I probably spent, what, 600 $ at most, over the past 12 years on my Dark Eldar. Yeah, they are not painted.
I have spent more than that in a single year in Role playing books for EACH edition of DnD since 1998. Magic the gathering? I have two standard decks that cost me around 200 - 300 dollars each, and these decks need ot be updated every 3 months. Computer games? Comic book collecting? Boardgames? My collection of boardgames is not large, but when they go anywhere from 40 - 100 bucks per, man o man, these things can get pricey.
Yes, wargaming is one of the cheapest 'dork' hobbies you can get into because you pay for your army once, and you do not need to update it, like, ever. Maybe once a decade. And even then it is only a few units.
I won't even touch the subject of the hobby on the internet. I bought a 3000k Ogre Kingdoms army last week for 130$ on bartertown.com. If I try to buy magic cards, they aren't cheaper than if I bought them in my local store..
Anyway, I know you are being sarcastic... But I stand by the fact that yes, 40k is a cheap hobby.
I've got to admit I struggle with complaints of being 'priced out of the hobby'. No one's expecting anyone to buy an army per month and splash 100's of £/$/€. Realistically, I doubt anyone will be actually completing more than 1 unit per month on average - think of all the unpainted stuff we've all got, if we worked on what we bought I doubt anyone would buy more than a box or 2 a month so that averages at like £30 or so. Less than one computer game, less than one good night out, less than some concert tickets, you get the idea.
Folk shouldn't take out their frustrations over the UK's finances on GW - most companies dropped it when it went to 15% and they all jumped at the chance to get it back to 17.5% as soon as they could - that's not GW screwing anyone over, it's just how it is. If it hadn't gone down then it wouldn't go back up; we've gone back to paying what we were paying before, it ain't exactly a price hike!
I spent £43 last month and got a display model painted and a new 10 man squad that's added variety to my Angels Sanguine plus a few other bits. That's not bad for a month worth of hobby time, and I consider that an expensive month yet I'm not left broke. Like Buffo said above, there's much more demanding hobbies spend wise - I like cycling? £1,000 start up cost please! On the other hand if I don't want to spend money on models this week then I won't.War gaming has no minimum spend to get the ball rolling, buy a single figure for a few £ or dive right in with rules, battle forces and paint sets, it works either way.
The only reason to abandon this hobby (and an already sizeable investment in the army you own) is that you can't control your spending, in which case you'll have the same issues what ever your hobby!
#rebelgrot
And if you are a female wargamer, it is even worse. because you may not be able to control your spending, not only on figures, but shoes, purses and stoves!
Ha ha ah
oh is that all, i think ive spent well over $3000 dollors or more just on my SoB, i lost count and i dont want to scare myself by knowing...most likely more than $3000 to be honest.
Now i agree there are more seriously costs with hobbies, heck ive seen people have more in Remote controlled planes and cars than they do in household goods.
"Heretics crave the cleansing fire of absolution. They need not fear, for we shall deliver"
Yah 40K is by far one of the cheepest hobies ive done...
U want expensive, Fly RC helicopters...
Put it this way, when I sold my 3 birds I payed for 2 full armies, paints and had a tonne of cash left over.
Had I kept them, My big ones cost about 100-200 per crash.... So u do the math, this is peanuts...
Somtimes a month or go by between army purchesses, We all have things to paint... Learn to control your spending and not the need to own every single unit and use half of them....
tsk...you modern crazy kids and your fashion stylings!
@ Buffo: Can't believe the girls let you get away with the 'stoves' comment there; +10 man points!
@ Eldargal/Sister Rosette: The bags, the shiny models, the expensive haircuts...then the one BIG drain on those funds - the unicorn horn manicure and polish hehe