The cost of incremental improvement
- Thread starter TSandM
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
It's all relative...personally I'm saving money at a rate I'm happy with, so if I really want something I'm gonna get it. If you are on track for retirement and have the extra cash buy the light!
Ps. It occurred to me that I sound like Suze Orman, so I thought about it more and maybe you should also try harder to sell your old gear. I have an issue with not selling gear I know I'll never need, but I justify it by thinking that someone can borrow it one day. So maybe I should take my own advice, sell some old gear and pull the trigger on that drysuit that I've been toying with for a year.
Ps. It occurred to me that I sound like Suze Orman, so I thought about it more and maybe you should also try harder to sell your old gear. I have an issue with not selling gear I know I'll never need, but I justify it by thinking that someone can borrow it one day. So maybe I should take my own advice, sell some old gear and pull the trigger on that drysuit that I've been toying with for a year.
Last edited:
OP
Well, I've taken to measuring everything in life in "Mexico cave trip" units. About $2500 will get me and Peter to MX for a week. So the light is most of a Mexico trip unit, which puts it in a bit of perspective.
My wife and I look at our upgrades or buying of equipment the same way. Man if I buy that dry suit sure I could dive a few more times a year ( right now ) so 6000 bucks (need two suits) maybe 20 more dives this year in the late season with cold ambient temps. Or we could take two courses and do a trip.....The trips and courses usually win out right now
Unfortunately our vacations are limited by my wife's vacation time. TSandM, on that budget, how much diving are you able to do, and how much of that cost is airfare? I'm interested in a Mexican cavern trip.
OP
Half of the cost is airfare. We pay a couple hundred bucks for a rental car from Easy Way, and split a 2 bedroom condo with two or three other people for a week. Tank rental and fills has become really inexpensive, since we do one long cave dive a day (so one set of doubles and a stage). We eat breakfast at the condo and eat lunch in a restaurant, and then snack and go out for margaritas at night.
If this would be your first MX trip, though, I'd HIGHLY recommend hiring a guide, at least for some of the days. Although some places, like Dos Ojos and Grand Cenote, are easy to get to and easy to dive, there are other caverns that would are not typically used for the tourist dives, which are very beautiful and would be great for a certified cavern diver. They aren't always easy to find, and sometimes you just need to know who to pay or where to get a key.
If this would be your first MX trip, though, I'd HIGHLY recommend hiring a guide, at least for some of the days. Although some places, like Dos Ojos and Grand Cenote, are easy to get to and easy to dive, there are other caverns that would are not typically used for the tourist dives, which are very beautiful and would be great for a certified cavern diver. They aren't always easy to find, and sometimes you just need to know who to pay or where to get a key.
- Messages
- 1,840
- Reaction score
- 22
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
I guess I'm lucky. After ditching most of the gear I initially bought, I've been very happy with the gear that replaced it. I haven't had to upgrade or replace anything in the past 6-7 years. Of course, the money I saved by not upgrading/replace allowed me to buy even more of the same gear.
Lynne, if you're getting rid of the scooter, I know somebody who will take good care of it!!!!
Lynne, if you're getting rid of the scooter, I know somebody who will take good care of it!!!!
OP
No, haven't gotten to "sell the scooter" yet, although we don't use them much. Just trying to sell the stuff I want to replace 
halocline
Contributor
I think the same way....how much diving could I do for the price of X...it really tends to cut down on the unnecessary gear purchases.
I just happened to be driving in north FL right past caveadventurers on my birthday this year, so I had to splurge on a 18lb oxy wing and a reel. Usually though I'm pretty frugal and a lot of my gear is used. Speaking of which, maybe I'd be interested in your old light if you decide to upgrade in the fall....I'm a little stretched for the next few months having done some expensive house renovation this spring.
Similar threads
