Wednesday, August 27, 2014

A new way of collecting



I feel like I’ve become a different sort of collector over the last few weeks. I wouldn’t necessarily say that my style is changing, but that I can accomplish my collecting itch in more frugal ways.

As many of you know, my wife and I welcomed our second child in April. Everything has been going great. It’s a lot of work, especially when you add on 2.5 year old and potty training and his “why?” phase, but it’s been rewarding and fun and tiring and awful and great and noisy and restless and a whirlwind and awesome.

As any parent must do, we put the needs of our kids first. Lately, I’ve been feeling a little guilty about spending money on myself (aka on cards) as opposed to on my kids. We aren’t poor by any means, but the $19.99 for a blaster is money that can be better spent right now, like on diapers or food, or god forbid, put into their 529’s. Not to mention saving for a house in the near future, and it’s easy to pinch pennies when it comes to the hobby.

Additionally, I just haven’t been too interested in some recent releases. I’ve never been a big A&G guy. By the time Series Two of the flagship rolls around, I’m not too excited. I love the look of Finest, but with no LCS around, I don’t see too many chances to buy Finest. And not to take it for granted, but I know eventually most of the Yanks from Series Two or A&G will find their way to me in trades, so I don’t feel the urgency to go out and snag everything right away.

But none of this means that the collecting stops. If anything, I feel like just as many packages are coming in. Between trades and PWEs and Listia (yes, I still play on Listia) and the occasional TTM return, the daily mailbox trip is still fun. I have many of you to thank for that. THANK YOU!

For me, it’s been a fun evolution of finding new ways to stay interested in the hobby, and I’m feeling very content right now. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stay like this forever or become a permanent cheapskate. It’s just refreshing to know that I can still have fun collecting without spending and arm and a leg.

7 comments:

  1. When my daughter was your kids' age, I didn't collect at all. Too busy and too focused on other things. The few cards I picked up were probably when I was in a store getting MOAR diapers or baby food. And like you, it didn't bother me at all that I wasn't buying cards every week.

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    1. Good to know I'm not alone. By the time the kids are down and dishes done and everything it's 9pm. Not a ton of time for cards.

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  2. I've got a package in the works for you, LC. I may also end up with some packs of Finest tomorrow. Consider the Yankees yours.

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  3. It is always between 9 and 10pm before I can start looking at my cards as well.

    I've been much better with my card spending lately as well. Before my daughter I would buy something without ever thinking twice about it. Now the little voice in my head has stopped me several times from making a big purchase. Most of focus lately has been trading and my once a month box opening party.

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  4. Great post, LC. I am in a similar situation and share share many of those same sentiments!

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