hello!

[Kapryiath]

is there really such a thing as a cheap hobby though? i cant say i've found one

[liegeprime]

is there really such a thing as a cheap hobby though? i cant say i've found one

daydreaming?

[GoktimusPrime]

is there really such a thing as a cheap hobby though? i cant say i've found one

Collecting can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Depends on what you collect. Things like stamps, coins and bottle caps aren't really expensive unless you're buying vintage stuff. But then the same can be said for toys. I buy most of my Transformers while they're still current and pay regular retail prices or less for them. This helps to make the hobby considerably more affordable compared to say waiting several years (or decades) until the toy becomes hard to find and you're paying inflated prices on the secondary market -- in which case you're often no longer paying for the actual value of the toy, but for the scarcity. My general philosophy w/ TF collecting is "buy now or cry later." It doesn't always work in my favour though -- sometimes the value of toys actually depreciates which means that you would've saved money getting it later rather than sooner. Like Jetwing Optimus Prime -- I bought it last year for $150, but now it's selling for $99 -- could've saved myself $51 if I'd waited a year. A lot of times a toy will sell for inflated prices when first released, then retailers slowly lower the price... it's what Paulbot calls "impatience tax" which I think is a good term... and I sometimes end up paying it. Like I paid $23 for TF Prime RiD Ratchet, now Big W has them for $18!

But cheaper hobbies would probably be non-collecting ones, such as sports, performing arts (e.g. singing, dancing), photography, papercraft, scrapbooking, cooking, gardening, fishkeeping, reading etc. -- of course, it depends on how far you get into the hobby -- any one of those hobbies can become expensive if you go hardcore enough.

[Trent]

But cheaper hobbies would probably be non-collecting ones, such as sports, performing arts (e.g. singing, dancing), photography, papercraft, scrapbooking, cooking, gardening, fishkeeping, reading etc. -- of course, it depends on how far you get into the hobby -- any one of those hobbies can become expensive if you go hardcore enough.

Transformer collecting is one of the cheaper hobbies I have had over the years. However that may be due to the fact that I am a selective collector and my collection is limited by the space I have available to store it.

[Kapryiath]

do you have any photo's of your collection? i'd be interested to see waht you have tucked away trent :P

[Trent]

do you have any photo's of your collection? i'd be interested to see waht you have tucked away trent :P

I keep meaning to put a post in the <100 transformers collection thread, but so far haven't got around to it. But the problem with my collection is i'm currently going through a theme change, hence why you've been able to buy a few off me lately. I've offloaded most of my G1 collection through various means except for a few specials.

The dilemma I have is I don't yet know what my new theme is going to be. so my collection isn't anything special atm. Waiting for the elements of inspiration.

But this is your thread dude.