I had to renew my fishing license and it got me thinking about the deal Fl has for active/retired military.
I get the military sportsman gold license each year which includes the Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses, the Deer, Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey, Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster permits. The only thing it does not include are then tarpon tags, alligator trapping licenses, limited entry hunt permits, migratory bird permit or the federal duck stamp.

It costs me $20.00 a year.

I've been getting it since back when i was still active duty and I'm retired coming up on 20 years and it might be the best money I’ve spent over that time. Not just the cost savings but because of the countless hours i have spent putting it to use from teaching my son to fish to spending time with my close friends.

What is some of the best money you have ever spent and why.

I payed 2.99 each for two mesh reusable shopping bags,
They look like five bags.

At Wal mart 28 years ago,
Still using them every week.

Back in 1987 at my first permanent duty station, I purchased a little blue Victorinox pocket knife with the USAF emblem on it for probably around $6 (I can’t really recall, but it was 1987…). It’s the one with the little blade, a nail file with a flat tip end, tiny scissors, tweezers, and a toothpick. I’ve carried that little knife almost every day since, and it’s opened countless packages and letters, and the tweezers have been used many, many times. The toothpick gets used all the time, although I had to replace the original a year or so ago. I’ve used the little scissors hundreds of times over the last 10 years to cut the straws down on drinks for my grand children — that makes it priceless to me. Sadly, the USAF emblem fell off about 15 or 20 years ago. All in all, probably the best 6 bucks I’ve ever spent.

Every time I have ever hired movers.

In a round about way in August 1968 bought a P-38 (actually came with C-ration meals) can opener which to this day I still carry it on my everyday key chain... Still works just as well as when I acquired it.... And when needed have shown many people how well something so small still works and they are amazed. ........................... drill sgt.

In 1991 I was in a local sandwich shop, they had a box full of Victorinox paring knives beside the register. Small stainless blade, white nylon handle, for $5 apiece. I bought one and use it daily. That little blade holds an edge so well, and when it does need sharpening, a few swipes on a steel brings it back. You can still find that knife today online for $8.

I'll stick with the OP's fishing theme and say my 16' 1994 Sea Nymph that I bought used for $1800 9 years ago. It came with a trailer, 25HP Evinrude outboard and a 40lb Minnkota trolling motor.

People say a boat is a money pit, but apart from annual lower unit maintenance, new bunk boards for the trailer, a couple of new deep-cycle batteries, and a replacement trolling motor a couple of years ago it's cost me nothing.

We've got a bunch of beautiful spring-fed lakes in our county, and that boat has given us access to all of them. I've taught all four of my kids to fish off of that boat, anchored out to swim off the sandbars, and even pulled a tube once or twice.

My youngest is 8 and has really gotten into the fishing this year. I remember taking him out when he was 1 or 2 and and he'd play in the live-well like a miniature swimming pool while the oldest and I fished. Now he's out-fishing me on a regular basis.

Lay-Z-Boy recliners. They have a lifetime warranty and that warranty is for the chair, not the person. My chair broke on a Saturday and a repairman was at my home on Tuesday to fix it. I mentioned that I had my father's old chair upstairs and it reclined too far back. The repairman went upstairs and fixed that one for no charge. He said that they will fix them no matter what or no matter how many times ownership has changed.

Had a Tuesday Morning store open right after I bought my first house. They had garden hoses on their grand opening sale so I bought two and am still using them today. I bought them in the late 90’s.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
I had to renew my fishing license and it got me thinking about the deal Fl has for active/retired military.
I get the military sportsman gold license each year which includes the Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses, the Deer, Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey, Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster permits. The only thing it does not include are then tarpon tags, alligator trapping licenses, limited entry hunt permits, migratory bird permit or the federal duck stamp.

It costs me $20.00 a year.

I've been getting it since back when i was still active duty and I'm retired coming up on 20 years and it might be the best money I’ve spent over that time. Not just the cost savings but because of the countless hours i have spent putting it to use from teaching my son to fish to spending time with my close friends.

What is some of the best money you have ever spent and why.

Agreed, hunting and fishing licenses are money well spent. Likewise, park entry fees for state and national parks. I get a lot out of it, AND, my money is going to preserve wild and natural places. Of all the things the government spends money on, this is one a wholeheartedly approve of.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:

What is some of the best money you have ever spent and why.

Interesting question . I gotta think on that .

I'd say my house, used a VA loan on it.

We lived two doors up from this older gentleman who had it built in 1951 and lived in it all his life until he passed away at age 91. He was a Navy veteran and loved our little kids and was always very nice to us. After his passing, we approached his two daughters and son and expressed our interested in buying it before it hit the market (this was like August 2017).

They told us that he had stated that he liked having "good" neighbors and we wrote a nice letter and I told them I knew he was a Navy veteran and I was an Army veteran, we went back and forth a bit on price negotiations but they accepted our offer and we moved in December of 2017 and have been here ever since.

The house was VERY dated but it had as they say in the biz "good bones" and a new roof and a beautiful large yard (for our area) and we've been updating and renovating as we can, finally ripped out the 1950's kitchen and put a brand new modern one in. The previous owner never did anything to the house himself, it was always professionally done and I've gotten comments from various contractors and inspectors about that, there is no weekend warrior hackery as far as anything.

We got this for a relative song looking back and I'm shocked to see the price appreciation in just 5 years. We would not be able to afford to buy this home today!

Craftsman 6 point 3/8" and 1/4" socket set I bought about 20 years ago along with some tools to build around it have paid themselves off and then some. Not just for me in auto repair but also for friends.

As for fishing, I did the 5 year freshwater in Florida. I think it came out to $17/year.

Probably the best $$$ I ever spent was buying my military time to increase my pension.

I bought a Krups clock some 50 years ago. A small compact orange color clock that keeps good time and is/was made in West Germany. I still have some camping cook ware made in Germany, France or Japan that's over 40 years old.

Everything now is made in China and built to last a year or so.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I payed 2.99 each for two mesh reusable shopping bags,
They look like five bags.

At Wal mart 28 years ago,
Still using them every week.

I worked for Giant Food in 1990 and was given two reusable bags when Giant first introduced them.

I still use one of them, weekly. That's 33 years of use, free!

A little over a C-note to replace the cloudy headlights in my car. I bought TYC brand complete with bulbs assemblies from Rock Auto, installed them myself (the front bumper did have to come off), and they throw better light than the OEMs ever did.

Speaking of clocked
I got a battery operated
Analog clock at Ikea 20 years ago it's still doing great.
$1.99.

A NIB made in Belgium Browning Hi Power for $80 back in 1964. Put over 20K rounds through it before I retired it from carry/range duty. Still take it out to shoot occasionally.

Before my first marriage, the ex and I went to monkey-wards to look at some leather furniture. The salesman gave us a swatch of leather (about 4x5 feet) and said we could bring it home and see if the color was right. We bought the sofa and love seat but forgot to bring the swatch back. He didn't care. Its been lining my desk ever since. Lasted longer than the marriage. Surprised she didn't take it with her. But now I'm ranting...