HOW MUCH HAVE YOU INVESTED....

[+Klondike Kid]

Just this summer, due to a limited number of caches in my area, I decided to play the game at all levels and start putting out some additional caches in my area. Rather than simple "park and grab" caches that seem to be more than represented, I've decided to be creative in my hides and/or appropriate puzzles or multi challenges to reach the reward for other players.

 

This has lead to somewhat of an affliction! My paraphenalia for making caches, camouflaging caches, hiding caches, or supplying caches with swag is turning into a costly prospect. Here is a list of things purchased specifically to work on caches:

- various size drill bits

- carving tools and knives

- rolls of clear packaging tape to waterproof labels

- extra color printer cartridges

- various sizes of mailing labels for geo notices on/in caches

- numerous cans of various colors of spray paints

- various brushes and bottles of model/craft paints

- various sizes of super strong rare earth magnets

- special magnets with holes for nailing or screwing to hidden surfaces

- rope, twine, string, cord of all sizes

- multiple kinds of spray foam in cans

- various types of quikset glues, contractor adhesives, hot melt glue gun and sticks

- pencils and sharpener

- jumbo magnetic key cases

- ammo cans

- spiral log books

- pipe fittings

- tin snips & heavy duty scissors

- and more stuff I can't remember stored in the garage.

 

Not to mention I can't walk by any isle in any type of store without grabbing some office supplies, or kids' toys, or handyman tools as swag for future cache launches.

This "affliction" is running into several hundred bucks already and I've only got one cache launched so far. I find I spend a LOT of time gathering natural materials like pieces of bark, dried mosses and other things to use for camo on future caches.

 

WHERE DOES THIS END?

[+Team Cotati]

$7.83

[+Miragee]

Do you own a 4WD vehicle yet? If not, put that on your list of things to buy . . . A friend bought one a few months ago. If he hadn't started caching last year, I doubt he would have needed it . . .

[+briansnat]

WHERE DOES THIS END?

 

It doesn't. It can get expensive. It costs me roughly an average of $15 for each cache (more for regular caches and less for small and micros) and I've placed over 200. That's not including laminating machine, stencils, maintenance, replacing containers, refreshing contents, gas, etc.... I'm afraid to even add it up.

 

But hey, it's fun. If I wasn't doing this I'd be wasting my money playing something stupid like golf.

[+OEnavigators]

Glad to see I'm not alone in this. I easily have $20.00 or more in all my ammo cans. I have over seven just waiting to go now not including the various small containers I have already camouflaged. Just looking for that choice location. I've made plans to go get more soon.

I guess that's an upside to living in an area with little activity. Its not like I have to worry about that 0.10mi rule.

[+simpjkee]

$180 on 3 caches.

 

$220 When my fourth is placed.

[+Klondike Kid]

Oh in response to Miragee RE: 4x4...well I don't own a 4 wheel drive rig (yet) but I did buy a new Polaris 6x6 ATV and trailer this spring. Hadn't planned to use it in Alaska much for caching since there are few places to go. But after caching for a month this summer in the desert of CA I realized that I could put on a few hundred miles a week down that way traveling the back dirt roads where power trails are filled with dozens of caches to find. So I guess I could add ".....oh, and a 6x6 ATV."

[+Lotho]

I would guess altogether ive spent around $40-$50(£20-£25) placing caches, and ive hidden my fair share. I saved alot of money on swag, being a teenager i sorted through my old unwanted toys and used the good condition ones as trading items both for finding and hiding caches.

Edited September 9, 2007 by Lotho

[Gomar]

0 $!! I borrowed a GPS, used a recycled container and didn`t use any tools...

[+wesleykey]

$24.59

[+Thrak]

Some were extremely cheap - some weren't. I have a 6 cache series out that used 4 film cans with magnets I salvaged from dead hard drives, a decon container I bought, and a .50 cal ammo can with a heavy duty 4-digit padlock. I fitted the can with a large eyebolt to accomodate the lock. Including cost of the containers and the swag in the final I think I ended up with around $70 or so invested - not counting gas. I have other ammo cans out and they ran me various amounts of cash for the cache. In addition to the cost of the ammo can I like to stock my caches with a fair assortment of swag and I ususally add a geocoin or tb dogtag for the FTF. Even in a micro such as a film can type of cache I include a gold dollar as a FTF prize.

 

Caches can be as expensive or as cheap as you want to make them.

Edited September 11, 2007 by Thrak