Just out of curiosity i checked my flight sim purchases for the last 400 days on PayPal I have other purchases from orbx on my cc but i'm not including them in this quick experiment.

I've bought €1500/$1800 worth of addons 

I know everyone's situation is different but whats the general consensus, I Probably get to spend 10hrs a week in the sim 

it roughly equates to $4.50 a day and i know there are far more expensive habits.

Am I roughly inline with the rest of the community? Or have i a "new release" addiction 

So Is this a typical or excessive amount?

 

That's not too far from my own experience.  About $2500 in two years of simming with FSX.  I spend more time at it than you do.  But I've been to war, raised kids, paid for colleges and weddings, worked like a dog.  And now it's my turn.  I've moved to xplane and the spending continues.  My golfing friends spend far more than I do.  But, that said, I confess to something of a "new toy" addiction when it comes to this hobby.  Best regards.

2 hours ago, stephenbgs said:

 

I've bought €1500/$1800 worth of addons 

 

I try to limit myself to about £100 a month on average but probably spend a bit more which more or less equates to what you guys are spending. But I have retired now and it's my time to enjoy to the full a hobby that I love. I don't think £3.50/€4/$5 a day is a lot to spend on a hobby and I'm certain a lot of hobbies cost a lot more than that. Although I'm not a smoker, I am certain that a packet of cigarettes a day would cost more than that and at least flight simming doesn't kill you! Like smoking it is a serious addiction though!

Bill

Most damage is done in the first few years as the sim is being set up with payware eg. ORBX , vector, airports and then its pmdg ,A2A . Active sky etc

After seven years I rarely spend much unless its a must have software

Just now, scianoir said:

I try to limit myself to about £100 a month on average but probably spend a bit more which more or less equates to what you guys are spending. But I have retired now and it's my time to enjoy to the full a hobby that I love. I don't think £3.50/€4/$5 a day is a lot to spend on a hobby and I'm certain a lot of hobbies cost a lot more than that. Although I'm not a smoker, I am certain that a packet of cigarettes a day would cost more than that and at least flight simming doesn't kill you! Like smoking it is a serious addiction though!

Bill

Well that is my thoughts also........... just i have a 4 month old boy now and i feel slightly guilty about spending anything on myself even though he wants for nothing and has a comfortable house.

That's why started spending more time on XP11 lots of great freeware got a great Boston and LIsbon airport for free easily payware quality if it was on another platform...but then i wanted the ixeg 737 and JAR A330 Meigs Field came today so i needed a light aircraft bought carenado pc12....If aerosoft release the airbus for V4 that's another purchase. There only Polygons, pixels and code but god this hobby is addictive 

3 minutes ago, zmak said:

Most damage is done in the first few years as the sim is being set up with payware eg. ORBX , vector, airports and then its pmdg ,A2A . Active sky etc

After seven years I rarely spend much unless its a must have software

I don't think i fit that category ....but i have to start  

All software is must have ( Except Camera addons like ezdock or chaseplane they never appealed to me )

I am spending about $600 year for sim softwares ($3000 since 2013) , so you are a bit high on yours, but compared to what ?

My Super Sport bike (Aprilia RSV4) plates costs me $1400 CDN year (bike only used for 5 months in summer), and this is only for the plates (registration), no gas, tires, maintenances costs, restaurants and so on are included. Simming is not expensive.. :)

Mike

Edited March 5, 20188 yr by Mikelab6

I'm in about 5k since the end of 2016, including a major upgrade recently that contributed to much of that amount.  I went in hard and heavy, but I can say that I'm finally starting to have things the way I want them.  As much as I love simming, I also realize that I could have gotten my private pilots license by now, so it's kind of a remorseful-pleasure.  Oh well, at least I got a lot farther, and a lot more often in the sim:-)

I would be about the same as well. The way I see it, a pint of beer in the local pub is now at $9.00 or so, therefore two or three of those you are getting close to $30.00, so if you are only spending about $5.00 a day that is really good value compared to other things. Also renting a Cessna 150 where I live is now up to around $250/hour, therefore really good value compared to that one too.

Edited March 5, 20188 yr by Matthew Kane

I have probably spent about £400 over the last 400 days, so that's a pound a day (and half of that has been spent on the PMDG 747-400 and 777).

4 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

Also renting a Cessna 150 where I live is now up to around $250/hour, therefore really good value compared to that one too.

That's pricey - you could soon aquire a large fleet of PMDG aircraft for that! Rental is a little cheaper where I live with Cessna 150s at £135/hour  (~$180) and 172s £160/hour (~$220) unless you opt for the 172XP.

I used to have a PPL and it's tempting to take up flying again but it too is an addiction except that is one that could prove a hell of a lot more expensive than my simming!! So I'll continue to hold that thought to justify what I spend on my flightsim!

Bill

Not bad really. What I don't want to know; is what I've spent over the last 10 years on upgrades, scenery, and planes. I know I've spent over 3 grand just on OrbX...

 LOL

 Sue

2 hours ago, Penzoil3 said:

Not bad really. What I don't want to know; is what I've spent over the last 10 years on upgrades, scenery, and planes. I know I've spent over 3 grand just on OrbX...

 LOL

 Sue

Wish you hadn't reminded me of that!

Bill

I have all the Orbx sceneries and continue to buy them.  I spent a bundle on a new Alienware gaming computer last summer when my old machine crapped out.  Bad feet and an arthritic shoulder keep me from doing anything productive except for my other hobby, cooking.

No more goals to meet.  No more mountains to climb.  Nothing left on the bucket list.  An adequate retirement income to maintain an adequate lower middle income lifestyle.  Winning a brand new Toyota Camry in a drawing last summer helped a bit.  I gave it to my wife.

I would be embarrassed to tell you how many hours a day I spend on my computer both flight simming and arguing politics with my  friends both local and overseas just because I like to argue.  And I do a bit of writing now and then just because I like to write.

I've not whit of guilt spending my kids and grandkids and great grandkids inheritance on me, myself and I.

I'm the kid in doctor's office playing with the toys in corner of the waiting room just waiting for the nurse to open the and say, "Noel, your next."

Noel

 

Edited March 5, 20188 yr by birdguy

Yep. I am in with the "best" of you over the years. Retired and this is my second hobby and as I age and the body fails me more, the one that occupies more of that time.