Buying for the sake of buying

[Golden Phoenix]

I usually one get the ones I like dues to my limited cash flow.
There have been only a few exceptions.
Like for example the Universe Special Editions. I like the look of the package as a whole, with the figure sealed inside. It looks really nice. Hence I aim to get them all and keep them MSIB, and if I really like the look of the figure I'll get a 2nd to play with. I have done that with Megatron.
Another example would be if it is cheaper to get an extra one since it is part of a wave or bundle or what ever.
Animated Jazz was an example of this. I only doubled up on him because it was only a little bit extra to get Wave 4 as a set of 4 instead of the 3 others (EG Bumblebee, Sentinal Prime and Swoop)
Otherwise I just can't justify it. I don't have enough money to buy things I don't like.

I always likened it to buying as many video games as you can and not playing most of them

[Fungal Infection]

I used to collect everything that came out for a particular line, repaints, mold changes, everything. Even if I hated the toy I'd get the repaint anyway because of the completist in me. Then one day I decided enough was enough, sold the majority of my collection (which included toys such as Scorponok, Trypticon, Star Saber, Brave Max, the entire Beast Wars line and more). I downsized my collection by about 75% and concentrated only on items I wanted. Now my collection consists only of the first 2 years of G1 toys, along with toys I actually like and even then I collect only the one mold from each line unless the repaint is significantly awesome enough to justify buying. Plus the fact that I have a mortgage to pay off and other toy lines to collect means I have to be more selective with what I buy.

[sideswipes brother]

I am VERY selective. I'm not a completist by any means. I am mainly G1 driven with a few Beast Wars thrown in. I do not and will not buy any of the toys after Beast Wars as i'm just not interested in them. The G1 reissues are the only things i pretty much buy and i now buy 2 of each. One for MISB and the other to be displayed. Even though i love G1 i didn't buy the TFC Astrotrain as his colours made him a stranger to me and Stepper as i had no affiliation to him growing up. As i said, Very selective.

[k.wong23]

I almost caved into that addiction for Universe 2.0 line but since getting S.E dragstrip I honestly can say I'm happy at where my collection stands now

I use to be hunting 24/7 on ebay, stores etc now it has died down a bit. I'm just waiting for the ones that interest me

But I am happy I came to collect even if it is minimal as I have met some good blokes and gals on this forum

[jimoinj]

I can really relate to all of this. I used to buy only G1 reissues, but then it expanded out into G1 likenesses as well. But since G1 likenesses and remakes have now come to flood the market that has become financially unsustainable. So now I'm looking to just keep the G1 toys that I can't do without, otherwise just want the classics line and most of the masterpieces. Financial constraints mean I'd feel too guilty to get straight repaints of masterpieces like thundercracker and Skywarp, even though they are very nicely done. I agree with the OP that once you get too many toys it becomes simply unmanageable and impractical and it's good to cut down. Fun though it is to just buy, as it ends up being, buying for the sake of buying. Not so fun for your wallet however.

[loophole]

I just try to buy the ones that i think look cool and sort of on scale with each other so they all fit together or the toys that are in the show/movie even then not all of them except for Animated because i absolutely love the toys. Also now that i have set myself some goals for the next year collecting wise im hoping that it will keep my spending and acquiring down instead of just buying toys all over the place and getting out of control.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I thought the same too Paulbot, I think I will need to take a rest when the movie comes out as I have been going nuts with the animated figs.

It was odd though, coz I ended up with more movie figs than I thought I would and most of them I think are quite ugly. I mean I still have leader megatron!

Animated is the first line I have actually felt passionate about since G1, so I have decided to tone it down after Animated has finished.


Although I said I would retire form collceting when Energon finished, then I saw the Galaxy force figures, so I said "After GF I will stop." Then Classics, then Animated......

[kup]

I am very selective in what I get so unopened retail toys that I have no interest in are very rare (none existant, actualy).

Like Gok, most of my sealed toys are doubles and compared to the loose ones on display, they are very few.

The only line that I am actively collecting are Universe Classics/Henkei. The other non directly Classics 'G1nish' Universe toys such as the Comic book repaints and so forth are not must haves but mostly indulgences so I pick and choose what I like and ignore what I don't like.

The advantage with this system is that now I am buying newly released toys spaced out witihin the month due to their release schedule so it doesn't hurt the wallet too much and the only real 'G1nish' repainted Universe toys that I have liked are the two Comic book versus packs and the Special Teams leaders set.

Golden rule that I follow: Don't buy because its there, buy because I like.

[blackie]

ive ended up buying things because i didnt want to pass up the oppertunity, mainly in relation to the older toys, mainly because i have passed up some opertunities that i shoulnt have, but did for a number of reasons, and they ended up costing me more in the end. With G1 etc i collect the characters/toys i like/think are cool, so im in no way a comepletist, which is a good thing, becauae i cant afford to complete a G1 collection in the near future, and im uber impatient :P.

However, luckily with the classics line im able to get them when i want, even if they take a while to turn up again, ala acid storm

[SilverDragon]

I'm not sure whether I ever bought for the sake of it-I usually had a reason, even if it was only "I want to see how automorphing/Cyber Planet Keys/insert gimmick here works".

I think I've become more selective nowadays, focusing on characters I like and characters with dinosaur alt modes.