What Do You Love and How Much Does It Cost?

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 04/18/2016 at 05:48 • Filed to: Spending

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I enjoy crafting my compositional ideas onto paper before scoring out the music into a computer. Due to my love of being a composer, I spend slightly over $7 each on Pentel Graph Gear 500 Mechanical Pencils.

However, my professors would have Graph Gear 1000s since they grew up without composition software. These are just under $23 each and I would probably buy two if I was really feeling the force. That would be my limit though.

I thought about this question because it’s kind of funny “car enthusiasts” don’t spend for the untouched version of something they love (but logical because of price points). However, there are a lot of things where you just spend the money without thinking about it because it facilitates your engagement and complete immersion into whatever hobby, craft, skill you love.

Sort of like buying car driving shoes and gloves, or spending over a grand for one of those Serval/Savannah Cats I saw on Pets 101.

What is something you love and are sure you spend more than most people would ever consider for it?

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:01

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Computer parts and pocket knives (and accessories). I couldn’t estimate what I spent on it, with various upgrades. Spent $700 on a monitor to replace the pair I had. My EDC knives are pricey, at least $1k retail, not counting the ones I only carry on special occasions or for special purposes.

When I used to R/C race, I spent excessive amounts on parts, tires, and tools...

I am also very picky about shoes (Being a biped, I demand a lot out of them.). My normal daily shoe is quite hard to get and pricey.

Berang > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:01

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$7 doesn’t seem like much for a pencil *is surrounded by art tools*

t_s > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:03

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Diecast cars, watches, motorcycles. Most people think I’m an idiot...

traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:07

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Exhaust parts. Most people would just straight pipe it and call it a day, but I do my research. $2700 of research.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Zoomers-Exha…

http://marylandspeed.com/kooks-1-78-lon…

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:15

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Car enthusiasts might buy used cars to save money, but mods and consumables (tires, brakes) aren’t cheap.

PartyPooper2012 > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:34

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I love lamp

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:52

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Coffee, easily. I've become a coffee snob and will now always spend the extra $5+ on a bag of locally roasted beans versus preground grocery stores stuff or K-cups.

My citroen won't start > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 06:57

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Leather goods, watches and glasses

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:19

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Probably gasoline. Especially since I easily get 28mpg and have a short commute to work. I don’t even budget for gas, its just an unlimited free resource as far as I am concerned. But I often fill up once during the week and twice on the weekend just because I have been off driving some place.

Also, vacation expenses. I love traveling with my girlfriend and my usual frugalness of not going out to eat or spending a little more on enjoyable things just goes out the window. Sure I still make smart purchases then but I save every dime I can while at home so that I can spend more frivolously while traveling someplace.

Mattbob > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:25

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Bicycle stuff... Special shorts, gloves, new seats, special shoes, all of it can be expensive to get decent versions of.

Conan > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:29

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Tapis Rouge passes for Cirque du Soleil and other VIP stuff. I haven’t had one not be worth it for me.

Svend > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:38

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I don’t think I can pick a specific item. Friends and colleagues say I spend too much on car cleaning products from iron removers, tar removers, cloths, shampoos, TFRs, degreasers, brushes, buckets, snow foam lances, interior cleaners, interior dressings, exterior dressings, wheel arch dressings, glass cleaners, glass sealants, exterior sealants, etc, etc...

I typically spend between £100 ($142) and 250 ($355) a month.

Each car wash uses anything from £20 worth of kit for a maintenance wash to £100 for a full clean.

marshknute > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:41

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Diecast cars (AUTOart or go home) and tires (Pilot SuperSports).

spanfucker retire bitch > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:41

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I don’t cheap out on computer parts for one thing - that’s the hobby-ish part. But I also didn’t cheap out when I bought my office chair for home, which I imagine costs more than most people would spend on a chair; about 900 dollars or so.

Frenchlicker > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 07:55

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I'm going to be really honest, socks. I also like nice pens but I hardly ever buy any.

Funktheduck > Svend 04/18/2016 at 08:04

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That's what you do though, right? You're a professional and want to do the best job you can. I respect that

Funktheduck > Conan 04/18/2016 at 08:07

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I saw Cirque recently. Thought about VIP but didn't. Still paid extra for the better seats.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 08:15

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Probably either food or maintenance on the Mercedes. I’m a single guy and spend about $200 every week and a bit in groceries, and I also eat out a lot . In the past year I’ve dumped $3800(we’ll see where that number will be when get my car back from the mechanic) into maintaining my S class. It's completely idiotic at this point but I love the damn thing so much it's really the only option.

Svend > Funktheduck 04/18/2016 at 08:15

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No not a professional just a ‘weekend warrior’, it’s me hobby, I don’t charge, it’s my relaxation. My job is nightshift in a shop.

buford-t-justice > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 04/18/2016 at 08:34

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Close to the cost of the set up I want for the FoST, and I get to deal with conversion rates too.

http://cp-e.com/webstore2/prod…

http://cp-e.com/webstore2/prod…

Svend > wunderwagen wants a longer roof 04/18/2016 at 08:35

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I hear you. At one point I had a selection of nearly 40 different coffees. My favourite was Land Rover coffee from Costa Rica (for me, Costa Rican has the best coffee).

Unfortunately they seem to stop doing it.

buford-t-justice > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/18/2016 at 08:35

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What are these EDC knives? Cant check at work because “weapons”.

yamahog > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 08:39

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Gym clothes. I buy so many gym clothes. $50+ for a decent sports bra, maybe $20-30 with a sale, and sassy tank tops, under armour, sneakers, knee/arm sleeves, wrist wraps, stretchy pants and shorts in every color/pattern imaginable... Basically all my laundry is gym clothes.

Pixel > buford-t-justice 04/18/2016 at 08:47

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Every Day Carry. It isn’t a brand but the term for the stuff you carry all the time, rather than for a specific project/trip/etc.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 08:49

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Lego stuff. I'm waiting for August for that new Porsche set

buford-t-justice > Pixel 04/18/2016 at 08:52

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omg! too early in the morning for me to think of that. Need more caffeine.

Die-Trying > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 04/18/2016 at 08:56

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my old daily got 10 mpg SOLID. it also pinged on anything less than premium...... remember when regular was creeping up on $4 per gallon, they were crying. all i could do was laugh and tell them to join the club, i had been paying that for 6 months already. i told them to drive something they enjoy, then the prices and mileage dont matter.

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > Svend 04/18/2016 at 09:03

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I learned a couple months ago not to keep more than a couple of bags in the house. That way I actually go through it steadily and don't let beans go to waste. I had to throw some out in early February, not that I was too broken up about those particular bags being ground and put in the plants.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > buford-t-justice 04/18/2016 at 09:05

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Mostly Benchmades.

My most common carry knife is a Benchmade 581:

I will periodically carry a Benchmade 890 (it’s really light for such a large knife, so it doesn’t weigh me down, but it also has a relatively-flimsy liner lock):

I usually also carry some variant of the Benchmade 707 (I have a few of them, plus a limited edition I only carry on special occasions. I love that they’re really small, thin, and light, so they’re easy to carry.):

I also have some more common models and a bunch of variants of the Kershaw Leek...

PartyPooper2012 > buford-t-justice 04/18/2016 at 09:07

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lol sounds like you love coffee

buford-t-justice > PartyPooper2012 04/18/2016 at 09:10

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Palpitations be dammed

Svend > wunderwagen wants a longer roof 04/18/2016 at 09:10

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I kept mine in the fridge after being ground. Unfortunately my flat mate at the time didn’t understand about coffee and keeping it in the fridge after being ground and took it out and put it on the counter top after opening them to smell what they smelled like. Thankfully I still had the beans in the cupboard but ye’, I did go a little mental on her.

PartyPooper2012 > buford-t-justice 04/18/2016 at 09:11

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Wait till you stop having any palpitations... You’ll be sorry then!

buford-t-justice > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/18/2016 at 09:12

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Thoes are some gorgeous knives

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > Svend 04/18/2016 at 09:21

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You shouldn’t refrigerate your coffee, it messes with the chemicals in coffee and the beans or grounds absorb the funk of the refridgerator. The ideal way to keep it is in a cool, dry place like a pantry and only grind what you need right before brewing for best flavor. A really good rule of thumb we tell people in my coffee shop is, if you are comfortable then so is your coffee. Definitely keep it as sealed as possible as well.

I have really been enjoying some espresso blends lately, especially Central American based ones. Going to Chicago in a couple of weeks and I might come back with more coffee than I particularly need since they have some great roasters.

Funktheduck > Svend 04/18/2016 at 09:35

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Even more props to you. I think you should start your own business doing it. You're very good from what I've seen in your pictures. Get paid to do what you love, even if it's only part time.

Funktheduck > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/18/2016 at 09:39

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I carry Kershaws. I have a Leek but the hinge is gummed up somehow. Not sure if dropping a little oil on it would help or if I need to open it up and clean it. It's AO so I'm not sure how complex that is.

Funktheduck > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 04/18/2016 at 09:43

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I drive a ton for work. I don’t even think about gas because I have to buy it. It's overhead for me. I have enjoyed it being cheap.

Svend > wunderwagen wants a longer roof 04/18/2016 at 09:43

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Doh. Now you tell me. Lol. I didn’t have a coffee grinder so always took it to the bistro my step-brother worked at and ground some at a time. The beans were resealed in foil bags and put in the cupboard and the ground was sealed in a foil bag and put in the fridge door or shelf.

Now I’ve got a little lazy for the most part and use my Tassimo machine with the discs. It’s sat right next to my computer.

Though after today I think sometime in the next week I may have to pop up town to Watts Coffee Shop and get some good proper coffee. They get it in from all round the world and toast their own beans to. The aroma from the shop as you walk down the street is heavenly.

Funktheduck > yamahog 04/18/2016 at 09:49

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I use gym clothes for work. Starting this month through September/October it'll be almost all I wear. Working with animals means they can get ruined easily so I try to stay cheap. I go to places like TJ Max or clearance stuff at big box stores. I go through shoes like crazy too. I usually buy 3-5 pairs at a time at places like rack room or off Broadway for cheaper name brands. At least I don't have to buy sports bras.

Svend > Funktheduck 04/18/2016 at 09:55

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I’d rather keep money out of something I enjoy. Seeing friends and colleagues faces when the car is as good as it can be is worth more than any money. Money complicates things. I am selective about who’s car I do, I must know or know of the owner and the owner must appreciate their car, if they say their car is ‘a tool to get from A to B’, then I tell them I’m busy elsewhere.

The other pleasure I get from it is like the other month. A colleague’s grand son doesn’t go to school because of his ADD and gets bored and unruly and gets expelled. Since I showed him how to wash and look after a car (his gran’s), I gave him a load of stuff to use and he loves it, it keeps him busy, out of trouble and he’s far more settled according to his family. That is worth more than any money.

yamahog > Funktheduck 04/18/2016 at 10:10

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Jealous :) I work with other engineers and mechanics and I can get away with jeans/polo/sneakers, but I love most critters.

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > Svend 04/18/2016 at 10:24

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It’s a common mistake, not a big deal, just one I hear quite often. I totally understand having it ground for you, it’s way easier than my 15-2o minute morning ritual with my Aeropress and grinder. Lol. The more you know, right? I sometimes cheat and use the Keurig brewer with reusable cups over my Aeropress or pourover set.

If you ever want a nice little manual grinder, I highly recommend the Hario Skerton . Lots of mods with drills to speed things up since it was a manual. It’s really annoying to grind coffee all the time though, I tend to do it in batches for a couple of days at a time since I don’t have a nice electric grinder yet.

My favorite local roasters/shops are called Carabello and Deeper Roots, fantastic coffees from both. I especially enjoy the blends that Deeper Roots puts out, I need to get some more of their espresso soon.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Funktheduck 04/18/2016 at 10:30

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Really simple. The Leeks are probably the simplest assist mechanism I’ve seen. Very easy to disassemble and reassemble.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 11:13

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Computer parts.

vicali > Berang 04/18/2016 at 11:30

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lol, $80 at Jetpens.. and the box contains 2 pencils..

Master Cylinder > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 12:01

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Other than cars/motorcycles/parts therefor, the only thing on which I’ve spent money in amounts that an “average” person would consider strange has been outdoor gear. Quality hiking/backpacking/climbing gear can get pretty pricey. I don’t climb much anymore, and it’s tough to wear out backpacking gear, so I haven’t spent much on that in the last few years, though. Ice climbing gear can get expensive pretty quickly, especially if you’re good at it (which I wasn’t) and want to go on longer climbs/multi-day trips.

Edit: Forgot about the bicycle. I didn’t buy anything near to a top-of-the-line bike, but it was definitely more than most people would consider reasonable for a bicycle. Heck, a lot people don’t even consider it reasonable for an adult to own a bicycle at all.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Die-Trying 04/18/2016 at 15:29

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Yup, having decent MPGs is just a side effect for me. I couldn't really care one way or the other. But yeah if gas is $1.50 a gallon or $5 a gallon, it really is not going to be pricey when I only have a 12 gallon tank. I have one friend who had a Bronco in high school when gas got over $4 a gallon in NJ. He said the gas pump would shut off once it got over $100 and he would have to start a second transaction!

Svend > wunderwagen wants a longer roof 04/18/2016 at 15:43

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I like a Costa coffee if I’m up town but to buy coffee Watts coffee shop is the place to go.

They’ve been there for 151 years now and hasn’t changed a lot inside.

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > Svend 04/18/2016 at 16:24

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That's awesome! The only old roaster around me is like 30-40 years old. Lol. And less than good.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Wobbles the Mind 04/18/2016 at 21:44

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Guitars. I’m up to 15 and I’ve dropped $4k on one alone, and over 2k on a handful of others. Thus I am a car guy who drives a hooptie Grand Marquis but has a guitar worth more than my DD. I love my Mercury.