SCUBA Poor :( But Happy :D

[Jax]

How many on this board are Scuba Poor? I just paid for the wife and two daughters to complete their OW courses. Now the two girls have decided, "Daddy, we want to work on becoming MSD's, will you pay for it?". I have a standing policy at home that I will pay for any "schooling" they desire. Of course... I am on the hook for equipment too. Oh... did I mention they both are in college too. So between tuition and scuba classes, well I am just like the old Jerry Reed song... "working two jobs, eating baloney" and loving every minute of it.

Is this the norm?

Hi! :wavey:

I'm up for adoption.

 

[imwright1985]

Not sure I see how you're "on the hook" for the gear. You pay for "any schooling" which is admirable, but gear/supplies are seperate. I'd pay tuition for a kid, sure, but they are paying if they want a laptop, etc. I survived both graduate and undergraduate w/o a computer. Same as diving, you can "survive" with basic gear. Everything else is a luxury and should come out of their pockets. I too recall another song, this one is a little older, called "Get a Job".

Laptop I would highly recommend, I have issues with the school network getting tempermental, but we have like 3-4 different wifi access spots, and wired network hubs with different orgins around the buildings I hang out at. At a minimum i could make it through school with a desktop at home permitting i have time to use it and my dad isnt hogging it. Problem with diving though I just ran into with my nitrox class is where PADI has fased out the Tables and requires a computer with the only books i could find.

 

[tcbc8222]

Well..... I gave them the green light to dive at their leisure. I have encouraged them to both seek the MSD in 2012 and one wants the DM level so I told her sure too. As far as equipment..... you can't have to much equipment! I think this is cheaper than some of their other hobbies I have paid for growing up... competitive cheerleading/gymnastics, horses, foreign exchange students. We already ride horses competitively, now we can dive together too. I am looking forward to 2012.

In the whole scheme of things.... I think diving is cheaper than golf, fishing, and horses. The problem is going to be finding time to cut grass. Ah yeck... I will just let the horses do that!

 

[koozemani]

My boys are 6 and 8 and have already shown an interest. I plan on putting them in a Scuba Rangers camp next summer, we'll see where that leads. But I agree, they'll appreciate, and probably take better care of gear that they worked for and earned on their own. Apart from birthdays and Christmas, let them earn their own or possibly be willing to pay the difference between getting a base model and an upgraded model of gear.

 

[drbill]

Like Phil (MaxBottomTime) I am a certified dive bum, but my car is much older than his (a 1978 Toyota Tercel that still runs great but looks like bison doo doo). Most of my disposable income goes into diving. Fortunately my son was in his mid-20s when he caught the bug and spent more of his money on SCUBA gear in the first year than I think I've spent in my life. Fortunately he earns more than his old man! Diving with him has been a real joy. Diving period is one of the best activities in my life... even more so today than at almost any time in my 50 years of doing it. I've never felt that possessing a lot of material things brought me much happiness... well, except for a decent reg and kit!

The only thing I'd like to have more money for is international dive travel. I'll be "retiring" (from being a dive bum?) in the next year or two and want to hit the three remaining continents before I go to that warm, tropical place (hopefully heaven rather than h&ll).

 

[drbill]

I think diving is cheaper than golf...

Certainly true for me given the number of golf balls I lost on each round. Heck, an air fill is only $7 here.

 

[jbomb001]

yea scuba poor is right on the money.... i got the bug and started workin 60 hr weeks to get the class and all my gear payed for .. only had to buy for me tho, no more wife and no kids..

 

[jbomb001]

i also find that all of my extra income and some of my not so dispo. income goes to diving.. im a bit of a gadget junky tho gota have the the best of what i can afford...

 

[melanie.]

I would rather be poor and diving then rich and dry

That being said, Daddy dearest just bought me a steel tank as a birthday gift I have the next 3 years of bdays and xmas presents already decided:blinking:

 

[Randy43068]

I'm sure his cost would outweigh any benefits received. :mooner:

Hi! :wavey:

I'm up for adoption.