Dave has been causing me to buy better kit - oh but the money I have saved!

[VA3JME]

Sigh.. the more I learn the more I realize I need to replace my "cheap ass™" multimeter with a proper one. So I just ordered one.

And a scope... needed one of those too. Got one.

And a proper soldering iron. Got that.

So far, about a grand worth of kit, but hey, last week I managed to troubleshoot a $12 power supply!

Sigh

In all seriousness though, at least I am having fun

[extide]

Right this way sir.

[james_s]

That's the way hobbies go. Some people spend $15k on a fishing boat, another $30k on a truck to pull it, a bunch more on equipment when they could buy fish at the supermarket for a few dollars a pound. As far as hobbies go you could do a lot worse.

[German_EE]

As I said to my girlfriend this weekend after I walked home with an audio system found in the street;

I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't have a motorbike or a sports car and you're unlikely to find me with some strange woman in a delicate situation. I therefore spend my spare cash on electronics and ham radio, and you have it easy.

[Rick Law]

I too am a hobbyist.  I judge it as "if this amusement park ride ticket is too much money for too little fun - or not".

I like to think I saved a lot of money.  Imagine, instead of a $70 soldering iron, I might have purchased a $700 golf club, or might have spend $1700 off-road motor-bike...  So, I am having fun and I am saving a lot of money...

[bitseeker]

Sigh.. the more I learn the more I realize I need to replace my "cheap ass™" multimeter with a proper one. So I just ordered one.

And a scope... needed one of those too. Got one.

And a proper soldering iron. Got that.

So far, about a grand worth of kit, but hey, last week I managed to troubleshoot a $12 power supply!

Only a $12 power supply today, but what will you progress to next week, next year, or beyond? There's also new stuff that you can design and build, if that aspect of electronics meets your fancy.

In all seriousness though, at least I am having fun

And learning, too. There are certainly worse ways to spend time and money. Welcome to the forum, VA3JME!

Right this way sir.

Haha! Yes, indeed! All are welcome at the TEA house.

As I said to my girlfriend this weekend after I walked home with an audio system found in the street;

I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't have a motorbike or a sports car and you're unlikely to find me with some strange woman in a delicate situation. I therefore spend my spare cash on electronics and ham radio, and you have it easy.

Likewise. Well, I do have a sports car, but I use my DMM on it, too.

[VA3JME]

OK I am not alone! LOL... well, I managed to diagnose the $12 power supply, but I still have not actually repaired it... that will be a goal.

I did repair a friends $80 laptop power supply last week... so I am making progress.

Jamie

[bitseeker]

Only $920 to go to break even.

[james_s]

Well what would it cost you to get the same education at a community college?

Some people spend >$100k getting a whole 4 year degree in something that is not even directly applicable to the sort of jobs one is likely to find.

[Electro Detective]

There are a LOT of really silly, vain, wasteful toys, snob priced hyped tools, and delusion fueled poor 'lifestyle choices' to blow money on 

fortunately (afaict) most electronics test gear is not one of them, 

AND if looked after you can resell to upgrade,

or if you decide electronicals are not for you   (for now... )