The savings are more than I paid for my first home, 5 acres and a 3 bedroom one bath in MN. It too was a few years ago and it was a fixer upper but fully liveable. It had a large garden plot, grainery that was in good shape that became my shooting shack in the winter and the woods had enough maples that we could put up our own syrup and give for Christmas gifts(gallon jugs). I bought it on a contract for dead, 10% down and $75/month payment for 6 years.
It would be a cool day in [beeep] for me to even think about $18,000 for a scope.