Ha ha. Great idea. And pl do not read the thread about WB sale. People bragging about what they manage to buy while you can’t. It will drive you crazy.
tell Greta what a bad job SF is doing to get yourself permabanned… :Sp
A 26650 can't be considered a higher power ..
you're on the road to ruin ...
Yessir…addictions are destructive regardless of the item desired.
I can be a flashaholic and an alcoholic at the same time! Pony up!
Uh, excuse me, got a lil carried away there. I too would love that light bar, or 2 of them for my still new GoRhino bull bar on our 2012 Escape SAP. But well, I’ve also got the S2200 on the way, and a custom mod, and just spent a ton on an ultra custom mod (see Avatar). And got 4 matching cells for the S2200 that isn’t here yet. And an IR gun to make sure I don’t run any of em too long and to help with reflowing. And…yeah, can’t spend anymore. Wife’s having surgery Tues. Budget died and the funeral is tomorrow. 
You could always think small. They take up less room on the shelf and might attract less notice from SO.
Sadly, I do not have an SO to keep me in check. Just money burning a hole in my pocket…
you could send your money or light purchases in my direction, thus protecting your pockets from burn damage 
If you could you should add ‘spread’ or beam profile. I find many flashaholics tend to ignore say a 30 degree beam pattern vs. a 19 degree beam pattern. Also hotspot vs. beam etc…
GJ btw. I love your the time and detail u have. Also about watches… do u collect those kinetic watches or daily winding ones?
Oh my collection covers the whole gamut of beam profiles…
I deleted my earlier post after talk of commitment started. I’m no psychologist, so here are a couple of my layman thoughts:
- I don’t think you have a significant problem. The fact that you are not in denial and have acknowledged you think you need help says volumes in itself.
- It’s all relative. You’re collection is a nice collection with quality pieces. I don’t think it is over the top. Many “normal” people have much larger more expensive collections of objects they like. I also think that it is you and not others that determines if you have acquired too much. At least with in reason, I think your collection is very well within reason. Jay Leno has a nice collection of cars. I haven’t heard of any attempts to get him committed.
- I think you have (by your own standards that you have set for yourself) over indulged and are kind of like in a hang over. In the big scheme, these purchase are a small portion of the expenditures you have/will make in your lifetime. You sound like you are already putting on the brakes and that your pace of future purchase will probably be much slower. I think it is common for “normal” people when they get excited by something and have the means to over acquire at first.
Same here ! Wifey is an LCSW. 
I still end up paying, one way or another...
[quote=kevind43] My wife is too. LMHC. Nothing is free.lol. [/quote]
Exactly. I'm seeing a trend here.
ROFLMAO!!!
Sersiously though, I went through something similar when I developed this affliction. I spent a silly amount of money on lights in the first three months, before I discovered BLF. Then came the hangover that someone has already mentioned, and then it eventually settled down to an occasional purchase.
You're smart to set criteria for new acquisitions, such as no blinkies allowed, must have memory, must have a firefly/moonlight mode etc. Rules like this, along with other habits such as not pulling the trigger until a week (or more) after finding a light, all help to control your urges. Know that it does get easier with time.
Now... Go find out when the next WallBuys killsec sale is happening, and find a scripting tool to automate the buying process!
I finally after 100 + purchases, 30 sales and a few dozen trades for the first time since July 2010 I don’t have four or more things in the mail. I’ve been an acquirer of lights since 2000 but everything before I discovered forums was local.
Always having 4 or more lights ensuite made me feel good, even if I only played with them before a week before throwing it in a drawer like it didn’t happen.
If I knew the light was good, I’d order two from different vendors in hopes that one would arrive quicker. My logic was keep the best tint and sell or trade the other (I still have two of some lights)
I found displaying them all the ones that aren’t in rotation a good way of reminding myself I don’t need it. I now read reviews, and comparisons and ask myself if this next light is different enough from what I have. I sit there looking at my shelves. On this shelf there are 40 lights, that aren’t edc, bedside, vehicle, or work use. If I’d doesn’t beat one of those than I don’t need it.
For the first time in nearly three years I have nothing on its way, and I’ve been clean for two weeks.
It feells good having $90 in my Paypal. I’ve set a $40 limit per month, for myself and if I need more then I must sell something. That’s the new rule.
I’ve been into lights for more than a decade, I’ve been into multi tools for three years, lasers for two years and knives for almost two years.
Research more and buy within my budget
Not sure if this helps you, but collecting flashlights helped me quit smoking.
Its not a sickness, its my hobby and I’ll never quit
Kendall
If this wasn’t supposed to be serious hears my alternate answer…
I tried to stay off the boards the past 6 or 7 months cuz really…if you don’t know what’s out there, you can’t be spending money on it. I’ve been doing this every now and then to prevent all the bad things about out hobby (over-spending, wifey finding out, burning out etc). Yes, I am lacking in the self control dept. 
So I came by a couple weeks ago because I wanted to get a light for my dad. He loves lights almost as much as I do and since Fathers day was coming, off to blf I went.
Usually, after a 6 month layoff, there’s always been some sort of advancement in LED technology of some degree. The only thing that caught my eye on recent posts was “sink pads” and upon further examination, saw that it was for led mounting (right?). So then I went straight to the good deals sub and saw the wallbuys thread.
FF to today and I now have 4 different triple led lights and a charger coming to me! I don’t have a triple led light yet so I have that and I saved at least 50% off regular selling prices but honestly, I went overboard and now ill have to get some expensive “medicine” cuz wifey’s gonna have a case of dropjaw.
Oh, and I still don’t know what to get my dad…
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said no, no no…
Then I went to Wallbuys and I pushed, instant kill, kill, kill… 
In all seriousness, just keep to a limited number. Like 30 or something. If higher, start selling. With the lights I have coming my way, I now have enough. If I buy more ill sell lights or something.
For some, 30 lights is way to high, for others its way too low. No matter the amount, just keep to a limit that is reasonable for you.
If that limit is more than 50, maybe you should ask yourselves, would you be less happy in your life if you got rid of 5 flashlights?
If the answer is no, then maybe you should give some lights new homes where they could see more use?
Another way is. If a flashlight have been sitting unused for more than 6-12 months and it does not serve a purpose, get rid of it.
If you don’t like selling. Friends, family, people at BLF, charity sales and similar would probably not mind a giveaway or 10.
Maybe some lights could serve as birthday/Christmas gifts if you know of someone who would appreciate one of your lights that you don’t need much.
I have stopped saying yes to all the giveaways on BLF, if I have minimal use for a certain light, or it does not contribute to my “collection”, id skip it. I would rather let someone else win it.
I don’t need another shelf light.
For me, modding is one essential part of the hobby. Its also the reason why I order a bunch of packages…
I would consider modding (mostly budget) lights to be a cheap hobby. Its not something I need rehab for. Im enjoying it!
When/if I stop to enjoy it, or have tried most of the things I am interested in trying and making, Ill automatically ease of.
Maybe one day… Ill be done with flashlights… who knows…
I think a few people here can find this clip funny:
Actually, I really like your spreadsheet. It’s got good information, all in a nice, consise master form. I have a flashlight spreadsheet too, by the way - but your has more categories. Well done!
As for the addiction (uh……hobby), who is to say how many lights you can or cannot buy at any given time? If you know what you want to get, you have the money to get it, and it’s not really bringing harm to anyone you care about, why not? Enjoy your purchases!
If you buy a light you thought you’d love, but you don’t really care for it, after trying it out (The best way to truly know whether or not you like it), you can always sell it, in a dedicated light forum like this, or CPF MarketPlace, or EDCF - wherever. There are plentyof light enthusiasts who will pay a decent dollar for your nice light; or you can always gift it to someone else, and hang on only to the lights you like the best. I’ve gifted maybe half a dozen of so lights I had, during the past year, and bought some slightly higher end ones (nothing super expensive; nothing custom), and am all the happier for it.
I wish I knew a flashlight dealer who could give me killer deals on nice lights. Sounds like a sweet deal.
Enjoy!
You hit the nail on the head with the term OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). That’s categorised as a neurosis and not psychosis. But I’d feel mine becomes an indecent obsession if I spend an obscene amount of money and time over it. Like missing somebody’s wedding to surf for lights (not done that, yet). Switching focus from watches to flashlights saved me a ton too and I’m no longer into costly SF lights anymore cos I’m kind of a CPF-refugee! Just don’t let me hear about any flashlight subscription box deals pls…
