How do you know it's time to move on from Transformers collecting

[Megatran]

Like any collecting, people do start and then sometimes lose interest in collecting for whatever reason. As the title goes, How do you know it's time to move on from Transformers collecting (if it ever got to that point)? Or what scenario would steer you in that direction?

Please note I'm not asking to pass judgement.

[janda the red]

When it's not fun anymore.... That's when I'll bail

Or financial difficulty... I'd cut off my hands for my wife and son, selling my collection would happen in a heartbeat if I needed money for them.

Let's hope it never comes to that! Lol

[Micktimus]

Friend of mine lost his job and now he wants to sell a majority of his collection. So yeah I think money would be a big motivator.

[GoktimusPrime]

Never.

Like many of us here, I've been collecting Transformers continuously since 1984. Never stopped before, don't intend to either. Even if the franchise itself were to perish (knock on wood), my passion for Transformers would live on (as it did during some of the weaker years of Transformers when my collecting significantly slowed down (but never actually stopped), e.g. early to mid 1990s))

[5FDP]

My buying has slowed to almost nothing but I still consider myself a collector, it's just that there's little product that interests me these days. I still get immense enjoyment from the collection that I have with no plans to EVER sell it off.

I guess my point here is that there are two kinds of collectors - those that are not actively purchasing and those that are mainly in it for the thrill of the hunt. The later are the ones most likely to sell off what they accumulated because they no longer feel the rush they once did.

Having been a fan for so long means that you get used to waiting patiently for toys to be released e.g. Generations Arcee, therefore there is always something to look forward to.

[Bidoofdude]

Since I have started collecting only 2 years ago, the amount of any form of regret or anything like that has diminished (it wasn't very big from the get go) to nothing. I just keep getting sucked in. I'll watch TFTM every now and then and bam, I go wanting all these figures, or I'll have a play with my MP Thundercracker and feel the need to get more Masterpiece figures. Just when you think you're out, you get sucked back in. And I like every bit of it.

[klystron]

I guess when the financial cost outweighs the derived enjoyment?
Or maybe when you find yourself packing your whole collection away into boxes, with none left on display? (This happened to me with Zoids).

Even if I quit collecting, I think I would probably only part with about 50% of my figures.

[Sinnertwin]

I'll be collecting as long as i can comfortably live & afford to. I'm not going to let my purchasing habits affect my way of life.
If i was faced with a situation where it was necessary to sell them, then so be it.

[Defcon]

I have considered selling off parts of my collection, and have done so. Its just normal part of collecting. Many of these were originally planned purchases, a desire to build a line and have most of the characters. But over time when I purchase new items, some need to get evicted its the perfect time to act and get rid of those figures which I feel are lacking. Im able to let go, cause its not impossible to buy again, or a 3rd party figure or masterpiece figure will come along, but these are expensive.

Besides this hobby is really a nasty habit at times, alot of time over the years has been invested in it. That worries me more than the expense. I have other interests which I want to invest time and money in, so eventually Im going to press the pause button and give it a rest.

[GoktimusPrime]

I have considered selling off parts of my collection, and have done so. Its just normal part of collecting.

30 years of TF collecting and I've never considered doing that.

Besides this hobby is really a nasty habit at times, alot of time over the years has been invested in it. That worries me more than the expense. I have other interests which I want to invest time and money in, so eventually Im going to press the pause button and give it a rest.

I choose to incoorporate this hobby^religious lifestyle choice into my life.

One funny thing is when some of my students think that they saw me in public outside of school. I always ask them if the person that they thought was me was wearing Transformers apparel and holding or playing with Transformers toys -- if the answer is "no," then I say, "Then you know that couldn't have been me." If the answer is, "Yes, you were with a big group of other men playing with Transformers in a Parramatta food court," then alright... caught me red-handed.