We decided this was the year we would be really frugal, but we have come to an impass. We realized after attending our DSs first basketball game this morning that we really want a video camera. We had a dinosaur version when the boys were babies, but it has long since ...died. In our HEADS we say.... NO! it is not a frugal "within our budget" purchase. In our HEARTS we say...In ten years when we are able to look back are we really going to say "Boy am I glad we didn't spend that $500" or will we say "Luke, I wish we could show you how you played so well, even at 5, but we wanted to save $500. We wish we would have.....".
What would you do?

I would buy one! Look around for sales check the internet get the best deal as possible.I dont think you would regret it but if you dont you probaly will. I have a Kodak Easy share that takes great pictures and does video as well. It was around $400.00. Its being frugal sometimes that allows us to have some of these things. Good luck!

I personaly have never knowen anybody to watch those videos. But that is something only you know if you ever would. I have a camera that we bought 7 yrs ago and still has the origanl tape in it. People tell me I will be sorry and they are probly right but what can I say!

If its something you truely want get a used one, check the pawn shops. It would cost you half what a new one would and then you could feel good about saving some money and you wouldnt have to feel like you are loosing all those memories.

I would buy one! We don't use our's much, and I really regret it! Check on Craigslist and ebay if you don't want to pay retail!

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I am only one, but I am one. I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do. -Edward Hale

I bought our video camera two or three years ago and spend like $150-$200 on it. It works fine and I cant imagine not having it. My husband watches the tapes he makes all the time. I would shop around. I found mine at Sears and since a competitor had the same one in their add they gave me that sale price plus 10% off. A friend of mine bought his that was a floor model and recieved 25% off.

I'd save up the money to purchase one while checking the prices in your area. I agree that pawn shops are a great place to keep an eye out for one.

In the meantime you can take regular pictures. If you want digital pictures a cheap way to do this is to use regular film and have the pictures developed AND put onto a CD. We own two digital cameras and I still use a disposable film camera for most of my picture taking. I'm not worried about losing a disposable camera and if it gets damaged, oh well. A disposable camera is so easy to stick into the bottom of my purse - no worries.

A movie camera is NOT a need. During a couple of games you could borrow a video camera from someone else who is on the team, or you could ask someone who is already filming to make you a copy. I've had people ask to borrow our video camera for graduations, etc. It isn't something I use all the time so it's no big deal. As a matter of fact, the other day I was at a girlfriend's house and I noticed her video camera was out and it is exactly the same one we own. I thought to myself, "What a waste!" If I wanted to video something I could have just borrowed hers.

To be truly frugal you have to learn to solve these 'wants' without throwing money at the problem. That's how we get into these financial difficulties, we have no patience to save up for something or find an alternative solution. Then we also get into disaster thinking, "We will never be able to show our son how well he played..." Really? Your son will probably be embarrassed beyond imagination if you ever try to show him and his friends video of him playing at 5-yrs old.

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"Poor people work for their money. Rich people make their money work for them."

I wholeheartedly vote for getting one, if you can swing it. Time cannot be recaptured. I have to respectfully disagree about the pawnshops, knowing what I do. Often, those things are unpredictable and could be getting ready to go, as these things do over time, and those shops aren't great with returns. I had considered this in looking for one for my son for Christmas, and checked it out.
There should be some great sales out there - you don't need to spend $500.

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I would do it. We use ours all the time....and our digital camera. I want to capture the kids every moment of their life.
I got our stuff using Sam's Club on-line auction. I got great deals.

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Heather
Mom to three dd 14, ds 8, dd 5

You can definitely get one for under $500 dollars, but either way I would get one. We have one, but we never use it. \Wish we did more-dont even know where it is right now actually.

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than the valuables you can't afford.