When people criticize how to spend money

Collecting knives is a fairly inexpensive hobby compared to watches, guns, cars, etc...which are on a whole other level...so it's refreshing how much enjoyment buying a knife gives me for not much out of pocket.
 
This reminds me of a particular AOL news article I read a few days ago. Apparently, there are a group of protestors complaining about Walmart's CEO racing cars as a hobby. Bit of a large difference, but it still comes down to people trying to tell others how to spend their money. Fortunately I haven't had that happen to me yet.

What I don't understand is why people question expenses like quality knives..yet don't think anything of someone throwing 300+ on some game system,500+on tablets, etc.
 
I do catch it, every once in a while from co-workers, etc when they see me with an expensive knife, but it's all in fun, mostly. Most everyone wastes money on unnecessary expenditures. That's just like I can't see giving $30,000 for a vehicle, as a matter of fact, I hate to buy anything I can't pay cash for, as I am allergic to payments. So, I drive older rigs, and if I don't have the cash I don't buy it, be it a knife or gun or car, clothes, etc.

But once in a while, I need to be brought into check, as I realize the stupidity of my purchases. Hobbies are ok, obsessions are not ok, or they become your god. And the Lord said thou shalt have no others gods before me.

Which reminds me of another verse: Matthew 6:19, 20, 21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth, no rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Now, everyone is guilty of storing up treasures, that will just be left for others to fight over, after they are gone. I am as guilty as anyone, else.

Anyway, sometimes I need a reality check, myself, because I have found the more stuff I buy, the less I am thrilled with each new purchase.
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Now my comments here are an aside to the topic of this thread, BUT...This is the best answer (response) I think I've ever read on a forum. Evidence for this IMO comes in many forms, but one of the biggest is the fact that we end up building collections because we are never really satisfied with the purchase item itself. So the acquisition of the next purchase becomes our focus. A couple days or weeks beyond the new acquisition, we again find ourselves bored, and unsatisfied, and so over time the acquisition itself becomes our primary mode of operation. And for the record, I'm not preaching. I'm talking from experience.
 
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I have had that conversation more than a few times.

I will tell people I don't smoke, don't drink, don't gamble, or have any other expensive vices.

I likely spend less on my expensive knives than they do on their daily coffee.

Guns and knives are what I spend my fun money on. They typically hold value well.
 
Bigfattyt said:
I have had that conversation more than a few times.

I will tell people I don't smoke, don't drink, don't gamble, or have any other expensive vices.

I likely spend less on my expensive knives than they do on their daily coffee.

Guns and knives are what I spend my fun money on. They typically hold value well.
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Yeah it's kind of funny how much people spend on their daily coffee. I have a family member and several friends who will spend over $5 a day for just their morning coffee practically every day and not think twice about it. And sometimes that turns into multiple coffees that day, so lets just call it 40 coffee's a month and simplicity about $5 a drink. That's $200 down the drain for something you can brew at home that be cheaper and better, and they still wonder why I look at them funny when they complain about not having money to buy a $60 car part to fix their car so they don't burn through gas like there is no tomorrow (been over a year with that problem). Another pile of money down the drain, but that's another story.

I take the knife hobby over the expensive coffee habit any day of the week, at least we have something that is usable at end of the day. Not to mention will hold some sort of value.
 
Bob6794 said:
Yeah it's kind of funny how much people spend on their daily coffee. I have a family member and several friends who will spend over $5 a day for just their morning coffee practically every day and not think twice about it. And sometimes that turns into multiple coffees that day, so lets just call it 40 coffee's a month and simplicity about $5 a drink. That's $200 down the drain for something you can brew at home that be cheaper and better, and they still wonder why I look at them funny when they complain about not having money to buy a $60 car part to fix their car so they don't burn through gas like there is no tomorrow (been over a year with that problem). Another pile of money down the drain, but that's another story.

I take the knife hobby over the expensive coffee habit any day of the week, at least we have something that is usable at end of the day. Not to mention will hold some sort of value.
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$5 per coffee? they must be starbucks drinkers or something, which by the way i think is crap. :)
 
Folks, let's not get too deep into religion in here. Tis is not the venue for such things.
 
The only people that know how much my knives cost are my gun club buddies. Some have multiple hobbies like RC planes and motorcycle riding. They totally get me. :)
 
When asked, I saw it is my hobby and I enjoy my knives. It's hard to argue with that! At home, my wife and I keep separate accounts so I can buy what I want and she can buy what she wants.
 
One day I was using my Sebenza out in public. A stranger came up and complemented me on my knife. He then said "I wish I could afford one." I just said "shush, don't tell anyone how much I paid for it." He understood and kept the secret. If someone ever asked me how much I paid for either of my Chris Reeve knives, I would either lie or give a very evasive answer. I totally understand people thinking I am nuts for spending that much for a knife. The truth is my $375 knife makes me a lot happier than the $500 suit I recently bought. I doubt anyone would criticize me for spending $500 on a suit. Of course they would probably think I was crazy if I had 30 suits, so shush, don't tell anyone how many knives I own.
 
Bob6794 said:
I take the knife hobby over the expensive coffee habit any day of the week, at least we have something that is usable at end of the day. Not to mention will hold some sort of value.
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I'm starting to go down the coffee brewing hobby. It's getting expensive. I've started looking at vacuum siphon brewing and gold plated wire mesh filters.
 
Why did they ask or know you spend money on the knife? Like many have said, don't let it come up in the conversation. All too often we set ourselves up because we broke the rule "Never show off your toys."

Why is it a rule? Because when you do - knife, wife, car - then you get the attention of others who think you are moving past them in social rank. And they aren't going to let that happen, so the first thing out of their mouth is a put down.

If you want all the details, just surf "monkey dancing." It's the same old game as always, the locker room measuring contest from Junior High. It's caused by testosterone influencing male thought patterns. We don't see it, but ask your wife/girlfriend - they see it all day long. They don't have the problem, but they have to live with it.

Hence, "Why can't we all get along?"

Now we get to why we bought it to begin with - because it's technically superior, or it's expensive, or something, but in nearly every case, there is a ranking involved, and mine's better than yours. Just count the number of posts in the worldwide web that ask, "What's the best?" The reality is there is no best, they are asking what's the highest ranked item in social standing for that genre.

Please carefully note, 99% of the time, if it's ranked higher, it's usually NOT based on performance for the dollar. That's because as performance goes up, the dollar costs increase geometrically, there is no winning that contest. People avoid that one like the plague, it doesn't suit elevating their heirarchy. Owning cheap basic normal stuff doesn't make you glamorous. I enjoy pointing that out now and then, but testosterone filters that out of the normal guys thinking.

Happens on forums all the time, too. Discuss a tool, there will be a post saying "use something better," which implies they do, and are. It takes mentioning it, displaying it, or making it obvious, and that is an invitation for comment. I've come to the point of just ignoring their comment and moving on to whatever we were originally talking about. Putting them down or setting them in their place is exactly what they want you to do, so they can respond. They want you to engage so they can get their knockout riposte and know you are an untermensch.

Be the adult, don't play their silly games. Boys will be boys, you don't have to be one once you reach adulthood. Funny how so many never do.
 
i don't drink, i don't smoke, don't eat caviar, and don't aimlessly walk around malls looking for clothes i don't need. is it ok if i treat myself to a freakin knife once in a while?:mad:
 
The warden and I came to a compromise a ways back. She buys as many purses and shoes that she wants, and I get my cutting tools without complaint. We both know that I have more than I need and we both call them my ''toys''. We don't discuss my cutting tools with anyone as most will not understand.
 
IMO, just stop explaining yourself. Life's too short to justify your wants to other people.
 
I'll give you an example of a man that always "explains" himself to his wife...My cousin, Andrew. The man can barely take a dump without explaining to her how he's going to wipe afterwards. He "NEVER" has money to do anything, saying it costs too much when really he's just too scared of the Mrs. to ask her for some money (since she runs all the accounts). He's been wanting a motorcycle and says "NEXT YEAR". Guess what? He's still saying it after 8 years and he still doesn't have a motorcycle and I'm pretty damn sure he won't have one next year. I told him just go buy one, and live a little. Just think, he could've had 10s of thousands of miles of enjoyment by now had he bought one all those years ago. I told him, sure, I've sometimes foolishly spent my money over the years, but look at all the cool S*** and experiences I've enjoyed?!? Maybe my retirement will suck 35 years down the road, but at least I'll have enjoyed myself along the way. People have looked at me crazy when they were told the answer to how much a car, knife, gun, surgery for my dogs, vacation, etc..etc..cost. In the end they're for my enjoyment.

There's no explanation necessary if I want to spend $200 on a knife or anything else for that matter. Just buy what you want as long as you can afford to do so. We're all here too short a time for it to really matter anyways.
 
My wife dropped $3500.00 on two new saddles last week... didn't bat an eye... she spends more on her horses than I spent on the kids college tuition! That being said... I don't show her every knife I buy...
 
It is human nature to be ego centric and hyprocitical. I own as many knives as I can afford, it is a fulfilling for me.
 
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