Cost of chasing per day

[Shane Adams]

Yeah I didn't think about the drag thing, but the point with me is really performance. When you drive a car powered by half a dozen squirrels, any extra drag on the motor (compressor) is just that much more power being robbed from you. I try to be as easy on the engine as possible, because I have to drive this car until it dies. I've never had the luxury of replacing a car for any reason other than a terminal breakdown.

As far as the cost of chasing overall, I don't care. I've spent the first decade of my chase career sacrificing a normal life just be able to do it, so I'm used to that. It actually gets easier with age, because now I no longer care that I can't hang out at bars with friends sipping drinks on patios during long Summer nights, or take a weekend trip to gamble, or attend a sporting event that I actually pay for. That kind of stuff really bothered me when I was younger, in my 20s, but never as much as missing a chase. Now I'm in my 30s and have kinda gotten over the whole "party scene" lifetstyle. There are still things that normal people take for granted that I can't do (if I want to chase), but it's a trade I'm still very willing to make. I've missed out on a ton of life, but none of it hurts as much as the half dozen or so major chase events I've missed out on, the days that still haunt me. I guess it all comes down to priorities and personality. If being able to chase April-June each year meant I had to live in a cardboard box and the only time I got out was to work, I'd be doing it. I just hope it never comes to that. I can't deny the economy (if that's what we're still calling it) has made an impact on my ability to chase, but it will never run me out. Chasing might be dominated by well-off white guys (like golf), but it will never be that demographic's exclusive luxury. There will always be Happy Gilmores in chasing, and I'm one of 'em :lol:

 

[nickgrillo]

I have lived in Detroit since 1989 (birth) and have had to chase out of this city since... The first couple years of chasing (2002-2004) were relatively local (e.g. all of lower MI, IN and into IL) and by 2005 I was finally able to start chasing the plains. Just about all of my 2005 chases were split 2 (even 3 sometimes) ways so the costs for all of the chasing I did last year was relatively reasonable ($1,500-$2,000 spent) considering I chased for over 6 weeks in 2005. Now, so far in 2006, I have been chasing by myself in my own car -- and recent chasing in the last week of March (and into April) costed me over $300 in total costs (this includes gas only and no motel costs -- owed to staying at Dick M's place for the days I was out) albeit I travelled a few thousand miles during that time period. Food for me isn't very expensive... Considering I eat a lot of fast food in "regular life" anyways, I have no problem with eating $1 hamburgers (e.g. BK and Wendy's) on chase days when I'm hungry. In fact, in the average week of chasing, I probably don't spend much more than $20 on food for myself ($1 cheeseburgers fill me up).

Chasing from Detroit is a pain in the neck -- but the driving isn't as much of a hassle for me -- it's the costs of doing so (I have to drive 800-1200 miles to even reach a plains target) and each trip from DTX to TOP costs me $70-$80 in fuel costs alone (I drive a 2002 V6 Mustang which gets a solid 26mpg on the highways) and takes a solid 12-14hrs (depending on how fast I'm able to go LOL).

I did a solid 15-20,000 miles in 2005... So far in 2006 I have done about 4,000 miles (including chases on 3/12, 3/30, 4/1 and 4/2 and then to/from the plains from MI) and probably by the end of the year -- I will see at least 20,000. Given the costs, I will probably invite others along on chases with me as well some of the times (to help split costs) which will make things cheaper... All in all, I really hope not to spend much more than $2,000 in 2006 on chasing (I don't really expect to spend that much more... Since I will leave for the plains and stay out for a month, and hopefully find someone to live with and pay them a bit of rent, in addition to partnering up with other chasers now and then for chasing). Not sure when my "official" leave date will be -- but probably within the next few weeks (probably the first week of May).

 

[Dan Robinson]

I was looking at the day-to-day things I could do to cut costs to extend my chase trip this year. Really the only thing I can do (since mortgage and car payments are fixed) is to become a Ramen chaser. Even then that's only going to save me about $150 a month in food costs. That's not even one extra chase day per month of eating Ramen noodles and drinking water. No dinners with friends, cookouts, get-togethers or dates. I'm a serious chaser but that's a little much for me to sacrifice.

 

[Joe Nield]

Our group is frugal, but not to a fault. With 3-5 people, we can generally split up the costs pretty reasonably. Vehicle/gas/lodging costs are split, all personal costs (food, etc.) are just that. Between the three of us that went on the last 10-day trip, we spent probably $600-700 each, all costs considered. Granted, that was when gas was about 80 cents or so cheaper than now, but that would add, what, $300 more to the gas total?

For a one to two week trip, chasing is a pretty darn good value considering how much you could spend on other vacation options.

Since locally, I'm usually in the office during severe weather, I don't get to chase as much as I'd like, so cost isn't a huge issue.

 

[John MacKay]

I'm going to Scottsdale, AZ in June to start a job (just before the monsoon, luckily), so this season is probably my last for a while (two years, maybe).

From 2002-2004, I basically chased with someone else or myself when storms were within an hour to our west (my only three tornadoes came on June 12, 2004, after learning from the mistake of bolting east out of Conway Springs two weeks earlier, May 29th, 2004. Both of those events started when I was at wedding receptions for second cousins).

Two of the three chases I went on in 2005 were on events starting to my east, the first times I'd ever chased east of the location I started. One cost $13 and one cost $5-8 and the last one was around $25.

So far, I've chased twice (three times if you count circling Manhattan), and both times the best zone was the KS/MO border. I'm more inclined to chase marginal setups because of my time left in the plains, but I've been having stuff keep me back (like last Thursday and the one prior).

I'm starting to see the frustration some of you go through on busts. I chase blind, though, so I usually wait until or close to initiation before going out. It minimalizes the amount of money I spend.

Both chases have cost me between 25-30 dollars each and still have more room to burn money because I won't chase storms too far away unless it's my last chance (and I'm getting money from being a GTA, which I wasn't last year).

 

[Rich Thompson]

Interesting topic.

One "advantage" to living in the Plains and being limited by work is that my costs are also limited. I've always had a slightly higher chase threshold than some because I get irritated putting out the effort to see something less than I expected to see. It all adds up to 6-12 chases/year since about 2000, which is a substantial reduction from my 15-20 chases a year in the 80s and 90s. As a student at OU, I don't recall missing a chase because of money. There were a few rooms split 4-5 ways, but gas was never a big problem. It didn't hurt that I drove a Civic that got 40 mpg from 1990-2004.

A situation has to look pretty darn good to get me to chase solo. I know some folks insist on having total control of everything - I chase with people I trust, and working at SPC has gotten me used to not getting my way all of the time What this all means is that I alternate gas costs with various chase partners, and most of my chases have 2-3 people involved. The family chases are more expensive because they involve paying for meals for 4, I pay all of the gas costs, and we blow even more cash if we stay anywhere overnight. The most expensive family chases add up to maybe $250, while most of my regular chases amount to no more than $70.

In the end, I'm with Shane on this one. A missed tornado day sticks with me much longer than a gas or credit card bill. If I could only figure out how to get around the work-chasing conflict...

Rich T.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

I have calculated several times on a tight budget about 60-70 bucks per day. My car get 35-40 miles to the gallon so that helps. Problem for me is I'm far away from any good action, so I have to make a chasecation out of it instead of a day trip. On the other hand I like chasing but I don't know if I could live in the plains where it is so flat, no offense.

 

[bill mudd]

I gotta laugh at this topic.

I'snt all this following eqipment needed "the cost of chasing" ?

Cost of Laptop
Costs of Cameras
Costs of antennas
Costs of WX works or Data Card and services
Cost of amps, converters, radios, scanners
Costs of tires, wear/ tear and DEPRECTATION from high miles

......... all the above wears out and breaks down what about that cost?

so when I hear someone say that they only spent $50 on a chase I gotta laugh, sorry....

good thread just a small element of denial from a few here - thats all

 

[Dan Robinson]

A conservative estimate of what I have spent in actual, tangible items and services directly related to storm chasing since 2001 is more than $40,000 (five years of year-round chasing in the eastern US and Plains plus hurricane chases). That includes digital and video cameras, WxWorx, laptops, video software, fuel, hotels, vehicle depreciation, tapes, accessories, and others. I am not a rich guy and I can't believe I've spent that much and have been able to spend that much without going broke.

Like Bill said, vehicle depreciation is huge. A person who regularly chases the Plains is going to have to buy a new car 2 to 4 years more often than one who doesn't.

1993-2000 my yearly chasing expenses totaled about $1000-$1500 per year, but then all I was doing is driving around WV, PA and Ohio shooting lightning on 35mm slides.

 

[David Drummond]

Thinking about this really puts things in perspective. I started doing just some rough figuring. All the money I have spend on storm chasing over all the years, I could have bought and paid for a VERY VERY nice house and land...something in the mid 6 figures I am sure.

That's as bad or worse than any drug addition. :blink:

You don't really realize how MUCH it is until you really sit down to figure it out Dan, as you have seen. You think....when did I EVER have that much money, but it's like looking at your year end tax and seeing how much money you made and thinking....where the heck did all that money go anyway!?!

And some people like to bash on those of us who try to make some sort of monetary return on our storm chasing efforts.

 

[Chris Vagasky]

I gotta laugh at this topic.

I'snt all this following eqipment needed "the cost of chasing" ?

Cost of Laptop
Costs of Cameras
Costs of antennas
Costs of WX works or Data Card and services
Cost of amps, converters, radios, scanners
Costs of tires, wear/ tear and DEPRECIATION from high miles

......... all the above wears out and breaks down what about that cost?

so when I hear someone say that they only spent $50 on a chase I gotta laugh, sorry....

good thread just a small element of denial from a few here - thats all
[/b]

When you divide the cost of these things (some of which you may have had for many reasons prior to chasing...some of which have been given to me...etc)...by the number of chases you go on, they come out negligble compared to gas, rooms, food, etc.

 

[fplowman]

When you divide the cost of these things (some of which you may have had for many reasons prior to chasing...some of which have been given to me...etc)...by the number of chases you go on, they come out negligble compared to gas, rooms, food, etc.
[/b]

?

Panasonic DVX100A $3500
Lenses and accesories $1500
Tripods - monopods $600
Sennheiser G2 Wireless system $600
Sennheiser shotgun mic MS66 with lightwave windscreen $750
Fujitsu Laptop $1600
Bluetooth GPS system $150
Baron MTN system $900
Jotto Desk $175
Inverters and other electronics gear $300
Communications gear $500 +
Still camera equipment.. $2500
Pelican cases, etc..
I know Im leaving stuff out..

Actually I have a small video production company so alot of my video and sound equipment was originally purchased for that.. However, it gets more use while chasing it seems as im working on a Documentary.

i think alot of us have spent in excess of 10-15k. And I would say that is done easily for a properly equipped chaser. So after all of the starving and saving to afford these things i would say chase gear is far from negligible.

*Note: none of these things were given to me. I had to buy them myself, now we all know where Freds money goes.. lol

 

[Tony Laubach]

Well, when I threw my stats down, I knowingly skipped out on equipment and such cause I honestly have no idea (nor am I sure I want to know) what I spend on gear, cars, etc... and of course, how to divide it up to how much of that gear I buy I use for other things, too... in any case, its there, but its paid for once and done..

My cost per day I measure in what I spend on that particular day..

Gas, hotel, food, misc junk. That's what I budget for. Because I can chase witout a laptop, chased with other people (i.e. without a car)... what I budget for is what I chase with.. anything else I don't worry about til later cause I can get along without it.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

Yes, I skipped on equipment and maintaining the car. I didn't put my camera because I think of them as 2 different hobbies that compliment each other (besides I can chase without a camera). I neglected the maintaining the car costs so that I can convince myself it is OK to go chasing for a few weeks . I don't really worry about car depreciation because with a 92 paseo can't get much more depreciated than that. My sister who used to work at a dealership said I might be able to $400 for a trade in and that is only because they were offering a deal at the time. The cost would seem even bigger if I put in the cell phone and computer, but that’s stuff I have anyways and I adapt it to chasing. Like I said 70 per day is a good figure for just meals, crappy room, and gas.

 

[Shane Adams]

I gotta laugh at this topic.

I'snt all this following eqipment needed "the cost of chasing" ?

Cost of Laptop
Costs of Cameras
Costs of antennas
Costs of WX works or Data Card and services
Cost of amps, converters, radios, scanners
Costs of tires, wear/ tear and DEPRECTATION from high miles

......... all the above wears out and breaks down what about that cost?

so when I hear someone say that they only spent $50 on a chase I gotta laugh, sorry....

good thread just a small element of denial from a few here - thats all
[/b]

Laptop - don't have one.
Camera - don't have one.
Antenna - been paid for since 2001.
Wx-worx/data card - see Laptop
Amps, converters, radios - don't have one.
Scanner - been paid for since 1997.
Cost of tires, wear/tear and DEPRECIATION from high miles - I drive over 500+ miles/week to work and back, whether I chase or not, so wear/tear is hardly a chasing issue.

You'd be amazed how cheap one can chase for, when they dedicate their life to it. I can start saving receipts if you need proof. BTW - $50/chase is a bit high for me personally, I'm closer to $40/chase on the average this year B)