Is the Hobby at an all time low?

[Incrysis]

Originally Posted by Augen

I think every one should do a monthly, or at least quarterly, review of their finances and spending. A lot of those small expenses add up. Friend of mine did this on my advice and was shocked how much of his went to small purchases like coffee, alcohol, energy drinks, and cigarettes.

Paying up front is good for people who need external systems of control to prevent them from making bad financial decisions. For example, I know some people that immediately pay bills despite having weeks windows because if they don't may spend that money and then not have it at the deadline.

Coffee, alcohol, energy drinks and cigarettes....I know it isn't funny but reading that made me laugh. That's some list of poison.

I only do flex payments on statues now. I see no point in shelling out all the money when it releases. It's easy to manage 50 bucks a month on a statue or even if you are paying off 3 150 bucks.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Originally Posted by Zombiez

If you can afford cable tv you can afford 2 $1000 statues a year. Just cut the cable and free up that money I also don't agree with paying for a whole statue up front even if you have the money.

Honestly, who really needs cable anymore with all of the streaming services/Amazon/Red Box/etc?

[Augen]

Originally Posted by Incrysis

Coffee, alcohol, energy drinks and cigarettes....I know it isn't funny but reading that made me laugh. That's some list of poison.

I only do flex payments on statues now. I see no point in shelling out all the money when it releases. It's easy to manage 50 bucks a month on a statue or even if you are paying off 3 150 bucks.

It is pretty common to find people that have least two of those as regular expenditures. I've done "audits" for friends and it is a real eye opener. Big one is eating out rather than cooking. I fix almost all my meals so often see someone spend thousands more in a year on food to be at restaurants regularly.

If you're responsible however you manage purchases can work out.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Completely depending on where you live, this might not apply to you. But, if you're in a city, taking advantage of public transportation to work is a huge money saver.

For example, I work in the downtown area of a large city. It would cost me about $200+ per month for parking, plus all the extra gas money. My job offers a monthly unlimited bus pass for $57.00 per month, pre-tax. I never drive anymore, and save myself huge amounts of money over the people who choose to drive themselves and pay for parking. Not to mention the extra me time I get for looking at the internet, reading, watching Netflix on my tablet while the bus driver deals with all the idiots on the road.

That's a savings of $1,700 a year, not even including gas and the extra wear and tear on your car.

[DPmaster]

I know people who spend $10 on coffee EVERY work day by going to coffee shops. You could save a good chunk of that money by making coffee yourself or if you can, cut coffee out entirely but I know that's easier said than done. After about a year, $10 a day on coffee ends up being $2600 give or take. That could pay for almost an entire XM Hulkbuster with shipping. I say this though as a non-coffee drinker and more of a statue collector lol.

[Gothamite]

Originally Posted by DPmaster

I know people who spend $10 on coffee EVERY work day by going to coffee shops. You could save a good chunk of that money by making coffee yourself or if you can, cut coffee out entirely but I know that's easier said than done. After about a year, $10 a day on coffee ends up being $2600 give or take. That could pay for almost an entire XM Hulkbuster with shipping. I say this though as a non-coffee drinker and more of a statue collector lol.

Coffee > statues

[Augen]

Originally Posted by NorthernLadMSP

Completely depending on where you live, this might not apply to you. But, if you're in a city, taking advantage of public transportation to work is a huge money saver.

For example, I work in the downtown area of a large city. It would cost me about $200+ per month for parking, plus all the extra gas money. My job offers a monthly unlimited bus pass for $57.00 per month, pre-tax. I never drive anymore, and save myself huge amounts of money over the people who choose to drive themselves and pay for parking. Not to mention the extra me time I get for looking at the internet, reading, watching Netflix on my tablet while the bus driver deals with all the idiots on the road.

That's a savings of $1,700 a year, not even including gas and the extra wear and tear on your car.

I wish mass transit was an option here. We don't even have buses. I save by driving my hybrid which compared to my old car saves me about $1500 a year in gas. Thank goodness I don't pay for parking.

[nearmint]

I drive to work, but my commute is only 5 miles, so public transportation wouldn't save me much.

[Comicbookguy]

Originally Posted by craigcliff1

P1 is starting to slow down their releases, many licenses wont get any or just one statue,. that should keep market going a few more years. I would just be glad to get to my 15th year of collecting in a couple of years and I.A. and PCS make the pieces I want then leave

Good point never noticed this but it's true. Rising Prices, along with inventory not moving as fast, and saturation will give every company a hit sooner or later.

[craigcliff1]

Stupid shipping inflation is just as lousy as statue inflation. Shipped a statue coast to coast 2017 range and was $100.00 then, today a statue I have to ship at about that size and weight is $315.00. What a joke.