Selling my 650 (This is NOT a for sale add)

[FISH4BUGS]

Stress levels drop and life becomes simpler when debt free.

Man, that is truth beyond many people's knowledge.
I was stopped in a construction zone and got rear ended at 50 mph by a texting 30 year old uninsured loser and we got hurt pretty bad and totaled my MB 300d. Good thing I was driving a full size well made car - we would have been killed otherwise.
With over 100k of medical bills (paid for by my own insurance thankfully) we settled the case under my uninsured motorist coverage for a princely sum.
The first thing I did was pay off all the credit cards. I tried paying it off before but could never really seem to get ahead.
Now, I pay them off totally every month....funny....it seems like I have more money now!

[kevin c]

If the folks on this forum were into the stock market, we'd all be called value oriented investors.

[GRid.1569]

This guy for the other stuff, not the press
https://www.daveramsey.com/

He does some spectacular rants

[Wayne Smith]

I give complete kudo's to LOML. Starting at the beginning of our relationship (45 years ago) she started keeping a complete accounting of our spending. As as Quicken became available she shifted it all to that platform. When I was in school she would print out a summary of our monthly spending for the previous month and, on the first Saturday of the next month we would sit down with that with the question "this is how we spend our money last month, can we do better?". No accusations, no recriminations, just an honest look at what we did and can we do better.

Since I have my doctorate I was in school for a while. After about six months of this we stopped finding ways to improve - and started doing it every other month or every quarter. She still keeps a detailed account of our finances, and still uses Quicken. She told me this AM that she was filing the taxes today and we will sit down this weekend and go over the numbers.

I am numerically dyslexic so years ago stopped using a check book and switched to a credit card because someone else wrote down the numbers! I still use a credit card for the same reason, and it has been paid off monthly for years.

Years ago when our oldest son left for good I told her I had not lost a son, I gained a Reloading Room. Several months after this she looked at me and said "Do you realize you have spent $2000 on your reloading room?" I didn't, but told her that I was almost done and had more than $5,000 of value up there. We have learned to trust one another.

[DDJ]

It took dedication and perseverance but I managed to pay off my credit card debt several years ago. I now have only utility bills everything else is paid for and I no longer use a credit card. I recently finished a 25-20 project forming the brass from 32-20. I had 2 single stage presses set up and found the whole process of single stage reloading to be refreshing and I enjoyed the entire process. At one time I thought it was tedious but as I get older and slower I find that single stage reloading fits me just fine.

[kevin c]

I don't know Ramsey, but the ideas of being debt free, of tracking expenses, of having financial goals and ultimately financial independence are good ones that are not new.

There's a book I read a few years back that may be pertinent here, that describes like minded Americans and how they achieved their financial goals starting out without the advantages of inherited wealth or big paycheck jobs. It's called "The Millionaire Next Door", by Danko and Stanley. It's a very interesting read. I gave a copy to all the twenty somethings in my family's next generation in the hope that they won't get caught up in the status symbol race and consumerist treadmill.

Wayne Smith, your wife sounds like mine. Her sound financial sense and planning made my earlier than planned retirement a lot less stressful.

[David2011]

Dillon presses and accessories typically sell for about 80% of current retail regardless of age, as long as they’re in good condition. Should I decide to sell my 29 year old 550 it would sell for more than I paid for it new.

I used to shoot USPSA with a guy that made every match in the area. That’s a lot of rounds every month at roughly 150 rounds per match plus practice. He only had a single stage press so even moderate volume loading can be done on a single stage press. The 550 does most of my calibers and the 650 loads my USPSA .40 loads and .223. I like to be able to crank out 300 rounds of match ammo quickly. If I’m loading .38s, .45 ACP or any of another dozen calibers I go slower on the 550 and enjoy making ammo. For centerfire rifle and the other large bore handguns it’s all loaded on a single stage press. We recently bought our retirement home and it’s almost an hour drive in Houston traffic to the nearest range that has USPSA matches so I’m in the same re-evaluation situation. Everything was purchased with cash many years ago and the decision would not be made for financial reasons. I’m facing building a shop in a nice neighborhood which will only have about 420 square feet on the ground floor and another 200 or so in an upstairs area which will be a mix of a storage area and the reloading room. That’s downsizing from 1300 square feet of shop in a semi-rural area.

I’ve tried to live by Dave Ramsey’s philosophy since before I heard of him. I put money into a 401K until it was painful. Our vehicles are a 2000 pickup, her 2007 RAV4 and my 2005 Accord Coupe (a deceptive little hot rod). SWMBO may buy another vehicle before long but I’m content to maintain what I have and drive them as long as I can. We’re not encumbered by debt and it’s a wonderful way to live in our retirement years.

[Kraschenbirn]

I've got two Dillons...an SDB and an upgraded 450 (owned more than 30 years)...that I use only about once or twice a year; all the rest (80%-90%) of my reloading is done on one or another of my single stage presses. I use those Dillons only for handgun: .38/.357 and .45 ACP on the SDB and .44 and 9mm on the 450, and when I run them, I never load less than a thousand rounds of whichever caliber I need. I've, now and then, considered getting rid of the SBD because I've got the dies to do everything on the 450 but, what the heck, it's paid for, don't eat nothin', and doesn't take up that much room to store when not in use. (I've inlaid a piece of 3/8" steel plate into my benchtop, drilled and tapped with bolt patterns to accommodate the SBD and my single-stage presses so swapping one for another is only about a 10-minute job.)

Bill

[guywitha3006]

The more I think about getting debt free the more excited I get. Hopefully paying cash and tracking everything will help avoid the $10 here $20 there that suddenly adds up to a few hundred bucks at the end of the month. I already noticed that an unattended consequence (a good one) is I have started getting projects done...or at least advanced. It seems I would buy a bunch of materials/supplies for a project and then get distracted and not get to it, then a new project would pop up and I would start the cycle of starting new project all over. Just in the last week I have taken stock of materials I have and the projects they were intended for and started working on them. My favorite project is actually my new loading bench (I have had a small bench on casters for the last 3+ years) when we bought our house last year I bought most of the materials to build it and never got around to it. In addition to the bench I started building the cabinet carcasses for my reloading area and our laundry room. Since we are trying not to go out, it gives me a good excuse to work on that stuff. I am hoping to get the shelves made and cabinets hung over the bench this weekend (probably no doors for a while but that is just cosmetic) and hopefully the face frames done for the laundry room cabinets, and maybe start the doors.

[la5676]

Dave Ramsey is not preaching anything but common sense, but the rest of society is preaching "you can have it now, why wait". Just apply for our credit card, and get it now, yadda yadda. There has been numerous financial gurus previous to Dave. I listened to Larry Burkette years ago, similar message. Don't spend more than ya got. It's not rocket science. There are some things that require financing like homes, not everyone can save up for that in their early years when they need it.

We have never been one that had to impress others with what we drove, and put 250,000 miles on vehicles before we considered trading for something else. 2008 was the first new pickup I had ever owned, a plain jane Ford farm work truck, I needed the deduction that year, it's always been used otherwise. My father-in-law, bless his soul, once told me to just get used to it, you're going to be paying on a vehicle the rest of your life, my Deere dealer told me the same thing about farm equipment. I vowed to prove them wrong. I farmed for 21 years, after working in the oil industry out of college for a spell. Bought 500 acres of land, farmed over 2000 leased acres with it, all with used equipment. All paid off early, and I retired at 61 in 2017. It helped a lot to have a wife employed off the farm with a good job. I even got her the little plaque that says "Behind every successful farmer is a wife with a job in town". Most of my other farmer neighbor friends who chose to upgrade in the good years instead of paying off debt are now going through some really tough times in agriculture. Good times never last forever. One makes is own priorities. Ours were more in our later years, and not traveling the world, driving new cars, jet skis, boats, etc.

Good luck in your choice. Whatever you do, it will work out.

Edit to add: Owning land is fine and good, but I don't hunt. It's been more of a pain in the rear to keep people off of it, we are now absentee owners. We lease it to a young farmer, and i just leave everything up to him. Lease hunting is a big deal anymore, not like the old days of just asking your neighbor if you could hunt rabbits on his place.

[Ohiopatriot]

Doesn't seem like life changing money. It's paid for. You're unsure. You're only 30ish. Don't sell.

[rking22]

Having bought it used at a good deal, I would let it go as well. If the time comes when you AND the kids want to compete then be patient and find another good deal on a used Dillon. I gave 125$ for my SDB in 38 and 100 for my 450 set up for 44special. I like them, cannot replace them for even close so they stay. I don’t need the speed but they are paid for. My advice confusing enough??
I have a full set of progressive shotgun loaders, all bought used and 150$ range. My son and I enjoyed skeet and sporting clays competition. He is busy starting a career and I haven’t loaded a 12 gage shell in 2 years. I also have single stages for all gages, have thought about selling the volume loaders, haven’t yet. They aren’t eating anything. Could get 1000$ for the set, how far would that go for expenses?? They are kinda like money in the bank. A 650 is going to generate cash, can be replaced with a couple single stages UNTILL you start feeding the kids in competition! Lots to consider.

[jimlj]

I'm all about becoming debt free, and would recommend it to anyone. I paid off all debts 10 years ago except the house, and 4 years ago I sent the mortgage company $32,000 from savings to pay off the house. I sold everything I could except the wife and kids while paying off the debt. Its nice to have paid for cars, and since patina is in, my cars are in style. I say everything I have has that "lovely paid for paint" on it. Its easy to save money if you have no debt.

If you are like me, you will find most of what you sell is fluff that you never needed in the first place.

[David2011]

Doesn't seem like life changing money. It's paid for. You're unsure. You're only 30ish. Don't sell.

Likely the best post.

[mjwcaster]

If you don’t need it and can get by happily without it, sell it.
I am in the same situation right now, paying off credit card debt.
I have sold some guns to pay bills and have thought about selling my 550.
Even considered not paying for the gun club this year.
But my daughter and friends like to camp and fish there, and it is hard to find activities to spend time with a teenager. So I justified the cost between my love of shooting, needs to stay proficient as an instructor and quality time with my daughter.

My difference is I don’t have other hobbies.
And as an instructor guns have made me money, not sure if they will this year, still to be decided.

I day dream about casting and reloading while getting through the work day.

So for now I am keeping my reloading gear and making plans for small purchases to keep shooting.

But if I am not finished with paying credit card interest by my birthday in April then everything is up for sale.

Also be very happy your wife is on board, mine isn’t and has a very bad spending problem.



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[jonp]

This guy for the other stuff, not the press
https://www.daveramsey.com/

+1. Been off work now for 5 weeks although starting back next Monday. Reason wife and I didn't panic was following Ramsey's advice. No debt except under $300 mortgage, fully stocked freezers and at least a years worth of expenses in the bank.

Few years ago wife got really worked over at her place of business and walked out. Took 4 months off then went back to work. Again, no panic in the least.

[StratsMan]

Being out of debt is wonderful, just make sure you have enough reloading capability....

I sold my 1050, 650, and 3 Star Universals but kept my 550 because it is plenty of progressive press for my needs. I do have an addiction for single-stage presses, but that's for another thread...

[Winger Ed.]

if you have downsized presses/equipment ect, how did it go? Did you miss it or glad you did it.

I thought I was done reloading a few years ago.
Large stockpile of ammo, no handy place to shoot or hunt, so I sold off or placed my single stage, and pro-jector.

Last year, I found a nice range not too far away, and bought a new LNL and a LNLAP.
I like the new presses, but the old ones still worked, and had been paid for in the 80's.

In your case, its still early in the game.
I'd keep the Dillon if you're not in a desperate situation and need to sell it.

[Fishman]

A little over 10 years ago the wife and I were in a bind, daughter going to college, heater/ac going out etc and we said enough. We went full Dave Ramsey and in two years we had paid off everything but the house and paid cash for a new central air. Since then there has been a marriage, roofs, patios, hot tubs, cars, etc. and all paid for no debt. I have a mountain of reloading and casting stuff just because I could. We don't have high paying jobs, we just don't waste money on stuff we don't want to waste money on. I can't recommend his approach highly enough. When you are in it, make sure you pay for everything discretionary with cash. It limits your options and boy does it make you think about how much do you really need that item you are buying. The envelope system is so simple it is genious.

[Fishman]

I'll follow up on this. If you notice the date of my joining this group, its about a year after we started the DR program. I lurked for quite some time before joining. Why was I here you ask? I had molds, lead, and a melter and I couldn't afford bullets for my hobby. Sometimes what seems to be a hardship turns into something so much better than you thought it could be.