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Things that get in the way of spending beaucoup bucks on trains.

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Posted by HaroldA on Saturday, June 26, 2010 6:06 AM

Let's see...I like to eat good food and drink good wine...(Now where is that bottle of Boone's Farm???)

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Friday, June 25, 2010 11:45 PM

galaxy
I must confess, I feel little sympathy for anyone who complains about having kids who has more than two kids.

Do you even bother to think how many of the kids are adopted?  One can have 12 kids and still have a negative population growth.   I have little patience for people who think they have open minds and have everything all figured out in black and white.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Friday, June 25, 2010 11:39 PM

BATMAN
I forgot about the new roof. We went for steel. What da ya think? It was  $ 60,000.00 for that.

I like it.  Is that slate?  I've been debating what to get on mine.  Since I don't really plan on staying here much longer will probably just wimp out and put on those jagged asphalt ones like all the neighbors have done.

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Posted by Allegheny2-6-6-6 on Friday, June 25, 2010 11:35 PM

 Gee let me count the ways

#1 No job will not go into specifics not wishing to violate the no politics rule

#2. Chevy P/U fuel pump & sending unit  $385

#3 Front Wheel bearing on 2000 GMC Jimmy $200

Turbo charger and assorted part on John Deer farm tractor $675 (Their painted the same color as money for a good reason.

#4.Two tandem loads of topsoil  to replace what used to be a back yard $770

#5 $60 for a color cartridge for wife's printer, some one should be shot for allowing such a rip off, glad the printer was free

#6 Danged kids develop these danged bad habits, like growing out of their cloths and shoes, wanting to eat every day.

This is just scraping the surface don't want to depress myself any more then I already am....lol

Why do I still do it and scrape the funds together every now and then to play with my trains. Because it's cheaper then going to a shrink and a lot more fun.

Just my 2 cents worth, I spent the rest on trains. If you choked a Smurf what color would he turn?
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Posted by rrebell on Friday, June 25, 2010 11:15 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

rrebell
Wow, $60,000.00 for a roof, what kind of mansion do you own, mine cost $3500.00.

$60,000 buys a roof that lasts a lifetime and never puts trash in a land fill. $3,500 buys one that you or someone will replace in less than two decades.

rrebell
Me, I retired for the first time at 29, got ,married and had kids and didn't get to stop working for 21 more years,

Retired from what at 29? Had kids at that age? Glad I had all mine when I was young. I'm 53 and the oldest child is 33, youngest child 26.

Sheldon

That is true we are talking 20 years vs 50 but then $17,000.00 vs 60 invested at my currant 7% return (bad economy you know) =over $3000.00 per year and the total after 20 without compounding is like $60,000.00.  In other words enough to buy another roof or more likely two! Yeah had my first show up at 30. Youngest is 20 now. As far as work, invested in rental real estate. Used to love it when the investment people called offering a paltry 8% return on investment when mine was as high as 35%. Once had a deal that was the equivalent of 400% interest if based on a year, floated a bridge loan. Downside of all this is I had no life till I was 29!!!!!!!!!!!!!, you have to be willing to put in you share of 20 hour days (no I am not joking, once put in 70+ hours for a separate company and still had more hours to do my personal business, not much sleep that week. I can still do a 12 or so, age dose catch up with you).
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Friday, June 25, 2010 9:52 PM

IRONROOSTER

blownout cylinder

mononguy63

1)  Having a kid

2)  Having another kid

3)  Having another kid

4)  Having another kid

5)  Struggling to keep the refrigerator from constantly and completely emptying out (see items 1 through 4 above)

Especially when they become teenagers----

 

Of course while they're teenagers you don't need the refrigerator - you're lucky to get the car unloaded before it's all gone.  Laugh

Enjoy

Paul

No!

They're already at the grocery store BEFORE you got there!!

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 25, 2010 9:44 PM

 That´s none of my worries. Since I don´t have beaucoup bucks to be spend on anything, I cannot spend it on trains, either. I am happy to be able to just sustain a very basic life for my wife and me and enjoy the luxury of having still access to the internet, thus being able to stay in touch with friends.

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, June 25, 2010 9:35 PM

rrebell

Wow, $60,000.00 for a roof, what kind of mansion do you own, mine cost $3500.00.

 

The roof is 6000 sq.ft. The price included three replacement skylights. They wanted $75000.00 for cedar shakes. But that would have lasted twenty years. There is a fifty year warranty on the steel roof.

 

                                                                            Brent

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Friday, June 25, 2010 9:21 PM

rrebell
Wow, $60,000.00 for a roof, what kind of mansion do you own, mine cost $3500.00.

$60,000 buys a roof that lasts a lifetime and never puts trash in a land fill. $3,500 buys one that you or someone will replace in less than two decades.

rrebell
Me, I retired for the first time at 29, got ,married and had kids and didn't get to stop working for 21 more years,

Retired from what at 29? Had kids at that age? Glad I had all mine when I was young. I'm 53 and the oldest child is 33, youngest child 26.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by rrebell on Friday, June 25, 2010 8:59 PM

Wow, $60,000.00 for a roof, what kind of mansion do you own, mine cost $3500.00. The reason you need the special tires is they convince you you need them, if you drive 118 MPH in that you are asking for it. America these days seems to be built on ripping people off. They are always trying it with me but for the most part it dose not work. As for kids, they never stop asking for money. I am supposed to have big bucks and I get more retired than I ever did working but things keep breaking around the house. Me, I retired for the first time at 29, got ,married and had kids and didn't get to stop working for 21 more years, 7 for each kid, it only took 7 years the first time, nobody warned me, not even my sister!

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Posted by andrechapelon on Friday, June 25, 2010 8:40 PM

West Coast S

Approaching the 700 thousand mile mark on the 63 Dodge.  Subtract about 10 grand for engine, trans,  3rd member and disc brake conversion kit, might as well do it all since it has been so reliable and continues to be despite some obvious signs of advanced ageCool Of course my wife says I leak a little too and am showing obvious signs of advanced age.

Modeling in S scale, gotta consider some serious maching shop equiptment to achieve the level of modeling I demand.

Dave

So, essentially you've jacked up the radiator cap and put a replacement car under it, right? Laugh

I think the B&O came close to that when they used some pieces/parts from some 4-6-2's and 2-8-2's and created the T-3 4-6-2's.

Andre

It's really kind of hard to support your local hobby shop when the nearest hobby shop that's worth the name is a 150 mile roundtrip.
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Posted by West Coast S on Friday, June 25, 2010 8:23 PM

Approaching the 700 thousand mile mark on the 63 Dodge.  Subtract about 10 grand for engine, trans,  3rd member and disc brake conversion kit, might as well do it all since it has been so reliable and continues to be despite some obvious signs of advanced ageCool Of course my wife says I leak a little too and am showing obvious signs of advanced age.

Modeling in S scale, gotta consider some serious maching shop equiptment to achieve the level of modeling I demand.

Dave

SP the way it was in S scale
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Posted by 2-6-6-2 on Friday, June 25, 2010 8:14 PM

I consider buying a new hopper car to be big spending. Maybe once or twice a year I can treat myself to a new loco or two (like tax time, loan refund time) and other than that, im usually broke. Gotta love bein in college.

In 1849, They came to build a town, to service the Railroad, known as the PRR...
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Posted by galaxy on Friday, June 25, 2010 6:29 PM

mononguy63

1)  Having a kid

2)  Having another kid

3)  Having another kid

4)  Having another kid

5)  Struggling to keep the refrigerator from constantly and completely emptying out (see items 1 through 4 above)

I must confess, I feel little sympathy for anyone who complains about having kids who has more than two kids.

Two kids is Zero population growth and cheaper, too.

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, June 25, 2010 6:08 PM

blownout cylinder

mononguy63

1)  Having a kid

2)  Having another kid

3)  Having another kid

4)  Having another kid

5)  Struggling to keep the refrigerator from constantly and completely emptying out (see items 1 through 4 above)

Especially when they become teenagers----

 

Of course while they're teenagers you don't need the refrigerator - you're lucky to get the car unloaded before it's all gone.  Laugh

Enjoy

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, June 25, 2010 5:27 PM

galaxy

{Think of it this way: If we all lived in dung huts with only 4 articles of clothing as some people in this world do, we would not have model trains to worry about}

 

When my friend David and I graduated high school some 35 years ago, he immediately left for Africa to work as a missionary and ended up drilling wells and showing the farmers how to irrigate their fields. About 5 years later he came home for a visit and I suggested I take a year off and come lend a hand for a while. He laughed at me and said I would hate it. When I asked why, his exact words were " because there are no outlets in the dung walls to plug your train into".

Even though I looked into a job as a pilot for one of the relief organizations, I never did make it there. The last I heard he was still in Africa doing great work.

 

                                                                   Brent

Brent

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Posted by Packer on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:59 PM

With all the talk about wives and kids, I'm thinking I should stay out of it.Big Smile

This year:

  • Getting car aligned, twice. The first time cost $80 and the different control arms were 1" too long. The second time cost $130 because they had to entierly redo and adjust it all. $200 total
  • New front tires. Nitto 255/40ZR17s, $110 each. Lucky it was just the fronts that needed replacement (too much chamber on previous car). the backs are even more expensive (275/45R17s, IIRC they have to be special ordered). With mounting $250.
  • Books for school, taken 4 classes this year. Books are close to $100 each, and some have had more than 1. Buy-backs are 2 weeks before the semester ends, so I can't sell them back to the place. $500
  • Tuiton: $2500
  • Insurance $125 a month (age discrimination FTL), IRA $200, CD $75
  • Having mother work at my bank $???? (the CD was her idea, she draws every time she thinks I owe her)
  • tax increases: $200

Last year:

  • New car: $1000
  • Fine from accident with last car: $500
  • Tag and title for new car: $500
  • First dates: total of 2 for $75 (this year $0; I've been good at staying out of it)
  • realizing new car is a full 1 second slower in 1/8 mile, beat up, and gets only 1-3 mpg better than last car: priceless (looking for a 94-98 V6 mustang with a manual)

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

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Posted by tinman1 on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:46 PM

A ford truckBanged Head. To be more precise, a 1ton 4x4 diesel crewcab. Tires run me $1k per year since this thing eats em. Fuel is going up again, so $30-$40 a day is normal, and Ford parts are quite pricey anymore. Then theres a couple BIG dogs who are always hungry, and whatever other maintenance is required around the property (20acres, 5 mowable). Taxes, ----don't even want to go there.

Tom "dust is not weathering"
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Posted by galaxy on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:45 PM

Things that get in the way of spending beaucoup bucks on trains???

 

It's called: LIFE

 

{Think of it this way: If we all lived in dung huts with only 4 articles of clothing as some people in this world do, we would not have model trains to worry about}

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by tbdanny on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:21 PM

Getting married:

Celebrant; $550

Venue for ceremony; $300

Reception (catering, venue, etc.); $125/person - we're thinking around 80 people.

And this doesn't include the costs of the honeymoon.

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:21 PM

Texas Zepher

I did just fine in public school and so did my wife but can the kids go there?

Public schools are way different than they were when we were there.   I was amazingly distressed at the number of things they aren't being taught anymore.  Even with all these In-service days and early closes for class prep time, the teachers' do almost nothing compared to what my teachers did.   I could never understand how my son could not do the homework without help and yet pass the tests.  I finally found out (just a month ago) that the teachers were letting the kids correct answers - on tests!  If they didn't I don't think any of the kids would be making passing grades.  Needless to say we are moving to charter schools next year.


 

Actually I was being a little tongue in cheek about the school. For $30,000.00 a year I'm allowed to complain. Truth be told, I would sell the house to keep them in private school it is worth it in the long run.

They also know that the two of them are buying me a new truck when they get their hoydy toydy jobs.Big Smile

I forgot about the new roof. We went for steel. What da ya think? It was  $ 60,000.00 for that. And that's why the kids have to buy me my new truck.Laugh

 

                                                                     Brent

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Friday, June 25, 2010 4:19 PM

mononguy63

1)  Having a kid

2)  Having another kid

3)  Having another kid

4)  Having another kid

5)  Struggling to keep the refrigerator from constantly and completely emptying out (see items 1 through 4 above)

Especially when they become teenagers----

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

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Posted by mononguy63 on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:37 PM

1)  Having a kid

2)  Having another kid

3)  Having another kid

4)  Having another kid

5)  Struggling to keep the refrigerator from constantly and completely emptying out (see items 1 through 4 above)

"I am lapidary but not eristic when I use big words." - William F. Buckley

I haven't been sleeping. I'm afraid I'll dream I'm in a coma and then wake up unconscious.  -Stephen Wright

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Posted by markpierce on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:34 PM

blownout cylinder

I have had a beaucoup year in terms of my financial sitchumication---my stocks went up---heeheehee

Can't sell my Bank of America and British Petroleum stocks because I don't have the correct income to offset the loss now.  Sigh

The problem with some of you guys is that you have too much stuff that "owns" you.

Mark

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:28 PM

markpierce
In my case, after a 42% drop in income and the kids finishing college, money available for discretionary purposes rose significantly.

Wow.  My discretionary went down with children finishing college because that is when the 4 years of accumulated goverment loans etc started coming due.  Fortunately my 2nd eldest joined ROTC and the National Guard, so Uncle Sam has picked up all of her education.  My 3rd oldest has been the real problem.  Different school every year.  Dormatories. Spring break trips. etc.  1st & 4th went to college locally so all we really had was tuition and books.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:25 PM

selector
Recovered the roof last year (that was fun....I had to lift and remove all the asphalt shingles myself),

That's one worry we don't have, our roof which is now 109 years old, is slate and we did the major "tune up" of the roof 15 years ago. That made it good for another 50-75 years.

If I build a house, or have to put a roof on where we move to, it will be man made rubber slate, which lasts 50-75 years. Way longer than I'm going to last.

Think how environmentally friendly my house is, it has never put an asphalt shingle in a land fill in its 109 years!

Sheldon

 

    

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Posted by markpierce on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:24 PM

andrechapelon

3. New tires. The Odyssey will need new tires by the end of summer. Estimated cost: around  $450. P225/60R16's ain't cheap.     

Sounds like a bargain.  Purchased 4 tires last month from Goodyear for my Ford Explorer.  Cost me 800+ bucks.

Mark

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:22 PM

I have had a beaucoup year in terms of my financial sitchumication---my stocks went up---heeheehee

However, wife told me of the drier having gone on the fritz--------yay

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

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Posted by markpierce on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:18 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

1. Children - I know, this fails the politically correct test, but its the truth.

Amen.  In my case, after a 42% drop in income and the kids finishing college, money available for discretionary purposes rose significantly.  Hey, there is a hidden advantage with progresssive income taxes!  Working/earning less saves one beaucoup tax bucks.

Mark

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Friday, June 25, 2010 3:14 PM

andrechapelon

Andre, you should have bought a GRAVELY instead. My 15 year old 16G GRAVELY has only cost $127.00 a year to maintain. It pushes snow and cuts grass, and nothing on it has ever needed to be rewelded. My Uncle still has the 1963 Model L walk behind my father bought new, its only been rebuilt once and still cuts his lawn.

Well, given that the Deere is in its 7th season, I can't complain too much. It's not like I had to do it every year and it's been pretty reliable otherwise. Had it not needed new blades, I doubt I would have caught the problem with the weld or the bearing. Mowing nearly two acres at a time does cause some wear and tear.

I cut about one acre, plus push the snow. This past winter was a workout, we got 60" in about 1 week.

It took a while, but the GRAVELY was able to "bully" it out of the way. I now wish I had bought the 48" snow blower rather than the snow blade!

andrechapelon

1. Children - I know, this fails the politically correct test, but its the truth. Anyone want to adopt 6 grown children?

If they're grown, why are they still costing money? My kids don't cost me much. The grandkids, however, are a whole other story.

Actually they have reached that point of self reliance, but there were times when I wondered if they would. The biggest lesson I learned from having three children and three step children, is that I'm not really a "child" person.

The grandchildren are fun, and you can send them home when you get tired.

We are currently shopping for a large basement covered by less house than we have now so that there will be more time and money for trains. The current house is a 4000 sq ft (not counting the train unfriendly basement) 1901 Queen Anne and the trains are in the 800 sq ft bonus room over the detached garage.

The new plan is for a 2500 sq ft basement with a 2500 sq ft rancher above it that will require much less maintenance/operating expense than the 1901 Queen Anne does.

If nothing suitable shows up soon, I will design and build one.

Sheldon 

    

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