If you get 20x binos then you're not going to be able to really use them as binoculars. They'll be too heavy and anything over about 12x has to be steadied off of a tripod to see through, you just can't hold them steady enough off hand. Do you really want to carry a tripod everywhere you go just to make use of a set of bohemoth binoculars? I can guarantee after a couple of days of that those binos will be left in the garage next to the other gadgets that seemed like a good idea at the time. Also, any binos you get for $250 aren't going to be worth much at anything. I'd forget about the spotting scope for the time being and focus on getting a decent pair of 8 or 10 power binos. You get what you pay for and there's a reason everyone that springs for the $1000 binos swears by them. A spotting scope is a useful piece of gear but it's use is much more limited than a good pair of binos, you can get by without it.