10-09-2008, 05:10 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,537
| Where fencing fits in your wallet.
Raise your hand if you do not make enough money.
*Raises Hand*.
This thread pertains more to the competitive, traveling fencer than the recreational ones. Don't even bother to reply if your parents are currently paying for your fencing (but do reply if you are a parent of a fencer and you're paying for all of this).
When I started supporting myself financially, pretty much the first thing to go was competitive fencing. You can't really do it on a low budget.
Things have gotten more expensive lately, and I've found that I'm making decisions between other expenses (cell phone, small entertainment), and my other hobby, lifting.
My questions "Where does fencing fall on your list of financial priorities?" and "Will you be, or are you currently in financial debt due to expenses incurred from competitive fencing?" and if so "How much debt are you in/willing to be in?".
This could get interesting.
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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. And from this side only! The flight of a half-man, half-bird. Dinosaurs nuzzling their young in pastures where strip malls should be. Cookies on dowels. All those moment, lost in time. Gone, like eggs off a hooker's stomach. Time to die" -Phil Ken Sebben
Last edited by D+F+P=Hadouken!; 10-09-2008 at 05:12 PM.
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10-09-2008, 05:40 PM
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#2 | | Scavenger
Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 4,656
| I'm not willing to be in much debt for fencing, but I spend a considerable amount on it. I owe a negligible amount on credit cards, only for my most recent tournament, and only for the hotel and a few small purchases. I try not to carry a balance on my credit cards for more than a couple of months. Considering that the most recent tournament involved paying for two plane fares to Europe, that meant I had to dig deep in order to pay things off, and there were a couple of tight months.
I'm older, have a reasonable income, and have a spouse with a reasonable income, so I don't have to do without food or rent in order to fence. However, my husband is self-employed and his income is widely variable, and in the current market situation I've been watching my pension dwindle.
I have an arrangement with my club ensuring that they don't automatically bill my credit card for lesson fees, as they do with other members; I've been a member for fourteen years and they know that I'm good for the money even if every couple of years it takes a while to catch up.
Now I'm busy trying to figure out how I'm going to pay for Moscow next year.
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I never made a mistake in grammar but one in my life and as soon as I done it I seen it. -- Carl Sandburg | |
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10-09-2008, 06:16 PM
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#3 | | Fence As Much As Possible
Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Alleyways
Posts: 184
| Quote:
Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!  "Will you be, or are you currently in financial debt due to expenses incurred from competitive fencing?" | No. Quote:
Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken! "How much debt are you in/willing to be in?". | None. I never want to be in debt and will never put my self in a situation were I owe.
Always pay in full and never take out loans.
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Yea, I'm still a noob. Big WOOP. Wanna fight about it?  | |
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10-09-2008, 06:20 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 851
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Cry_Me_A_River I never want to be in debt and will never put my self in a situation were I owe.
Always pay in full and never take out loans. | "Always" is quite extreme. House? College?
But I certainly wouldn't go into debt for fencing. | |
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10-09-2008, 06:21 PM
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#5 | | Fence As Much As Possible
Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Alleyways
Posts: 184
| Quote:
Originally Posted by tchwojko "Always" is quite extreme. House? College? | Damn right.
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Yea, I'm still a noob. Big WOOP. Wanna fight about it? | |
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10-09-2008, 06:28 PM
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#6 | | Epee fencing addict
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Glenwood, ny
Posts: 2,288
| Welcome to reality. 
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One test is worth a thousand opinions.
I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was. - Toby Keith
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo | |
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10-09-2008, 07:33 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Japan
Posts: 1,040
| If only there was a company that would buy up all fencers' debt at a discounted price, package it and then resell it to a bank where they could make it a securitized product on the open market.
Oh wait, that would cause a sub-prime (pronouced: preem) crisis!
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FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WON'T YOU BUY MY TACTICAL WHEEL!!!???? | |
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10-09-2008, 07:40 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 851
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Grasshopper If only there was a company that would buy up all fencers' debt at a discounted price, package it and then resell it to a bank where they could make it a securitized product on the open market.
Oh wait, that would cause a sub-prime (pronouced: preem) crisis! | When you have to explain your joke, it's not funny.  | |
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10-09-2008, 07:48 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 109
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Cry_Me_A_River No.
None. I never want to be in debt and will never put my self in a situation were I owe.
Always pay in full and never take out loans. | No cash debt, yet, but plenty of oxygen debt for me.
"I theeenk it's affecting me brayne!" | |
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10-09-2008, 08:00 PM
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#10 | | Member
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Western MA
Posts: 85
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Grasshopper If only there was a company that would buy up all fencers' debt at a discounted price, package it and then resell it to a bank where they could make it a securitized product on the open market. | Then get bailed out by the government so we can throw a lavish party and invite all of our clients... | |
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10-09-2008, 09:35 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 259
| Pirates don't go into debt. I am in agreement with Cry Me A River. I don't like to owe anyone, and I like good quality weapons and protective gear. I've cut corners with second-hand bags, shoes, and tools, and bring my own snacks to tournaments. If I can visit a friend, attend a relative's wedding, see a show, or take a mini-vacation, I can justify the airfare/hotel to a long-distance event. But, I can see cutting wa-a-a-y back next year, quietly building up skills, and going to a few local tournaments.
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"At the very heart of the power relationship, and constantly provoking it, are the recalcitrance of the will and the intransigence of freedom."
Michel Foucault, "The Subject and Power"
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10-09-2008, 09:44 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,537
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Meteoric Iron Pirates don't go into debt. | The RIAA begs to differ.
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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. And from this side only! The flight of a half-man, half-bird. Dinosaurs nuzzling their young in pastures where strip malls should be. Cookies on dowels. All those moment, lost in time. Gone, like eggs off a hooker's stomach. Time to die" -Phil Ken Sebben
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10-10-2008, 01:11 AM
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#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Between reason and devotion.
Posts: 517
| I count myself lucky enough to be amazingly comfortable in real life - prolly 'cause I do not need that much in material dept. : books and music being a not such expensive pair of vices; but as far as fencing goes - I can not afford the best of "everything", as I do not consider debt a possibility.
I get absolutely "top of the line" blades, wire, tips, guards, handles, gloves and shoes; the rest are just outta control price wise. I try to take extra care with all of the equipment, but somehow have a knack of destroying or losing it rather often. As a matter of fact in St Lou I'll have to get a new jacket, knickers, couple of blades, and shoes.
Cheap hotels and odd flights usually chap my hide , but c'est la vie, and it is better than not going at all; although I can attribute at least 1 atrocious NAC to a crappy travel schedule.
Lessons and coach travel - I'm at about 60-75% of optimum.
In other words - it's a bit of a juggling act - but I'm not sure that there's a lot left to cut.
Last edited by Mr.MightyMouse; 10-10-2008 at 01:15 AM.
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10-10-2008, 01:14 AM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,049
| I don't have to pay for my club because I'm the armorer. I do, however, pay for all equipment and tournament stuff. My club has a deal set up where fencers can earn a decent amount for use towards fencing by doing some volunteer work. That's part of how I support it, although being that I no longer work, I think it will soon become all of how I support it.
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"When Fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in the flag and bearing a cross."
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10-10-2008, 02:16 AM
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#15 | | Just Joined
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6
| Quote:
Originally Posted by tchwojko When you have to explain your joke, it's not funny. | ya seriously
__________________  What the **** is wtf?
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10-10-2008, 04:29 AM
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#16 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 300
| Grad student definitely equals not enough money...
Right now my other expenses are quite minimal, but fencing is expensive here and I don't make much . I don't have a full sense of my budget having just changed locations/sources of income but as I figure it out we'll see what has to go. I can go to a university club for cheap, a good club for a lot, and lessons there cost even more, where if I were to keep things up continuously at the good club I'd be looking at 3500/year. If it turns out I can't handle that, I can definitely see myself giving up the expensive lessons and the expensive dues and relying on outside arrangements for semi-consistent coaching. Probably the first place I would cut would be being more selective about tournament selection, but time constraints might make membership at two clubs impractical anyways, so cutting out a membership there is also a definite possibility. I don't think I'd go into debt for fencing at this point. Right now I can also keep a decent amount open for fencing because I'm in biking distance of my clubs and can carpool for tournaments. Not needing to put away hundreds of dollars a month on parking and insurance, let alone gas, maintenance, and car payments, frees up a lot. | |
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10-10-2008, 08:31 AM
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#17 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 634
| I just got a new job, so I'm trying to put some money away so I can get on my feet as soon as possible. Which means it's time to prioritize what counts as a necessary expense and what doesn't, and exorbitant club fees are out of the question. There's a slim chance I might have enough put away in time to be able to go to the Atlanta NAC, but I'm not holding my breath. Fencing has mostly gone on the back burner for the immediate future.
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Out Of The Ashes | |
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10-10-2008, 10:57 AM
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#18 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,145
| Fencing owns my wallet. It loans me the wallet to put money in until it wants it.
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If you give a man a fire, he is warm for the night.
If you set a man on fire, he is warm for the rest of his life.
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10-10-2008, 12:23 PM
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#19 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,537
| Interesting responses so far.
I'd like to hear from some fencing parents.
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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. And from this side only! The flight of a half-man, half-bird. Dinosaurs nuzzling their young in pastures where strip malls should be. Cookies on dowels. All those moment, lost in time. Gone, like eggs off a hooker's stomach. Time to die" -Phil Ken Sebben
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10-10-2008, 12:33 PM
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#20 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Coast
Posts: 2,402
| If I could type over the cacophony of the airstream howling into the black hole that has taken up residence in my wallet...ahh...the tales I could tell.
But not without weeping.
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"Fraud is the creation of trust. And then: its betrayal."
William Black, Ph.D.
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