Ok, if you cannot afford what you really want, you honestly have to make a few changes in your life if you really want something really bad.
Let's take how I bought my new D800E. A lot of money you say. No doubt but here is my approach to owning what I really want. First rule: Be frugal. (not cheap) Buy smart. Buy good stuff so you won't have to replace it every year. Take time to hunt down the best price or deal on your top priority stuff. You know what that stuff is. The stuff or thing you really want.
Then take some of your savings and maybe some of your earnings from selling off "Not fun anymore" stuff on ebay. Buy that D300s that you found for a rock bottom price on ebay or Amazon. Learn and earn with it until you have earned and saved enough to add to the proceeds from your D300s ebay sale. Now you have enough to buy that D700 you hunted down for a rock bottom price. Learn and earn on that until you have enough to add to the sale price of the D700 and then get your D800E that you hunted down for the best possible price in the world. Then keep going until you get your D4 or your Phase One medium format or your dream item.
You get the picture. It takes guts afford what you really want because you have to make some changes in your attitude towards what you buy everyday. You can do this with cars, too. You may want a Mercedes or an Escalade. Just work your way up until you find a used one for rock bottom price and buy it. This all takes some time. how much is according to your passion and circumstance. You have to get tough with your priorities and the dumb things you waste money on. that's the real rub. That's the tough part. once you get that under control the rest is a hunter's game. the more you do it the better you get. You'll be able to spot those unbelievable deals because you know whats on the market on any given day for your "dream" item. YOU'LL KNOW THE BEST PRICE DAILY! Try it. I double dog dare you.
My point is simple. You will beg, borrow or even if all else fails, buy what you really want. If you really want it that bad. After you get your D4 work on your 'cedes. Good Hunting!
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