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Expensive Merit Badges?


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My son attended an organized Merit Badge College a couple of weekends ago.  It was a $25 fee that included lunch.  My son picked the Welding MB, so it was all day class... not one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  He also got safety glasses and leather gloves to keep.   So far, so good.

Now, due to that class I have bought a new welder, helmet, roll of wire and some new tips.  I have spent another $300 something dollars.

 

As we go along, what other Merit Badges are going to be this expensive?  🙃😂

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Most MBs can be found like you did for Welding

If your talking about MBs that you buy equipment for after the badge then

Archery, Rifle Shotgun - if you buy your own equipment

Backpacking - lots of $ more equipment

Cycling - fancy bikes

Dog Care -Woof

Fishing/Fly Fishing - Walk into Bass Pro

Golf

Horsemanship 

Kayaking/Canoeing/Rowing/Motorboating/Small Boat Sailing

Water Sports/Snow Sports/Whitewater

Scuba

 

But remember scouting is cheaper than any other youth group. 😁

 

 

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1 minute ago, PACAN said:

Most MBs can be found like you did for Welding

If your talking about MBs that you buy equipment for after the badge then

Archery, Rifle Shotgun - if you buy your own equipment

Backpacking - lots of $ more equipment

Cycling - fancy bikes

Dog Care -Woof

Fishing/Fly Fishing - Walk into Bass Pro

Golf

Horsemanship 

Kayaking/Canoeing/Rowing/Motorboating/Small Boat Sailing

Water Sports/Snow Sports/Whitewater

Scuba

 

But remember scouting is cheaper than any other youth group. 😁

 

 

I have suggested to my kid that he needs to practice and once he is getting pretty good, he can start welding some things like those horseshoe puzzles and set up a booth at our community market that is held once a week during the spring and summer.  

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Sounds like a MB win to me.

Another idea, at least one I could use, is a fireplace rake for separating coals from ash in a wood stove. It's a pole attached to a double sided rake. One side is a flat blade to push everything to the back of the stove and the other is like a regular rake to pull the coals forward out of the ash. So, a plate for one side and pieces of rebar welded to the plate to make the rake side, along with a pole sticking out perpendicular to that.

No need for them in Texas but maybe Etsy.

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6 minutes ago, MattR said:

Sounds like a MB win to me.

Another idea, at least one I could use, is a fireplace rake for separating coals from ash in a wood stove. It's a pole attached to a double sided rake. One side is a flat blade to push everything to the back of the stove and the other is like a regular rake to pull the coals forward out of the ash. So, a plate for one side and pieces of rebar welded to the plate to make the rake side, along with a pole sticking out perpendicular to that.

No need for them in Texas but maybe Etsy.

Maybe he could make me a "Shusher"!!!

https://memes.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/ef68ce5d-d1e8-4a8f-81a3-ba91a7391372

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On 3/6/2023 at 5:56 AM, scoutldr said:

Well, if you follow that pattern...Motorboating.

Everybody knows what BOAT really stands for:  Break Out Another Thousand😂. And any boat owner knows that a boat is just a hole in the water into which money is thrown 🤣.  God bless and Scout On my friends!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

What isn't expensive these days?

I enjoy walking and spend $1,000 / year on walking-related expenses. 90% of my walks are done on the same 1/2-mile loop around my neighborhood. I will occasionally enter a half-marathon (which cost ~$100 these days). Figure a new pair of quality shoes every year ($150); replacement socks and compression shorts ($50); an annual trip to the podiatrist when something isn't quite right ($200); 2 actual "races" ($200); and foot care supplies ($50) - that's $650 per year for someone who just enjoys walking at a brisk pace 6 days per week.

All of that and I still have a dad bod. 🙂

OP, at least it sounds like you're getting your money's worth!

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Bugling....   A good Bugle can be a hundred, or so.  And then, if the Scout is already a brass musician,  a good trumpet or trombone can run a thousand or more....   

Farm Mechanics?   John Deere combine?   An antique Ford 8N ?  Naw,,,  Farm Mechanics can be applied to the family riding mower....   

Both can lead to lucrative careers....  

 

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