I never expected this thread to go on so long. I'll add another.
We spent the last four years in hard saving mode, to pay for my school. I recently graduated and got a decent job paying about double what I was getting before, and suddenly money doesn't feel so tight. I started a new hobby, beekeeping, and today my wife asked how much I had spent on it. About $200, I guessed. No comment from her except that they haven't paid for themselves back yet, with the honey we have gotten so far. I feel rich, knowing that I can indulge in a hobby for the first time in years, and still be saving.
Oh, that's my plan for within the next year or two! Can I ask how you got into it?
(Most of what I buy is beeswax, not honey, and that's already expensive. Look into selling that to up profits, if you haven't already.)
So far have not sold anything, and probably won't for quite a while. Fresh honey makes great gifts though.
How I got into it? My daughter nagged me, and it is something I have always wanted to do anyway. I happened to mention it to an elderly relative who keeps bees, and he offered to sell me two hives cheap, since he is getting too old to keep as many as he has. I had to assemble all the equipment, and he would fill it with bees and enough brood and honey to get them started. Cost me 50 bucks for the bees, a real steal as he threw in about 20 bucks worth of frames.
I had another relative build the first few actual hives, since he is a skilled carpenter. Since then I have been building all my new hives (supers) as the bees increase in numbers and need more space.
I ended up buying all the frames that the bees build their comb on. These cost $18-$20 for a box of five, and it takes ten frames to fill one super. Not sure exactly how many boxes of frames I have bought, about 13 I think, so I have spent $260 just on frames, plus $50 for the bees, and maybe $30 on incidentals like screws, lumber. So roughly $340 all told, and maybe I am forgetting some costs.
If you buy bees commercially, add in another $100 or more for the bees, plus the cost of the supers, which appears to be $40-$50 each, and you need at least 3 supers for each colony of bees. It isn't cheap getting started.
If you are a half-way decent carpenter, the supers are not hard to make. I have been making a couple a week in my spare time, and gradually improving my skills. It was harder making 90 degree corners than I had suspected! Eventually I hope to start making the frames too, as they are quite expensive. I'll also hunt around for some cheap supplies. Have not found any yet. Craig's list locally is pretty pitiful.
It looks like, if you purchase everything new, one hive of bees will cost you roughly $300 just for the bees and basic materials. This is if you don't go crazy buying all sorts of extra gear like a fancy bee suit (unnecessary. A hat, mosquito net, long-sleeved shirt and gloves are all you need. The net cost me $2.) My suggestion is to start gathering materials now. Build or buy used the supers and frames. Create a home-made bee-suit using a turtle-neck shirt, hat and gloves. Visit a local beekeeper to observe and get advice.
