How to convince hubby to let me get Etrac

[Longhair]

After the initial cost of admission (ie; the price of the machine), the biggest cost incurred with this hobby is fuel to get to where you're hunting. And if you're hunting high traffic areas you're finding at least some clad, so even though not a high paying job it's still paying you back something. Compared to most anything else that you can do for fun, it's a relatively cheap hobby that combines the physical and mental exersize of the hunt with the education that you get researching your historic finds.
JMHO

 

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[bsloan]

Just an idea, we have done this in the past. do not spend any change or $1 bills. put them in a large jar. You would be shocked how quick you will have the money for a new machine.

Best of luck,
Bill

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Dorks Unite! Lol, I love it!

You think your dorks? Try selling them for a living! lol I be the Master dork!

If you or anyone has questions about any Minelab metal detector feel free to give me a ring. Be glad to help!

 

[Longhair]

IMO:
Dorks=Those idiots with detectors on phony TV shows & anyone that believe them.

Nerds=Bookworms/Internet Addicts or any basiclly intellegent folks who have developed powerful muscles that enable them to sit for lengthy periods of time.

Geeks=Us. Enthusiasts that employ technology to actively acheive a physical goal deemed rediculous by those with no scope.

 

[dougofpa]

Buy it and have it sent right to the house....who cares what he thinks...what's the worst that's going to happen?

He'll get mad ....then get over it.

You only live once.....enjoy it.

 

[ctitech0019]

hell i would love a woman thats wants to share my fun !

 

[Kyboy]

hell i would love a woman thats wants to share my fun !

Exactly what I was thinking. My wife has 0 interest in my passionate hobby.

 

[bn81159]

Ok ladies you got a problem that the husband thinks metal detecting is a waste of time. Well I'm hooked on metal detecting and now have 2 of them, how do I get my wife to use one of them? She goes to the beach with me and sees the treasure I pull out of the ocean but she could care less about picking one up...

 

[FreeMindStuck]

It sounds like he's a little jealous of the time you spend detecting. I have a hunting buddy who's wife has the same issue. I suggest you try and reassure him and point out that it is good exercise and one of the cheapest hobbies you could pick. If that doesn't work deny him sex, after all it is a "waste of time" as well. I love my detector and for now, am glad I'm single and have no drama when it comes to my addiction.
Good luck!

 

[LinkHylian]

Someone search his comp and external hard drives hahaha.

Ya know....once Daddy's lil girl, always Daddy's lil girl....if hubby doesn't play nicely, there's always Dear Old Dad! I can say this cause I have a daughter!

 

[Stormrider51]

I don't know the details of your story. If your business is in a barely-get-by situation I can see where spending $1,000+ for a detector might not be a good idea. On the other hand, if we are looking at a situation where hubby just wants to control you, keep you staying at home, minding the kids, having his dinner ready, etc, then it is something else altogether. The truth is hopefully somewhere in the middle. Regardless, here's how I approach detecting. It's a business. You might toss this concept at him. I carefully record all income from finds and services given and all monies spent for everything from detectors to batteries to gas for the truck. I post ads on free advertising websites and offer to rent detectors, find lost valuables, locate survey stakes, and so on. Just this year I have located four pieces of jewelry on church grounds where I've been given permission to search. I donate the jewelry to the church resale shop or Goodwill. Tax write-off. We live in the country and have a 40'X38' metal building on the place. Part of it is dedicated to detector storage, cleaning equipment for finds, and so on. Tax write-off. Do I remember you saying that you and your husband always owe taxes at the end of the year? Your detecting business can help lower these.

So how to justify an E-trac? After all, it is in the upper range of detector prices. But how many of them will you have to buy? My rental machine is a Garrett Ace 250. Anybody can run that thing. Five minutes in the target garden and they are ready to go have fun. The E-trac is a different matter. You need to plan on spending some serious time getting to know this machine. But once you do, it's amazing. My finds today amounted to a few dollars in modern coins. I'm talking copper pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters. Hey, it's money and it spends. More importantly, I came home with only four pull tabs and two other odd bits of metallic trash. To a guy who is accustomed to digging a high ratio of trash to good things, this is downright amazing. My ageing back and knees appreciate it too. Did I mention that I only dug four corroded zinc pennies? If the signal says 12-37 and shallow I move on. I've dug enough of them to trust the machine.

I hope all of this is at least food for thought. To those who don't detect the idea of finding anything worthwhile seems like a pipe dream or a Get Rich Quick scheme. Well, I never got rich doing it but I still have to admit that it is the only hobby I've had that paid for itself.

Storm

 

[vandaria]

Hello again all..small update!
Bsloan I do have my change jar and been sitting on it for some time now. About $120 worth of sitting on it! That goes into the bank early next week. Can't do singles as we need them for change for customers but great idea otherwise!

I adore/crack up at the withhold sex comments, tried that about 9 years ago and I came out more frustrated than he did so learned my lesson..that won't work =(

Stromrider..is it a control thing or a financial thing. I see it is definitely both. We are at the mercy as to whether anyone shows up to our place or not (tourist attraction) as far as income, but I have been here 11 years now and the #'s have not wavered too terribly. We can pay our bills and have some left over...usually. Again I think it's timing as so much money is about to go out BUT this is also the same person who every now and then pouts when I go make the 2 hour drive to visit family. "What if something happened to you?" And then he starts stalling my leaving lol Also he will grumble about things I buy myself if I tell him about it first yet he is able to buy whatever whenever w/o a discussion. (so grr shouldn't have told him the $$ of the MD but I would feel guilty) So yes he is a bit possessive and controlling, not to the point that it is time to run away tho. (and in no way am I perfect in these things either)

dougofpa yes that is about it to be honest. I have let him know I AM getting one in the last few days hehe, I am just trying to not put all of it on a credit card is the main thing..then again we do have one with almost nothing on it and 0% APR for another 8 months...::grin::

So yes IT IS HAPPENING! Soon is my hope =) And this site has helped me along by showing him the possible cool things I can find and that if I am very lucky the machine could eventually pay for itself. And also that yes it would be an upgrade to the little BH 505 I have been using....by a long shot! And again thanks to the forum I was able to explain a lot clearer as to how and why. As in no it isn't a gimmick to spend more $$ that there is a reason it costs more sorta thing.

And with that I need to zzzzzz Have a Happy Easter to those who celebrate it, and for everyone else have a great day!

 

[vandaria]

WAHHOOOO He caved!!! I should get it in writing asap! lol He wasn't feeling good the last 24 hours which is very rare for him. And I did the here's the chicken soup, now take an Immodium AD, now be sure to drink this etc etc. He has been doing great today and I was sitting here telling him about some of the md vids I was watching last night while I was staying up making sure he would be alright (even tho he plays dis-interest he does like to hear about finds) And then I got the whole this is really what you want spiel. DUH YES! And then with no snarky comments or whatever he said okies!

And I promise I didn't poison him either!!! About all I can figure was there was some yogurt that he ate that may have been a little out of date for breakfast yesterday. But usually he can eat anything and be fine. I am the one that gets knocked out sick and he will catch the same bug and have a mild discomfort for an hour or 2, but this was different.

So YAY! Rather than save up a little here and there for it, within the next week I will be just flat out buying one! ::happy dance:: Then comes the fun part!

 

[Stormrider51]

Good deal! Just wait until you come home with the first gold ring. Finds like that tend to shut the doubters up. Now please do yourself a favor and read everything you can find about the E-trac. The manual is available on the Minelab website. Also, make yourself a test garden. Bury different coins at differing depths. Put some pull tabs and other trash in there too. This gives you known targets to "detect" and will speed up the learning process on your new E-trac. DO NOT get the detector and immediately run out looking for goodies. I can almost guarantee you will be frustrated. The E-trac gives you a lot of information about a target. What it doesn't do is provide you with an icon that looks like a penny or whatever. Nor does it have a cursor that indicates what it thinks is down there. It's about as different from that Bounty Hunter 505 as you can imagine. It takes time to learn the E-trac but once you do you will love it.

Storm

 

[Longhair]

Woohoo!

Good for you!

 

[vandaria]

Thankie!

And yes Stormrider I have been watching videos dealing with settings and numbers to get a better understanding (taking a few notes) I have downloaded the manual and the emulator (tho havn't looked at it yet) and am getting Andy's book as well. Definitely looking forward to learning the intricacies of the machine!

 

[Old Dude]

Congrats and aren't you happy you didn't sneak and get it?

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Give me a ring if you have any questions at all about them or want a Tnet deal!

 

[CoilyGirl]

I was perusing older threads I had subscribed to and found out you're getting your metal detector,yay! I also just sent you a friend request. I know once you get your new toy you'll have so much fun with it and who knows your hubby might become interested too,hope so!

 

[worldtalker]

I could have written this myself. From a husband that thinks I'm a dork that I want to metal detect to the business and quarterlies . Putting anything on tbe credit card is heavily frowned upon as well. I'm also a bit of a tomboy and would rather dig in tbe dirt , then buy nice clothes.
So about 2 months ago I finally stood up for myself. I said to him, " look, I don't spend money, I stay home and take care of the kids and everything around home . You go on hunting and fishing trips , and I never go anywhere.... I'm ordering this thing. I want it and I'm doing it."
I've hardly put it down since. Not to mention it's been a nice work out, cause I've taken to hiking the woods with it.
Do it. And don't lie about it. I'm sure he spends money on things he likes to do.

Just check for ticks afterwards Girl!!!!!!!!!!