What's your most expensive interest?

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And by that, I mean the most money you've spent on any one obsession?

Personally, I've got a complete metal shop ranging from tools and equipment for jewelry on up to my machine shop which is thankfully still somewhat small (heaviest piece of equipment is still under 2 tons). I've also got a pottery studio.

Thankfully, I have somehow averted the obsession with surgical equipment, or it hasn't fully hit yet and I'm still in the infancy stages.

My interests tend to follow my "career path"...which usually changes every two years. Very fortunately, I've managed to keep the machine shop involved for most of my obsessions, either making tools or instruments, or making machines....but it's at least managed to pay itself off.

So, someone boost my confidence...who's got a collection of rare expensive fossilized bird poop that cost more than my continued college education, and has about the same amount of potential to be useful!! !

Either films or Nintendo 3DS.

It's a tie between comic books and music. During the times that either was my temporary special interest, I pretty much spent all my disposable income on buying comics or CDs respectively. I was more or less consistent in buying some 10 back issues each month (which is very few compared to a lot of other comic book fans I've spoken to on mesage boards), or 4 albums. It could range from 50-100 euros, and often it would exceed the 100 euros if I spent a little on a extra stuff.

Music is my most expensive interest. I try to keep my monthly vinyl and CD buys within a budget though, so I at least would have the chance to eat something else than macaroni and ketchup for the rest of the month.

Are you also a bargain hunter when it comes to music? There are music stores where you can walk away with a nice stack for a nice price. At least when it comes to older music.

Unfortunately, all of mine are costly, but fortunately that keeps them under control (somewhat). Most expensive is probably my collection of 1980s Toyota cars & trucks with rare factory original Diesel engines (not rare elsewhere, but extremely rare in the USA). It's not only the price to pay when I find one I "need to have", but it's the cost of getting it back into perfect condition and keeping it that way, plus maintenance. I have about 20 vehicles altogether (including my special interest collection plus transportation cars, motorcycles, and Diesel flatbed work truck), and I'm OCD about keeping them all 100% legally registered and insured; maintained and ready to drive anywhere with no planning. Additionally, I refuse to leave any of my Diesel collection outside, so that means keeping all of them in garages. I have one each of every model of Toyota ever sold in the USA with a Diesel engine; '84 Corolla, '84 Camry, '79 4x4 truck, '85 XtraCab truck, and then I had to have one each of the GM passenger cars of the 80s with Diesel engines too... I have 2 Cadillacs ('82 Eldorado and '83 Seville), and an even more rare '84 Buick Century commemorative Los Angeles Olympics edition with the V6 Diesel 4.3. The Buick is outside because I'm still restoring it, and it hasn't been painted yet. I kept back all 6 garages which go to a small apartment building we own and rent out, plus we're building a new 3000-square-foot garage at the house in SoCal right now.

Total cost I'd estimate at $500,000.00 over the past 15 years. Of course before gasping at that figure, know that it's not a total wild spending spree; $350,000 is the cost of building all those garages, and those have added about that amount in value to the property. And the cars being maintained as I do, can be sold easily and I'd wind up with no loss at all, if not a profit.

Charles

Last edited by kx250rider on 14 Mar 2013, 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

Horses are definitely my most expensive obsession. Pandora provides free new music and the library and used book sales make my book obsession affordable.

Precious metals.

I *really, really* like platinum, and I once bought a *tiny* (24x12mm) platinum angelic figure as a christening gift to the child of some friends of mine...

Price tag: > $ 1,400 USD . It *was* beautiful, though...

I even got a rhodium coin somewhere...

I really want to build a full a collection of 70 Proof 1 oz American Platinum Eagles, but that's waaaaay above my pay grade.

Oh, and my > $ 4,500 computer... But I actually *use* it a lot, so I'm more comfortable spending a lot of money on it.

When I turned 21, I didn't know what "my drink" would be, so I start researching the different types of spirits. Big mistake. Once I knew all the different types, I had to buy a bottle of each, and spent about a quarter of my paycheck on fancy booze that I wouldn't even drink much of because I didn't want to finish any of the bottles, ruining my collection.

Thankfully, this was one of those special interests that just disappears one day.

Yeah. I’ve made really great finds. Generally it seems that especially private sellers ask huge prices of almost anything nowadays. And I gladly pay a bit extra just to keep the two last record stores in my town alive.

Oh...me too...I am obsessive about my silver. Gotta have it, for no reason whatsoever.

I buy it high, I buy it low, I don't care. I think it averages out, but it's not like I'm going to allow anyone to touch it, let alone sell it, so the value isn't relevant.

I guess I'd let my daughter play with it, she's allowed to do just about anything she wants, she somehow breaks down the normal walls.

Video games, most likely. I probably have thousands of GBP worth of games, games consoles and PC upgrades.

A real backhoe loader and an RC excavator as well as my other pricey diecast backhoe loader models. This obsession has cost me an arm and a leg. But, we who have true obsessions will do anything to fulfill them.

Women.

If I could have back all of the money I've ever spent on women, I could retire comfortably.

Can I come over and play at your house??? Mine is gemstone beads. And silk yarn. I haven't spent that much money because I don't have disposable income to speak of, but I make all my own jewelry. I've taught myself a couple of wire-wrapping techniques. I'm actually depressed (with meds and everything) over not being able to afford to take any classes to learn more. Also, I'm a self-taught knitter but I can't stand cheap acrylic yarn and am allergic to wool.

Once I was obssessed over Minis and almost managed to buy a used one on ebay from England.

All of them.

Especially my music one because I need to buy a new instrument every year to stay interested.