What's your budget?

[Hemi8me]

Budget??????? What is that?

I have had to many hobbies in my life time. Most of them went to the way side because I could not fit them in the budget. O'well wine making, hunting, and quads have been my latest hobbies. Might get out of quads to make more room for cars. I just don't get hurt as much with cars.

 

[goose-em]

I spend about 5% I suppose. I also have a small business so I deduct almost 100% of that off my taxes.

 

[kdubya]

ya, I gave up smoking, drinking, and women. Worst ten minutes of my life.
I just finished a Harley shovelhead project. Took 3 years. Spent about $1,500./yr. So, will probably keep this same budget on my rod build. It's about 2% of my income. Seems kindof low to me. Have to show these figures to the wifey. Must spend more.

 

[42chevy]

I usually am lucky to spend over $50 at a time for mine. I have about $4000 in my '42 Chevy including one of my largest purchases, the Olds 455 I just bought. I usually horsetrade or sell a parts car and keep what I want to kind of break even. I probably spend about .001% a year but it is much cheaper than drinking and alot more fun. My head usually only hurts afterwards if I hit it on something, better than a hangover.

 

[RoddingRon]

I try (for the most part) to only spend what I make in overtime at work, or what I make wheeling and dealing on cars or parts. I can pay all my bills and put a few bucks into savings with a straight 40 hour week, so any of the OT I use for the toys and as far as the wheeling and dealing, I've never tried to make a living off the wheeling and dealing of the car stuff, but if I can pick something up and make a few bucks by reselling or trade up for a part, then I'll go for it.

I do have to admit it's only been the last two or three years or so that I've been in this position, Before that I had to plan ahead if I wanted to spend more then $50, but it's worked and I've built a few cars over the years that turned out pretty good, and the most important part....I had fun doing it

 

[Shea Laking]

While I was collecting stuff to put together my current truck, I tried (still trying) to do it as cheap as possible. A semi-local (Toronto) junkyard has several All-You-Can-Carry days in their you pull yard, so solid doors and front fenders only cost me $100. One of my co-workers is connected to a lot of local guys getting out of the S-truck scene, so I scored a set of NEW inner fenders from him, $50. Another co-worker gave me a limited slip diff he bought for his truck, never put it in and sold the truck. My replacement box was a kijiji "going back to school" score, $250.

Of course, there was some new repro stuff, too. Luckily, that was a couple years back at tax-refund time, wife wanted a Wii, and the CDN$ was at par with the greenback, so LMC Truck, here I come!

Haven't bought anything for a couple of years...Come to think of it haven't DONE anything to the poor thing in a couple of years! Time to get my butt in gear. New Year's Rez?[S

I spend when I can, scrounge when I can't. Don't really budget, cuz besides gas in my driver and a few cups of Timmies a week, I'm not allowed to spend money....as per SWMBO.

Cool topic, though. Interesting to see everyone's ideas.

Regards,
Shea

 

[mitchs66]

In the past I haven't even thought budget[S just did as I could when I could, but now with a family to think of and liking the ideal of no rules and pretty much anything goes in the rat rod world, I set my projects over all budget at $1500.00 and no time limit. This gives me time to look around for the best buys, take the time to make things instead of buying, or trading of other unwanted parts, heck I even consider trading labor for parts a good way of getting things I want.

 

[zzrodder]

Budget ?? I don't need no steenkin' budget !!

I just buy what I need, trying not to go overboard, do everything myself except upholstery and engine block machining. On a strictly dollars spent versus dollars back upon sale level, I normally make a 20% gain on a car, and that includes absolutely everything. Of course I would be only making about $1.50 an hour, but it's a hobby and 20% is way more than the bank will give you on your investment in a year.

 

[moparcowboy]

My car money comes from selling car/bike parts, I like the idea of 20.00 a week maybe I'll add that in. would really help! Don't Drink, smoke , chew or chase wild women so don't know how else to build car fund up.
Got all the tools from when I twisted wrenches

 

[LilD]

Used to be when ever I had a side job. About $300 a month. Now its 0

 

[oldskool]

It would be hard for me to pin down really....kinda depends on how much the bank has on hand when robbed Just kidding!!!! havent done that in years.
I would say about 2%, some money comes from the shop funds and horse trading