Cost of our passion??

Really interesting to read about peoples collections on here and how much we spend. My question is, without being too intrusive, how much do each of us spend on the hobby? How much do we pay per loose or moc figure? Do we have well paying jobs to afford it, do we keep how much we spend from our other halfs, or do we just look for deals? I ask as a lot of people on here have quite a few moc vintage but everywhere I look they are in the hundreds so interested how we all fund/afford our passion and how we came to our decisions on what particular line or style of figure we go for?

SW collections are built up over time, lots of patience. For me it's about collecting pieces when I can. I collect on a budget, and don't keep it from my other half.
Prices are silly at the moment, which I think has affected long term collectors buying pieces and slowing that down.
The bills and family always come first.

Same as Michael for me, if I'm honest the only cost for me is the time I put into hunting down something I want. That said I enjoy it so who cares.

But time does fly and sometimes I do wander. :?

I've spent way too much recently, having to reign it in now but I'm back to feeling like I've got a collection that I enjoy. My display is full and the items I'm still after I'm willing to be patient with.
I don't have a massively well paid job but lowish outgoings mean it's not unaffordable, obviuosly looking at it from a purely selfish point of view then all that money could have been spent on anothe family holiday or something for the missus but they've not exactly gone without!

I buy what i can afford based on a few principles

The price is fair
The money isn't needed elsewhere

I never keep things from my partner. The moment she starts dictating what i do with my money, is the monent she potentially ceases to be my partner!

i did go a bit crazy when i got back into collecting a few years ago spending about £500-800 a month but ive now slowed down only buying items that i need to complete mini focus runs

Never spend more than you can realistically afford to. I don't think a single person on this forum hasn't over extended themselves at one point or another, especially when a "must have" item appears but you quickly learn that toys aren't worth getting yourself in financial bother over, however cool they are.

One of the many reasons I have been a figure focus collector for so many years is because it allows me to learn about and enjoy various areas of the hobby without feeling the need to complete sets or "collect them all". I had a carded Ledy in my focus for example so I didn't feel the need to *try* and buy more carded Ledy's as that wouldn't have been financially possible given their rarity and popularity.

Same with multipacks, carded figures, pre-production/prototypes - I've been around long enough to have seen and bought most things if I really wanted them but sticking to my focus means I've been able to avoid amassing an unmanageable and cluttered collection and at the same time I've done so on a budget that suits me.

I think the greatest tool any collector can have in this hobby (even greater than cash) is simply knowledge. How else are you going to know what you are looking at and be able to make a quick decision on whether or not it's worth buying if you don't know that much about it? In that respect you can potentially still build a quality collection on a limited budget providing you are clued up and can spot a true rarity when you see it (and a bargain too!).

Ultimately if you've got the cash, you won't miss it if you spend it but it's always better to learn about any hobby before you start spending, even if you are a millionaire.

To reiterate what Joe has already said the only times I've really overpaid is the times I've jumped without the slightest bit of research and not really found out until trying to sell the items later to fund the next must have lol

What I really like is digging for loose figure that need to be rescued.
I.m sticking to my plan of loose figures excluding big pieces like blue snaggle/han carbonite/yak face...
as it has been said earlier patience is key : found luke storm nmint for 39€ - 2 weeks ago.
Max 50€ for exceptional - Around 10 for common ones - sound like a plan.

I hardly spend anything these day which is largely to do with crazy prices. However I did recently buy two pieces for my naked 12" Chewie - the bowcaster and bandolier. Those pieces aren't ridiculously expensive considering their scarcity, and he's been in the nud since '91. A little treat

My rules:
Don't ever spend what you don't have.
Don't ever buy a MOC etc if you need the money to buy your kids; new shoes, new clothes, school trip, fun things, days out...... the list goes on.
Don't rush, be patient, Grant, Gary, Marc, Joe etc have been collecting for years, nay decades and they still have more to do. It's a marathon not a sprint.
Be honest with the Mrs, as Han would say "Women always find out the truth'.
Buy for you, not for anyone else (to impress anyone else).
Help others out. Treat others as you wish to be treated and everything should be cool.

My collecting has slowed up for a variety of reasons; I'm running out of space, i'm priced out of the market, plus you have to be so much quicker than even just a couple years ago. Money is always tight, i have a nicely paid job but have relatively zero disposable income; my family are my investment, not this crude matter.

My rules r;

Pay the bills and have enough to eat first :!:
Make sure I don't neglect my other half and family life :!:
Then my disposable income is my own and I will buy what ever I see fit but it's gotta b right :!:

I have also generated a lot of money from past pieces which was the reason I was able to spend an obscene amount last year on pieces which quite frankly I may never have had the opportunity to buy again hence my major spend :!:

2 kids so well into the thousands

I have a budget for loose and mocs if i loose out ...meh..move along theyl be another

Realustically i cant justify or afford £100+ for a moc. Or stupid money for a nice mint loose

there were 1000's of these things made. Patience and perservance is key

ive overspent, overbought and got myself into situations i regretted, it all about learning and knowledge, it can also be an addiction too, similar to gambling "when it stops being fun, stop what your doing" there is just as much enjoyment to be had from a beater moc as a prototype.

Jez said:

My rules:

Buy for you, not for anyone else (to impress anyone else).

Click to expand...

This. I think this is the biggest problem with many newer collectors.. Not that some of the older ones aren't that way. Buying high priced items to impress people who frankly don't give a **** on the internet.

I'm going to farthest from at the end of next month! God knows how much I'll spend!

Totally agree with the knowledge comments earlier. I've been in the collecting game for 20 plus years and access to market prices is way more available now that there are so many forums / sale pages knocking around. This didn't used to be the case. If you do your homework and take your time there's no reason to overpay on items. Fortunately, looking back at my purchasing, I can only really see one major schoolboy error on my part and that was getting rid of something I didn't realise was quite so sought after at the time. I wish i'd kept hold of it. This was purely down to a lack of knowledge and an impulsive decision. Nick. Ps family, food and mortgage way more important than toys!

I budget on what I can afford , however have pushed the boat out to get a few Grail pieces :roll: sometimes !

I still think you got a reasonable deal on that moc scooternick. The problem with the market at the moment is everything is moving so fast and certain items become fashionable and then the price skyrockets. This seems to be lead by the Facebook "check out my new haul" lot.
Pop up r2 is a prime example of this. 2 years ago it was a £100 moc, nowadays it goes for nearly tripple that.
The key is to do your homework, don't get swept up in the hype and if a bargain comes up (and you can afford it) buy it.