So I’ve been lurking here for about a month now, and the girlfriend has noticed as I sometimes share posts and pics with her.
Today she asked about what this kind of hobby(obsession) costs.
duhn duhn
I start off with cheapest good light I can think of off hand, a diy hlg qb for around 350 ish. Then comes the 
I hadn’t even got to the tents fabric pots and nutes yet!!!
But she is at least on board with the general idea of a home grow so that’s good.
After explaining how a lot of you guys have thrown away that much in blurples in search of the holy grail of lightning, and that I’m ahead of the game since I found ILGM and learning not to fall for that, maybe I can soften her up enough to get at least a 2x2 going.
Wish me luck🤞
7 Likes
Dude, i do wish you the very best. I believe this is a GREAT hobby that may have helped keep my sanity through the past year of working from home in the basement. That said, its not the cheapest hobby either 
i am lucky that my wife is on board (i grow for her) and at least gets enjoyment that i get enjoyment of doing “all this work” for her. i find it interesting and a great stress reliever.
She only inquires occasionally about cost if “too many boxes” show up at once. LOL (note to self, spread out the purchases). She does have slightly more of an interest as to where we are as far as my hobby paying for itself. we track what it would cost for her to purchase from the dispensary (and local other sources) vs our cost. So, she knows that eventually we can save money. and, she does get excited watching them grow.
Good luck!
2 Likes
Yeah, my girl is no fool and reasonably knows that if the interest does not wane it would pay for itself in the end but that sticker shock for doing it right in the beginning can make your eyes pop, and I’m basing my estimates on small footprint basic necessities.
The fact that the seed is planted in her mind (sorry) is my foot in the door. I’ve not even broached the subject of space needed lol.
My other hobbies include console and pc gaming, and playing guitar, neither of which are cheap, but I’ve not bought anything relating to that in years, so that justifies spending on farming right? 
Luckily she loves herb almost as much as I do, and though I like the situation we have with our source (he delivers and is not overly chummy). We both know the quality is lacking. It gets you plenty buzzed but taste, feel, harshness are all aspects with that not to mention HUGE inconsistency between batches.
I honestly think it will be very therapeutic as long as I take it in stride and don’t get hung up or obsessive about the whole grow experience.
2 Likes
Dude I think I already lived that life my Xbox collection is over 600. I’m on my third grow room and still married lol and she doesn’t smoke.
3 Likes
Just do what I do and if something cost $600 just tell her it’s $200 lol
Good luck
Once you get your set up going then it’s just nutes you have to purchase so always remind her of that also…
Happy growing
Lol, when I try stuff like that I usually get busted, I don’t know how but almost always do
3 Likes
I swear they’d probably send the invoice to her
1 Like
Yea im not a good fibber. Im lucky bc my girl tells me to get the better 1 so we dont have to keep buying. We have kids and bills and she sees growing is cheaper than buying. At least for me. I smoke weed like a crack head smokes crack. Lol. It keeps me sane and not pissing her off so win win
3 Likes
Got my wife on board by making her pay half of our pot costs for a few months. Softened her up quite a bit!
7 Likes
Yeah since the pandemic hit, our consumption has gone way up, so prices on street crap is such a waste.
I am definitely working the “spend now and get quality and quantity further down the road. Maybe even unload a little on the handful of people we could trust to sell to.
Not looking to build a tycoon situation, but if a few friends can benefit from my efforts along with us+ help pay off initial investment it’s a win win.
Along with myself, they probably never had any true quality herb.
1 Like
2x2 with a 135w Rspec from hlg would definitely get you started in the rite direction also remember its always easier to do/buy then ask for forgiveness lmfao
Lol, my wife is pretty good. she tells me that i need to follow the same advice i give her. if the one you want/need is $200, do NOT buy the $100 one cause later you cant just pay the extra $100. you need to buy all over again. she knows i wont go hog wild and knows that even though i tell her that, i tend to skimp when it comes to “my hobbies” and fall into the re-buying the same thing over trap.
anytime she does happen to ask if i need “all this stuff”, i say, your right, this is a lot, i am not sure where i will keep it. do you have any room in your “shoe closet”? tends to end the conversation
2 Likes
“I’ll place an ad on Craigslist and have it gone in a flash” would be the response I think I’d get
1 Like
Or facebook … Yep . So now I buy a light and her apple watch on the same order and… Silence
2 Likes
I can see it’s not your first rodeo
1 Like
Nope it was the phone when I was doing ventilation and supplies. Many boxes she was so busy setting it up she never even noticed.
You’ve made the wise start for sure! If you go 2x2… if get the extra couple inches, 27"x27" got tight real quick.
Unless I’m just forced to get 2x2 I’m totally going to angle for bigger. I really don’t want to be like so many I see here saying I should have bought that other thing then suddenly have 2 tents, then 3
2 Likes
Even if I had gotten the “right size” the first time… having multiple tents really makes sense if you’re planning to have, even small, harvests frequently.
Month or so before flowering is done… new babies are growing and getting ready to do the same.