I'm trying to budget my props. Should I start building smaller stuff like Traps before I tackle the Pack?

It's hard to say, most people start on the pack. Cost can range from $0 to (apparently) $400. Although I can not imagine it going that high. I'm expecting to spend about a total of $100. And that is given that I'm getting my alace pack for free, and I just got a deal to get clippard valves at half off. Here's how I go about a project. I do it in phases.
Phase 1:
Research, finding out all I can about what I'm about to build, and then deciding if I can do it or not.
Phase 2:
Building everything I can without spending a dime. that way, if I give up on it, theres no loss. this stage envolves rumaging through the garage and basement and asking friends for anything they might have.
Phase 3:
Full investment, spending everything I have to to finish.

I just entered phase 3 of this project. I hope that helps.

You can drop $1700 on a pack faster than you can open your wallet. $500 for a Fiberglassed shell. $200 for other grebbies to finish it off. $600 for lights and sounds. $400 for a gun with lights and such.

Not that hard. But then again, you can spend only about $150 dollars and get a excellent looking pack, and gun.

well put when I first started I expected to spend about $50 i have definitley broken the $500 threshold and have to be nearing the $1000 mark…

$20 here and thier adds up over a year

Thanks for the info, guys.

I would build stuff like the trap and ecto goggles then the proton pack. But this is me anyway.

well, it's going will cost me up to $500 for the costumes this year.

I think thats insane. I have built 12 packs so far, and spent no more than 150 on each one. They all ended up on ebay selling over $800. It is not necessary to spend that much money on a pack.