Horrible discovery about the cost of the hobby!

[nachoman]

Relative, all relative. I can buy a lot of "hobby", for the price of "greens fees" for 18 holes at most local golf courses, not to mention cart rental etc. etc. etc..
Trapshooting isn't cheap either, and how about the price of a movie ticket!
A hobby, however expensive it may be, is the source of individual, personal enjoyment, something hard to come by, and well worth the expense.

Excellent comment. It is all about priorities. Sometimes people ask how a single guy like myself can afford to have his own house on a very modest income (perhaps the word "single" answers that question well enough ). But if I compare my expenses to those of my peers, it seems quite doable. I don't have a car payment, and do my own auto repairs. I live close enough to work that I only go through about one tank of gas per month. I don't fork over money for cable television or the latest technology gizmos. I rarely eat out, don't own expensive clothes, don't have an "entertainment" budget, and even my hobby budget is relatively cheap. It is all about priorities. In my case, my priority is to have my own house rather than a new car, fancy clothes, or eat at fancy restaurants every week. Model Railroading can be treated the same way: It can be as expensive or cheap as you want to make it. No matter how cramped of a space you live in, you can always find room for a small layout that can be taken down for storage. Wayne's comment also makes a good point: If you have the space anyway, the cost of the space really isn't part of the hobby. It is only when you have to aquire extra space in order to dedicate to the hobby. My house is rather small, but I live alone. I have two spare bedrooms, so I may as wekk use one for a layout .