Do you spend more on audio than your income allows

Never, but it is a battle. Overall my system cost me close to half for what it retails by: buying demos/used equipment; doing extensive research in selecting components which punch above their weight, such as Mapletree Audio 2A SE Linestage Preamp, to keep costs down; DIYing a few things; getting lucky and graced by kindness of others. It took much patience and longer than I would have preferred, sold some personal items and worked extra jobs for extra cash. This afforded me a rocking system without debt. However, being human, I do still lust for objects out of my financial reach. Fortunately, when my lust grows out of control I just fire up my system and everything falls back into perspective.

Hey I hear you...same here, instead of paying off my morgage faster, I'm thinking of new equipment. But we all have certain downfalls. Different people spent money on different things. People have been buying 40 K SUV, even though they have no family. I think important thing is to feel good about what we're doing, and if we're on a "budget" and do a certain amount of search so that we don't spend too much more money that we could have with the same results.

Sure, but I spend more than my income allows on everything else, too!

No, but I'm a typical case of Lexus tastes on a Toyota budget, and I am thankful for what I do have in all aspects of life.

I listen to the best equipment and then do extensive research and trial to find satisfying pieces that I can afford that I think are competitive with what I might chose if money were no object, which it is.

The good news is that this strategy has worked for me so far and my bank accounts thank me for it.

BTW I have decent savings but still have two kids to send to college and will have to retire someday, and I own two very well engineered and reliable high mileage Toyotas.

Ahhhhhhh Haaaaaa! Please don't make me laugh, I just had surgery..... It’s the American way man. Got to keep the economy rolling… I’m just doing my part. I am a “consumer.”