Collecting: Waiting or Buying

[LINK398]

Personally I buy things on impulse it seems. I see something that I want....its a good deal and I might not come across another one for the same price so I buy it. Thats my problem even though I have already mounted a few hundred dollars worth of debt because of the exact same scenario I continue to buy. I think maybe they wont be around later on or maybe the price will go way up later on and I continue to pile myself in debt. I mean not thousands of dollars or anything but enough so that buying more stuff to add to the pile doesnt let me pay off what I already have to. So I recently finally decided to back out of a deal for something that I wanted. Im not happy about it but I was responsible on this one and decided I had to pay off those Saturn games that are just sitting on the shelf. That leads me to the question. Do people prefer to just wait and wait for a good deal then buy or do people just buy regardless of the situation. More of a buy it now mentality I guess. I dont know I seem to think that "oh this item will never be on sale again" and then I buy even though its not right

[CrackTiger]

Sounds like you should play through games first, then decide if they're worth owning and keep a list with prices you come up with on your own, of what each game is worth buying for. Then only ever buy games that are already on your list and never for more than you determined beforehand that they are worth to you. You'll never have to worry about prices again.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I will occasionally buy stuff on impulse (like the Illust/Print Boosters), but I've never gone into debt for a game.  It's a rare event where something is truly a "once-in-a-lifetime deal", so I can always wait for the next deal.

[Opethian]

I juggle credit cards and took a 3rd mortgage on my house to get what I want, when I want it.
you should too!

[bob]

Im only $25k in debt. Mostly from all the $1 thrift store and flea market finds. I hope somebody ponies up for my dunjun exploder to cut my debt essentially in half.

[esteban]

I had to stop buying stuff (nearly all things, in all categories, not just video games) years ago because they were outside of my budget. I can treat myself every now and then, but that's it.

I always squeezed fun out of my games, but I've spent a lot more time with some Famicom/NES titles over the past few years than I normally would have and I am better for it.

Of course, if I was rich, I wouldn't be so busy at work, and I'd have more time for games.

[MrFlutterPie]

I set a budget and when I'm out I'm out.  At that point I stop looking at ebay/sales threads/game stores etc So I don't get tempted by a impulse good deal type of thing.

I would never go into debt over video games.  However, I grew up in a single parent home and things were tough so I learned how to spend wisely and get deals.  I was also taught that not paying off your cc bill in full every month was THE WORST POSSIBLE THING EVER!!!!  Ten years of owning a cc I have never paid interest.  In fact they pay me $150-200 a year to use their services for free because I have a cash rebate card.

[sosoyo180]

I usually won't spend $100+ on a game unless it's a special occasion, or it's an insane deal. But my general rule of thumb is that I won't buy any games unless they're regularly sub $30 or I get a great deal (or it's a new release). If i'm on eBay and I say to myself "i'd buy that in a store", then you can bet i'll buy it 

[xcrement5x]

I see where you're coming from a bit but yeah, it's just stuff.  Only a few games are really so unique that you will never find another copy, and if it is you would probably know it the instant you see it. 

Yeah, I worry about prices continuing to go up on stuff I'd like to own, but if I bought it all at once I'd never savor what I do have and enjoy it, plus I'd be broke and my wife would prolly kick me in the balls.  Thankfully you can still play almost every game out there through one form or another, so all you "might" be missing is physical piece to own, not the experience of playing it.

[synbiosfan]

I had to stop buying stuff (nearly all things, in all categories, not just video games) years ago because they were outside of my budget. I can treat myself every now and then, but that's it.

For the most part, that's me. I have quite a few things so I'm selling/trading what I'm sure I won't play for things I will or to pay for new caps/upgrades/repairs and random bills.

Hundreds for a game is still something I'll consider.

With Everdrives so prevalent and cd-rs it's not like 10 years ago when if you missed out, you'd never get a chance to play it.

I always wonder if "collectors" are collecting for the more modern systems, snatching up all the PS3, 360 & Wii games. More likely, in ten years they'll be crying about all the deals they could of had.

[jtucci31]

I had to stop buying stuff (nearly all things, in all categories, not just video games) years ago because they were outside of my budget. I can treat myself every now and then, but that's it.

For the most part, that's me. I have quite a few things so I'm selling/trading what I'm sure I won't play for things I will or to pay for new caps/upgrades/repairs and random bills.

That's been myself recently as well. Selling some stuff to kind of build up some sum of money for stuff i know i really want (like PCE stuff or a Japanese Saturn). I want to be able to look at everything on my shelf and wantt to play it all. I mean what's the point really, that's stupid. But that's a whole other collectard discussion that's already being had here, lol

[Medic_wheat]

Create a budget and for the love of god stick to it...if you do out anything (hobby wise) on creadit make sur eyou pay it off before buying more...


Lastly don't just buy and buy and never enjoy what you have.  It's Great having games and yes if you watch read or hear about certain games that seem like a must experience now try and hold off rushing to where ever you get your games...

I honestly wait...I weigh options and see what is a average then good then a price I am willing to spend. 

Example I wanted bonk 3 on Hu but a us release?   Forget about it so I went of engine ...why? Price but also it is a game that is import friendly.

I'd like truxton but price. So I'll just buy the genesis port that averages $45.

It is all about the budget.....or taking your monthly budget and saving infor the higher priced stuff....


Trust me I have been people with $25,000.00 creadit card debt because they could budget what they wanted with what they needed.

[DeshDildo]

I am lucky in that my video game hobby is self funded.  I have a few local store owners that hook me up with broken hardware or games and I repair and resell or trade.  I also mod consoles and make reproduction games to resell or trade.  I sell locally and on eBay (only auctions so no buy it now gouging from me).  I also frequent (daily) the local thrift stores and spend at least a couple of hours every weekend in the summer garage sale-ing.  I have been lucky enough to find quite a few "rarez" for pennies on the dollar.  I fill up my PayPal account and deposit what I originally "invested" back into my account and whatever is left in PayPal is what I can spend.

As far as collecting goes, the only platform I have been going for a full set on is NES.  Anything I don't have I will buy.  All other platforms I only buy games that interest me or random I don't have that I may have acquired in a bundle.  The most I have ever spent on one game is $80.00 and that was recently on a boxed Neutopia II.  I want more TG/PCE titles but the disk goodies are SOOOO rediculously expensive.  There are 3 more Genesis games on my want list and a few more GameCube titles so other than my Obey addiction and my NES quest I'm pretty happy with what I have.

[HailingTheThings]

I've been through the whole "guess I'm eating ramen for a while" thing when I've spent too much on a game a few times.

The only one that really hurt me, though, was Cotton. I paid a little bit under $200 for a complete copy at a time that I didn't really have that kind of extra money. So I tightened my belt for a while and it ended up being okay, but yeah, I don't like to do that unless I feel it is worth it. I really like Cotton, been a fan since a friend showed me the saturn games a long time ago. It was a game that I felt, as long as I didn't pay too too much for, I had to buy. So, I kept my eyes open for a copy that was not ridiculously expensive and I finally found the one that I now sing to sleep every night. Yay.

[Tatsujin]

one thing I had to learn, kids cost too much these days. so no more goodies for daddy.

[DeshDildo]

one thing I had to learn, kids cost too much these days. so no more goodies for daddy.

Oh man tell me about it!  I gave up my expensive automotive hobbies when we had our first.  Now we have a third on the way and I fear my videogame "nest egg" will soon be no longer.

[TR0N]

I never went into debt when it comes to video games.Still i think i came close a very long time ago when it came to retro games,but i wise up and stop.Rarely these days i'll buy a game that cost a $100.00+ but only when i have the money.Yeah it's easy to be paranoid for older video games,thinking if you missed out then it's that but it isn't all ways the case.

[TheClash603]

I think the key is to know what you want to spend, double check you can actually spend that, then be sure you actually want what you are spending on.

Also, it is occassionally okay to indulge on an item and use your credit, but be sure to pay it off before going to the next purchase.  For example, I bought a TV in 2007 when flat screens were still $2,000 and I didn't have $2,000.  However, I made sure I paid off that TV over the next 12 months before making another purchase.  There is a financing cost associated (thankfully only a few percent for that purchase), but you can weigh cost-benefit ratio of instant gratification + interest versus waiting and paying no interest but not having an item for 12 months.

What gets dangerous is if you get that $2,000 TV or $300 game...  but then you buy another big ticket item before paying off the first.  Then maybe you buy two or three more items.  You can find yourself in a hole you cannot possibly climb out of really quickly this way.

[LINK398]

Perhaps I should have been more clear when I said debt I meant that I bought a copy pf Panzer Dragoon Saga because for one I wanted it and I figured a game like that will just continue to go up in price. Thats all the "debt" if that could even be considered that

[Flare65]

I restrict myself to only a few consoles and handhelds to keep my spending under control.  Mostly the consoles I had when i was a kid.....NES,SNES,Genesis and TG-16.  What I would call the 'newest' system that I collect for is the PSP and that system is 10 years old.  I'm also skipping out on the PS4,Xbox One, just like I passed on the PS3 and Xbox 360.  The Steam download keeps me loaded with quality titles to play if I want to play something new.

I've looked at forum section at Racketboy where everyone posts their collection and it appears that there are a lot of collectors out there who collect for virtually everything under the sun as long as it is video game related.

[Flare65]

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[jtucci31]

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I agree entirely..... ;)

[HailingTheThings]

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I agree entirely..... ;)

That's how I feel when I wake up most days, after breakfast, I'm pretty much ..