Would you DJ a wedding for $550 in 2021?

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!

Would you do a $550/4 hour wedding reception in 2021?

  • Absolutely! It's fair pay in my opinion!

    Votes: 6 28.6%
  • I would only do this on a weekday.

    Votes: 3 14.3%
  • I would only do it if it's under 10 miles or 15 minutes from my house

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Nope. There is just no situation where I would do a wedding for $550 today

    Votes: 7 33.3%
  • No, I have never even booked a wedding that low before!

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • No, but I would for $595 to $650 if it is logistically favorable for me to do it.

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • Total voters
    21
I almost put a like to your post except when you talked about using a $400 laptop. First it depends on what you plan to use the laptop for and what's inside the laptop. My main laptop I use to DJ with cost me less then $50. It's an old Lenovo that still works great! The laptop needs enough processor speed to run VDJ which it does. I don't put it online or use it for video to show at events. Nowadays you need at least 4 gigs of ram to use for a DJ software program so it doesn't skip or buffer. Even then that may not be god enough depending on what you use the laptop for.

I don’t know. Think you’ve been lucky. If I’m at a 300 person wedding running a $50 laptop, I’m going to be popping Xanax like jelly beans.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: dunlopj
This is a business for most of us, and profitability is the whole reason I do this, or continute to do this.

A hobby DJ can spend $10k on gear and do 5 gigs a year for $1000 and not care. I'm not that guy- I have to make a buck, and that means choosing gear for VALUE.

yes, a $2000 laptop is nice, but if a $400 one does the job then I'm going with 400.

Bose is ncie, but $2k when I can do just as nice an event for 1/2 that price with yamaha..no brainer.

Just like a new $50,000 van is way nicer than my 18 year old $3500 one, but it's paid for and nice and reliable.

And the client DOES NOT CARE. And damned few if any notice.

NOBODY has EVER asked:
What speakers do you use?
What lapttop?
What software?
Where do you get your music?
What vehicle do you use?
What controller do you use, or do you USE a controller?
What brand of wire?
Who made your suit?
ANYTHING about lighting other than "do you provide dance lighting" - no questions on bransd, quantity, style, dmx or not, truss or stands or if I sit it on the floor (which i've seen djs do more than I care to count)

I have been asked about 'do you have silence between your songs" by 2 different brides.
can you play clean versions of songs?
Did you get to eat?
Twice now, please don't consumer alcohol (for a reunion, they tell me last time the dj got stinkin drunk)


YOU may think 'gear' matters, but as long it's not distorting and it's reliable NOBODY CARES.

YOu call a tow truck...do you care what it is?
You got your tires balanced, what machine did they use?
What equipment does your dentist use?
THe local lawn care folks, what brand of mowers and weedeaters do tehy use? Brand of truck and trailer?
Favorite restaurant uses what brand and style of fryers or cooktop?



YOU DO NOT CARE any more than our customers care about what we use.

So why spend $5k if 3k will do the job?

Personally I want that $2k difference in MY pocket rather than someone else's pocket.
What I like is reliable equipment that will sound great and work well at events so I don't worry about things failing at a gig. It can happen and that's the reason for bringing backup equipment. I bought those Yamaha DSR 115 speakers and have never regretted the purchase. I could have bought some speakers that were less expensive just to save money. My years of experience is doing that will leave you wishing you spent the extra money because in the end it's worth it.

Another very important factor is knowing how to use what you have so there are no issues. My partner was using a pair of Mackie Thumps at a store and was pushing them to hard and blew one of the woofers in the speaker. He replaced the speakers in the boxes with Black Widow speakers that were in the non powered speakers we had. Super big difference!

Now those speakers back then cost me $1,500 for the pair. They now sell for 1k each and if I had it to do right now I would buy another pair.
 
I don’t know. Think you’ve been lucky. If I’m at a 300 person wedding running a $50 laptop, I’m going to be popping Xanax like jelly beans.
I said less then $50 and so far so good. Not luck but having the right stuff inside. Besides I've had it for at least 5 years and no problem at an event. Just make sure you have the right battery and cord which I do and it works just fine.
 
Yeah... having to be there was the real slap in the face. I'm a pretty awful wedding guest already, I have trouble turning "that" part of my brain off as a guest.
I find it hard not to judge a DJ I never seen before working. Now when the DJ is stellar I give them high praise and when that's not the case I will stay in a guest place, no matter how bad the DJ is.
 
At the end of 2019 (before the pandemic) I decided not to do weddings anymore. I'd rather do events with shorter hours and less planning for less money now days. So a 4 hour wedding with a minimal rig, no planning, short drive, no stress would be OK with me at $550.

I had my first DJ event last night since 2019 and decided to use way less equipment. What I used was similar to what many would use for a ceremony since the event didn't really call for more. The quick setup and breakdown was so nice!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Ricky B
At the end of 2019 (before the pandemic) I decided not to do weddings anymore. I'd rather do events with shorter hours and less planning for less money now days. So a 4 hour wedding with a minimal rig, no planning, short drive, no stress would be OK with me at $550.

I had my first DJ event last night since 2019 and decided to use way less equipment. What I used was similar to what many would use for a ceremony since the event didn't really call for more. The quick setup and breakdown was so nice!


I suspect that there WILL come a day in my future where I decide not to do weddings any more, and look at nearby cheap party type events to do. I am going to assume I would make that decision when I am much older, and realize it is just harder to book wedding couples as clients at that point any way though. My Dad still Deejays at his age of almost 77 this year. He decided not to do weddings any more in 2006. So he was 62 when he was done with weddings. He has done a handful of weddings since then, but they were all weddings for older people who were getting married a 2nd or 3rd time, and the couple was over 60 years old, and the venue was under a 40 minute drive from his house. They were also ALL a single set up, and no lights.

He basically needs an assistant to perform now because he has trouble lifting equipment with his heart issues so he only does a hand dance club event every Tuesday night and my older brother helps him out on it, but he is trying to work it out to where he can leave his equipment already set up at the venue permanently so he doesn't have to set anything up moving forward. He can just arrive and plug in his laptop, and use his CDs (He still uses CDs a lot).

I don't think I will make it past age 57 or 58 doing weddings. Either due to major changes in the industry by that point, or because I will decide I am old enough, and not do weddings any more. So that gives me another 18-19 years with weddings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jas and dunlopj
- No one asks these things, not because they don't care... but bc ultimately it is the end result that matters. Can your $400 laptop do serato video... probably not (trust me I tried). But if you have a client that wants them, you'll need it.

Moot point. If you pl;an to do serato video you won't have a $400 laptop, just like if you plan to play a 1000 person gig you will have more than 2 10" tops.


- No one will care where you get your music, but they'll care what music you bring, and where you get your music may impact your awareness of certain music.

True

- They may not care about your controller, but will you be able to provide them the quality of mixing they expect. A higher quality mixer makes those transitions, loops, overlays, samples, quickmixes, much easier.

Only important if you do that stuff. Yes, it's terrible I say that, I'll be drummed out of the DJ community. But ya know what, the car cruise i'm doing next week...they don't care and won't notice and certainly do not want loops and overlays. The class of 71 reunion this weekend doesn't care or want that either.

- No one cares about wires, but if your speakers are crackling, staticky, and overall not producing a pure sound... it'll get noticed.

That's kind of a gear 101 thing. Applies to $200 dj or $2000 dj.

- No one will ask you what your suit is... but they'll appreciate it when you show up dressed sharply, as you're a representation of the couple.

- No one cares about the lighting you use, but they will care if you ruin their photos with lasers, have strobing lights during dinner, and an overall lighting atmosphere thats not fitting in with the moment. If there is lighting they expect it to be appropriate for the moment, and enhance the visual atmosphere. When paying for lighting they don't care how it's done, but that it's done properly.

That has nothing to do with $50 light or a $500 light but all in how YOU work the lights.

Can you get away with providing proper results with cheaper options... yes. But typically, the better quality options allow us to produce more desired results.

And a $75,000 sprinter will make you a better DJ over a used $4000 one. And michelin tires will make you a better DJ over the PepBoys house brand.

No, they won't make you any better or words a DJ that the brand of socks you wear. There is a potentially better reliability with the better gear - but only potentially.


You're biased in your beliefs based on your own personal experiences.
And so are you. You can get $2k a wedding (or whatever) where you are. You, or anyone, won't get that here. NEVER. Not once.

Now if you're willing to travel an hour for every meeting and every event, you might. Some do get it, many lie that they get it too. Or they got it once and for ego's sake they qote that one off figure forever.


If you're not getting these discussions it's often because you don't represent this level of quality. If I know I'm looking for a lambo or something of equal quality... why would I check honda. If I'd check my competitors it would be ferrari, aston martin, or mclaren. We determine the clientele we receive based on the product we put out for others to see. If I saw two photogs, one in a fitted suit... one with baggy pants, a polo, and black sneakers... who would APPEAR as the better and more successful photographer. If I saw trussing and a nice facade compared to an exposed system or bare bones setup... who would APPEAR as the more expensive dj. If I saw a DJ actively mixing and adding creativity to the music being played, vs one who plays out the entire song... fades instead of beatmaches... who would be perceived to be a more skilled dj. If I therefore was looking to spend money... who would I call from the above options.

And how does an average bride or customer determine that from a website or knot listing?

I can't begin tell you how many times I've been complimented on my appearance. I can't tell you how many times people say my lighting is absolutely beautiful and perfect for their atmosphere. I can't tell you how many times my dj setup has been said it's the most modern/classiest/luxurious set up people have seen. I can't tell you how much my mixing is appreciated and how I literally have guests staring at me instead of their date watching me mix or recording me and in awe that I "actually mix".

While one can say they saved $6k in their pocket one time by going with basic lighting that cost $2k ... I can say I spent $8-$9k in lighting, but as a result I'm making on avg an extra $700 per event for around 50 events a year (that's a whopping $37,500 in LIGHTING ADD-ONS)... can the guy that invested $2k get that? Highly unlikely. I have close to $100k in equipment... but my numbers tell me I'm quite profitable. I could spend less... but I'd have to work 2-3x the number of gigs to make the same level of income. I'd rather invest 2-3x in equipment than my competitors, and work less and make more. It's an investment. The more you invest... the higher the potential return. Just like in anything else, you have to invest wisely.

Of course it's not just physical appearance... it can be branding, websites, social media and more. Could I do a $500 website... sure... but I doubt it would be as nice as my $2000 one. Can I post random photos of events... sure but it wouldn't be as nice as the professionals I hire to capture my events. Can I post 8 min cell phone videos of my events with no care for what it shows... or can I post attention grabbing 1-2 min videos that keep a viewer engaged and wanting more.

I was the $800 dj I was the $1200 dj, I was the $1750 dj, I was the $2000 dj, and am now a $2500 dj... I would never be able to get $2500 for what I was doing when I was $800. Investment matters. In equipment. In marketing. In Personal Appearance. In Online Appearance.... and most importantly... in your skillset.

And now you sounds like the high end photographers I know...$5k for a weddings vs my $2000 - I spend 20 hours in post-editing they spend 50 hours. Per hour we make the same money.

I could spend $10k more on gear, thousands more on lighting, hire a photog/video guy for every wedding for marketing, spend a fortune on a website....and now I HAVE to charge $2k a wedding to pay all those folks.

And if there is any kind of downturn (or covid) that level of expense is going to be hard to keep up and pay for.

It's like all the photog gurus back in the heyday (10-15 years ago) - charge MORE - get BETTER clients! Be paid for your talent, be RESPECTED!
And they are ALL out of business now, working for other folks in non-related industried.

I mean, if you can do 40 $500 weddings or 10 $2k wedding, why not do 2 $10,000 weddings? Or one $20,000 wedding? Or hell, a $40k one and take a year off.
If you're clientele is NYC or LA/hollywood you can probably do that.

When your clientele is a farmer, a grocery store employee, a teacher, a mechanic they're not dropping $2k on a dj. They just plain old don't have it to spend.

Toss in this covid craptola and nobody knows if there will be a wedding or not 6 or 12 months from now.

Talked to my Oct 23 bride today - their friends in NC are NOT getting married this weekend - both are positive with covid.
As of yesterday you can't go in a store here without a mask.

A friend in the med field says one of the big city hospitals has over 200 covid admissions last weekend (only 1 was vacc'd - so get the vax!).

The reunion I'm doing saturday is 1/4th what it was 5 years ago - covid is the reason so many are not coming. 350 vs 80...cuts the DJ budget, doesn't it?

Could I produce a $2000 wedding as a DJ? Perhaps. Can I make a business case for it? Not likely. Not here.
the nat'l average for a wedding is what, $30k by now? (haven't checked in a while). The rule of thumb is 1/2 the budget is the dinner. so $15k. Avg wedding is 130 people (last I checked...most are smaller lately around here). So that's what, $110/plate?
There's NO PLACE in my entire county that charges that.
THe highest I know of is a country club at $72, the most popular venues are $36-45/plate.
So if the reception is $4500 it's a real challenge to get $2k 'just to play music'. Yes, some have a higher opinion of DJs, but many don't. I've photographed many weddings with a cousin playing the music.

Remember, a brand new 2500sf home here is $300k. A 'used' home is $200k or many are less - IN THE BEST school districts.

Move to one of the river towns and I can get you a house for $50-70k. Not a run down one either.
 
You're justifying a lot of my points I feel. While you say if you want to do 1000 crowd events, you need a higher quality speaker system... if you want high end events, you need high quality appearances. If you don't want to attract high end events, that's fine, but don't say a high quality facade isn't practically a requirement for it.

And while a quality controller is only important if you do that stuff... it should also be understood that the majority willing to pay a lot, will expect a set of skills different than the avg dj. You used a car show as a comparison... but that has no comparison to a wedding or prom or event seeking and appreciating that skillset. The car show is looking for "someone to play music", whereas a wedding is "looking for someone to impress their guests" amongst other things.

In regards to lighting, it ultimately does come down to how you program it... but the $50 laser can't do what my $1600 elation moving heads can do no matter how it's programmed. Programming also requires additional equipment (aka money) as opposed to those that just do sound active.

Potential reliability in van and equipment sounds better to a perspective buyer. But that's not who it's for. A better quality van and equipment is an investment you make to ensure the best results possible for your clients.

And while you say no one can get $2k around your area... I did get $2950 in 2018 and $3150 in 2017 (I double checked the contract) at a venue you were surprised I could've gotten that much. Your exact quote at the time " You were AT LEAST double. For what you are providing, most guys around here would charge $1000 to $1500". But I hate getting caught up in exact numbers. I'm still trying to emphasize that people do appreciate and care for certain things.

As far as quantity vs quality. There has to be a balance. Unless you're planning on doing a lot of advertising, you need to have a healthy number of clients to expose your brand for you. Susan Stripling (a high end NYC photog) says she needs around 40 or 50 events a year to provide that consistent word of mouth exposure. If you're not doing that many events, your exposure is severely limited and is only a matter of time before you run out of potential clients. I do enough events where I'm getting more events than I can handle, which shows my network growth is very healthy.

In the end, to be the high end dj, you have to do what most aren't. Idc what the actual amount you're charging is, but every area has a "high end".
 
  • Like
Reactions: dunlopj
Let's keep it simple. If you want to get paid a certain amount you have to do 3 major things. You need to have evidence of why you're worth a certain price. Next advertise or go to potential clients that will pay the price you want and lastly know how to sell yourself to a potential client. If your price is $1,500 and someone wants to pay no more then $500, that is going to be a tough sell. I won't say it can't happen. I'll just say it's highly unlikely that you will get that booking.
 
Why are we still talking about this? Simply put, you charge what you feel you are worth. My rates for weddings are all-inclusive and have no wiggle room.

If you feel you are worth only $550, then so be it. For me and others who strive to be the best, we are around 3k, and continue to raise that.
 
Why are we still talking about this? Simply put, you charge what you feel you are worth. My rates for weddings are all-inclusive and have no wiggle room.

If you feel you are worth only $550, then so be it. For me and others who strive to be the best, we are around 3k, and continue to raise that.
I'm talking about it because again it's all in who you target your business to and can you sell yourself to those people. There are those who would never go back down to such a price because they don't have to. They have enough people looking willing to book them for much more then. This is about are you happy with where you're at in terms of price doing a 4 hour wedding. If you're not then you should look at what you need to do to change things. Then it also too depends on where your business is at, how long have you been in business and what you have to offer. Not to mention how good a DJ you are.

There are some who have been doing this a long time and suck as a DJ! Some have been doing this for well over 10 years and suck. They suck so bad they couldn't play dead at their funeral.
 
You're justifying a lot of my points I feel. While you say if you want to do 1000 crowd events, you need a higher quality speaker system... if you want high end events, you need high quality appearances. If you don't want to attract high end events, that's fine, but don't say a high quality facade isn't practically a requirement for it.

I said nothing about quality of gear - just that you're not playing to 1000 with two 10" tops.
What's a high quality facade and in who's opinion?

We can all likely agree a bare table and wires everywhere is not high end, but my facade mimics the table skirting that's in every venue everywhere. I do black...I've considered white at times, but speakers/stands/lights are all black, I wear black..seemed to be better to stay in one theme.


And while a quality controller is only important if you do that stuff... it should also be understood that the majority willing to pay a lot, will expect a set of skills different than the avg dj. You used a car show as a comparison... but that has no comparison to a wedding or prom or event seeking and appreciating that skillset. The car show is looking for "someone to play music", whereas a wedding is "looking for someone to impress their guests" amongst other things.

15 years as a photographer at weddings, proms, school dances, reunions, etc - I always talk to the dj. Never seen a one of them mix/beat match. Not a single one, ever.

In regards to lighting, it ultimately does come down to how you program it... but the $50 laser can't do what my $1600 elation moving heads can do no matter how it's programmed. Programming also requires additional equipment (aka money) as opposed to those that just do sound active.

True. I have 5 or so basic programs I use throughout the night. It's on my to do llist to add more...not that there are repeat customers that say "saw that before".

Potential reliability in van and equipment sounds better to a perspective buyer. But that's not who it's for. A better quality van and equipment is an investment you make to ensure the best results possible for your clients.

And while you say no one can get $2k around your area... I did get $2950 in 2018 and $3150 in 2017 (I double checked the contract) at a venue you were surprised I could've gotten that much. Your exact quote at the time " You were AT LEAST double. For what you are providing, most guys around here would charge $1000 to $1500". But I hate getting caught up in exact numbers. I'm still trying to emphasize that people do appreciate and care for certain things.

As far as quantity vs quality. There has to be a balance. Unless you're planning on doing a lot of advertising, you need to have a healthy number of clients to expose your brand for you. Susan Stripling (a high end NYC photog) says she needs around 40 or 50 events a year to provide that consistent word of mouth exposure. If you're not doing that many events, your exposure is severely limited and is only a matter of time before you run out of potential clients. I do enough events where I'm getting more events than I can handle, which shows my network growth is very healthy.

In the end, to be the high end dj, you have to do what most aren't. Idc what the actual amount you're charging is, but every area has a "high end".

Yes, it does. And high end varies from place to place in what that figure is and how many of that figure there are.
There are some $1m homes around here...not very many, but they exist. I see some high end cars (lotus, rolls, bentley) and more bmw/land rovers - but we don't have any of those car dealers here (an hour drive away). There isn't a single restaurant with a menu item over $40 in the entire county. We have a couple of nice restaurants...but you can still have lunch with a drink for under $18.

There just isn't that high end market here. As in no demand for it. People here just won't pay...yeah, yeah, I hear that. But a beer here is $3-4 in any bar. I can go an hour into the city and pay double for that same exact beer. FOlks there will pay it. Here, nope.

Yes, I hear you, I should work there.
 
- I have yet to see a dj charging top tier pricing that at the minimum doesn't at least have a white spandex facade. Please show me a DJ whose starting price is above $2000 and uses a table skirt.

- Why is it that you have yet to see a dj beatmatch... yet all the dj's I network with do beatmatch. If most people only see a certain standard, once they see something that breaks the standard, they never forget it... and if it appeals to them and they have the means, they're willing to pay more. It's literally the foundation of my business model. Give them something they rarely see, and therefore don't forget, and the ones that appreciate it will invest in me if they see it as a necessity.

On a whole though, I do agree with one item. People in more rural areas, or lower income areas, just won't pay a certain price. That's not to say NONE will. But that's why it's also important to expand your clientele base. If you work and attract just rural clients you'll have to depend more on quantity vs quality in a sense. If you only work in one metro area, you'll get quality... but will have lots of competition for quantity. So either work in multiple markets (which is what I've done), or pay to advertise (which I can't afford as a solo op) to get the quantity needed. In the last 2-3 weeks I've gotten calls from NJ, Long Island, Upstate NY, Connecticut, Philly, Lancaster, Southern Delaware, and 3 calls from Florida. If I only worked north jersey I wouldn't hit the number of weddings I wanted, and would have to take lower end events to meet the revenue goal... which would also diminish my brand if people start hearing a wide range of pricing. Right now if you ask any of my clients in recent years 90% would say they paid a price in the $3k-$4k range. If people start hearing prices in the $1800 range from say a christening, then they get thrown off when I throw a price double that for their wedding.
 
east, and I assume west coast, are NOT the midwest.

My ex is from baltimore and I've been there many times, and visited DJ many times as well - prices for food (restaurants, grocery, etc) are 20-30% more than here.
Housing in baltimore is double what it is here for the same exact house (ryan homes builds both places so it's apples to apples).
My friend in DC lives in a row house worth $1.5 million. Ain't no row house here worth that. Or 1/3 of that.

Cost of living is a big contributor to what I need to charge, or what people are used to paying.
 
And the client DOES NOT CARE. And damned few if any notice.
NOBODY has EVER asked:

Remaining silent is not proof that someone is without care or notice.
I've noticed, learned a lot, and made many changes to my own expectations and purchasing habits without ever mentioning a word to any vendor. As a customer, I cannot or would not attempt to change you or impose my own arbitrary standards. I would simply take note and quietly move on if I found your emphasis on :value" falling short of my expectations.

What do YOU do when you see a "value conscious" contractor strapping a dozen heavy ladders on the roof of a mini-van, or working with tools that limit the outcome of the work? Do you tell him that car's not built for that and lecture him on making an appropriate investment in better tools or a commercial truck? Could it be that you too - just shake your head and without a word pass by feeling SECURE that the guy you hire behaves just as professional as he looks?
 
Last edited:
east, and I assume west coast, are NOT the midwest.

My ex is from baltimore and I've been there many times, and visited DJ many times as well - prices for food (restaurants, grocery, etc) are 20-30% more than here.
Housing in baltimore is double what it is here for the same exact house (ryan homes builds both places so it's apples to apples).
My friend in DC lives in a row house worth $1.5 million. Ain't no row house here worth that. Or 1/3 of that.

Cost of living is a big contributor to what I need to charge, or what people are used to paying.
So are you saying that there are no couples in those suburbs that are willing to pay above average if they find something they really like? I’m just saying that it’s instinct for some to want something better.

Here’s a wedding I charged $3650 (in MONTICELLO, NY (avg household income $32000).
View: https://vimeo.com/555044977


I’m not saying charge $3000+, I’m just saying that all areas have someone charging more attracting those that want something better. That can be $900 or $1200 or $5000 idk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dunlopj
I'm sure there are.

But I want to work more than 2 nights a year. :pillerr:

Not many are willing to spend more on their DJ than on the entire reception. Sure, there are always a few...

Like school dances - we have 11 school districts...4 I know have less than 60 kids in a class. Sure, I'd love to get $1000 fora school dance but none here will pay $20/kid for the DJ.

MAYbe if you truly blew the roof off a few times word would spread - but it's gonna take an investment in a show to do that. And a risky one as they may still not spend that much more than the $300-400 they've been spending.

I can get more for a backyard grad or b'day party than a school dance.
 
There is a unique and abiding pleasure that comes with buying and using the best gear. It is an end in itself. Plus, good gear is much more reliable and will not fail you in a pinch. A $400 laptop simply cannot be reliable. It will fail you. You will be unhappy. Your client will be unhappy.

They all fail eventually it is just a matter of when eventually is
 
Agreed .. but like everything else, you get what you pay for (Rule #1).


I bought a Dell Laptop at Best Buy in 2017. On Sale for $429 marked down from reg price of $599 at the time.

2019 The Hard Drive died. Took it to a reputable Computer repair shop, and it cost me $185 for a new SSDI HD to be installed, plus windows to be reuploaded, plus optimization. For all he did I felt it was a good price.

Anyway, not even 4 months later, the Power jack went bad. Took it to the shop because I thought it was a bios problem according to Google, and all the fixes I tried did not work. Ended up needing a new power jack. They also said I had to use a beefier charging cable to go along with the new jack. Plus they re optimized the laptop for me again to speed it back up. Another $150. So far, I have $790 or so into the laptop, and it is having battery charging problems again...started two days ago.

So about $200 per year in overall costs SO FAR, but this isn't even my main laptop. It's my secondary laptop, and I only use it about 1/5th as often as my main laptop. I don't plan on spending any more money on it, and I guess for the money maybe I got my money's worth out of the machine?

I haven't bought a Macbook ever in my life, but it seems as far as PCs go I can only recall ONE Laptop lasting me more than 4 years, and not having any serious problems (The Beats HP Laptop that I had 2013-2020) It seems that a laptop lifespan is about 3-4 years without money being poured into it. Then again, I have never bought a PC laptop that was over $1,000 either.