How Do You Save Money for Your Valk-Crack Addiction?

[Ratchet]

Obviously your income from your job(s), but what other methods?

Me, I stick my money in short term investments(not years here people) and wait for the return. Then I take that interest earning and buy stuff with it. While all of this is going on, I'm saving whatever I can from my paychecks (after bills are paid off, of course) and I add this to my investment money so that my future earning returns are higher. So far, I'm getting about $100 every 1-2 months for Valk-Transformer-Hobbies addiction. I don't buy toys straight from my paychecks (I'm not that addicted). I'm not rich either (like some of you trust fund babies). I'm blue collar and Union all the way.

The drawback is that your original hobby investment money is actually dwindling because the interest is going straight to your hobby and inflation is a killer to your paper dollar. Hmmmm...I should really buy gold to keep up with inflation. Real estate's pretty shaky in the Bay Area right now and now is the time to buy a house if you're into that thing and you live in my area.

As for my future when I can retire? I've got pensions, long-term investments, and 403's from the government and my hospital. Hopefully SS will add a little dough to my monthly check if it doesn't run out when I'm 65. Yes, I realize this paragraph is totally irrelevant to the topic, but I'm just pointing out that I'm not totally stooopid when it comes to money. I read a lot of financial books. Hmmmm.....but then again, your collection is an investment. Just ask the people who have a 1st edition Low Viz like me I'd rather collect TFs and Valks (assuming you can sell the damn things in the future) than CDs, Stocks, Money Market, or Bonds any day. At least you can transform the toy, right?

I also trade and sell my collection to get what I TRULY want.

Edited November 20, 2007 by Ratchet

[Jeremy007]

i sell a lot of stuff that no longer fits in my collection. I am now focusing mainly on Transformers, Macross and Metal Gear with a couple of preferred SOC's thrown in.

i have sold off most of my Chogokins and other random figs to fund this habit.

Edited November 21, 2007 by Jeremy007

[eriku]

Other than ignoring bills and eating ramen, I rob the occasional train.

[Duymon]

It's pretty simple for me. I just don't buy what I can't afford and I only buy what I actually want. At this point that only happens to be 1/48's vf-1's and the 1/60 M+ stuff. Prolly only other Macross thing I'll grab is anything from Macross Frontier

[eugimon]

I just squirrel away money. I figure I'll be buying three or four a year at least so I just figure our finances accordingly.

[do not disturb]

i buy and sell various things(toys, collectibles, skateboards) to try to keep my toy addiction as free as possible.

[miriya]

I do freelance work on the side additionally to my full time job. Also try to rummage through storage unit looking for odd collectibles. At one point I found some photographs that were given to me over a decade ago, found out that they were worth something, sold them on ebay, got a couple grand (for about 5 photos), paid off a loan and bought some valks! That was good times. Also I spent some of my tax return money on them. But mainly it is the extra work.

[miriya]

I have joked about selling my blood and limbs and spending my child's small savings but that is just a joke. Although I really want about $3,000.00 worth of Macross "collectible figures" right now so I may go to the blood bank soon. Ohhhh, I could go to the..... Nevermind.

[Valkyrie addict]

I try not to spend on fancy meals...I really like my food to be good, I'm actually doing my best to hold my addiction, last valk I bought was the YF-19 and later some models...but usually waiting to hear the QC and then decide if it's worth it

anyway, how much to do you get from donating blood??? over here, donating blood is charity

[misterryno]

I sell my body to keep up with my collection.

No...I just use the money I should probally be saving. Sell a few things here and there. That's about it.

[Dante74]

I earn some extra cash as a hitman for the moderating team. What do you think "banned" really means...

[miriya]

If I stopped drinking alcohol then I would have about $150 extra per month to buy valks. I said IF alright....

[nightmareB4macross]

Decorate fancy and tasty cakes on the side.

I'm working seven days a week and keeping up Nightmare B4 Christmas, Macross, Alice In Wonderland, GI Joe, and various other collections. Been doing this for the past six years...f**k, I'm tired, but at least I'm not broke and enjoying every minute of it.

[Knightdramon]

Well, since I don't work full time [only a couple of days per week] I keep my other expenses to an acceptable minimum, and try to buy Macross [Yamato] figures on sale and bundled to save cash. So far I've 6 items, and half of them were bought on clearance. They also shipped in pairs rather than individually.

I also sell my unwanted figures to make space and cash for future expenditures.

[VFTF1]

First of all - Ratchet - you are obviously a very intelligent person, judging by your musings on the PAPER dollar and gold. I don't want to risk too much of an off-topic, but are you by chance a Ron Paul supporter? (note to moderator: NOT INTENDED TO START THE HIDEOUS POLITICS TOPIC! suggest that any further comment on this matter be throw private message - please don't kill me for asking)...

As to how I "save" for my collection...

err... well... judging by my maxed out credit cards - I don't

But I have decided to start an internet toy store here in Poland; and will just happen to be selling Transformers, Valks, Gundam and Revoltech...which just...err...happen to be the things I'm into...

Other than that ... I try not to buy regularly...that is - I splurge sometimes... and then go months without making a purchase...and then splurge again...though starting a business means I won't be splurging any time soon!

VFTF1

[sqidd]

I went around my house and picked out all of the stuff I didn't use anymore, etc. I listed it all on eBay and as money came in I used it to buy Macross toys.

I don't have much left now though so it looks like I will need to start using real money

I guess I can get back out in the shop and just bill more hours.

[warpaint22]

I decided about mid last year when I started collecting Yamato's that I would only buy what I really wanted, but since I want everything I decided to only collect what I wanted for my fave pilot/pilots. So as Roy is my No.1, I puchased a CM figure of roy and then a 1/48 1S, then the 1/60 0S and a 1/60 1S these are what I really wanted to put in my roy display and the rest I used models and revoltechs. Next will be CM Isamu figure and M+ 19 and 11B valks.

I try and buy quick to be discontinued products such as the Encore tranformers and once they are discontinued I resell them. I also build models for a good number of people here in Oz and a couple in the states and this funds my collecting and life, but the wife and I don't go out much as we are content with a nice simple life. We don't need a flash car or a huge expensive house so we don't spend our money on things to impress other people and only on what we want and need for ourselves and the kids, and I've got to say we have had a blast for years.

I'm also a R/C Tech so I work time to time in hobby shops doing repairs. Oh and a older friend once gave me some good advice about collecting and that was that it's not as much fun when you can just buy everything for your collection at once, the most fun is had waiting and hoping on a piece, as once it's in your hands the quest for that item is over.

[Guest sh002]

i've bought only 1/60 and 1/72 valks. no 1/48's yet. yeah the 1/48 is nice but that's how i save.

Edited November 22, 2007 by sh002

[malakite]

Well, I'm only starting, but I took up an insurance policy that pays out a premium every year, so that's like a bonus, and witht hat extra, I just go on a spree to get everything. But, still I try to set aside a little every month too.

Now that I'm saving up for a wedding as well, it's gonna be tight.....

Eat bread and water.....

[Macross World Daddy]

I went to school and busted my a$$ to get where I am today, making a six figure income. I buy what I want, when I want straight from my check. I have one of everything in the Yamato and Bandai line and love my collection.

Btw, I hate unions because they raise prices on the goods that are produced, which are of low quality. I am a Republican and firmly believe that nobody needs to take care of you but yourself.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Macross World Daddy

[eugimon]

I went to school and busted my a$$ to get where I am today, making a six figure income. I buy what I want, when I want straight from my check. I have one of everything in the Yamato and Bandai line and love my collection.

Btw, I hate unions because they raise prices on the goods that are produced, which are of low quality. I am a Republican and firmly believe that nobody needs to take care of you but yourself.

yay you.

we have quite a few people here who are well off, we also have people here who are in school or starting out in their careers. No need to turn a fun little thread like this into a pissing match and there's no need to start a political flame war over this either.

Edited November 22, 2007 by eugimon

[physioguy]

well, I make 7 figures... and I commision robotics and aeronautics engineers to build fully functional valkyries... just kidding.

Seriously though, It's all priorities. I decided to only collect Macross Valkyries from Yamato (but I still kept my old Diaclones and Binaltechs). It came down to me realizing that, sure, 1 large Valk costs as much as 13 standard action figures, but what looks better on your desk? A handful of valks or hundreds of action figures. Another bonus is that your wife (girlfriend, boyfriend, whatever) will probably apreciate the less is more deal too (so long as you can convince them you're not spending any more money than normal)

harry

[misterryno]

well, I make 7 figures... and I commision robotics and aeronautics engineers to build fully functional valkyries... just kidding.

Seriously though, It's all priorities. I decided to only collect Macross Valkyries from Yamato (but I still kept my old Diaclones and Binaltechs). It came down to me realizing that, sure, 1 large Valk costs as much as 13 standard action figures, but what looks better on your desk? A handful of valks or hundreds of action figures. Another bonus is that your wife (girlfriend, boyfriend, whatever) will probably apreciate the less is more deal too (so long as you can convince them you're not spending any more money than normal)

harry

Yeah convincing the wife is the hard part But....I got most of the ones I want for now. So I think I am just gonna chill for a while on them.

[Black Valkyrie]

Jedi mind tricks...

No, seriously just save and sell extra stuff from my collection that I don`t need. Till now I don`t have a 1/48 and sold all my 1/60 due to floppiness. Most of my collection are small to medium size figures.

[Spiff]

Yeah convincing the wife is the hard part But....I got most of the ones I want for now. So I think I am just gonna chill for a while on them.

Frost seems to have thawed!

I was sitting here thinking how when Yamato started making macross toys and brought us out of the great macross toy depression. The valks started out at around $50 and now we have been weened and yamato has edged the price per valk to over $200. It's like the old story of how do you boil a frog, turn up the heat slowly, just an observation.

[Ratchet]

I went to school and busted my a$$ to get where I am today, making a six figure income. I buy what I want, when I want straight from my check. I have one of everything in the Yamato and Bandai line and love my collection.

Btw, I hate unions because they raise prices on the goods that are produced, which are of low quality. I am a Republican and firmly believe that nobody needs to take care of you but yourself.

Hopefully in a couple more years, I can get to that 6 figure salary or close to it.

[Duymon]

"Duy, you have the money, why can't you buy what you want whenever you want?"

/me points at ring finger

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

Well, I just don't have a girlfriend or wife, problem solved But, seriously, I bought up a bunch of Star Wars CCG (Decipher) booster boxes and have been sittting on them watching the price go up on Ebay as this OOP game becomes more scarce. To fund my SV-51 Nora I sold off a complete set of Coruscant for about $180 on Ebay. Also, most of my valks were purchased before I got my mortgage.

I have only five valks in my collection: the four from Macross Zero, and VF-1A Stealth. I'd like a YF-19 but it isn't high priority. Also, I'd love a Low-Vis 1, but cannot in my right mind justify $300+ for a nice color scheme.

Edited November 30, 2007 by funkymonkeyjavajunky

[orguss01]

Obviously your income from your job(s), but what other methods?

Hmmmm.....but then again, your collection is an investment. Just ask the people who have a 1st edition Low Viz like me I'd rather collect TFs and Valks (assuming you can sell the damn things in the future) than CDs, Stocks, Money Market, or Bonds any day. At least you can transform the toy, right?

Yeah but will you ever sell it, maybe if you had two.

If i had one and only one i dont think i could/would ever sell it...well maybe for a ridiculous amount.

One way I get additional cash for misc. expenditures is by recycling the tons of soda cans and plastic pop/water bottles our house churns out. We were literally just throwing money away each month until we decided to recycle.

We used to throw our recy. in the containers provided by the city, now we just collect it for a couple months, throw it in the pick up, go to the recy center, then go anime shopping.

Edited December 2, 2007 by orguss01

[Ratchet]

Yeah but will you ever sell it, maybe if you had two.

If i had one and only one i dont think i could/would ever sell it...well maybe for a ridiculous amount.

One way I get additional cash for misc. expenditures is by recycling the tons of soda cans and plastic pop/water bottles our house churns out. We were literally just throwing money away each month until we decided to recycle.

We used to throw our recy. in the containers provided by the city, now we just collect it for a couple months, throw it in the pick up, go to the recy center, then go anime shopping.

I guess I could always hand them to my future kids. There's some figures in my collection I wouldn't mind getting rid. I'm not really fond of the 1/60 class Yammy figures I bought with zeal from 2001-2003.

My friend(college and army dude) buys stuff from the internet and resells them for a slight higher price on Ebay. He makes about $100-$200 doing this. Me, personally, I would never do this. It's not worth the effort going to the postal office or UPS just to ship stuff out. I can't stand post office lines. Then again, if I was to do this, I could buy 1-2 figures a month and finish my collection goals without really taxing my income.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Ratchet