I look at a worn out pair of leather shoes and see a finger tab. I see a womens leather purse in the free box at a yard sale and see a grip wrap. I buy camo at a thrift store. I keep a box of bits and pieces of old or broken archery equipment, some pieces I have had for over 20 years but hang on to it because someone might need it some day. Am I the only one this cheap or is this a common disease. Let me hear your stories of extreme thriftyness
God Bless
Unfortunately not as frugal as my wife would like me to be,but I try to cut cost where I can so I can buy more bows
I have a hard time shelling out cash for something new which is why I love swapping in the classifides. :thumbsup:
The original "Frugal Archer" is still a member here.
I won't "out him" in this post but maybe he will see this and give you some ideas about what it means to be frugal...lol
God bless,Mudd
Every dollar saved is one more dollar to put in the hunting trip jar....I'm pretty frugal and have had some good hunting trips ;)
"Frugal Archer" Now that's me. Never throw any thing away. Might need it some day. My wife keeps telling me I have a basement full of archery junk. I look at as well used treasures. As Uncle Buck said I have had some of this stuff for over 40 years but hang on to it because someone might need it some day
:dunno:
Look up frugal...that's my picture.
I like to be cheap where I can but then splurge on items like Boots!
I'm not frugal. I had enough of that when I was young.
I guess you could say I am frugal, but to me it is more of being resouceful and I enjoy making my equipment. As many others, I just hate to throw things away.
QuoteOriginally posted by Mudd:
The original "Frugal Archer" is still a member here.
I won't "out him" in this post but maybe he will see this and give you some ideas about what it means to be frugal...lol
God bless,Mudd
I have no recollection of that matter, Senator...
I've found over my archery career that the most frugal move is simply to do without. If you have to buy, buy it used and buy it bulletproof. It's a simple sport, and the less you complicate it the less you have to open your wallet.
I nned to be more frugal. This hobby (passion) has caused me to buy expensive bows, expensive knives, expensive moccasins, etc...
Not at all.....much to my wife's dismay.
I'm with Night Wing. I don't throw money away, or spend more than I make, but I have no problem paying good money for a good product. No point working hard to make money, never spend it, and then dying with a big pile of it!
My wife says I am when she wants me to buy her a luxury item and then I remind her she is wearing my "Africa & Argentina Hunting Trip" on her ring finger. Then I usually duck.
Seriously, I don't mind paying for quality but it bothers me when I buy something and it turns out to be crap. I do have a bunch of old hunting clothes in my attic that i won't throw away.
Well, I only have one bow. But I do have 5 dozen arrows.
Any of you glued up split arrows and shot'em?
I plead the 5th......
I am on some things and not on others, no rime or reason to it. I will buy a 100$ set of carbons and when i do break one i will do every thing i can to save the 10cent insert in it, boggles the mind some times. I will cut cat wiskers in half and use one out of a set of two to make them last longer but buy a 40$ string server :banghead:
I'm with wtpops. A single one of my arrows might cost 20 bucks or more but I cut the fingers out of old shooting gloves to make bow stringers. I also spend big bucks on long underwear and wear pants so old you can see through them.
Somewhat but probably not enough.
My wife has a new cordovan purse. I'll drift off in thought sometimes and came to hearing her say, "No. Nooooooo. No." Because I'm staring at it.
I buy what I need and sometimes what I don't, but I'm always trying to find deals and invent things and I am a notorious horder. Because there is no shop anywhere near, I have to buy by trial and error. Like gloves and tabs. I bought an XL Neet trad glove from 3R that was too big and they won't pay shipping on returns, so I bought a L and still have the XL and now the Lg is a little loose and I'm thinking about buying a Med.
But the leather under my strike plate used to be the suede in back of a Bateman tab. And I get glue at the hardware store. And my target is a mesh lemon back filled with plastic bags. And I go to Big Jim's every day to check on blems...
A wheelie friend the other day was listening to my arrow tuning tales and then said, "Man, you trad guys sure do spend a lot of dough."
I guess so.
I have not purchased a bow since I went trad except for a $10 Red Wing from a garage sale that I later sold for $60. I also purchased a $20 Pearson from Craigslist to refinish and give to my brother for Christmas. At last count I had 40 some odd bows.
Every arrow I own was either gifted, traded for or made from ramin dowels. My broadheads are $3 Ribteks that get used until lost. I have purchased feathers and nocks on sale at times.
I buy B50 and make my own strings.
I hunt out of my Toyota Corolla because it gets 37 MPG. I have put 2 deer in it at a time. I do own a truck but it's really expensive to drive.
I have a lifetime license that paid for itself in 4 years so I hunt free in IN for the rest of my life.
My goal in life is not to have more but to need less.
"My goal in life is not to have more but to need less." -John Scifres
Love this quote! One that I will always remember. Thanks John, Mike.
I have a $1000 bow that I bought without blinking, but I get really ticked when I can't find the 38 casing I just broke off a dowel stump arrow!
I don't think I'm ready for the Buried Alive hoarder show but I sure have a PILE (literally) of hats, gloves, pouches, flashlights, and knives. I also have boots for every conceivable situation and lots of camo and wool. My wife kind of pointed this out to me last week when I questioned her purchase of yet another purse. :)
I figure I have Spent My "Main Starting Capitol", meaning Several Bows, with Only ONE that is Brandly New!! I Applaud You Mr. Scifres!! :thumbsup: Sure beats Crying when ya Wreck or Lose a Good Aluminum!!
Since becoming dependent on My Disability, I have been FORCED to be "Self-Sufficient" in More and More Ways Everyday!! Some Folks are just Plumb Amazed at some of the "Concoctions" I have come up with, and Others just Chuckle!! :archer:
I got to admit I'm cheap as all get out.
I haven't bought a bow in about 10 years. I have been shooting the same old carbon arrows for 7 years. I have had the same old bear razorheads forever.
I have not bought any new camo in at least 5-6 years and that wasn't much. Most of mine is from rummage sales and so forth.
I did spurge last year and bought a used set of limbs of course I haggled and traded so I didn't really spend much out of pocket.
I have a lifetime hunting license for Indiana that paid for itself in 1994.
My big expenses for the year is 3-d shoots, a new string, IL resident licenses, and gas.
I'm positive I do not spend $300 per year on hunting both Indiana and IL together!
That's why I love archery :)
No reloading, just don't loose the arras. If I put one over the target I usually don't quit till it's found. I've even found some of Jr's that way.
I'll say this, if you have a leaning towards being frugal, don't take up fly fishing. Once you start tying your own flies it's all over. You might even learn to like the neighbor's cat.
Frugal is my dad when we were growing up, my brother and I for the first two years of hunting wore his hand me down longjohns. It feels good to get that off my chest after 30 years,now I can stop the thearapy. Tim
I swore after I got divorced to buy better stuff than the ex threw out or gave away. And yes I've stuck to that.
QuoteOriginally posted by Night Wing:
I'm not frugal. I had enough of that when I was young.
Same here.
I have a Bear child's quiver with a Missouri Bowhunter Patch on it. I bought this from Mr. Hoyt in Bridgeton, Mo in 1959. It it too small for me but it has proudly hung next to my rack since. Luckily the Hoyt's let me hang out when I was 9&10. Oh I have many other such, but that one shines like a diamond in a goat's butt very time I go out.
Nice to have Ann Hoyt teaching you when a kid, if I only known what had!
I'm so frugal the kids are going to havta' quit college and the wife will walk to the factory so I can spend more on bows and outta' state tags.
My new found philosophy is "clutter free is the way to be". If someone might need it someday they need it today. Put it in the classifieds and get rid of it. One more way to simplify. I'm frugal at the grocery store but with my hunting equipment I look for quality first and price second. Bowhunting is my splurge in life.
Well, let me think......? Nope, frugal I'm not, I guess a man needs to know his limitations. I don't spend money without conscious, but I do spend it. Just ask Dan Toelke :)
Tu Compadre, Sutty
If you think about it, you don't really need much to go hunting, I would rather spend my money on hunts. I know guys that say they can't go on a hunt but buy bows and gear all year long.
Frugal on most things never owned a new bow all hunting and fishing equipment comes from clearance bins wont pay for a guided hunt or a lease. on the other hand if the grand kids want a new game,bow or fly rod or the wife ( that's put up with me for 24 years) wants to go out on the town I gladly spend it.
mink throw from good-will= a bunch of string silencers. lol
Not very
Depends on whose money I'm spending!
I have an extremely hard time throwing anything hunting gear away, even if it doesn't fit anymore.
My girlfriend hates it....
Uncle buck, you are my kinda guy! Do you by chance have any old Bear sight pins?
I never pay full price for anything if I don't have to.
I`m not frugal by nature, I am frugal by necessity. After a while, it just becomes a habit.
I'm not very frugal, but I find myself buying less and less hunting gear. I always buy quality stuff, and it just doesn't need to be replaced. I am 48 and use the same Coleman stove I bought when I was 14. I have waaaaaay too many arrows, and I could realistically hunt for the rest of my life with the broadheads in my tackle box.
BUT, I refuse to buy cheap beer or whiskey, I like a good meal, and I can't stand to drive a POS car. So no, I am not frugal.
I am more frugal to other things than bowhunting staff.
I try to be frugal with my bowhunting interests. I've only bought one bow (used, to satisfy a Hill itch) since I started building selfbows over a decade ago. Similarly, it's been years since I bought "gear" of any type, beyond supplies that I use up, like bowstring material, feathers, etc. My hunting clothes and boots are all at least 7 years old. I really don't feel like I need anything else. I have other interests where frugality isn't an option, so it helps if I can keep one or two of them cheap.
Van? You out there, Van?
I'm fairly frugal in most things EXCEPT bowhunting.
My condition borders on the hilarious. I drive a 14 year old Toyota corolla (that doubles as my hunting rig). I do own a newer truck, but can't afford to put gas in it. The wife's car is the only vehicle that isn't payed for yet.
I took a job two miles from home so I could ride my mountain bike to work in attempt to not buy any more gas than necessary. My meals regularly consist of PB&J sandwiches and ramen noodles. We go out to eat only a couple of times a month.
I have never had a credit card. My house will be paid for in six years, its a 120 yr old farmhouse on 10 acres that I bought from a friend for well below market value (although there is a lot of sweat-equity invested now).
My 20" TV is pushing 15 years old, most of my furniture consists of hand-me-downs. I still have my first recurve from age 8 & keep around arrows that are around 30 yrs old.
BUT... if I totaled up the amount I've spent over the years on guns, hunting gear, fishing gear, reloading components and archery tackle, I could probably have bought a brand new house and a new Cadillac to put in the garage!
My grankids think I'm a millionare because i buy lots of toys and things a garage sales.
Cool thread.
Being cheap is what got me into trad hunting. Several years ago I wanted to get into bowhunting but couldn't afford the new bow that the master practitioners on the outdoor channel said I needed to kill a deer.
So I picked up a Grizzly that my uncle bought for 35 bucks at a yard sale and here I am.
Not at all, see something that trips my trigger and I gotta have it. Two new bows at Denton . And can not keep my eyes off the Morrisons on the classifieds even with 4 of them already :knothead:
I am reading a book Simply titled "Archery" by Natalie Reichart and Giman Keasey. I bought it from a Goodwill store(did I tell you I was Cheap). It was written in 1936. Back then they had to make a lot of their gear.
For bowstrings they reccomend making a long string with a loop at one end and a timber hitch knot at the other. They said that way you could use one string for many bows regardless of length- Now thats cheap!
Well, along with Mudd and at least one other poster,I know who is Mr. Frugal Archer. I am happy to say I have contributed somewhat to his increased frugality.
I'm very frugal. I own two bows I bought. One is the Ben Pearson solid fiberglass recurve I bought in about 1962 when I was 14. The other is a Bear Polar I bought on **** for about $34 just to have a "modern" type to supplement my self bows.
Make all my arrow shafts from spruce, Douglas fir or whatever straigt-grained softwood lumber I come across. I process wild turkey feathers that are given to me. (Looked long and hard yesterday at a Boy Scout who was dressed up Indian style in a whole lot of turkey flight feathers...).
Make my bows from trees on my own land or where I have permission to cut or salvage.
I do buy shooting gloves and such when I can find them used for cheap.
And then there are Reparrows. If my home-made shafts break, I repair them. Frugality/cheapness was the whole push for me to come up with Reparrows back in 2004-5.
Jim
Do you know how copper wire was invented?
Two German's fighting over a penny!
That is frugal.
I am German and own only enough sporting gear to open my own store. But I buy my clothes at garage sales and thrift stores.
Hmmmm.....
3 Morrison bows - about $3,000
Various other bows - around $2,500
Arrows - around $800
Broadheads - I guess $200 or so
Scouting cameras - $600
Treestands - $500
License - $120
Hunting lease - $500
Travelling expenses - I'd guess about $200 in season
Huning clothes - $3-400
Gotta love free venison!
:goldtooth:
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Don't mind paying for quality but I do enjoy cutting corners. All of my bows are adopted from other homes
I HAVE to be fairly frugal to survive.
I only have one Trad bow and I traded my .270 for it.
I don't spend any money on drugs, gambling, and I rarely drink. I do not ever buy new clothes for myself, and the only clothes I buy are hunting clothes, or hunting gear.
I will spend some money taking the wife to dinner or on toys or clothes for my son.
Bills pretty well take care of the rest of the money, and I definitely live pay check to pay check.
But I am 25 years old, with a house a wife and a son in a terrible economy. I think I am doing well just the fact that I survive out here.
I try to save gas as much as possible by NOT driving. However, if Maya from Ice Road Truckers needed a ride and was hitch-hiking, and I picked her up, I would give her a lift to where ever she wanted, despite the cost of gas...LOL!!!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Mudd:
The original "Frugal Archer" is still a member here.
I won't "out him" in this post but maybe he will see this and give you some ideas about what it means to be frugal...lol
God bless,Mudd
Roy, I had to plunge through 5 pages to see if our erstwhile El Presidente showed hisself on this one... I guess his generator on his bicycle must've thrown a sprocket so he can't crank up enough juice to run his computer...
I just corresponded with "THE PRES" the other day... the ole FART (Frugal Archery Recycle Team) President--- his own bad self.
Rumor had it he would cobble broadheads out of his stash of silver bullet cans. Now THAT's talent!
I once sent him some pretty busted arrow w/ great spliced feathers and fancy colors, and it came back all fixed up! He even splices(ed) broken woodies back together good as new!
Hail the Cheif! Long live the President!
:notworthy:
(but the piker don't eat sweetbreads!) :rolleyes: