Spending money you don't have on something you don't need is never a good idea. I think this behavior is less of an Audiophile sickness than it is pure fiscal irresponsibility.
I was a bit fiscally irresponsible in my early adulthood. But once I became responsible to myself and my (future) family, it became very difficult to spend money I didn't have. Once I started consciously saving money, I typically decided not to spend money needlessly because of the amount of effort I had put into saving the cash in the first place.
Here's a story for you: When I was first out in the working world I really wanted to buy a Porshe. I figured that would be an affermation that I had really "made it" in life. However, once I actually had the money to but the Porshe, I decided not to do it. Saving that much money had been a long and painful process. I had forced myself to live way below my means. When the time came, I decided to invest in a home instead. That lead to a series of homes and ultimately I've ended up with a pretty large real estate portfolio.
I'm sure glad I didn't sacrifice my personal, and ultimately my family's, future for a better audio system!
Enjoy,
TIC
PS, oh yeah, my answer is "no", I've never financed audio because I didn't have the money to pay for it.
I was a bit fiscally irresponsible in my early adulthood. But once I became responsible to myself and my (future) family, it became very difficult to spend money I didn't have. Once I started consciously saving money, I typically decided not to spend money needlessly because of the amount of effort I had put into saving the cash in the first place.
Here's a story for you: When I was first out in the working world I really wanted to buy a Porshe. I figured that would be an affermation that I had really "made it" in life. However, once I actually had the money to but the Porshe, I decided not to do it. Saving that much money had been a long and painful process. I had forced myself to live way below my means. When the time came, I decided to invest in a home instead. That lead to a series of homes and ultimately I've ended up with a pretty large real estate portfolio.
I'm sure glad I didn't sacrifice my personal, and ultimately my family's, future for a better audio system!
Enjoy,
TIC
PS, oh yeah, my answer is "no", I've never financed audio because I didn't have the money to pay for it.