I know the feeling, I saved for 10 years after deciding I wanted to build a Rebel. I decided that when I turned 35 I would buy the kit... well during that time MAM came out with the Elite and Super Rebel, and then the Moose. Fortunately during that time job changes put me in the position I could consider the Moose. It's still a tremendous financial investment though. I currently only have the tail and wing kits, but I did put down 50% on the fuselage when I ordered and that locked in the price for me, while still allowing me to postpone payment of a large chunk. Even if you can't do this, purchasing the sub-kits is a common choice for a lot of builders.
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