Well I invested all of the money because I thought I'd be using all of what I bought. And honestly it might not seem like it but 95% of the the stuff I bought, I'm using and it is making a difference in how my grow has gone. Now I don't know what you mean by large amount but as far as the money goes that I spent on the light, I do think it was worth it because I'm pretty sure 250 watts from my HID delivers much more lumens than 250 watts of CFL's would have done, and next time around I will have clones so that will be a plus when it comes to "final yield" next time around. Besides this isn't a one time thing. Now when ever I decide to upgrade all I have to worry about buying is a light with more wattage and a better set up for my ventilation system. So yes I do think it was worth it. Trust me $100 won't get you too much anywhere if you really are trying to grow something for "yield" and not just for fun or experiment.