money for those bargains

[.ghoti.]

Let's start a new thread discussing ways to save money. Muddy started a couple of cool threads about value in tackle. Let's talk about how to afford those bargains when you find one.

I almost always buy stuff on sale. Very little of my tackle was bought at regular price. Some of it was, but you know how it goes; you just gotta do it sometimes. BPS has regular sales, so does Cabela's. Ditto every other tackle store, from the big boys down to the little ma & pop shops. You just have to keep looking, and be ready when you find something you want at a good price.

I keep a small can in my office. It used to have tea bags in it. I throw all of my pocket change, except pennies in it. I put something in it almost every day. It seems slow, but I manage to fill it up about three times a year. When full of nickels, dimes and quarters, it holds about $120. That means, three times a year  I get to spend 120 bucks on whatever I want. It's not really free money, but it seems like it.

Here's a better one. Since I had a heart attack, I've had to radically change my diet. Fast food lunches are a thing of the past for me. I've been making low fat soups, chili, gazpacho, etc to take for lunch. There are actually three benefits to this. One; I eat healthier. Two; I save a lot of money. Three; I actually have time to kick back, eat lunch, surf a bit, etc. If you figure a fast food lunch at 5 bucks a day, 25 bucks a week; and I can make enough of whatever it is I make that week for less than 10 bucks, I've saved at least 15 bucks a week. What would you do with an extra 750 bucks a year? Two IMX's and a couple of Revo's sound good to you? Well, eat better and go get "em. What I do is end up with extra money in my checking account to spend on whatever baits and small tackle items that I find on sale.

Here's and obvious one. What's a pack of smokes run these days? four bucks and change? Figure one pack a day at four bucks. That's $1460 for one year. That's two GLX's and couple of Steez reels to go with em. Not to mention you'll live a hell of a lot longer to enjoy all your new gear.

Any other ideas?

Cheers,

GK

[.dsaavedra.]

SWEET! i like the spare change one. sadly i have no ideas of my own.

[Avalonjohn44]

I do a couple of similar things to the change saving.  It makes me look cheap, but I ask everyone at work for their pennies.  I work in a large office of seemingly rich people that don't keep their pennies.  I used to notice one guy would stack the pennies in his pocket on the edge of the table and leave them there.  I asked if I could have them and that started the ball rolling.  I have a can that people toss pennies in every day.  Sometimes they empty their car ashtrays into my can, and a lot of times I even get a nickel or dime.  I also run the coffee mess at work, and charge everyone $5 a week, or (this is better) a contribution per cup if they don't belong in the coffee club.  That is usually good for about $10 a week on a good week... Combined I can go crazy on ebay or at BPS or Gander Mountain every couple of months.  I also sell extra things I pick up or old lures that I no longer use on ebay.  I'll do anything to get more tackle...

[Raul]

Here's and obvious one. What's a pack of smokes run these days? four bucks and change? Figure one pack a day at four bucks. That's $1460 for one year. That's two GLX's and couple of Steez reels to go with em. Not to mention you'll live a hell of a lot longer to enjoy all your new gear.

FALSE, you will not live longer, when you wife finds out you had just blown away a grand and a half in tackle you are going to be in trubble !

[.dsaavedra.]

well i guess there is one way i make enough money for a supply of lures and if i save it all i can buy some rods/reels. i sell flies. i got a fly tying kit and a bunch of materials a year and a couple months ago and ive become excellent at tying flies. i dont even fly fish though, so i sell the flies. i usually get people that look thru my photobucket "flies ive tied" album and like something and they ask to order some. think i'll put that link in my sig here, cuz i make alot of bass flies that you dont need to be able to fly fish to use. but anyway yeah, that gets me some bucks. nothing major tho (usually...)

[.ghoti.]

Here's and obvious one. What's a pack of smokes run these days? four bucks and change? Figure one pack a day at four bucks. That's $1460 for one year. That's two GLX's and couple of Steez reels to go with em. Not to mention you'll live a hell of a lot longer to enjoy all your new gear.

FALSE, you will not live longer, when you wife finds out you had just blown away a grand and a half in tackle you are going to be in trubble !

That would indeed be the fly in the ointment, senor

[Catt]

This is easy  

1. I use Berkley Big Game line which is a good as any and better than most; @ $7.99 for a 1,500 yards I can spool all my reels every other trip.

2. I buy lead bullet weights @ $5.99 per hundred

3. I buy most of my plastics factory direct @ $22.84 per 100

4. I usually fish with a partner & we split all cost 50/50

5. I trailer to a launch close to where I plan to fish because my Ford gets better mileage than any outboard.

6. I save all my change

7. I eat lunch for $2.18 at Wendy's or McDonald's

8. For all birthdays, father's day, Christmas I tell my kids & wife give me Academy gift cards.

9. I'll work side jobs & spilt my wages 3 ways; 1/3 for fishing tackle, 1/3 to my wife, & 1/3 to the household budget.

10. I get 25% off at Academy

[FishTank]

One of the guys I fish with quit smoking 2 years ago. He would smoke about a pack a day. The money he usually spent on smoking went into a CD account every week. After 12 months he closed it. He had about $1100. He took that money and bought a Daiwa Steez Baitcaster, a G. Loomis MBR844 GLX, some new tackle, and new seats for his boat. Another 12 months are about up and he is looking at a Shimano Calais DC. The guy can't wipe the smile off his face.

One other thing about his quitting smoking, he also saves money on his health, home and auto insurance. If you smoke, quit and equipment will be easy to afford.

Another tip, if you have a boat don't use it for a month. Fish from the bank or use a john boat. If you fish once a week and fill the tank, that's about 20-30 gallons of gas. That's $60 a week, $240 for the month. Easy money.

[Olebiker]

I use a credit card that pays a 1% cash rebate on all purchases.  I use it to buy everything.  From now through the end of the year all department store and supermarket purchases pay 2%.  

I use the checks that I get from the card to buy most of my tackle.  Here's the key to not getting in trouble with the credit card.  Each weekend I go on the card Web site and pay the whole balance on the bill.

[Bassn Blvd]

I returned my 2 cable boxes and remotes and discontinued the premium cable package. Basic is free in my neighborhood w/HBO.  

Eat breakfast home. Cook dinner at home instead of eating out.  Savings add up big time if you stay away from fast food.

I refuse to go cheap on my tackle/gear though.  I would rather have one $600 combo instead of 3 or 4 cheaper ones.

[FishTank]

Another idea, give up soda and drink water.  I did it for a year when I was in college and it payed for my books next semester.

[RobbyZ5001]

Posted by: FishTank Posted on: Today at 10:11am

Another idea, give up soda and drink water. I did it for a year when I was in college and it payed for my books next semester.

By "soda" you mean alcoholic beverages such as the classics.... Keystone, Miluakees Best, Paps Blue Ribbon, and of course Natural Ice.... Right? This is also one way I save money while in college... I stay away from the bar and I went from Labatts, Heiniken, and Yuengling to the others listed earlier in the post >

[Branuss04]

I gave up the soda a day thing too.  Doesn't save me alot, but living on my own, every penny counts.  I also put all my change I have in a can.  I save for a year and then when the ISE comes to town in january, I take it to a coinstar and get some bills.  Last year, with saving all coins, I had saved 350 bucks.  Needless to say, I had fun at the sportsmans expo!!!

[bighed]

Along the same lines of making more of the fishing tackle buck, I like to upgrade from time to time.  I'm usually able to do this without too much out of pocket if I am patient and hunt hard for bargains.  This works best with quality, locally popular tackle so keep that in mind.  Here's an example of what I'm talking about.  A couple years ago Walmart stopped selling Falcon rods and cleared them out cheap during the winter.  I bought several (ok a dozen) Falcon Originals for $13 each that still sell at Academy today for around $70.  A few weeks later BPS had their spring sale and was accepting donations of old reels for a youth program.  I dropped off a few older used spinners for a good cause and got a few discount coupons I then used to buy new Curados for under $100 each.  Charged them to my rewards paying credit card and got several bucks back later.  Also used my BPS rewards card for several more bucks kicked back.  I used these combos for a year or two being carefull to keep them nice.  Noticed Academy was running a rod riot so picked up some Falcon Caras that were $140 for $99 again on the rewards card.   Sold the Originals/green Curado combos used for more than what I paid for them new.  Used that money to get the best deal going on Curado D's from reelseller on Ebay to use on the Cara's .    My wife doesn't understand the flow of tackle through our house but that's what I try to do to get the nicest stuff I can without missing a house payment.  BTW, the crew here on BR is great about tipping us off to good deals!

[dman]

I transfer like $5 or $10 (sometimes more,  whatever i can spare) a paycheck up to my Paypal account.  That way i have no worries if i'm browsing and find an online deal.   For the most part it works great cause i always feel like i have extra money if needed but some places are still StoneAgeing and dont take Paypal.

[links_man2]

Lots of good ideas.  I haven't smoked in 20+ years, but think I may take it back up so I can quit then have lots of tackle money.  Wonder if the wife will buy into my logic----SPLAT---thats the pan up the side of my head when I explain it to her.