How to finance your jumps ?

[NeedCoffee 0]

Hey guys,
I'm 18 years old and I've been skydiving for a year now.
It's definitely the best thinks I've experienced in my life, and after 50 jumps, I'm still hooked !
So I woul like to become a skydiver instructor, but my parents can't give me any money, and I have no idea of how to finance my jumps...
I'm curently working almost everyday after school and every hollydays, but this is not enough.

I know that when I will have 200 jumps, I will be able to film tandems and earn money for that, so I would be independant and I would be able to jump for free.

But I still have 150 jumps to do, and if I want to become instructor, I can't wait 3 years to reach 200 jumps.
Moreover, It's a passion so I can't wait to jumpe again.
And I'm currently grounded because I ran out of money.

Thanks for your help and keep flying !

[dthames 0]

Is packing at your DZ (or other nearby DZ) an option?

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[NeedCoffee 0]

Yes I can buy a pack and I will get some free jumps. But a pack is a large amount of money, and I have no solution to borrow 2K$ for 60 jumps.

I guess it's the big question for many skydivers

[normiss 841]

" instructor, I can't wait 3 years"

There's the rub.


What type of "instructor" are you referring to?

[nolhtairt 0]

NeedCoffee

Yes I can buy a pack and I will get some free jumps. But a pack is a large amount of money, and I have no solution to borrow 2K$ for 60 jumps.

I guess it's the big question for many skydivers

What he meant was could you work as a packer at the DZ and earn money for jumps? Some packers make up to $100-200 a day at busy DZs... pack jobs for skydivers last I remember was like $5 each and tandems paid $15.

[tred 0]

my advice, stop jumping and save every dollar you have until you have your own rig. then you can jump for 25$. eat noodles and pb&j, don't buy new clothes, don't go out, save every dollar you have, get another job, sell stuff you don't use any more. become a PACKER. all of these things work and its how I afford it. these posts kinda annoy me.

[NeedCoffee 0]

normiss

" instructor, I can't wait 3 years"

There's the rub.


What type of "instructor" are you referring to?

I mean tandem instructor and then why not AFF instructor :)

nolhtairt

What he meant was could you work as a packer at the DZ and earn money for jumps? Some packers make up to $100-200 a day at busy DZs... pack jobs for skydivers last I remember was like $5 each and tandems paid $15.

Oh the problem is whe have many packers in my DZ, and to become packer you have to pass a certificate which cost money. So I'm not sure it would be a good plan for the moment.

tred

my advice, stop jumping and save every dollar you have until you have your own rig. then you can jump for 25$. eat noodles and pb&j, don't buy new clothes, don't go out, save every dollar you have, get another job, sell stuff you don't use any more. become a PACKER. all of these things work and its how I afford it. these posts kinda annoy me.

Stop skydiving ? That's crazy, I can't !
Sorry to annoy you, but try to figure how it's hard to have a passion you can't practice because of money..

[normiss 841]

You're not going to like this....
TI requires 5 years in sport and 500 jumps.

[NeedCoffee 0]

normiss

You're not going to like this....
TI requires 5 years in sport and 500 jumps.

What do you mean by TI ? Tandem Instructor ?
In france, it requires 3 years in sport and 1000 jumps to become tandem instructor.

[tred 0]

NeedCoffee

Stop skydiving ? That's crazy, I can't !
Sorry to annoy you, but try to figure how it's hard to have a passion you can't practice because of money..

your throwing away money renting gear, I stopped for 3 months when I had 15 jumps to save for a rig, it sucks but it will pay off later.

[normiss 841]

My apologies, no clue where you were.

Good luck!

[tred 0]

are you sure it is 5 years in US? I always heard 3 but I have never looked it up

[normiss 841]

I think you're correct.
I also think my memory sucks.

[NeedCoffee 0]

tred

***
Stop skydiving ? That's crazy, I can't !
Sorry to annoy you, but try to figure how it's hard to have a passion you can't practice because of money..

your throwing away money renting gear, I stopped for 3 months when I had 15 jumps to save for a rig, it sucks but it will pay off later.

I definitely can't buy a parachute, even after 3 months of standbye. I'm a student, I do not earn much.
Moreover, event if each jump is 8$ cheaper, the problem remain the same.

normiss

My apologies, no clue where you were.

Good luck!

No problem, I di not mention it

[wasatchrider 0]

sounds like you have to stop skydiving if you don't have the money. people make money at jobs get a job that pays you money then use that money for skydiving
if your a student that does not work and youre out of money and your parents wont fund you then you don't have a choice

BASE 1519

[NeedCoffee 0]

wasatchrider

sounds like you have to stop skydiving if you don't have the money. people make money at jobs get a job that pays you money then use that money for skydiving
if your a student that does not work and youre out of money and your parents wont fund you then you don't have a choice

That sounds really sad, but it should be the only way.
The liberty has a price, and it's not cheap.
Hard to hear that.

[Amazon 7]

Coffee Smuggling an option???

[NeedCoffee 0]

Amazon

Coffee Smuggling an option???

Must be the last option mate

[councilman24 37]

Skydiving isn't cheap. You can't afford it with an after school or part time job. Stop, go to college, start a career and then you will be able to afford to jump.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[bgrozev 3]

This is not exactly profound advice, but:

Optimize your spending. Save up money for your own rig, it is worth it in the long run. Finish your education (you are just finishing high school, I imagine?).

Your jumps are limited by money, not by time. So if you get an opportunity for extra work, prioritize it over jumping. This makes more jumps in the long run.

Since your jumps are limited, try to learn as much as possible from them -- avoid going out for a jump without a goal. Try to improve your knowledge and skills in other ways: read up on the subject, learn about your gear, etc. Unless this completely takes the fun out of jumping for you.

[monkycndo 0]

Sell plasma.

Sell semen.

Sell anything else you own.

Mow lawns.

Deliver newspapers on your bike.

If you want it that badly, you will find a way.

Good luck.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[normiss 841]

Just because stripping worked for you doesn't mean everyone can do it.

[djmarvin 2]

tred

are you sure it is 5 years in US? I always heard 3 but I have never looked it up

It is 3 years.
FAR 105.45 "(i) Has a minimum of 3 years of experience in parachuting"

DJ Marvin
AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E
http://www.theratingscenter.com

[tikl68 6]

Some of the best advice is not what you want to hear, but our awesome sport is an expensive one. You might have to take a break until you obtain employment that allows you to afford to skydive. How ever if you want it bad enough there are ways to be creative and stay current at least. I was on unenjoyment for a couple of months and in order to continue to jump I talked to the DZO and he came up with an Idea. I would drive the tractor with the mower attachment out in the landing area, which is quite large at my home DZ and groom/mow the grass/weeds during the week for two days and he would put 5 jumps for each day of 8-10 hours of mowing on my account. As I gained more experience I would pretrain the tandem students on saturday and also get 5 jumps on my account. Then I started packing to make actual cash but that takes time and experience. Talk to your DZO and ask if you can help harness tandem students up, or help wash the plane at the end of the day, if your DZ is busy enough on the week ends and the TI's do turn loads pick up the rigs left in the landing area and bring them in to the packers, get creative.

You say its a passion. What is it worth to you?

[NeedCoffee 0]

Your true, I will take time to save money.
It's hard, but I should keep in mind that this is the cost of freedom.

Thanks for all your advices ! :)