Rifle Scopes Scoping On The Cheap

Viper1

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Minuteman
Mar 14, 2013
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Nothern Kentucky
I am one cheap bastard. Ask anybody. It came from my father who was the king of all cheap bastards and, although a very successful food canner in Texas, always looked for the best for less. Not that he had no style or didn't care for nice things, he just didn't want to pay the going price for them.

So, exercising my birthright, I'm on the search for the best really cheap rifle scope I can find. My criteria are:

1. MUST be able to take magnum recoil without internal failure.
2. Should have first stage reticle.
3. Mil dot is preferred.
4. Must be matt black.
5. Must have turret adjustment for windage and elevation.
6. Must have rings available in Weaver style mounts, i.e. picatinny rail mount.
7. Must have 40+mm objective.

That's all I can think of for now but it gives you an idea what I'm up against. Just to get some skin in the game I have ordered a Firefield 4-16x42 "Tactial (parentheses mine) which you can view here: Firefield Waterproof Tactical 4-16x42mm AO IR Riflescope FREE S&H FF13044. Firefield Rifle Scopes..

Note: I'm not touting this scope and have no idea if it's worth a shit or not. It just read good on the specs, reviewed good [maybe too good] and the price was right at $119. Now, I ain't got $199 to throw away, but if it is even usable for .22 plinking, I'll have 120 bucks worth lf fun with it so little is to be lost.

If you have any favorites in the el-cheapo scope range and can stow your high-end bias for a minute, I'd like to hear what you know, or what you think just so long as I know the difference.

Regards,
Viper1
 
In optics almost every time you get what you pay for. Buy garbage, get garbage. I am betting a magnum will rattle that scope apart in short order.

Being cheap in this sport is not a good idea. Just wasting money.

Bushnell 10x40 would be about the cheapest I would go. SWFA Super Snipers at $299 are good scopes.
 
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Don't waste the money on anything Konus, Barska, BSA, or any other bargain basement Cheaper than Dirt scope. If you want to then just send me the money and I will kick you in the balls and you will end up feeling the same way as when you spend th emoney on the scope and it shits out after a few trips to the range if it works at all from the box.
 
Cheap Optics are like Cheap Condoms..... in that is the last place you should be trying to save a buck.

You are better off shooting with no optics, and learning fundementals (as someone who would ask this question, is no doubtly a new/inexperinced shooter).

As stated above, the absolute min you want to spend on an optic is around the SWFA SS or the Bushnell 10x 40mm 1/10 Mil. And that is only beacuse they are fixed power and there is less mechanical shit to go wrong.

For a Variable, the lowest most would go is a Vortex Viper or similar scope.

Buying cheap is only going to cost you more money. You will waste ammo trying to zero it , you will waste money and time trying to get it to track, and you will lose money on the sale beacuse no one wants those peices of shit.

Then you will have to go out and buy something worth owning and will kick yourself in the ass for not doing it in the first place.

Smart Men learn from their mistakes. Wise men learn from the mistakes of others. Don't try and re-invent the wheel.

If you cannot afford to play the game, then maybe look into another game. This is an expensive one and you are always going to want the next best thing be it rifles, glass or accsesories.
 
Cheap Optics are like Cheap Condoms..... in that is the last place you should be trying to save a buck.

You are better off shooting with no optics, and learning fundementals (as someone who would ask this question, is no doubtly a new/inexperinced shooter).

As stated above, the absolute min you want to spend on an optic is around the SWFA SS or the Bushnell 10x 40mm 1/10 Mil. And that is only beacuse they are fixed power and there is less mechanical shit to go wrong.

For a Variable, the lowest most would go is a Vortex Viper or similar scope.

Buying cheap is only going to cost you more money. You will waste ammo trying to zero it , you will waste money and time trying to get it to track, and you will lose money on the sale beacuse no one wants those peices of shit.

Then you will have to go out and buy something worth owning and will kick yourself in the ass for not doing it in the first place.

Smart Men learn from their mistakes. Wise men learn from the mistakes of others. Don't try and re-invent the wheel.

If you cannot afford to play the game, then maybe look into another game. This is an expensive one and you are always going to want the next best thing be it rifles, glass or accsesories.

Well said.
 
I've had 2 of the Elite 3200 10x's. great scopes and not a bad price. At one time, Barrett was putting them on the model 99 or 95 bolt action .50 so I'd think recoil wouldn't be an issue with it. As soon as I can liquidate some fishing gear I don't use I'm gonna get 2 more, one for a cz 452 and one for a 40x .22.
 
It is all about return on investment. Nothing wrong with buying a scope within your budget, but there is a caveat.

One can find decent glass from a reputable manufacture for close to $200, but it will not have all of the features OP wants. Vortex Viper, Bushy fixed x10, even a Redfield Revolution.

In the end if putting a Chinese piece of shit on your rifle makes you happy, then roll with it. Hell Sportsmans Guide is chock full of them type of scopes, you can probably get a discount on the deer ass bottle opener as well. BTW the same scope was only $69 there.

Deer Rear With Bottle Opener - 741082, Taxidermy at Sportsman's Guide

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/...luminated-reticle-mil-dot-scope.aspx?a=876562
 
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Op, everybody is gonna bust my balls here; but I had a Bushnell Banner on a 22/250 in highschool, and let me tell ya, I killed over 200 woodchucks with that laser beam. It isnt tactical, it doesn't have much adjustment, but it stayed true and held zero. I wasn't easy on that scope. My twin brother has a Banner on his 22/250 bvss and its a tack driver. Ok; let the flamage commence.
 
I suggest you find a new hobby. As others have stated this one isn't cheap!

Y'know, I'm trying real hard not to find that comment somewhat insulting. So, let's clear up something so we can go on. This whole cheap scope thing is an experiment. I can and do quite easily afford the best in and for my working rifles. And, I may be new to this forum but I'm damned sure not new to rifles or shooting. I shoot NRA black powder silhouette with a 45/70 at 500m with iron sights and ring the ram all friggin day. I was probably loading, shooting and hugging a rifle in a fucking jungle before most of you were born. So please cut a break, read the whole post and imagine if you can that some people had a life before Sniper Hide. Thus endeth the rant.

Now, if I need to keep it to three sentences and no big words then I'll do that. But I imagine that we are all educated, technical gentlemen here so let's cut a brother some slack. I'm just trying to see, in this world of Asian manufacturing and aggressive marketing if there was some dirt left unturned and at least functional glass could be found for my less than serious plinking guns. One that would support plinking at 600 M.

Best,
Viper1
 
I think people are giving you some good advice in not buying them. You don't seem to want to take it so go and buy a cheap scope and test it yourself. Just wasting your money and not mine so I don't really care if you take the advice or not.
 
Well i agree with most of the above replys that in optics you get what you pay for however, i was always told that there are only 2 types of optics, optics that failed and optics that are failing. That being said i do use a older tasco 6x24x?? that has always worked well for me. No it doesnt have the best glass, but for tree rats it works. You stated that i needs to hold up to a magnum and that tells me that a good warrenty need to go along with what ever scope you go with. As for my recommendation for a scope for you, vortex makes good quality optics at what i feel is a fair price. They have there crossfire line as there lower end but they still honer the lifetime warrenty.
 
if there was some dirt left unturned and at least functional glass could be found for my less than serious plinking guns.

It all depending on your definition of cheap, but it sounds like your talking about a 100 dollar scope, and if you are in the most respectful voice around your answer is no dirt is left un turned. No one giving you bad advise, you just dont like the advise your getting
 
Rob, I was just hoping there might be a diamond amongst the rocks. "Don't do it" I can figure out for myself. I've bought the one scope mentioned earlier just to try it out fully imagining that it will come apart like a $2 watch the first time I light off a 300WM under it.

Yes Sir, I am listening to the advice and it agrees with my own assessment. Just experimenting and running my traps to make sure I haven't missed anything. When I shake this thing after shooting and it rattles, I'll let you know here, on this thread.

Thanks for the links y'all. I'm not too sure how much money I'm willing to throw away in the name of science but we'll see. It's all speculation and opinion until that scope comes and I mount it up.

Thanks Again,
Viper1
 
It all depending on your definition of cheap, but it sounds like your talking about a 100 dollar scope, and if you are in the most respectful voice around your answer is no dirt is left un turned. No one giving you bad advise, you just dont like the advise your getting

Actually 'vette I'm really interested in the $300-$500 range, not $100. I bought the thing I did just out of curiosity.

Thanks,
Rob aka Viper1
 
Y'know, I'm trying real hard not to find that comment somewhat insulting. So, let's clear up something so we can go on. This whole cheap scope thing is an experiment. I can and do quite easily afford the best in and for my working rifles. And, I may be new to this forum but I'm damned sure not new to rifles or shooting. I shoot NRA black powder silhouette with a 45/70 at 500m with iron sights and ring the ram all friggin day. I was probably loading, shooting and hugging a rifle in a fucking jungle before most of you were born. So please cut a break, read the whole post and imagine if you can that some people had a life before Sniper Hide. Thus endeth the rant.

Now, if I need to keep it to three sentences and no big words then I'll do that. But I imagine that we are all educated, technical gentlemen here so let's cut a brother some slack. I'm just trying to see, in this world of Asian manufacturing and aggressive marketing if there was some dirt left unturned and at least functional glass could be found for my less than serious plinking guns. One that would support plinking at 600 M.

Best,
Viper1

Actually 'vette I'm really interested in the $300-$500 range, not $100.

Vortex Viper HS Tactical Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 5-15x 44mm Side Focus

Should fit your above criteria in bold. They are available used in the EE and worth every penny. Hopefully this does not insult you!
 
Actually 'vette I'm really interested in the $300-$500 range, not $100. I bought the thing I did just out of curiosity.

Thanks,
Rob aka Viper1

Oh then you are good to go. Grab a Vortex Viper 6.2-20. It tracks, is durable, decent glass, plenty of travel for your appliciation, best warranty in the business. It doesnt have alot of the frills other scopes have, but its a good solid preformer.

I guess I was miss reading your first post. I really thought you were looking for a 100 dollar scope sorry about that
 
Welcome to SH. If you already own a boat or and/or an airplane you're already broke. If not, be prepared to see all discretionary income get sucked into a black hole. As already mentioned, a Vortex Viper will meet your "Must have" needs. I've had two of the 6.5-20s and for a couple of years and they've been great. They have good resolution, good light transmission, little to no CA and repeatable turrets. Camera Land NY, a Hide vendor, has put these on sale several times for under $300.00. With the Vortex warranty, they are the best buy on a new scope in that dollar range.

Normally I don't indulge in self immolation as it is clearly unhealthy but your story sounds uncannily familiar. A few days ago, I shot three rifles for groups. This was prior to cleaning them and I wanted a before and after comparison. The scopes on the rifles are the aforementioned Vortex, a SS 5-20HD and a Simmons 6-21x44 Pro Series that has been on a Armalite M15T for a couple of years. After cleaning, the M15T shot a .191" three shot group. I then ran a quick box test on all three. Both the SS and the Vortex performed correctly as expected. Unexpectedly, so did the Simmons. I fired two series of one shot each right 7 1/4", up 7 1/4", left 7 1/4" and down 7 1/4" to point of aim for the last shot. The two shot groups were .354", .249", .199" and .219" to within 1/4" of the original point of aim. This scope has SF and capped turrets for about $110.00 and I'm still waiting for it to throw-up on itself.

OK, I've thrown myself on the pyre, somebody get their Zippo.
 
Horse,
Not from me man. That's the kind of information I was hoping for. Like I said, this is all an experiment to see if, given the technology out there and the mercantile energy of the Pacific Rim actors, there is a scope priced like the usual suspects [Barska, et al] but with quality far beyond that expected, given the price. You may have found the one or ones.

Very cool QH, keep up the good work,
Viper1
 
Now this may not be true with all of the scopes, but I've used a Simmons 44mag series 6-21x44 I believe it was with a mildot and covered target type turrets with success, as well as a 6-18 banner series, and a primary arms scope as well. I ran them all on a 7mag with really good success all in all. None of them broke, but none of them were really put through the paces all in all. Yes they would pass a 100yd box test and return to zero. No none of them were subject to the punishment for years and years, well I guess the banner was because it was the first scope on there and used as a hunting rig for several years. Slayed a bunch of deer from 80-450yds. I just used the ole kentucky windage trick with a duplex type reticle. Granted I knew the balistics of my ammo, so really all I had to do was try to account for the wind as best as possible and I was set.

For your wishlist there, I would go look at Primary Arms as they have a FFP optic with pretty much what you want, but I think it's like $229 or something like that. I have one of their 4-14.5x50 SFP optics in my safe right now. It will fit the bill for a lot of stuff and it's survived several different rifles, including a 300wm. Again not a long term exposure, but for at least 100rds or so I'd speculate.

Those are the best I can give you and I believe the cheapest would be around $150. I can say that from my experience with the SWFA fixed 10x scope, the freaking Simmons had better glass than that thing did! I'd be more then happy to give SWFA another try at this point with the new 3-15, but I'm not 100% sure that it would be worth it. Now it could be me, because I also felt the PST had much better glass than the Leupold MK4 that I had did! Anyhow, I do agree with the guys above in the saying that you get what you pay for as well. All in all I'm in the $400-$1000 range for optics when I shop any more, depending on what I'm wanting it for. Now I tell myself that I can't afford S&B or Premeir, etc, but in reality I could if I really wanted to....it would just take much longer. I'm looking more at like PST, Weaver, Bushnell, etc in the $6-900 range for the most part. It will do all I need and be a decent quality optic that should hold up for a long time.

I understand what you are saying, as I'm a lot like that myself in saying why should I pay $1500-2000+ for an optic that won't really do anything more that one in my realistic price range, but I honestly can say I've been where you're at and all in all, you may luck out and find one that will hold up and you may not. In the end, I'd speculate that it won't last nearly as long as say a $400 Vortex Viper, but who knows. Anyhow, good luck with that search.
 
So I'll throw this information into the pile:

I've had a Nikon 3-9x40 Buckmasters. An adequate short-range hunting scope at just under $200, but not enough magnification (for me) for target shooting. Sold it, fully functional.

I've had a Barska 4-16x44. It was on top of an AR. After about 500 rounds, the reticle began to rotate in the tube. Yes, rotate. Barka offers a lifetime warranty. I threw it in the trash.

My only advice is don't have a grandson with a dog collar.

Err, wait. No. Don't buy a Barska. Yeah, that's it.
 
The SWFA SS series are great scopes for the money (300.00). They hold their zeros and are built well. I have a fixed x10 and is true, done drop tests with one, even with broken glass, it still held its zero. Is it a Schmit & Bender, no but I didn't pay 4500.00 for it ether. SWFA scopes are gov. Contract scopes, this is why they are inexpensive. Almost all elements (the glass) are ground in Asia from all scope manufacturers. I hope this helps.
 
If what you are looking for exists, it would already be very popular.

There is a reason knowledgeable folks recommend certain proven products for each price point.

Very logical. Go for the empirical scope I say, the masses are rarely wrong says I; except maybe about wrestling and "Dancing with the Stars" and "Survivor" and Jerry Springer and Miller Lite and McDonalds and Dodge Trucks and ANYTHING by Madonna OR Lady Ga Ga...

Just joking of course, it is a very good point. Hard to believe that we would discover something invisible to the rest of the shooting world.

That Viper1 Guy
 
*sigh* I need to remember to come here and read before buying. Just picked up and mounted a Barska scope on my 700 .308. Probably better than the Bass Pro $80 special I was using before.

I really want an S&B, but I have too many expensive hobbies right now. :)
 
Viper1...I have alot of the same thoughts on optics as you. There were an awful lot of rifles scopes with bushnell and redfield and others in Deer camp when I was growing up. The M40a1 era rifles seemed to do quite well with a 3-9 redfield and I promise you they saw alot worse conditions than 99.9% of rifles. I know that glass has come a long way but when did it become the norm that you had to spend $2000 on a scope for it to be any good. I have a pentax 1.25-4 power on my 45-70 that has seen hundred of fairly warm 350 and 405 grain bullets. It has stood up like a champ. Pentax has a life time warranty and great optics. I like the one I have so much that I just ordered one of their new 30mm tube 6-24x50's to see what it will do. It has side parallax adjustment and if it is anything like the pentax that rides on my 45-70 it will be clear and bright. While it is not FFP and has a non standard version of mil-dot (they call it precision plex)....for $175 it is certainly worth a try. Maybe I'm way off base...but with 1 kid in college and 3 more at home....$2000 for a scope does not look doable anytime soon....nor would I really want to spend that even if I could afford it. I will be like you kicking over rocks to see if there is anything good underneath.

PS....I have another remmy 700 in 308 that wears a 6-18 power Nikon Buckmaster with Mil-Dot reticle...it is one of the best inexpensive scopes I have found.
 
Ditto Billmy67,

The Primary arms scope I bought is really well made and frankly I can't tell any difference in quality from the $1,550 Leupold I put on my primary rifle. I love bargain but had a moment of acute concern where putting my life on the line is involved. My "business" rifle needed the best that I could afford. But, my second rifle, a tasty little short action 700 in 243W with 24" heavy barrel, could do with a little less, hence the Primary Arms.

I've got a B&C M40A1 stock on backorder from Stocky's so when I get it all together I'll put pix up. Personally I wonder why I never hear anyone mentioning the little 6mm as a viable sniper round. This rifle shoots dead nuts even with its old wooden stock and weaver vintage long-9 scope. I'm anxious to see what will come of the same barreled action in a properly bedded B&C with this scope.

By the way, I've been loading and shooting the 45/70 for 60 years and I shoot it now in my Win High Wall for NRA BPCR Silhouette competition. I shoot AA (no great shakes) but it's open vernier sights out to 500m all with time limited relays all using my old eyes. If you've never tried it, it's a hoot. Shot from prone using crossed sticks. 45/70 is the favored round for this work. Being me, I tried it all before I went back to the old reliable 45/70. I started with the 45/120 in my Sharps (couldn't load them hot enough to flatten out the trajectory with that twist without them tumbling) then the big barreled Browning BPCR High Wall copy in 45/90 (great cartridge, don't like the rifle) before I "ran home to Momma" as it were.

Best,
Viper1
 
I'm gonna throw this out there again; Bushnell 4.5x14x44 legend ultra hd. Badass for 200 dollars. I've spun the turrets a lot, so far its always returned to zero and it dials back and forth from Xyds to 100yds every time for me. Good to 700 yd dope on my .264 w/o a 20 moa rail.

Biggest downside is the lack of target turrets.
 
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I have only one cheap scope a $165 dollar scope on a Ruger 10/22 which the kids shoot and the scope is cool with a green luminated cluster f*ch reticle. The grandkids like it and we focus on safety so we take it slow at the range. So I guess there is a place for cheap scope. Other than that I have four cheap scopes that I can't sell because they are NG and they were taken off of rifles I purchased second hand. Maybe the reason I got them cheap was the scope made their owners think the guns would not shoot. One of them came off a Weatherby 257 Mag and it is a very accurate rife mounted with a Zeiss scope.
BTW thanks for this: Deer Rear With Bottle Opener - 741082, Taxidermy at Sportsman's Guide
Some how it makes a point really well.
 
Don't waste the money on anything Konus, Barska, BSA, or any other bargain basement Cheaper than Dirt scope. If you want to then just send me the money and I will kick you in the balls and you will end up feeling the same way as when you spend th emoney on the scope and it shits out after a few trips to the range if it works at all from the box.

While I agree with almost all of Rob01 statement about cheap scopes I have to disagree with his lumping Konus in with Barska and BSA. My brother was in the same boat as the OP. We took a chance on the Konus M30 6.5-24X44 scope for his Remmy 308 SPS. He has had it for over 3 years and has never had a single problem although he rarely uses it above 20X. I have alway been a Nightforce guy but decided to buy one from SWFA for $299 @ the time (1 year ago) for my SIG 716. After a year of regular use not a single problem. Glass is very clear, tracks well and great resolution . Since then I have bought 2 more for my 556 Rock River AR's. one the 4-16X40 the other the same as the first. All 3 are still going strong with out any problems. I can plainly see 223 holes out to 200 yards the limit on my range Are they Nightforce quality? Not at all but compare to the quality of the 2 Vortex PST FFP's that I own perhaps with even better resolution. I can't speak for the lower quality Konus line but the M30 line is not a Barfka or a BSA. Only time will tell if they will hold up as well as other scopes mentioned but all 3 I own and the one M30 my brother owns have served us well. On my other rifles they all sport either Nightforce, Leupold's or ACOGs so it is not a matter of money with me. Just value for the $$$.
 
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Viper, optics have several things that effect use
1. Optical quality. That means clear glass and as price increases the edge to edge clarity usually gets better. Most folks who don't shoot much judge scopes by tis and this is last thing I care about as long as the scope works right. Its important but not as much as tracking/repeatability
2. Ability to track and repeat settings. This is almost always a problem in cheaper variable scopes but the SWFA SS10X fixed works well in this case
It is easier to get a fixed scope to track/repeat than a variable
If you get a cheaper variable you should learn to use the reticle for holds and leave knobs alone. This wont get rid of the shift common in cheaper scopes when you change power but will help get rid of some tracking problems.
3. Adjustment range. A scope that does not have enough travel will never become a great tactical scope. Look at the 4-16 Nikon Tacticals. Great scope with shit travel. Dead in water because of it.

Now I would look around for used scope because you can get good deals.

I like Leupold but your price range is hard to find a MK4 in.

Bushnell 4200 Tacticals will be found in this price range and they work on all levels.

SWFA 3-9s are fantastic and can be found used around 500.00 as well
 
I have to agree w tactical above...

The scopes that we had at the huntin camps and those rifles shoot fine are being used for a completely different mission. I think u should define how far out u want to shoot w ur magnum rifle. If its a few hundred yards then that bushnell mildot or the tasco tacticool will work. Thing is those scopes are NOT 100 percent repeatable. The scopes used for real tactical shooting can be adjusted time after time after time after time and the settings go back to the same exact place every time... Not 99.9 percent of the time but every time. U ain't gonna find that Ina 200 dollar bushnell no matter how hard u look that dog won't hunt.

Night eagle
 
SWFA SS 16x42 Tactical 30mm Riflescope
I am one cheap bastard. Ask anybody. It came from my father who was the king of all cheap bastards and, although a very successful food canner in Texas, always looked for the best for less. Not that he had no style or didn't care for nice things, he just didn't want to pay the going price for them.

So, exercising my birthright, I'm on the search for the best really cheap rifle scope I can find. My criteria are:

1. MUST be able to take magnum recoil without internal failure.
2. Should have first stage reticle.
3. Mil dot is preferred.
4. Must be matt black.
5. Must have turret adjustment for windage and elevation.
6. Must have rings available in Weaver style mounts, i.e. picatinny rail mount.
7. Must have 40+mm objective.

...

Regards,
Viper1

Well, Viper, I certainly respect the "cheap" aspect, as I'm often in the same boat. And having an MBA means I'm *pedigreed* as a cheap bastard. :cool:

Ok, I've got a fixed 16x scope, the SWFA SS16X42. Link for details

I've put... I guess maybe 200 rounds through my Savage BAS-K (.308) using this total, and it doesn't have a scratch on it (except for where the rings clamp) the tubes. Works perfect, never had a problem with it. I've come to the conclusion that I need a variable power, and want to step up to some higher-end glass for my Savage. The 16X fixed is too high for my M1A, so I won't really need this one any more... If you want, I'll sell it to you for... call it $250.

Regards.
 
I see. However my experience is that I almost invariably pay more for the scope than the rifle. Some times quite a bit more.

But there's what may be a breakthrough. I have just set up my Rem 700 varmint special 243 with a Primary Arms house label 4-14 X 44 scope ($229) with Burris tactical rings (3 screw) and the gun and I love it. Great field of view, clear glass and three turrets the elev. marked in 1/10th Mil clicks. It is every bit as nice as the Leupold ($1,529) on my 300 WM. Let's see how it stands up to lots of fire.

Molon Labe,
Viper1
 
Hey Y'all,

Got some hearsay input on the Primary Arms 4-14X44 scope I bought for my 243. On another forum a guy used one on his Savage 110 338 Lapua and it shit itself after just 10 rounds.

Let's see if it can stand up to a 9 lb. 243.

Viper1
 
My first scope was Nikon buckmaster $250 then I sold it , Then upgraded to Nikon Mornach($499) about 3 months later sold it on Ebay. Never thought i would spend something like nightforce or SB. I can tell you it worth it, you will get what you pay for. Now I have 1 SB DT LT 5x25-56mm, 1 Nightforce NSX 5.5x22-50mm, and 1 Premier Heritage. Although it little expensive, but those scope will last at least for 10 years or more( for the long run, you pay one time, but you will get better glass, high quality scope, more elevation click for long range, and many more feature.....) Anyway, when u are at this level, you will never want to spend less $ than what you already had.