How much $$ do you spend a year on this hobby???

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

I was just answering another post in the forum about budgets--which I think are a good idea, because the first time I got into this hobby I ended up going nuts and spending a small fortune on things I didn't need and ended up giving away to friends. [:o)]

So, in planning my comeback, I was wondering how much other people are spending every year. Please don't be shy. I know everyone is different, but I think it would be nice to hear some figures thrown around. I'd like to get an idea of how much people are spending and what it's being spent on. I can't remember how much I've spent in the past, but it was a lot. I guess I'm kind of miffed, because I'll have to buy a lot of equipment all over again! I think when I finally settle down back in America I'll be looking for those guys like me who want to get out of the hobby--so I can get back into it!!! [;)]

peace & regards,

johnny

[Anonymous]

I'll jump in, thanks to those stupid credit card summaries they send you each year! Last year, I spent about $1200 on model railroading, according to CitiCorp! I'm sure there were some cash purchased that pu***he total higher, like for magazines, etc. This year, I have actually sold off a bit of my collection, and am trying to spend a net of $0 on the hobby, while still participating. Its a good year to build all the kits, etc. I have (like most of us) accumulated before buying much new. Not that there aren't temptations out there!

I have spent more in a year, when the economy was good, perhaps up to $5000 in the biggest spending year. That's $100 per week, rather than the $100 per month I spent last year!

[BNSFNUT]

To much!!!!!
My layout is to a point where spending for on it is not very high.
A freight car when something new is availble and lots of small detail stuff.
May have to pick up a locomotive or two in the future.
I now spend an average of $30 a month but a year ago it was more like $150 a month.

[vsmith]

I dont keep track, that way I dont get shocked.

But I do try to stretch each buck. $100 is the top I will spend in a month time. That total not per item.

[cacole]

Per year? Ouch! Something like $2,000, because I am into both HO and G scale. Currently, I have several items on back order, such as a Lionel HO-scale Challenger and an Aristo Craft G-scale Pacific. Those two items alone are priced at around $750. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I don't go that whole hog but about once per year.

[nfmisso]

More, but it goes in spurts, of around $1000 to $2000, then nothing for several months. My last purchases were the BLI A's (all four).

[Anonymous]

I spend about 30-45 a month.

I have learned to backorder and special order items that are going out of production soon to completely fill out my freight car fllet and decals for a few. Other $'s go to parts to build loads and modification to buildings. And I have 3 steam and 3 deisals plus a engine house planned for next year.

By the time I complete my small layout (2x8 Industrial/Port) I probably looking at about 800-1200 all cash and paid for w/o a credit card.

I am fortunate there are 2 hobby stores within a reasonable drive and both stock what the other does not. (Walthers versus non walthers) I keep costs down by using kits such as blue box and accurail. Occasionally I have spent serious $ for Intermontain's reefers on the spot to acquire em. Both stores communicate constantly and we are able to get alot of hard to find parts in.
My next big expense is track work and buildings for the industries. I am internet researching industries as well as using the forums to get other people's ideas and experiences before I charge off a building. That probably will be 50 dollars a building and I have 5 planned. With about 19 total for the future road. You can imagine the costs associated with paints etc.

I better slack off now. I hope this has assisted you with your endaevor to understand people's spending habits on the hobby. I am amble to write this with large numbers and values because my spouse is in charge of the financial dept. Some months I go without because things are tight and I know next month will be better.

Just had to edit this and insert a understanding that Alcohol, Smoking (Cigs) and associated vices are no longer in our lives and we can use this wasted funds for a very productive pursuit of MR.
Good Luck

Lee

[Anonymous]

At my current rate the last 3 months I will spend roughly $10,000 this year.

N-Scale might be smaller, but it's certainly no cheaper and you have to buy MORE to fill the same space. :)

Of course I can't sustain that rate, but if I could I'd be a very happy modeler.

[IRONROOSTER]

I average about $100/month, but I buy in spurts. I spent the most when I first switched to S scale about ten years ago, but followed that by a long period of very sparse buying. I planned the layout for 30 freight cars, 6 passenger cars and 4 locomotives in standard gauge and 2 locomotives, 2 passenger cars and 15 freight cars in narrow gauge. I have of course exceeded some of these numbers (over 50 freight cars in standard gauge) and now I buy only what strongly appeals to me.
Enjoy
Paul

[CG9602]

Well, so far this year I've spent alomst $2000 on this hobby. Most of that money has been for the purchase of some kits of locomotives which were next to impossible to find here in the United States. Then there are the books and so forth that I've used in research - those have required some money.

[CP5415]

I figured I spent about $300 this year which is $300 more tham my wife would like me to spend.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure, but I knw it's lots! I'm almost afraid to add it up!

[JeremyB]

Hi there

it depends if i need something i'll buy it, I have other hobbies such as WWII and F1 racing so that eats into my spending money

[krump]

including magazines, probably about $200 (Canadian) per yr at present--- not nearly enough, but that's what I can manage without a second thought.
- that would be about $40 American wouldn't it ???

[Anonymous]

I spend around $1000 per year. It goes in spurts as particular models become available and the I usually buy 2 of whatever it is. Now that I've amassed a significant amount of rolling stock, I think I should start building my dream pike. That should take some cash off my hands....

[Anonymous]

I just saw an ad in MR for suppliers to place ads in MR. Accordning to that ad, the average modeler spends $913 annually. Assuming the 200,000 readership is every model railroader, then annual MR spending must total over $200 Mil. However, when the hobby show was in Dallas in the early 90's, an article pegged spending then at over $600Mil, with predictions of going to a billion by now, mostly on account of the growth of G.

I suppose the economy of the last few years has kept the hobby under the Billion mark. Nonetheless, there must be many modellers who don't read MR, or they spend more than they think if spending is at $even $660-770 MIL.

[Anonymous]

WOW!!! I'm WAY above that average. This past month alone, my husband and I have spent over $1500 on HO items. And probably another $500 on O gauge.

But, this spending spree has been kicked off by me building a new layout.

This will last until spring and then goes away almost entirely over the summer. Then in the fall the spending kicks back up again.

I do enjoy keeping the economy chugging along!

SMac

[Anonymous]

I am a young railroad fan and I wish I could spend much more but I spend just about $100 a year and I learn to make it satisfy my needs. My parents don't like it when I spend to much at one time though.

[tapp5125]

Over the last few years I've spent approximately $600 annually. This includes my subscription to MR and money spent on model railroad equipment auctions such as James J. Reeves.com, (great auction site). Tim

[aussiesteve]

Currently I spend around $1500+. The direct modelind comes from a dedicated bank account that gets $30 a week placed in it. Magazines & books etc get paid for from other sources.[:D]

[eastcoast]

Here is a breakdown.
[}:)]
If I spend $50.00 a month total for 12 months
Thats $600.00 a year but sometimes I need more
so I spend more than this. So average $800.00 a year
and multiply by 20 years to give you a grand total of
INVESTMENT into the hobby of $ 16,000.00 estimate
and that is not on just ONE layout. My CURRENT layout
has amassed about 2/3 that figure because I do not throw
away any things.Just old wood.[^]
So in conclusion,
I HAVE SPENT MUCH. but I am glad that I can see
what my money has gone into. Other habits in this world are FAR MORE
COSTLY and leave nothing to show for when done with.[:)]

[GerFust]

krump:

Looks like you and I are the only ones under $2,000. I'll spend less than $100 this year. I'll get about as much in gifts, though.

Next year will be a bit tougher on the checkbook, though, as I plan to purchase components for new benchwork.

-Jer

[Anonymous]

I havent worked it out - I'm too scared to but it's a lot for me., and it doesn't help running a British OO layout as well as getting started in American HO.

One thing I do know, It's about 10 times what my wife knows about.

Jon

[DavidH]

Not including the costs of building the "train room" in my new house last year (about $3500 Canadian), I probably spend about $3000 per year - 2250 or so US. Just magazines and books probably run $100 a month!

David

[CNJ831]

Nowadays about $50 a month. But before HO prices began to spiral upwards, it probably was well in excess of $100 a month because of impulse buying of items that I'd squirrel away for future use. Current pricing of most new loco's and rolling stock have cut off my desire to continue in that pattern and now I essentially buy only what I really need for immediate consumption.

JB

[Anonymous]

Not very much working on a shoestring budget maybe spending about 200 a year will be spending as the funds(money) come in.Not going to go bankrupt on this hobby just buy things that I need to the building of the railroad.

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jackjackson

I am a young railroad fan and I wish I could spend much more but I spend just about $100 a year and I learn to make it satisfy my needs. My parents don't like it when I spend to much at one time though.

i hear you there. my parents, mainly my dad think model railroading is stupid, while my mom likes it for the most part, but still doesn't want me to do anything major.

i do have a job but i don't make as much as i'd like so i probably won't be able to purchase a lot right away. i get paid the 15th and last day of every month so my first check is spent on anything i want and my 2nd check is spend on making car payments and other stuff for the car. i found out that getting gas is a bugger when you don't make a lot.

anyways back to topic. saturday i'm going to a huge show so i plan on getting some books, track ($20, as i know who i'm getting it from), and maybe some cars or a cheap locomotive.

hopefully i'll be able to spend like $500 a year or so. averages out to be like $50 a month. if that though. always have to buy CDs so it will probably be limited on what i buy.

[cp1057]

Another penny pincher weighing in, I spent around $300 US this year. I'm glad that someone else is commenting on the rising price of HO equipment. Most of the money this year went into materials for rebuilding my layout, improving benchwork and the like.

As with so many other aspects of the consumer marketplace, it seems as though manufacturers are emphasizing high end products and a poor slob like me doesn't show up on their radar. I'm glad I built up my roster of locomotives (mostly Proto and IHC) before they started getting really expensive (for me at least)

Charles
Hillsburgh Ontario

[Anonymous]

I don"t keep records of my hobby expenditures, but since I"ve been in HO Scale modeling for over thirty years, I have more now than I will ever need, but I would guess I still spend 400 to 600 dollars a year, Too much new stuff available for me to pass up on everything, like Atlas upcoming C40-8, Kato"s AC 4400 CW, and the new BLI sound equipped Locomotives. Later

[vw-bug]

Way to bloody much. That is if you were to as my wife. But look at it this way, it is a hole heck of a lot less that drinking smoking, more nudy clues. I think that is why my wife lets me off teh hook when I tell her I dropped $200 on a engine. I rarely do that any more as bills are getting bigger, lately I'b be surprised if I spend spend over $25 a month. But I'm always told slow and steady wins the race.