How to stay on budget?

[Richardgr]

The hard part is finding the balance between having a 'store cupboard' and being a hoarder.
Reminds me of a joke ...
Two guys are waiting in a psychiatrist's waiting room. One says to the other 'I'm a bit schizophrenic, how come you are here?'
The other guys says, '... well ... I like sausages'.
'What! Sausages? That's nothing, I like sausages!'
'Really? How many have you got in your collection?'

Substitute valves for sausages, and that is why I am in this waiting room ;-)

With tube gear I am trying to keep in control of my bits. I buy a lot of stuff on auctions, and there is a very good supply of electronic components on my Swedish site. Occaisionally some old tube chassis or set of transformers comes along - that can dictate a future project idea. I try to keep a wish list of useful parts so I can add to the store cupboard - M3/4 nuts and bolts, spacers, terminal blocks, caps in higher voltages in useful audio values, high voltage electrolytics. Resistors I have bought in packs before, but you do end up with 90% never being used. So I buy 10 if I need 2, 20 if I need 6, and so on, and have acquired a good selection. Buy minimum 0.6W so they can be used in more applications.

If you can manage to work in parallel, working on one project till you need a part, then picking up another while you try and get the missing part, that takes the pressure of a high cost order, where it does not meet the min cost for free delivery criteria. But you do have to discipline yourself so projects get finished.

RapidOnline are quite good for free delivery, and TME.EU is quite a cheap source too.

[ex 2 Base]

Have a look on RSGB site and you may find a Mobile Rally (actually an electronic junk sale) in your area. Ted