be a kit build 

[Alien 13]

I sold some of my Hi Fi kit (you think astro is expensive look at Linn/Naim prices) to fund new camera and high end lappy, the moral of this is to change hobbies.

Alan

[N3ptune]

Ahhh we can make POLLS!!! now that I have all my gear, I learn about that.  

For the main subject, first I try to be reasonable with my choices and I buy what is logical to pay relatively to my income.  To finance there is my unused leisure bi monthly budget, I always have savings for security but sometimes I can use a small part of it for the hobby,  I always get a small tax return so I can sometime use a part of it to finance a new piece of equipment. But I stay reasonable.

 

[JOC]

29 minutes ago, N3ptune said:

Ahhh we can make POLES!!!

North? South? How many do we need? Errr....... Barbers' with red and white candy stripes?

[JonC]

I put credit card, but its 0% for 30 months, and has allowed me to get a new scope and mount without waiting, also added a couple of EPs. Main reason I went that route was that the 100ED and the HEQ5 came up 2nd hand.

[ollypenrice]

Two key techniques...

1) Buy second hand when possible.

2) Establish astronomy guest house and trot out lame excuse that, 'it's for the business.' Nobody believes it but if lame excuses work for politicians (as they seem to) then why not?

lly

 

[steppenwolf]

I sold all my amateur radio gear to fund my first mount (EQ6 non-GoTo), SW 250 SPX Newtonian and SW ST 80 refractor) which were bought new. Everything after that, I saved up for until I could afford it new - I just can't bring myself to buy second hand as I am close to 'OCD levels' of looking after my gear as anyone who has bought second hand from me will testify! A very understanding wife is key to equipment acquisition ......

[RichLD]

2 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

A very understanding wife is key to equipment acquisition ......

Too right Steve. I always imagine my wife's mental mantra to be "Boys never grow up. They just get older and their toys get more expensive" repeated ad-nauseum... 

[Alien 13]

Whats these wife things people talk about  

Alan

[N3ptune]

38 minutes ago, JOC said:

North? South? How many do we need? Errr....... Barbers' with red and white candy stripes?

Woups! Poll

[rockystar]

wait to be crashed into and then spend the compensation money on a new telescope. The second was funded by the sale of the first, and equipment has been saved up for.

[MattJenko]

Varies. Smaller purchases come straight from bank account, although bigger online purchases are credit card, with the extra protection that provides. Repayment of that can then be handled as funds/income dictate. My next purchase/wishlist is vast

[happy-kat]

Credit cards are not credit they are debt. If after paying bills and saving I only then think of cash I justify if can spend on none essentials because saving in general is essential because life happens be it suddenly being a pensioner or the washing machine breaks down or you need the dentist.

[Moonshane]

Credit cards are a perfectly valid means to an end. It's only where people misuse them then it's an issue. Credit and debt are the same thing. I think you are confusing credit and debit which are not. You have a credit balance at the bank as it's the bank issuing the statement and it is they who owe you the money i.e. they have credit with you and are in debt. As with all things in life. what's good for one is not good for others. There's a difference in my eyes to buying something you can sell to repay debt if things go awry or buying your shopping on a credit card as you have no other means of eating. Different strokes for different folks.

[Alfian]

1 hour ago, Moonshane said:

Credit cards are a perfectly valid means to an end. It's only where people misuse them then it's an issue

This is the issue with using credit cards. I  have no problem in using a credit card, its almost a requirement these days that you have that facility, but staying within your means and keeping a firm grip on the reins is the important bit. For me personally with respect to personal items I choose to have that cash behind me before I buy.  I would not begrudge anyone playing the 0% system when they know with some certainty that they have it all covered.

[John]

I use a credit card when purchasing flights and hotel accomodation but I'm always sure to pay the account off fully the following month so don't pay any interest on the account.

I'd not use it for hobby purchases though. If I don't have the cash in the bank then the purchase will have to wait.

I'm not judging anyone who takes a different approach though - it's just the way I was bought up - my dad was an accountant !

 

[JOC]

7 minutes ago, John said:

I use a credit card when purchasing flights and hotel accomodation but I'm always sure to pay the account off fully the following month so don't pay any interest on the account.

That's exactly what I do too because apparently you get some form of insurance against the provider going bust or failing to run what it is you've paid for.  However, that's the only reason why I do it and I just pay the lot off when the statement arrives if not before. 

[happy-kat]

I'll not confusing anything. The reality is if you do not have the cash to pay for the item but use a credit card you are in debt, it is debt until it is cleared regardless of reason of use.

[BeerMe]

Saved for my Heritage 130p, and now saved enough for my upgrade to a (used) 250px.

Then I'll need to save again for some decent eyepieces, then I'm done with saving for a bit hopefully!!