economic status

[thearm]

I have heard that a hot tub is a upscale item and mostly owned by the well to do. What is the opinion of people on this forum. Maybe Bill could do a poll or survey showing what our annual incomes are. For eg: ,40-50k, 100-125k something like that. What do you think Mr Administrator?

[MostlyLurkingGal]

I gotta tell ya...I blow that theory all to hell....

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 In my experience that is pretty false,  The one thing you cant do in this industry is judge anyone by what they drive,how much they make or how they look/dress.

 I have sold the least expensive Free flow spa to people that live in very well to do neighborhoods with very expensive homes, and I have sold the top of the line Jacuzzi to people that live in the worst of neighborhoods and drive pos cars.

 A lot of times the guy with all the money is the one looking for the best deal and wants you to throw everything but the kitchen sink in.

[Chad]

I think a pole would be interesting.
The only reason I can afford one is b/c I have no dependents. I hope there's a catergory for tight a$$es.

[anne]

I think a poll would show that we run the spectrum of incomes here. Our common denominator is that this is (one of?) the luxuries that we have allowed ourselves, and it was probably more of a sacrifice to some than to others. Besides, we live in such different parts of the country- not to mention those crazy Canadians- how are you going to compare a $100K income in CA or NY to Kansas? Or Edmonton? (No insult intended, but Kansas came to mind because a very good friend of mine left CA to move there last year, and his house (purchased for about 180K) would have been 3-5 times that out here. And my first boyfriend was from Edmonton, so it's one of the few Canadian cities that pops in my head. )

[Gomboman]

I'm not sure if that is true in my area. For whatever reason, most of my neighbors look down on my portable spa. They are very proud of their in-ground pools and spas. I prefer the looks of an in-ground gunite spa myself but mine is much more functional.  

[Bonibelle]

I think it all depends on why you have a tub.  If you have one because you are trying to impress the neighborhood and you can't think of anything else to spend your money on...then maybe the upscale idea fits.  I have a cousin who has a beautiful CalSpa on his deck overlooking the beach...I tell him it is a DECKoration...For a short while we got him using it, but now it is just there. His wife Never did care about it, and he probably doesn't do more than check the water occasionally. So it was just an "item".
I went way over my budget for my tub...but I bought it for therapy, and no other reason. I have actually done everything that I can to keep my neighbors from even knowing I have a tub...
When I was going through the high electric bill adventure, the lady auditor from the electric company thought that I had no right complaining about my bill because I had a hot tub. She said she wished she could afford such a luxury...I told her I would gladly trade my Lyme disease and arthritis ..and she could have the hot tub.

So it really depends on why you have one. I have two neighbors who have tubs and neither of them is "up scale" either!  

[wmccall]

I gotta tell ya...I blow that theory all to hell....

Me too. I don't own a double wide, but a ranch in the ghetto.

[NE-Phil]

Nothing "well to do" about me. Definitely middle class, living in a middle class neighborhood, in a lower to middle class town.

A few years ago, while the Mrs and I were on vacation, we stayed at a few hotels with hot tubs. We quickly realized how wonderful they were and that got us thinking about how great it would be to have one at home but we didn't pursue it. Then my neighbor bought one for his wife who has some medical problems. I used his after a couple of karate tests and noted I healed much, much faster. The aches and pains didn't last nearly as long.

We  again started thinking about purchasing our own but we were unable to do that until a small inheritance unexpectedly appeared. Middle age has hit us and we're still glad we made the decision for the hot tub.

Phil

[redwright]

Um .... we're actors. I don't think I need to qualify further.  

[drewstar]

I think at one time Hot tubs were considered a luxary of the very wealthy, but as others have said, that's no longer the case.   A tub runs from $4K to $15,000.


Let's see,

That's much less than  
a speed boat,
a time share
a sports car
a divorce


My friend thought I was extravagant when I puchased my $7K spa and thought I was nuts.

Of course she drives a $45,000 SUV

I drive an $17,000 vehicle.   I can have my car, my spa, a tropical vacation, and still have money left over.

It's all relative.

[wmccall]

In my experience that is pretty false,  The one thing you cant do in this industry is judge anyone by what they drive,how much they make or how they look/dress.

The opposite attitude cost a local carpet dealer our business.  We decided to replace the upstairs carpet. Before we went to the store we put on old clothes, moved the furniture did some measuring and some cleaning since we moved the furniture We then  headed to the store.  

The sales guy took us to the cheapest carpet they had, and forgot we where there when an affluent looking couple drove up.     They weren't as serious about buying as we were and they walked out right behind us.

[Spatech_tuo]

I've been to mansions that put in a hot tub (not always a premium tub either, sometimes I scratch my head expecting they'd have top of the line). I've been to houses where the tub seemed like it came close to the value of the house.

[Bonibelle]

Haha...when they delivered our tub...and put it on the deck right next to my above ground pool...(behind my small 3 bedroom cape cod), I just smiled and said..Yep, Sanford and Son get a hot tub...I know ! !

[redwright]

Bonnibelle --

Lord have Mercy!! I loved your post ....  mostly because that sounds like my back yard and my house.



When the neighbors put their house on the market, their real estate agent ask us what age our children were because of the pool. (We have a 12' blow up pool that I got Fred as a gag ... and we ended up adoring! WE know it's stupid ... we just don't CARE.) We just laughed and told her that we were the children of the house.

And the final irony? In spite of my hillbilly yard ..... I won a city garden award. Go figure.