Spendathon - Being A Geek Ain Cheep!

[BakedBeans]

What started as a desire for a new gadget has now turned into a full-on spendathon totaling £1610 ($2800usd)

Last week I had a burning desire for something to partner my (relatively new £1500 iMac) Intel iMac. I chose a Wacom tablet that i needed... Seemed reasonable..... so i thought

Turns out that to satisfy my urge i need to buy these

Wacom A5 wide - £280
Dell 2405FPW - £870
Gretag Macbeth Eye One Display 2 - £151
Apple 12 inch Powerbook + New HD - £510
Solux Task Lamp - £99

that takes my computer related spending in 2006 to £3010 ( $5235usd )



This geek business aint cheap - but it sure is satisfying...

now - how much is aperture

 

[greatdevourer]

Hehe, yeah. For my Cube, I plan to get the Gigadesigns VRM ($99), a dual 1.4Ghz 7457 ($700), a pair of 500GB HDDs (£200 a peice), a 9700 (£125 -although if the 6600GT works in the Cube, I'll have to get one of those), an external FW DVD±RW/DL and a Formac StudioTVR

Then there's the pair of 2407s, the monster KVM needed to get 2 monitors to support the Cube (takes 2), the PowerBook (takes 1), the 360 (takes 1), the GameCube (takes 1) and the PC (takes 2) (and so 3 2407s is looking to be necessery), as well as the 10/100/1000 switch, 802.11n adapter running into it and the XServe RAID I'll probably need to house all my movies

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

I also have a problem.

iBook G4 1.42GHz - $1,350
iMac G5 1.9GHz - $,1400
iMac G3 500MHz - $200
PowerBook G3 Lombard - $200
iPod Photo 30GB w/ extras - $500
iCurve, RAM, and other ibook extras - $450
iMac G5 extras - $250
Screen - $200
Router/Networking equipment - $350

$4,900.

I'm 13, and I paid for it all. Wait, I didn't pay for one of the routers, so I paid $4830 of it. Dawang.

 

[iGary]

*whips out Maryland Personal Property Return*

I need serious help, but I WAS starting a business last year.

$15,575.00

 

[CompUser]

Hmm lets see. I am 15 and this is what I have bought (or my parents )

- Dell Desktop P4 2.53ghz - $1300
- PowerBook G4 12" - $1800
- Belkin USB Hub - $40
- Apple BT Mouse - $60
- Apple Keyboard- $30
- HP PhotoSmart Printer- $150
- HP LaserJet Printer - $200
- 3 USB Cables - $75
- Canon Scanner - $80
- Sony Camera- $300
- Memory Stick - $40
- Olympus Camera- $400
- XD Pic Cards - $65
- Battery Charger- $40
- iPod 20gb 3G - $450
- iPod Nano 4GB- $250
- iPod Accessories- $50

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. That adds up to $5330, thats a lot considering I am 15.

Then again, I spent (well, my parents) spent $539 on lacrosse equipment in one day. Thats not even including a stick. On lacrosse equipment total I have spent $1200. The pads, helmet, and cleats I bought for $540, my old equipment (pads, no helmet, cheap stick) was $300, and my defense stick was 180 and so was my short stick.

Most Hobbies are expensive. But if you truely enjoy what ever that hobby it is worth it.

 

[BakedBeans]

*whips out Maryland Personal Property Return*

I need serious help, but I WAS starting a business last year.

$15,575.00

Just on comp stuff?

I'm starting up myself at the moment - hence the outlay - i didn't figure in lots and lots of (begrudgingly ) legal software.

Speculate to accumulate (or go bankrupt!)

Remember though - thats only three months spending

 

[iGary]

Just on comp stuff?

I'm starting up myself at the moment - hence the outlay - i didn't figure in lots and lots of (begrudgingly ) legal software.

Speculate to accumulate (or go bankrupt!)

Remember though - thats only three months spending

Well it is under the "Machinery and Equipment Section."

There's probably a TV in there. Hey, we watch intructional videos for the business on that TV mind you.

If I had it to do over again, I might have gone leaner. I'm not bragging by any means. I should have probably run a little leaner.

 

[adk]

Hmm lets see. I am 15 and this is what I have bought (or my parents )

- Dell Desktop P4 2.53ghz - $1300
- PowerBook G$ 12" - $1800
- Belkin USB Hub - $40
- Apple BT Mouse - $60
- Apple Keyboard- $30
- HP PhotoSmart Printer- $150
- HP LaserJet Printer - $200
- 3 USB Cables - $75
- Canon Scanner - $80
- Sony Camera- $300
- Memory Stick - $40
- Olympus Camera- $400
- XD Pic Cards - $65
- Battery Charger- $40
- iPod 20gb 3G - $450
- iPod Nano 4GB- $250
- iPod Accessories- $50

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. That adds up to $5330, thats a lot considering I am 15.

Then again, I spent (well, my parents) spent $539 on lacrosse equipment in one day. Thats not even including a stick. On lacrosse equipment total I have spent $1200. The pads, helmet, and cleats I bought for $540, my old equipment (pads, no helmet, cheap stick) was $300, and my defense stick was 180 and so was my short stick.

Congratulations, but nobody here cares how spoiled you are.

 

[greatdevourer]

Congratulations, but nobody here cares how spoiled you are.

Oooo... Harsh

 

[CompUser]

Oooo... Harsh

I don't want to kill the thread by saying this but that hurt a lot.

 

[greatdevourer]

I don't want to kill the thread by saying this but that hurt a lot.

Me or him?

 

[CompUser]

Me or him?

Sorry, I was just thinking about how my post didn't reference either of you specifically.

I was speaking to mr. adk.

 

[maestro55]

I think I have just passed $2000 in the past 5 years when it comes to my hobbies. I worked for awhile and earned money for just about everything I have, maybe 10% of this though was with money that I got as gifts.

Homebrew Linux Box:
Parts from New Egg- $486.70
Monitor: $109.83
Upgraded RAM: $78
Total: $674.53

Amateur Radio Gear (All rough estimates here, as most gear was ordered online and I gave my dad cash, the RigBlaster was a gift and the R-600 I bought with case used):
Icom IC-718 HF Transceiver: $400
MFJ Portable Tuner: $100
RigBlaster: $80
Hustler 4BTV Vertical Antenna $120
Heil Pro-Set: $160
Kenwood R-600: $60
IC-T2H: $150
Total: $1070

iPod: $435 (Yes I had to pay Tax, and I got an Apple+HP iPod because I am a compulsive buyer)
Kodak CX4300 Digital Camera: $150

With everything I have invested $2,329.53 cents.

A far cry from those on here with new Macs However, believe me. If I had more money I would be spending more money. I guess with the money I have spent on radio gear I could certainly have PowerBook, however Amateur radio is a great hobby and I am glad I have invested in it.

 

[~Shard~]

I don't want to kill the thread by saying this but that hurt a lot.

A word of advice - if you get hurt by a statement someone makes on an Internet Forum of all places, then you're not going to survive in the real world. Toughen up and learn to accept criticism. Don't you see where adk is coming from? I mean, come on, you're 15 and you have all that? And thanks to your parents? How much did you pay for with your own hard-earned money? It's not a subjective thing, it's simply the facts.

When you're older, have actual responsibilities, bills to pay, earn your own money and spend your own money without having mommy or daddy bailing you out or buying things for you, then you will truly appreciate the value of a dollar and how fortunate (and yes, spoiled) you currently are.

Just some advice. Take it for what it's worth, or be hurt once again - your choice.

 

[CompUser]

A word of advice - if you get hurt by a statement someone makes on an Internet Forum of all places, then you're not going to survive in the real world. Toughen up and learn to accept criticism. Don't you see where adk is coming from? I mean, come on, you're 15 and you have all that? And thanks to your parents? How much did you pay for with your own hard-earned money? It's not a subjective thing, it's simply the facts.

When you're older, have actual responsibilities, bills to pay, earn your own money and spend your own money without having mommy or daddy bailing you out or buying things for you, then you will truly appreciate the value of a dollar and how fortunate (and yes, spoiled) you currently are.

Just some advice. Take it for what it's worth, or be hurt once again - your choice.

It was sarcasm. I know that can be hard to detect when no directly talking to the person but that is why I put the "" and the "".

I probably paid $1000-$1500 of the computer stuff. I don't really know though. The thing is that its not that easy for a teenager to get a paying job. Most of my neighbors already rely on a professional service to come in and groom there lawns. I am 15 so I legally cannot work anyways. Also when I do turn 16, I will still be playing sports year round which is in my parents minds, far more important than working at McDonalds making $7.10 and hour. Instead I will play soccer which is much more fun, more physically challenging, and will probably look better on my college application.

I understand that when I am older, I will have to work to make money to support me and my possible family. I do believe I understand the value of a dollar more than most people my age. I know how much houses cost, and all of the expenses that go on with daily living. I don't have to have someone tell me how fortunate I am because I realize it. I know that my parents are "better off" than most of the people. It not like I don't appreciate what I have. I know how hard my father has worked to achieve his position in his work and how hard he has to work in general. Growing up he was not in a particularly wealthy family. He went to the coast guard academy for a year, then onto college where he became an electrical engineer and took many classes in business and mechanical engineering. He went to work and moved his way up the ladder and now is very close to the top. Obviously that can not be achieved with out effort. He has achieved the "american dream" and then some. I appreciate and recognize what he has done.

I am actually quite tired of adults saying that children don't know the value of a dollar. That is not always true. I know that I am only 15 and have not yet had the experience of being an adults, but I believe I have a pretty good gist of how hard people work to make their money.

 

[~Shard~]

It was sarcasm. I know that can be hard to detect when no directly talking to the person but that is why I put the "" and the "".

Number one, please disregard the rest of my post then, and number two, good comments. No hard feelings I hope, a simple misunderstanding.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

I probably paid $1000-$1500 of the computer stuff. I don't really know though. The thing is that its not that easy for a teenager to get a paying job.

I did just fine. Go out and mow some lawns and you'll earn tons of money. Just like I did.

 

[CompUser]

Number one, please disregard the rest of my post then, and number two, good comments. No hard feelings I hope, a simple misunderstanding.

I understand, it happens.

 

[Abstract]

The thing is that its not that easy for a teenager to get a paying job.

Especially if he has never tried.

Don't worry about entering college now. They don't care about your soccer unless you plan on going to a competitive ivy league school or a school that specializes in something like arts.

I understand that when I am older, I will have to work to make money to support me and my possible family. I do believe I understand the value of a dollar more than most people my age. I know how much houses cost, and all of the expenses that go on with daily living.

The only time you acknowledge expense is when you see something you like and think, "Wow, that [thing] is so expensive. Can I have it, dad?"

Every spoiled kid thinks they understand the value of a dollar better than most people at their age. However, I doubt that. It's not necessarily your fault, but my family and I have lived to the dollar from when I was young up until I was 16-17 (I'm 25 now), and trust me, you don't understand the value of a dollar better than most kids your age ---- not even as much as the average kid your age. There are a lot more kids who grew up like me than like you. What you said may be true in your own neighbourhood where every family has a professionally trimmed lawn, but not outside of that place.

However, it's good to know that you recognize how hard your father has worked to get your family's level of financial comfort.


-- Abstract, currently a spoiled "kid."


PS: Love your Location. "Beach house" is definitely fitting for what has been said so far.

 

[CompUser]

Especially if he has never tried.

Don't worry about entering college now. They don't care about your soccer unless you plan on going to a competitive ivy league school or a school that specializes in something like arts.


The only time you acknowledge expense is when you see something you like and think, "Wow, that [thing] is so expensive. Can I have it, dad?"

Every spoiled kid thinks they understand the value of a dollar better than most people at their age. However, I doubt that. It's not necessarily your fault, but my family and I have lived to the dollar from when I was young up until I was 16-17 (I'm 25 now), and trust me, you don't understand the value of a dollar better than most kids your age ---- not even as much as the average kid your age. There are a lot more kids who grew up like me than like you. What you said may be true in your own neighbourhood where every family has a professionally trimmed lawn, but not outside of that place.

However, it's good to know that you recognize how hard your father has worked to get your family's level of financial comfort.


-- Abstract, currently a spoiled "kid."


PS: Love your Location. "Beach house" is definitely fitting for what has been said so far.

Well my parents do expect me to go to an IVY league school. I already play premier soccer right now. Frankly why would I work at McDonalds when I could be doing something that I love and the $1000 I would make won't but a very big dent in the cost of college considering college costs $100,000-$160,000 if not more.

I do mow and snowblow an elderly neighbors lawn and I make $25 every time I mow/snowblow. But I am not home for that long in the summer.

Seriously, you don't really know me as a person, so I wouldn't make accusations.

Oh and here you go abstract: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/2280167/ More pics available if you so desire

 

[cslewis]

Wow, some people on MR are a tad too sensitive to things. I realize CompUser isn't exactly racking up friends here, but I always try to live by that old, obnoxious maxim... If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say anything at all. Personal attacks (like by adk) accomplish nothing.

He's not trying to brag. This was a thread concerning how much you've spent on what peripherals. He was simply stating what he (and his parents) spent. And if you've talked with him for a while, he definitely realises that everything costs and that money comes from hard work. He just happens to be luckier than most of us.

To get back on topic: I've spent nothing. My parents bought the iMac and eMac that we share, and my PUBLIC school provided my iBook. Does that make me evil?

 

[Abstract]

Oh and here you go abstract: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/2280167/ More pics available if you so desire

Nice. Well, any house by the beach is gonna be nice, I guess. Does "RI" stand for Rhode Island (as if I know where that is)?? Do they have nice beaches there?

 

[CompUser]

Nice. Well, any house by the beach is gonna be nice, I guess. Does "RI" stand for Rhode Island (as if I know where that is)?? Do they have nice beaches there?

Yes RI=Rhode Island. There are nice beaches there. Some of them are over crowded but the public beach which is next to the private beaches is very small to limit the number of people that come to the beach.

 

[BakedBeans]

Well, this thrad sank like a big steaming pile of **** didnt it

 

[Shamus]

There is a term for the "emptiness" that can only be filled by buying something new.

"RETAIL THERAPY"