First kegged beer - Easy come, Easy go

Last Friday I finally picked up my first keg. I took it home, filled it with the American pale ale that was at 34 degrees, and carbonated it by cranking the pressure to 35 psi and rolling it back and forth on the floor for about ten minutes. I relieved the pressure, set the pressure back to 10 psi and poured a perfect pint of my very own home brew (sorry no pics). It was my best home brewing experience yet. Saturday we had a bunch of friends over to celebrate. Everyone loved the beer and some couldn't believe that I made it. The only problem is that we just about emptied the keg and I have nothing in the fermenters . I really need to get brewing and need more kegs. The problem is that I don't have much money in my brewing budget. My wife and I are expecting our first child and the budget is kinda tight. Do you think it would be rude to ask my friends to contribute to the brewing fund? I love to brew and share my beer, but at this stage of my life I just can't afford to brew that much beer. I was thinking about putting a beer fund "tip jar" on my kegerator but i don't want to come off as a dick.

Suggesting donations is a slippery slope.

Corny kegs are cheap. Better bottles are cheap. For less than $50 bucks you can add a corny and a Better bottle and triple your capacity.

If you're brewing extract kits...that's the most expensive route there is for ingredients.

Bite off what you can chew and slowly add equipment that will let you go all grain. In the mean time...have a garage sale.

I dont think putting up a "tip jar" is going to offend anyone. The way I look at it, your friends are over at YOUR place, drinking YOUR beer and possibly even eating YOUR food. Sure, they are friends and should be welcome to anything but that's on the basis that you some how, eventually get paid back so things equal out. Do you visit THEIR houses and drink THEIR beer and eat THEIR food? If so, then dont ask for money in return, but if it's only a one way street meaning they dont bring any beer and expect to mooch off you (and we have all had a friend\friends like that at one time!) then put the jar out there and see what happens.

Also, kegs dont seem to last as long as you think they would. At least not in my house It definitely beats the hell outta bottling though!

Thanks for the input. I agree Biermuncher, I will just buy ingredients and equipment as I can. It took me a while to get my all grain stuff and my kegerator together, but it's worth it to enjoy my beer with friends and family.

No doubt these are tuff times all around. What I do is by things in piece mail. I did it with computers and now I do it with brewing. Usually I have about 50$ per pay check to spend on brewing. Ingredents or equipment. I do not think a suttle tip jar would offend someone, but like the guy said "it is a slippery slope" so leave it at a suttle tip jar. If you really want to save money I suggest all grain because the less work that someone has to put into manufacturing a product I.E. LME or DME the cheaper it is. All grain is the cheapest way to go. I am just now getting into it myself. Plus you have more control over what goes in.

If you want to take up some form of donations - don't make it a tip jar. Wording it more carefully and specifically - "new carboy fund", for example, could help solve your equipment issues.

I like the garage sale idea.... Clean out your place, earn some money, and upgrade to all-grain.

I think its perfectly acceptable to put up a "beer fund" jar on your kegerator. I did that from day one before I was even home brewing and only pouring commercial beers. Most people with a level head will probably ask if they could kick in for expenses anyway and a beer fund jar puts it out there and makes it simple.
While I'm happy people enjoy the beer I made or the commercial beer I have on tap, just because its "on tap" does not mean its a free for all.
I know I'm not of the wealth to constantly support everyone besides myself lol.

sign on jar " Tips appreciated for a beer well brewed-Please enjoy"