For once this is something that I agree with BA on.Unfortunately,this is becoming the norm,costs I mean.
If you were to buy a simple business ,let's say a Donut /Ice cream shop or similar in a typical suburban shopping center you would not get much change from $300,000 or even higher based on turn over.With your rental and other set up costs and then the usual running costs there is nothing to rule out losing half or more of your income if Mr whippy or similar opened just across the mall.your costs are the same and maybe highter with the annual adjustments but there is no guarantee on income
There is also the costs incurred in upgrading your product insisted on by the franchisor as it is when you want to get another endorsement for another aircraft type.You would be surprised when you see how little $30,000 will buy you when you have to buy new equipment or computers or such.
On the other hand if you look at University as my son is next year,there will be little change from more than $100,000 for the course and about $10,000 to $13,000 a year to live on for the life of the course.It does not matter if you get HECs,you still have to pay back the amount loaned.
So in this light $60,000 is small change really and a lot of people have spent that much on a car but your right Guard when you say you have to look at the cost as in any business and see if it is viable.There are probably thousands of people worldwide who would have loved to do something but simply could not organise finance and have just dreamt about what might have been