How much do you spend a year?

[l2ich]

I'm sure this topic comes up before and so I apologize if this is a repost. I'm just curious on how much money do you guys all spend a year collecting? With so many different sets available and incredibly hard to get all the cards you want for the personal collection by opening box after box, the costs just add up really fast. I'm fairly new to it (I stopped when i was a kid, but when I found my old stash, it got me buying again) and the costs just add up fast.

I try not to collect every set, the expensive sets, I may just buy a card that I want off ebay and such.

How do you guys minimize costs to keep collecting enjoyable? I have started selling cards that I realize will not be integral part to my collection.

Doubt that this is possible, but is there a way to collect but almost break even or make a profit doing it?

Opinions greatly appreciated, thanks!

[30ranfordfan]

IMO, the only way you're going to make a profit over the long haul, is as a dealer - selling wax. It's virtually impossible to break boxes, and be up money at the end of the day. Occasionally you could pull a monster hit.... and make a decent profit from it..... but that's the exception, not the rule.

As for how to minimalize costs: Have a plan, and stick to it.

Collect teams, sets, players, Jeresys, Autos, whatever..... but when you break a box keep the stuff you need, and try to move the rest either in a trade for cards you need, or for cash to spend on cards you need.

As an example...... let's say you're a big Matt Duchene fan, and you want an SPx rookie of him. Unless you want the bulk of that SPx box too, why would bother busting one? Go to eBay, SCF, whereever..... and just buy the card, for a fraction of what a box costs.

I'm not saying I don't open random packs, or even a random box break once in a while..... but generally speaking, only bust product that you're actually interested in keeping the bulk of the cards.

[MasonRaymond0320]

I don't try to go to card shows or to any hobby store. I went to one card show a few months ago, and they sell cards that are just as expensive as the hobby store. I wold rather buy them on SCF because you are helping other people out by clearing out the cards that they do not need anymore, it is always fun walking to your mailbox and it is less expensive.

Since I started collecting in July, I have spent about $110 (which is hard to believe) I dont even know how I had/have that money because I am only a kid getting allowance lol. But my collection is full of autographs, and nice cards for my pc.

[cnshockey]

make money in this hobby? unless you are selling boxes, breaking a ton and selling the big hits, or robbing people, you're not really going to be making money. this hobby is NOT about making money. It's about having fun, getting cards you like, and meeting cool people (and there are a LOT on this board). To cut costs down, don't ever buy loose packs. I break my own rule here sometimes but I probably won't anymore. Most people will tell you to reuse bubble mailers and it really will save you money but lazy people like me just buy new ones. Some like to only make trades over a certain BV to make it worth trading and that will help too but to me a trade is a trade and if its for a card I want/can trade easier than the card I am sending, it's worth it. And the biggest for people like you who buy on eBay is self limitation. Don't spend all the time. I only go to eBay if I have paypal from selling other cards and the cards for sale are cards I really need and can't get from here.

[MasonRaymond0320]

make money in this hobby? unless you are selling boxes, breaking a ton and selling the big hits, or robbing people, you're not really going to be making money. this hobby is NOT about making money. It's about having fun, getting cards you like, and meeting cool people (and there are a LOT on this board). To cut costs down, don't ever buy loose packs. I break my own rule here sometimes but I probably won't anymore. Most people will tell you to reuse bubble mailers and it really will save you money but lazy people like me just buy new ones. Some like to only make trades over a certain BV to make it worth trading and that will help too but to me a trade is a trade and if its for a card I want/can trade easier than the card I am sending, it's worth it. And the biggest for people like you who buy on eBay is self limitation. Don't spend all the time. I only go to eBay if I have paypal from selling other cards and the cards for sale are cards I really need and can't get from here.

Exactly. It is all about fun. I know that card collecting makes my life way more enjoyable than it used to be last year. I always look forward to going on-line after school. I have met a lot have great people and hope to meet more in the future.

[snowkat]

Don't chase the latest releases. Or if you are going to, buy pre-release to minimize the sudden run-up factor.

How do I do it?
I have a set limit each month (which I sometimes break by spending two months limit in one, then just have to grin and bear it the next month...but I stick to that solidly)

I only buy during the hockey season. (That leaves 4 months to go make money...)

How do you guys minimize costs to keep collecting enjoyable?

[l2ich]

Yah I never expected to make money out of it, but I thought I'd throw the question out there in case there was something I don't know.

Collecting is tons of fun I just don't want it to brake the account lol.

[Joneser]

No money to be made in this hobby unless you get some really great deals on a collection someone is trying to off load. I was talking to a guy at the local card show and that was he does, if someone is trying to offload their stuff cheap they will contact him and then he will turn around and sell the stuff at the show. I sell stuff at the LCS and honest truth he making tons of money off me lol. He gets a percentage of what the card sells for and the money i make their i buy packs lol. just keeps going in a circle.

[patsfan84]

like snowkat said dont buy new releases usually thats when the market is high for them. also i would advise buying in the off season when the hockey hobby is slower. i got my 300 or 350?bv getzlaf cup rc for 160 in the off season the lowest i have seen it go for, and my cup rainbow rc for 115. bv 400. best time to buy is off season or auctions ending in wierd times. and there is really no way to make money off the hobby unless you have ridiculous luck pulling hit after hit.

oops editing this in i spend way too much a year lol. but i try to keep it at 100 A month i usually dont succeed and spend more

[nic11]

Seriously ... I don't wanna know how much I spend. lol.