How do you decide or prioritise what to spend on?

As a semi-experienced (10 years, 25+ marathons) amateur runner (4hr+ marathon), wanting to improve, I find this a deep dark rabbit hole my wallet is struggling to keep up.

My current expense ratios for this year:

Races: 2xtrail & 1xMarathon ~$175 (35%)

Shoes: 2xshoes ~$175 (35%)

Gear: socks & bottle ~$75 (15%)

Tech: Garmin HRM ~$80 (15%)

Next on my wishlist are

  • road shoes
  • running tights
  • replacing my 3year old Garmin
  • running cap/ sunglasses
  • a coach

As a sole breadwinner still wanting to pursue my passion of running ,any tips or philosophies to share to help a brother out?

  • ghose@foros.fediverso.galEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    thank you! I never took the time to recall how much I spend on running

    my budget:

    • 0$ on t-shirts (plenty of them of all kind after many years of running)
    • 100$ every three/four years for a good lightweight windshield (winter time). Over the years I have acumulated couple of gloves, beanie, etc. that actually long for ever
    • about 20$ running shorts every other year, as they wear out I’m going rotating them. Mild weather here, some I don’t need expensive gear to run in the winter. In the summer it is much more cheaper XD
    • my latest “wrist computer” is a 450$ from 3 years ago. I think I will use it untill it breaks down in pieces or battery dies, as it covers much more that I actually need. One of my best purchases
    • shoes… as a barefoot runner … :D I also have some “minimal” shoes for trail, road, couple of running sandals, but I guess in the next year I will need a new pair for trailrunning (<150$) This kind of shoe does not lose any quality untill they break so usually I use them well beyond 1000km.
    • races… all costs considered … about 200$ per year? Yes, might be that. This year is well below that figure, but it’s an average stimation.

    I don’t have a limited budget per se, as I don’t travel to far away races that would increase the costs, but I’m defenitly not in the spending wheel or motivated for the latest gadget, trend, etc.