How do you afford this sport?

[BKP]

Actually... haven't been able to go enough lately for it to present a problem...

 

[CBulla]

I have used the feature and did not see anything like this. I hope this is the correct place to post this question. If not please move it where it needs to be. With that said:

SCUBA is an expensive sport and I see everyone talking about that trip they took to some exotic destination or what new gear they just purchased. What do you do for a living that allows you to enjoy diving so much?

I am a field service coordinator for a sewage and water pump company. The pay is ok. but not nearly enough to allow me to dive in those exotic locations.

I've got a total family of 5 - we dive local, however, we're blessed with living in a place that affords near year round diving depending on the length of time your willing to drive certain times of the year. We choose not to dive the Gulf of Mexico in the winter, its frigin cold and we're not willing to buy wetsuits to dive 5 months of the year, so while liquid dinosaur is cheap again we'll drive to Ft Lauderdale or maybe Key Largo and visit some friends and the great diver ops there, or even shore dive on the east coast. Virtually all our gear was bought from other board members or during sales that vendors were having. Oh, and despite the other dive options that are appealing, my family is priority number one - a house, a job to feed them, clothing and food is first. Recreation is after that and for the moment diving is a little down the list since our other family divers are in the financial binds we are, thus when we have free time its not always at times our diving friends are to share kid entertainment duties

I look forward to 2009, we're financially sound and odd years seem to favor us!

 

[redrover]

IÃÎ a peon on the income ladder and the only way I can afford to do destination dives is to live there. Does limit the variability, same old tropical island with the same numerous dive sites including (IÃ×e heard people say) a couple of dive of a lifetime. But the savings in accommodation, dining out, airfare, car rental, packing, travel time and house sitting are enormous.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

Aeroplan points!

I collect enough points to take the family on one or two decent trips each year and my wife is a whiz at finding bargain accommodations (check out Airline Tickets, Cheap Hotels, Vacation Packages & Travel Deals).

Other than that most of my dives, so far, have been quite close to home (St. Lawrence/Great Lakes area) and I expect to do lots more diving as there are so many sites.

 

[WVMike]

Rack up thousands of dollars in debt, and then wait for the government to come bail me out.

As stated above you need to adjust your way of thinking. You must rack up billions of debt to get the bailout

 

[mblake]

I work a job that not many people want to do long term (software tester), I have a fair bit of experience in the field and thus get paid a lot for what is a 9-5 Mon-Fri job that I really enjoy. Leaves me lots of money to spend on diving and lots of time to go diving.

Wow, I thought I was the only one like that in testing. I've even been on the same project for years- keep trying to escape to others and they bring me back....
Also
I am new and started diving late in life when I could afford it....

 

[CBulla]

Actually... haven't been able to go enough lately for it to present a problem...

I'm with you on this. Since last year at this time I have 3 frigin dives. Previous year, over 100. This is in direct correlation to the cost of living increases being directly inproportional to the amount of income... Oh, and a number of dive shops closing locally so fills were not readily available for local splashing. I'm fortunate in that I do not under any circumstances subscribe to the Credit Card or Credit koolaid as I refuse to be a slave to any debtors, visa, mastercard, or mortgage... however, every dive boat deals in cash!

Anyone have a small air fill station they'd sell??

 

[Buoyant1]

I have used the feature and did not see anything like this. I hope this is the correct place to post this question. If not please move it where it needs to be. With that said:

SCUBA is an expensive sport and I see everyone talking about that trip they took to some exotic destination or what new gear they just purchased. What do you do for a living that allows you to enjoy diving so much?

I am a field service coordinator for a sewage and water pump company. The pay is ok. but not nearly enough to allow me to dive in those exotic locations.

My exotic location is the Florida Keys. My wife and I DON'T get each other expensive birthday, Christmas, and Anniversary presents, we take vacations! To save money, we DRIVE to Florida...makes it a lot cheaper and less hassles with the TSA and baggage handlers!

We just got back a few weeks ago, and when we totaled up the gas for the trip (roughly $300-400 bucks) We saved a lot on airfare, extra baggage, and a rental car!


Why would you want to go anywhere, you live close to Dutch Springs which is the Caribbean of the Northeast!

 

[seaducer]

My exotic location is the Florida Keys. My wife and I DON'T get each other expensive birthday, Christmas, and Anniversary presents, we take vacations! To save money, we DRIVE to Florida...makes it a lot cheaper and less hassles with the TSA and baggage handlers!

We just got back a few weeks ago, and when we totaled up the gas for the trip (roughly $300-400 bucks) We saved a lot on airfare, extra baggage, and a rental car!

I did a Florida trip last May, to WPB area for about 250 in air, another 100ish in rental car fees. I figured gas would cost about that much and the convienience of spending 2 hours on a plane vs 20 in a car won me over...

Why would you want to go anywhere, you live close to Dutch Springs which is the Caribbean of the Northeast!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this...:mooner:

 

[Buoyant1]

I did a Florida trip last May, to WPB area for about 250 in air, another 100ish in rental car fees. I figured gas would cost about that much and the convienience of spending 2 hours on a plane vs 20 in a car won me over...



I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this...:mooner:

I think both can be appropriate! :mooner: (back at ya!) However, my local quarry is Bainbridge, so in comparison DS IS like the Carib!!

I really didn't mind the drive though. (plus I took my 119's and my pony!)