The 2022 "Getting ahead thread"

[NMSbowhunter]

I’m calling this the 2022 “Getting ahead thread”.

I’ve implemented it in my own life so I thought I would throw this out there and see what others think. This may encourage others to think and act along the same lines.

Every year I budget a certain amount of money to cover the costs of the hunting season. The majority of this is fuel budget these days since I hunt about 98% public land. The private land I have access to is free permission. In the past, this budgeting included saving up to pay about $1300 in dues each year in addition to what gas money I was saving. Not having to pay dues helps a lot.

That said, as we are all painfully aware, gas prices are at an all-time high. It does not matter how comfortable your saddle is, or how light your climbing method is, or how many good bucks you have on camera going into the season if you can’t afford to get out there and hunt. Unless you are fortunate enough to actually live in the middle of your hunting grounds, transportation, and fueling that transportation is the #1 prerequisite to a successful season.

In the past I have budgeted X dollars for gas. At the beginning of this year, I set a goal of X times 2.5 since I did not know how ridiculous gas prices would be when October rolls around. I reached that goal a month ago and that money is now sitting comfortably in a savings account. I believe that by budgeting a specific amount and saving towards that goal is an important step in making sure I have it. That money has a name and a purpose.

The difference this year is that I plan to set the goal of putting NEXT YEAR’s money aside as well. That way, when I am successful reaching this goal, I can always stay one year ahead of the season. This won’t be easy, but it is a goal I can reach if I work hard and smart and avoid temptations. It’s sort of like making a commitment to going to the gym and working out. Commitment is a big part of it.

By challenging myself to make this happen I think I have a lot better shot at accomplishing my goal. It will be nice to know that going in 2023 I will already be prepared for the season, and I can go forward putting money away for 2024.

If you’re not at 100% for this season you could take this as a call to action to get busy and make it happen.

My thoughts are, if you want to play along, you can post “I’m 10% toward reaching my goal” or I put another $20 in the envelope today, or I decided to save $50 instead of spending it on (___________) fill in the blank.

I’ll get it started. I’m 10% toward my 2023 goal.

So, what do you think?

 

[BTaylor]

Plan your work and work your plan.

 

[DroptineKrazy]

Does not apply as I do live in the middle of my hunting grounds. Lucky me

 

[tailgunner]

No.no.no.......first thing my dude said is every year I budget.uh........no.back to the support thread.

 

[Wolverinebuckman]

Budgeting is a great idea! This sounds very Dave Ramsey-ish. His teachings on seeing a prioritized monthly budget helped us a lot several years back.

Although I do live on the edge of my hunting ground and don't need the gas, it would be wise to get into envelopes for everything, it's a smart way to go.

 

[MSbowhunter48]

I kinda have the same mindset as you. When I was fresh out of college I told myself I would never let money hinder me from taking out of state trips and experience new things.

I ended up opening up a new savings account with my bank just for hunting costs, I have a set amount of money that the savings account pulls from my checking account every week. Sometimes it’s as little as $25 a week and sometimes it’s up to $100 a week, just depends on if bills are caught up and whatnot. That way I don’t have to think about putting money aside, it automatically does it for me. And whatever amount of money is left over at the end of the year just rolls over into the next year.

I don’t technically have a set goal I’m striving for but it’s what works for me.

 

[BuffaloBill]

I kinda have the same mindset as you. When I was fresh out of college I told myself I would never let money hinder me from taking out of state trips and experience new things.

I ended up opening up a new savings account with my bank just for hunting costs, I have a set amount of money that the savings account pulls from my checking account every week. Sometimes it’s as little as $25 a week and sometimes it’s up to $100 a week, just depends on if bills are caught up and whatnot. That way I don’t have to think about putting money aside, it automatically does it for me. And whatever amount of money is left over at the end of the year just rolls over into the next year.

I don’t technically have a set goal I’m striving for but it’s what works for me.

I did something similar. I have an automatic transfer every paycheck to a savings account that I use towards hobby related purchases. If I make a larger purchase I transfer some out of it to our main checking account. Kind of like an allowance.

 

[woodsdog2]

I think this is an important mindset especially if you plan on doing some multi state hunting each year as well. Budgeting for fuel, license fees and other ancillary expenses and having that set aside will make your hunting goals and dreams that much more realistic.

 

[CooterBrown]

I have a small second job as our local union secretary that i use to pay for my hunting hobby.

 

[jlh42581]

I avoided all of this by living well below my means. I make a healthy income and live in a house we paid $80k for 6 years ago. My truck is a 2014, paid in full. Zero credit card debt, student loans paid off. My only bill outside of living expenses is a UTV that I am over a year ahead on payments. Going to Illinois in Nov a 10 hour drive to hunt public. Those $800 truck payments and $2000 mortgages add up quick. Most people these days have multiple car payments, mortgage, camps, atvs/utvs/boats/campers financed, credit cards .... jacked to the walls in debt in the never ending keeping up with the neighbor. You now how I know.... I was that person! Its amazing when you dont watch your bank account drain to zero every month. There are gonna be a few people that will get some rude awakenings soon. Inflation is 9.1% and the government is going to raise interest rates again tomorrow.

You shouldnt let your money just sit in a bank account. At least put it in a ROTH Ira. You can deduct the contribution at any time without penalty. If you put $1000 in today and 6 months from now its worth $2000 you can take the original $1000 back out without getting waxed.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I avoided all of this by living well below my means. I make a healthy income and live in a house we paid $80k for 6 years ago. My truck is a 2014, paid in full. Zero credit card debt, student loans paid off. My only bill outside of living expenses is a UTV that I am over a year ahead on payments. Going to Illinois in Nov a 10 hour drive to hunt public. Those $800 truck payments and $2000 mortgages add up quick. Most people these days have multiple car payments, mortgage, camps, atvs/utvs/boats/campers financed, credit cards .... jacked to the walls in debt in the never ending keeping up with the neighbor. You now how I know.... I was that person! Its amazing when you dont watch your bank account drain to zero every month. There are gonna be a few people that will get some rude awakenings soon. Inflation is 9.1% and the government is going to raise interest rates again tomorrow.

You shouldnt let your money just sit in a bank account. At least put it in a ROTH Ira. You can deduct the contribution at any time without penalty. If you put $1000 in today and 6 months from now its worth $2000 you can take the original $1000 back out without getting waxed.

My wife and I have been doing basically what you are talking about since we got married. We worked and paid down all the debt and we live well below our means. I just save up hunting money in its own category (every dollar has a category around here) and budget that in. My main idea was to just double or triple that amount and get ahead. I'll look into that Roth IRA.

I'm also a firm believer that somebody does not need go into debt to buy a $60,000 4x4 truck, a $12,000 side by side, and $8000 trailer to pull said side by side on and all the other things to kill deer. I have several friends who do just this and then can't take off work to hunt because they have to feed that debt.

 

[woodsdog2]

We have very little debt, zero credit card debt and drive older vehicles. My truck and my wife’s suv are 2016’s we bought used with low mileage. We do still have a mortgage but we pay up on it to try and work in one extra payment against the principal a year ( this can take seven years off your original note). We keep up with maintenance of our vehicles as well.