Maybe an unpopular topic, even more than me, so won’t slit my wrists if nobody responds… Just a question, observation, wondering where others stand…
 
Email was spammed like it is daily with every junk mail 72 hours left purchase of a lifetime offer. Audio Deluxe, many others.
 
Scrolled down thru the to die for sales on Waves, other guys fire sale, page after page. 50 percent off, 20 percent off. Apply your secret coupon code at the checkout and life will be bliss. You won't get this chance again.
 
Trying to put it into a broader perspective and understand when enough is enough. Was asking myself, what am I chasing that can’t be done a thousand times over with what I already got if used correctly.
 
Still, the plastic card quivers and vibrates with every new discount thrill.
 
Problem is, after a couple decades cyber gear lust, can’t say I’m any better off for it.
 
Anyone in this same boat?
 
John

Marketing = snakes and ladders:

https://youtu.be/Tvp97SMZc6M

My buying has slowed way down. I tend to buy out of necessity rather than GAS attacks. Over several years of sporadically buying a necessary tool, I have the tools I need and am comfortable with. My main problem now is keeping the ones I have updated! LOL!!!

Ah the update dollar....

It's a strong union John... 

Now that Mom is gone, and the only income I have is from the band,
seeing as that I can't get a job at 55 years old, even at Walmart, my spending has been 
drastically curtailed as reality has settled in.  I had enough to keep me afloat while
taking care of Mom up till about 6 months ago....3 months ago she passed, left nothing
but the roof over my head and enough for burial..and that leaves me where I am...
and, ideally, you are right, there's nothing that I can't do a thousand times over with
what I already have...just adding "more toys" to the toy box...but man I sure love toys...LOL  

KVR helped me quite a bit..but even there no one is really buying anymore unless you're going
to "give it to them"...

But am finally starting to "see the light" in not jumping
on everything like I've done...survival first...toys later...
and sometimes you've got be forced to "walk the walk"...

I get those emails too. I use to look at almost all of them with longing eyes. Now, I delete almost all of them with out opening. I've got so much software it's crazy. So many must have plugins that I don't use. I bide my time and wait for the really good deals now, at least for the most part.

Same boat here but the plastic card is not quivering as much and is almost paid off.
 
The thought just hit me, that if something happened to me, what would my Son be able to liquidate? Unfortunately, most of the software that I have purchased either can not be sold, would cost more to sell than he would make, or just wouldn't pay for the time he would spend trying to sell it. Seriously, almost nothing I have spent on this hobby would have much liquidation value but only the enjoyment I get from using it.
 
I have more than enough to keep enjoying the hobby and one of my Goals is to get through the upcoming sale season without spending much more if anything. I still enjoy browsing the emails and sales but just don't see anything else that makes me want to use that plastic.  Now, if some company produces a product that includes that elusive "talent button' I may just eat my above words...   

My buying of software has gone way down. But I have put a couple hundred away for the Fall deal season and will put away a bit more. So far I only bought the D16 FXtra Bundle for $9.99 at MF and Amplitube 4 with gear credits I bought at last years Summer Strummer. I passed on a couple of tough ones and have only spent $9.99 out of pocket and it feels good. I have so much good stuff. I think I will sit back and loosen my belt a notch.

I'm getting to where I'm selling things off to buy more practical plugins I may actually use. I didn't even get tempted to buy Pro-C 2...so I think that is a good sign. I did sale some things to buy a couple of EQ's I wanted which did have features I think I need.
No more Eqs, comps, reverbs, delays or limiters...for now! Hahaha!

At least in the USA we've been trained to consume... the growth model, endless capitalistic growth.  It's much bigger than just us artists... it's everywhere, the throw away society... 
 
As we enter the age of limits and technological change this will all come crashing down... I like the perspectives of Jeremy Rifkin, who's latest work focuses on "The zero marginal cost Society".  Hours of good discussions on this jump that's underway on YouTube... with your interest in this you should do a google...  short video on the shift
short discussion; European shift underway; Singularity one-on-one (fantastic discussion)
 
It's an exciting trend/transition.  The other main thinker in this realm is Richard Heinberg... 
 
It all bucks up against the perpetual growth model which the rich/wannaberich continue to prop up to extract "profit" from stuff.