When you start a new project, do you set a budget?

Do you lay out how much you are willing to spend for each piece of the system?

Do you usually wind up adjusting those numbers?

Have you gone, or are you, overbudget right now? If so, why?

- Steve

no real budget...i mean, i don't think " i'm only going to spend $500 on this pair of subs"...instead, i go into a "finding the best deal" shopping mentality. though i usually have some kinda idea about waht i want to maybe spend.

i guess it's more of a "what am i getting for my dollar" thought process. if i figure that i'm getting more by spending more, then to me that's the better deal. yet, like in the case of the memphis pr line, sometimes you can get quite a bit for less.

another thing i look at is what i'm trying to accomplish. am i after all out spl? or do i want more sql? once that's figured out, then the product i'm going to look for is narrowed down some, so then i have a general idea about what i might be spending.

and in the end, it's all about if i think, believe, i got the best deal for my money. did i get the right product? is there enough warranty, or customer service? and will this be enough to do what i want? (here i try to get some headroom and usually look for more then what i need) and probably most important, will i want or need to upgrade? did i leave myself enough room with what i just bought to upgrade?

a person needs to think three or four steps, systems, ahead. if not, then when upgrading, an entire new system will have to be bought instead of a piece or two.

also, and this is the most important part of any budget, will the wife let me have the money???

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I usually set a budget, but there always seems to be life crap that gets in the way or other problems that hold me back from being able to focus on car audio for myself

it is very very frustrating, been trying to get back into compteting since 2002 but something is always not letting me, but once again I hope to try again next year, and I do try to set a budget of the 2k - 2.5k range for competition equipment

Usually I lay out the system I want, then save up for each piece of equipment. I try to find the best deals on the pieces I want, but do not say to myself "ok, I can't spend over this amount. It is slower this way, but have done this quite a few times.

Come to think of it, I have never bought more than one piece ata time. I have never gone into a shop and gotten a sub and amp or any combination.