My equipment

I will begin with this, Scuba Diving is not a cheap hobby when you first start. Most of the gear that you will buy will be slightly pricey, but you can expect it to last quite awhile. There are many ways to cut down the cost of buying your own gear, some examples: Craigslist, a nautical flea market (yes, those are a thing), Amazon, a friend that is selling her/his gear, or buying new/used in bulk. Now these are not the only options, there are plenty of other ways to find great deals on equipment.

When I first decided to start scuba diving my boyfriend immediately told me to start collecting my own gear. Renting is fine if you are still unsure this is for you, but over time it begins getting expensive. For me to rent all of the equipment would cost me around $40 and the rentals last 24 hours, this price is not bad for a few dives, but keep in mind after awhile this does add up and fast.

Here is the break down of my gear and the cost to give you a rough estimate of what to expect.

BC or BCD (Buoyancy Control Device)

This fancy piece of equipment helps stabilize you while you are underwater, I was able to find mine at a nautical flea market for $60. Pink is not my favorite color, if I had a choice it would be Orange, but the price was great and it was very hard to pass up.

Regulator

This bit here controls the air flow from your tank to your mouth, it also lets you know how much pressure, or air, you have left in your tank. I would say the most important bit in your setup. I was very lucky in finding this piece, my boyfriends good friend was selling her for a great deal $320, again couldn't pass it up!

Fins, Mask, and Snorkel

This set here was very expensive, I decided to buy this new. The fins cost around $115 and the boots around $60 so a total of $175. The mask and snorkel I already owned from previous water activities.









The items with no pictures

My wet suit, this helps me stay nice and toasty underwater. 
Your thinking, Crystal you live in South Florida the water is always beautiful! Well your right, but when you are scuba diving you are fully submerged in water and your core temperature has to burn lots of energy to keep you warm. I would always recommend some type of wet suit, for protection and comfort. Cost me around $50

Weights, these help you sink underwater. Guess what you float in salt water! 
These I will have to admit I steal from my boyfriend...sooo I guess I can say $FREE.99

Miscellaneous Items
I have purchased many of smaller items ranging from $10 to $30, a watch, an inflatable tube, mask band, etc.

I currently do not own a tank, this is the last piece of equipment I need.

As you can see this is not a cheap hobby, I have spent around $700 - $800 grabbing all my gear but let me tell you it is well worth it. I will be able to use this gear for many dives to come and the experience to me is well worth the price.