Second Poll for my Small Business Class--Thanks Everyone!

[tigeraid]

Okay guys, thanks for the great response on the first poll. I have one more to do on the messageboard. Please let me know how much you spend on models in a given month. The amount is meant to be approximate. Please include all online purchases (since I'll be having an online store and ebay store as well) and any aftermarket or supply purchases as well, but NOT purchases you'd make at a grocery store or auto parts store.

Any comments are welcomed!

[Vric]

Had to go for 50-100. I usually spend 500-1000$ by year on modelling.

It's very variable. I spend $130 this month and will probably spend $20 next month.

[tigeraid]

A rough average is acceptable, some months leaner than others of course. Dividing your yearly spending by 12 would work too.

[mike@af]

I'll have to think about this trying to get a correct average. Some months I have to by tools, or consumables. So disregarding those two variables I'll give an approximation.

Another part that confounds the average is that I usually order in bulk to supply me for a couple months. I.E. Just recently ordered $120 of styrene and $85 on metal, which should last me a little while.

On average disregarding those two factors only "impromptu" purchases would be left. In that case I would say anywhere from $20-$50 for and average of $35.

Yearly rough average:$400-$1000 average. The higher end being with some tools.

So, Im not sure how I should vote.

[Dean23]

i spend 50-100, some months more some less.

[tigeraid]

Originally Posted by GTmike400

I'll have to think about this trying to get a correct average. Some months I have to by tools, or consumables. So disregarding those two variables I'll give an approximation.

Another part that confounds the average is that I usually order in bulk to supply me for a couple months. I.E. Just recently ordered $120 of styrene and $85 on metal, which should last me a little while.

On average disregarding those two factors only "impromptu" purchases would be left. In that case I would say anywhere from $20-$50 for and average of $35.

Yearly rough average:$400-$1000 average. The higher end being with some tools.

So, Im not sure how I should vote.

Well as I had mentioned, I was wanting everyone to include tools and supply purchases--basically anything I'd sell at the store (I wouldn't sell steel, but I would sell styrene, tools, etc) ... so maybe in your case it'd be best to come up with a rough yearly value and divide by 12.

[MPWR]

I think the question you should be asking is not "how much do you spend on this hobby?", but "how much do you spend in hobby shops?". Asked that way, there's a huge difference. I'm trying to remember the last time I spent list price on a kit in a hobby shop, and it's a long time- certainly not in the last 12 months.

What do I buy from hobby shops? Let's see:
Paint- but over half my paint budget get's spent at CobraColors, and I can't get that product anywhere else (certainly not at that price!!). So, maybe 10 bottles of hobby paint in 12 months. I don't use it fast.
Cement- one new bottle every two years or so, because that's about how fast it evaporates. I also buy 2 tubes of crazy glue a year, at the grocery store for $1.25 each
Sanding sticks- a full set a year (3), plus a polishing stick. That's about how fast they wear out.
Putty- at tube lasts 2-5 years
Polishing compound- a tube lasts 2-5 years, plus I've recently discovered Scratch-X, and that tube is huge!
BMF- I use one full sheet a decade, in four colors- so maybe a sheet every 2.5 years?

Other places I spend hobby money:
Grocery store- Crazy glue, Windex, and 99% isopropyl- wouldn't model without it.
Auto parts store- CSC, Scratch-X, and sandpaper.
CobraColors- I got a serious habit! Call it 1 bottle a month.
Ebay- Used to use it a bunch, but I've cut back. I do however have an account that I've used to buy nothing but out of production V8 Ferrari kits with- not a V12 in the bunch.
Online stores- Yeah, I spend about half my hobby budget online- but unless you have in stock now a 1/32" end mill, a 2-56 die, an out of production PE set for an out of production Tamiya kit that I found on Ebay, or the latest Tamiya rerelease for 20% less than anyone else, I'll probably be ordering from someone else.
Industrial supply-Micromesh, PPG reducer, metal stock
Model shows/conventions- No telling what I'll buy, but whatever it is, it's going to be obscure!

If I had to say, I'd guess I spend about $30 a month, about a dollar a day. It may be a little more, but it is less than $1.50 a day.

I'm really lucky to have an excellent LHS near me. They have a terrific selection of finishing supplies, which gets me in the door regularly. But they only get about a quarter of my hobby budget yearly.

[tigeraid]

Originally Posted by MPWR

I think the question you should be asking is not "how much do you spend on this hobby?", but "how much do you spend in hobby shops?". Asked that way, there's a huge difference. I'm trying to remember the last time I spent list price on a kit in a hobby shop, and it's a long time- certainly not in the last 12 months.

What do I buy from hobby shops? Let's see:
Paint- but over half my paint budget get's spent at CobraColors, and I can't get that product anywhere else (certainly not at that price!!). So, maybe 10 bottles of hobby paint in 12 months. I don't use it fast.
Cement- one new bottle every two years or so, because that's about how fast it evaporates. I also buy 2 tubes of crazy glue a year, at the grocery store for $1.25 each
Sanding sticks- a full set a year (3), plus a polishing stick. That's about how fast they wear out.
Putty- at tube lasts 2-5 years
Polishing compound- a tube lasts 2-5 years, plus I've recently discovered Scratch-X, and that tube is huge!
BMF- I use one full sheet a decade, in four colors- so maybe a sheet every 2.5 years?

Other places I spend hobby money:
Grocery store- Crazy glue, Windex, and 99% isopropyl- wouldn't model without it.
Auto parts store- CSC, Scratch-X, and sandpaper.
CobraColors- I got a serious habit! Call it 1 bottle a month.
Ebay- Used to use it a bunch, but I've cut back. I do however have an account that I've used to buy nothing but out of production V8 Ferrari kits with- not a V12 in the bunch.
Online stores- Yeah, I spend about half my hobby budget online- but unless you have in stock now a 1/32" end mill, a 2-56 die, an out of production PE set for an out of production Tamiya kit that I found on Ebay, or the latest Tamiya rerelease for 20% less than anyone else, I'll probably be ordering from someone else.
Industrial supply-Micromesh, PPG reducer, metal stock
Model shows/conventions- No telling what I'll buy, but whatever it is, it's going to be obscure!

If I had to say, I'd guess I spend about $30 a month, about a dollar a day. It may be a little more, but it is less than $1.50 a day.

I'm really lucky to have an excellent LHS near me. They have a terrific selection of finishing supplies, which gets me in the door regularly. But they only get about a quarter of my hobby budget yearly.

Well, as I made clear, this is any money you'd spend at your LHS *and* through online hobby shops and ebay in terms of models. This would NOT count stuff you'd buy at the grocery store. I've edited the post just in case. Thanks, but please vote anyway with that in mind.

Keep em coming guys!

[gionc]

My answer is too much, specially for my wife

I know your question is business-orinted ant that's good, but another antropologyc approach could be:

1- How much $ your wife know you spend/month?

2- How much you spend?

3- Where you cover-up your real stash?

4- How you take hot stuff from the cache?

Well stop jokes now I come to vote: an average vould be calculated also over years: This year I've added a lot of suff in my stockpile but I also bought a lathe, a mill, a still-life table (well I done by myself..) a lot of resin/mold stuff... more than last years, but I don't book to buy a lathe/year ... (well I said... not write... there's everytime a better lathe..)

[freakmech]

1: $10 to $30
2: $10 to $30
3: "That's something ive been working on!"
4: Italians don't make any sense....but to much

Originally Posted by gionc

My answer is too much, specially for my wife

I know your question is business-orinted ant that's good, but another antropologyc approach could be:

1- How much $ your wife know you spend/month?

2- How much you spend?

3- Where you cover-up your real stash?

4- How you take hot stuff from the cache?

Well stop jokes now I come to vote: an average vould be calculated also over years: This year I've added a lot of suff in my stockpile but I also bought a lathe, a mill, a still-life table (well I done by myself..) a lot of resin/mold stuff... more than last years, but I don't book to buy a lathe/year ... (well I said... not write... there's everytime a better lathe..)

[klutz_100]

Damn! This post just made me realise how much I 've spent over the past 18 months

If I'm honest with myself, I'd have to say that I've wasted quite a bit too - with picking things up that I don't need or to try out. However that was true more at the beginning.

Just yesterday I spent 30$ on some paint, thinner and primer and that was my 3rd similar trip this month and doesn't include the 4-5 models I bought or the detaisl sets or... :

Gio, I'm lucky that I have a WC attached to my office and that's where I keep the "bigger half" of my stash - only me and the cleaning lady go in there now she says she wants a raise or she'll tell!!!!

[sjelic]

I am with you Gio if you ask my wife it is low 50$ maybe even less and if you ask me well......this year I spend 600$ on kits only but I will stop now and end with some 1000-1200 a year.

[tigeraid]

Keep em coming guys! And yes, this should definitely include impulse buys you "didn't mean to" ... I know I do enough of that

[RallyRaider]

Hang on, do you want the "official" story or the real value?

[tigeraid]

Well I would say the real value, since that's the money I'll be living off of