JediDefender.com Forums
Community => Watto's Junk Yard => Topic started by: Jim on August 24, 2005, 12:00 PM
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So how many of you have struggled with this. With a new family member due in a couple of weeks, plus a buttload of several other uncontrollable issues in my life, I am giving up for the most part the majority of my collecting habits. The disposable cash just wont be there with all that is going on in our lives right now. My son is starting preschool, oil and gas prices, property taxes going up for the 3rd time in 4 years among everything else with this f'ed up economy. How tough have some of you found it to go practically cold turkey? My main focus is army building, something I have been doing for 10 years now. It will be tough. I thought it would be best to just get rid of as much, as quick as possible. I finished packing up all my army builders last night and was amazed at how much plastic I have. Over 1000 army builders. Its a disease I tell ya. The only good part is that a woman who works with my wife got me in touch with a guy who collects and is really interested in 90% of what I have. We spoke briefly last night and it sounds like I will be able to recoup a good part of the cash back, something that is rare. I have been fortuneate to have alot of figs that held price farily well. Notably Stormtroopers, Clones, Darktroopers, Arcs, etc. Its painful to see all the efforts of tracking down this stuff fade away. Im left with basically buying a couple of each fig and thats its. Way to much money. I dont know how some of you folks do it. Its painful I tell ya. I think i'm going to need couciling for the withdrawls.
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I'd say a lot of us are going through this these days, part of it being an older crowd here at JD. I've certainly scaled back on buying stuff (especially "trade bait"), I've left behind McFarlane variants, #41 clones and other stuff a year or two ago I would have bought in a second.
I think family (wife, kids, other responsibilities) plays a huge role in what happens. Those are all more important than little hunks of plastic. But I don't know anyone going cold turkey on it. But I do know you're rather fortunate finding that guy. Like Scott mentioned in another thread, I'm sitting on a pile of stuff I'm trying to unload prior to moving and it's a pain in the ass. I'll probably scale back more as well, but not as much as Scott seems to be planning to be. But I don't think I went in on as many lines as some people, but more than others. I fortunately got out of McFarlane Sportspicks (mostly, not completely) while it was still popular, so I had some luck there.
Anyway, good luck with it, and yeah, it seems to be a bit of an obsession.
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This is an unspeakable tragedy.
But can I buy your darktroopers?
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This is an unspeakable tragedy.
But can I buy your darktroopers?
I didn't want to be the first vulture to start pecking for scraps - thanks for breaking that ice...
I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to downsize or cut back... but it's not there for me yet - mostly because I have no kids and don't plan on having any anytime soon. Sorry to hear that your cutting back.
But if there's left over troops - I'd be interested. :)
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Back in Summer of 2002, I went on collecting Hiatus due to moving from Alaska and going to OTS for 3 months.
Once I got out and settled in California, I just didn't feel the need to get back into it save for a couple of figure (Saga Pilot Obi-Wan, and 12" Jedi Figures like Yoda, Plo Koon and Ki Adi Mundi) and a few bvehicles like the to scale X-Wing and Imperial Shuttle.
I did get into collecting Oddball stuff, like the Jedi Academy pennant I got from Disneyland and a few other items, but I didn't really get back into collecting until this year. Even now though, I've scaled back, I don't buy two of each figure so I can open one, and I'm really more in to the prop replicas and the oddball stuff than I am the regular Hasbro lines.
I think the only thing I regret about my hiatus is missing out on the AOTC Obi-Wan LE Lightsaber. :-[
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This is an unspeakable tragedy.
But can I buy your darktroopers?
I didn't want to be the first vulture to start pecking for scraps - thanks for breaking that ice...
I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to downsize or cut back... but it's not there for me yet - mostly because I have no kids and don't plan on having any anytime soon. Sorry to hear that your cutting back.
But if there's left over troops - I'd be interested. :)
Heh, get in line. I already pm'd him about a single darktrooper. :-*
yours, vulture1
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It's pretty funny. The first thing I thought of when reading through his first post is
"Man, I could see myself getting there in a few years too."
Then immediately afterwards
"Wow, he's an army builder with 1000 troops? I wonder if I can buy some".
Which one do you think wins?
Dibs on the separtist army droids. ;D
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I'm not ready to say good -bye to collecting (I thik I'll always collect Star Wars 3.75" stuff), but me and a few others around these parts (you know who you are ;)) have really started stepping back from collecting as much as we used to collect. I don't buy nearly as much stuff now as I did before.
The first step was the breaking of "buy 2 of everything" mentality and I started buying just one of most things...
The next step was the breaking of the "completionist OCD" I had and I started skipping things here and there...
Then, the final step was the breaking of the Army Building habit, teaching myself just 2 #41 Clones was fine...
It was pretty hard to break the behaviors, but with a few outside factors (as seems to be the case with most of us who are cutting back) and a few good friends going through the same type of withdrawl, I've really manage to reduce what/when/how I collect. Can I give it up for good? No way...
:)
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Umm...got any VOTC Stormies?
You'll be back!!! ;)
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Yeah, it's a never ending battle for me that leads nowhere. I just can't decide what to get rid of and when and it just stalls and stalls and yet I buy more and more. I will get strict about it someday...maybe.
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I feel your "pain" as I'm going to have to put SW collecting on hiatus for at least the next six months to 2 years due to life events. I've been a 3 3/4" completionist on all carded figs and boxed vehicles/playsets since POTF2 through ROTS of which I started collecting when Ep1 came out.
On average I've had about 2-3 small/large (if not more) purchases per week since 99 be it online or from retail so it's going to be hard for me to not have anything new to look forward to SW-wise each week. I'll still be able to pick up a few basic figs now and then, but I'll unfortunatley have to look forward to picking up where I left off on Ebay.
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Good luck in your decision, I'm sure it will be kind of tough...at least at first. Like Jeff mentioned, I think the whole concept of cutting back, or in some cases quitting, is something many of us around here have thought about lately. I'm in the same boat where I'll likely be collecting Star Wars 3 3/4" until the end, at least in some capacity, but I've started to re-evaluate anything beyond that. Part of it is the financial aspect, part of that is just the space to display it, and part of it is changing tastes as well I guess. I have always enjoyed collecting, and collecting Star Wars in particular, so I'm sure there will always be some of that going on. Beyond the "basic" area of interest though, I'm trying to limit things a lot more. Part of this might be the fact that this was/is by far my most expensive year, and now looking at some of the miscellaneous
crap stuff I've picked up due to the ROTS hype, I've realized I need to keep things in check a little more. Like I said, sorry to see you go from the collecting ranks, but hopefully you'll still be able to hang out here and even collect something here and there if you want to. Its nice having a community like the one here at JD, where everyone is supportive and...in many cases....going through the same types of situations or decisions.
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I look at it this way...the line won't last forever. And when it ends, its probably not coming back. So when that happens, what I have is all I'll have (for SW).
Though, its much easier for me to think that way because I don't have kids. Only a fiancee and a dog.
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Morgbug:
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=vulture+eating/v=2/SID=e/TID=YS64_81/l=IVI/;_ylt=AtPMAb_ssNiDc1bKnzhteOOjzbkF/SIG=12p7pufa8/EXP=1125105424/*-http%3A//news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1945000/images/_1946291_vulturen300.jpg)
Dressel:
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=vulture+eating/v=2/SID=e/TID=YS64_81/l=IVI/;_ylt=AtPMAb_ssNiDc1bKnzhteOOjzbkF/SIG=129h3e1aj/EXP=1125105467/*-http%3A//roadtrip.arcticcircle.ca/2003/TN_P7052639l.JPG)
KBZ:
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=vulture+eating/v=2/SID=e/TID=YS64_81/l=IVI/;_ylt=AtPMAb_ssNiDc1bKnzhteOOjzbkF/SIG=12mh0o2ar/EXP=1125105580/*-http%3A//www.voicenet.co.jp/caske2000/photos/costarica/ostional7.jpg)
JoshEEE:
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=vulture+eating/v=2/SID=e/TID=YS64_81/l=IVI/;_ylt=AtPMAb_ssNiDc1bKnzhteOOjzbkF/SIG=12sqbto9d/EXP=1125105628/*-http%3A//stockpix.com/stock/animals/birds/raptorialbirds/vultures/8081.jpg)
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I've been finding myself in a bit of a pinch lately as well with it being a movie year and all....I tell you paying for school gear, food and clothes for an 8 and 11 year old annually is worth it albeit costly. I've definately had to scale back with every thing Hasbro is offering this year- but recue comes in the form of a 300$ a month raise in October just in time for the holiday exclusives to hit. Phew-I'm so lucky- Hey, I not here to forage. But that was some collection you had!!! I pity your situation- maybe something will turn and you will luck out :)
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I pm'd you guys who contacted me regarding the situation. For people that did not PM me, long story short we needed some quick cash for some medical expenses that have begun to pile up over the last 6-8 months. I have unloaded 80% of everything. I did start a running list of who wants what, if I get rid of my carded figs. I went from 8 bookcases down to 2. My wife is still in disbelief. One of the toughest decisions I have made recently, but at that same time a heavy weight has been lifted. I will still continue to collect, but it will be more selective. Some day, I hope to revisit the army builiding thing (on an OT platfrom only). I just need to concentrate on some family matters for the next 1-2 years. Funny getting emails from some of you guys. Funnier getting emails from all these people I have never heard of giving me sad stories of why they should get some of my stuff.
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I have gone back and forth over the last 2 years on this. This year my wife took me to out in April (bday month) and had me buy about $300 worth of stuff. Then I've just gone on from there.
What is different this year? I only buy 1 of most figures (did get 3 of the Shocktroopers for me) and I have passed on some figures and on all variants (unless I like them). I also have a collecting budget of $100 a month, that I can roll over, but when its done, its done, unless I talk with the boss and go over the budget and we cut something else out. I'm at point where after the last 12, I will stop except for probably Commander Cody, and an occasional figure here and there. I've done the same with my beloved LOTR collecting. On the new Epic Waves am only getting the Aragorn, the Gondorian, the Orc and Skull, Eowyn, and I believe that is it.
I had a major realization about two weeks when I realized I was collecting for me, and not for my son. I started this out as something for us to do, and for us to have stuff to display and play with. Then because he was young, I had to seperate mine and his. Dumb. Even dumber is when I ensure I get what I want before he gets what he wants. When you place your collecting over the wants of your own child, that is wrong. Thus time for a reality check. So, now I buy for us, display in my office and I don't have to worry about losing cause we have a system that my 11 year old has down pat.
The other thing I think is that though I still buy what I want, it is not near what I have speant this year on either LOTR or SW. Moderation is the key, and not being selfish. I realized that is why I would buy extra's and help others. Because I wanted to feel like I was a good guy because in reality, I was a selfish jerk in putting my wants above my son's. So, now he gets what he wants. I have taken him hunting, and he enjoys our time together, but now we hunt for what he and we want together.
Finally, I thought what is the purpose of collecting? To spend more time with my son because he is growing up WAY TO FAST! So I need to slow down and collecting in general takes a back door to ensuring that my son and daugther have ample time with me for a variety of activities, not just collecting, but things that interest them. Guess its that 40 years that make you reflective on what truly matters. I can see the day when I stop and walk away and say, that was fun and be done.
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I've also been going back and forth for a while over collecting. I've gotten a bit burned out, partly due to the amount of stuff out there, and also by my desire to own a home. So for the most part I haven't bought any SW in a while. I think I bought a two 3 packs last month and that was the first in a while.
My interest has also gone away recently due to my desire to work on other projects. I've been building a custom TIE ugly and I've also been putting togethe piece by piece a DML USAF Security Forces figure. I could just buy all of the parts quick and easy from one store, but then I'd loose the fun of searching for a good deal.
Mostly though, my interest has dropped due to the house. My drive has been to get a credit card paid off, for the sake of the credit report, and to double my efforts on my future home. I've sold some things, and others I've been debating getting rid off...both modern and vintage, but mostly modern.