You think you have a cool man cave? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you have nothing on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s man cave! What do you have in yours’? A pool table? Maybe a really big flat screen powered by a big satellite dish? Maybe a personalized college football pub sign?  That’s all well and good and I’m sure you have a fine man cave by normal standards.

Dale Earnhardt Jr has built an entire miniature old west town called Whiskey River on his 200 acre property.   See the full story on it over at ESPN.   It includes an Old West saloon called Silverado Saloon, a US Marshall Jailhouse and even a hotel for those guests to his town that have over-indulged.  He uses it as a sort of getaway from the glare of the public eye.  It definitely shoes that Earnhardt Jr has a fun and whimsical side.  It also happens to be what I would consider the greatest man cave in the world.  I think that racing legend Junior Johnson tending bar at your man cave (as shown in the picture at right) seals that deal.   What do you think?

-Simon

Every man needs their very own sanctuary, even in their own homes. It serves his primal need to be alone and safe with his thoughts surrounded by the things he loves in life. When a man is married or has a lady move in, most often his favorite decorations and trinkets such as the mural of dogs playing poker are evicted from the main house by his new wife or girlfriend. This is why it is so important for a man to have his very own spot, a man cave, and here are some pointers for setting up the ultimate man cave on a tight budget.

Whether the setting for the man cave is in a basement, an outdoor garage, or in the room above the garage, the centerpiece is always the TV set. If you don’t have the dough to dish out for a 60 inch flat screen HD TV, there are still several cheap alternatives. A pawn shop is always good place to start looking for a man cave TV. Old style TVs that need either a digital converter or a cable feed to work can be had for next to nothing. Nicer HD TVs can also be found at a pawn shop and it’s important to remember that the price you see at a pawn shop for an item is a starting point. Owners expect you to haggle on the price so come prepared to bargain.

Once you have the centerpiece, it’s time to decide on furniture. Are you going to host your beer drinking buddies in your man cave? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to find a couch to accommodate them. If you are going to be spending most of your time alone, you are better off going with a recliner. Some of the best places to find bargain basement furniture is your local thrift shop or the Salvation Army store closest to you.

Another great source for man cave accessories are garage sales. Take a Saturday morning off, and plot a course of garage sales using your newspaper and Google maps. Try and hit at least five and you’re sure to find a treasure trove of things you’re sure to love. You can find old signs, TVs, neon beer wall sign advertisements, and much more at prices so low you can’t beat them anywhere else.

Once you have the TV and furniture situation resolved, it’s time to finish up your man cave. You’ll want to surround yourself with things you love, so get all of your sporting equipment such as baseball gloves, souvenir game balls and such from the attic and bring them to their new home in your man cave. If you have friends over you can play a quick pick-up game before the big football game starts on TV.

If you want to set up the ultimate man cave and do it without breaking the bank, use these tips and soon you’ll be in man heaven, surrounded by the things you love and cherish.

-Simon