What do you spend your money on?

[Zippy]

Umpiring is not a career for most of us, but it is a great way to earn some extra spending money. What do you buy with your umpiring checks?

I'll start. I've been into motorcycling for a while now, so my umpiring money helps finance my hobby. Tires, parts, accessories, and definitely protective gear all are paid for with money I've earned on the diamond.

[Umpire in Chief]

Well 2009 has been an interesting year to say the least.

In 2008 umpiring money was play money, to go do what the family wanted to do w/o effecting our regular budget.

2009 my wife and I decided we were going to use my umpiring money to pay off debt. This worked okay, but we kept hitting unexpected expenses. Needed a new washer & dryer, new dishwasher, unexpected home improvement project, car broke down, and the bank of dad made some unwise loans to the kids (maybe I qualify for some TARP money).

For the upcoming year our plan is to divide up my game fees into thirds. One third will be for fun. Another will be for savings. The final third will be to pay off debt. We'll see how it goes.

Ideally, I'd love to do like you Zippy and devote it to a hobby. I want to buy a 55-58 Chevy pick up and completely restore it into an awesome street rod. I don't see that happening as long as I'm married with kids. But I can dream...

[PeteBooth]

Umpiring is not a career for most of us, but it is a great way to earn some extra spending money. What do you buy with your umpiring checks?

I'll start. I've been into motorcycling for a while now, so my umpiring money helps finance my hobby. Tires, parts, accessories, and definitely protective gear all are paid for with money I've earned on the diamond

The money I earn goes into new equipment / accessories for umpiring, and the rest is for myself or as with Warren savings because I use the money from umpiring on things such as gas/ going out to dinner etc. which normally would come from my "regular job"

Also, I do not know about you but some of the money is "not really money" Ok what do I mean? Say you have a double dip starting at 4 - 4:30PM. You are done around 8-9 PM. Therefore, depending upon whom I am working with we go out afterwards have a bite to eat and some cold ones. Therefore the $50.00/ $60.00 that I earned in game one is basically a "done deal"

Pete Booth

[Umpire in Chief]

Also, I do not know about you but some of the money is "not really money" Ok what do I mean? Say you have a double dip starting at 4 - 4:30PM. You are done around 8-9 PM. Therefore, depending upon whom I am working with we go out afterwards have a bite to eat and some cold ones. Therefore the $50.00/ $60.00 that I earned in game one is basically a "done deal"

I've done that a time or two too...:censored:

[BT_Blue]

in '07 and '08 half of my umpire money was play money much like Warren. However, the start of the '09 season saw the loss of my job. So all money earned from umpiring went into the paying of bills to help suppliment the wife's paycheck.

I cant wait to have a job again so that I can use my umpire money for work and for play.

[Jeff C.]

I end up using my umpire money for day to day expenses. I use it to help with bills. My wife is a school bus driver and "loses" her employment every June, so my extra cash certainly helps in that regard. My plan was to use it for equipment but that hasn't happened just yet.

[mstaylor]

I use my cash fees to help daily spending money. What I mean by that, if I feel like an extra meal or two out then that's what I use. I also use it to buy equipment for my steel climbing. It is not cheap tools to buy and need constant replacement.

My year end check I give to my wife for something frivilous. A lot of guys use it for vacation money.

[NovaScotiaBlue]

I actually kept a journal detailing how much money I earned umpiring in 2009 and I made a point of actually putting it away and saving it. Man, I was pleasantly suprised that I actually earned enough to pay for a family vacation this spring. Why could I have not done this years ago????

[Umpire in Chief]

Going to grad school is on my list. SWMBO is actully putting the screws on me to take my GMAT this spring so I can start in the fall.

[Stan W.]

I save every penny...........that is until the end of my season. I put all my fees in a jar and after the last game of the season I dump it out and total it up. if i dont do this, I can p#$$ it away as fast as it comes in...,

I keep a game journal and record all my fees, it helps keep the business side straight..I have had some pretty good years.

I bought my sons first car with umpiring money ......new flooring in the living room.....vacations....

I do inventory all my gear and unis at the end of the season and deduct what i think I will need to replace...

[rth54]

So I have not made any money yet, but I anticipate that whatever I make will go to cover the costs of my gear and toward at least one training event (clinic/ school) this year. Anything above that will be gravy.

[tommy]

I do something kind of wierd but if you have the will power it works out great. I take a box like a shoe box or something at the start of every year and tape it up completly and cut a slit on one side. any checks I get i simply put into my checking account but any cash I make I put into an envelope and put it into the box. we take our family vacation every december, at that time I open the box and use that money for the trip. It wont pay for the trip but it sure is nice.

here in california the high schools and colleges w9 umpires for any wages earned. I think this year I am going to get a business license for my umpiring services and write off all my gas and eq. I will still hide my cash in the box though !

[mazzamouth]

I know my money pretty much is just my money.. my wife really never ask want I do with with it...She is in the Military so we live on base and dont pay fro rent, so the whole worrying about a mortgage payment is not a concern, so i spend my money on equipment and playing lots of golf. and buying more golf stuff. and this year is looking to be better...LOL

[Zippy]

Ideally, I'd love to do like you Zippy and devote it to a hobby. I want to buy a 55-58 Chevy pick up and completely restore it into an awesome street rod. I don't see that happening as long as I'm married with kids. But I can dream...

Yeah, well I'm not sure how long I can keep it up. I'm just getting ready to start my second semester of school and expenses are going to catch up to me sooner or later. More and more of my extra income will have to start going towards books, tuition, apartment rent, etc. Especially when my scholarships run out. I'll just have to keep on umping and save up what I can!

[poppyfor3]

What money? Association fees, equipment, gas-- not to mention 3 grandkids at the games. Breaking even is ALWAYS my goal. Volunteered my first 5 years, so I'll never be in the black--- moneywise. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[Zippy]

I'm officiating at a JV Wrestling tournament on the 16th, and every single penny of the $150 is going to gear. Now to decide on what to get...

[JamesC]

I am a college student. I have 2-3 jobs (including umpiring) consistently year-round. I pay for all of my bills, including tuition. Tuition is definitely not cheap, and I try to use most of the money to pay for tuition and bills. However, when I do make a good tournament or a couple double-headers in a week, I like to invest in either a) some new gear (shirts, pants, protective equipment, accessories, etc.) or some new golf equipment. You can never go wrong with getting new golf equipment, right?!