How much do you spend a year?

[bravesfan#1]

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.

thats not really the only way to make money off the hobby. I don't collect or buy boxes, I strictly buy to resell. I'm still in college and just do it on the side, but since June '09 I've made almost 3K in profit at various shows in NC and SC. Whether its looking through boxes and finding that hot rookie the dealer missed, buying from dealers that always give you a good deal because you always buy from them, or finding someone that desperately needs the $, I always find a way to make a couple hundred at every show I go to

[juliangen]

I make money.... buy singles at ebay steal prices and sell them for more
i.e. i sniff out ebay mispells and misrepresents and sell them for more

[patsfan84]

very valid point braves, and i may heed that advise and start searching random boxes :)

thats not really the only way to make money off the hobby. I don't collect or buy boxes, I strictly buy to resell. I'm still in college and just do it on the side, but since June '09 I've made almost 3K in profit at various shows in NC and SC. Whether its looking through boxes and finding that hot rookie the dealer missed, buying from dealers that always give you a good deal because you always buy from them, or finding someone that desperately needs the $, I always find a way to make a couple hundred at every show I go to

[KangoBass]

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.

Never thought about that with bubble mailers. I did save my packing popcorn from my last shipment.

[joshpackham]

besides the obvious answer of way too much, I bet I drop about 250 a month plus the big shows in toronto every year, so lets just leave it at that, and not multiply it by 12, lol

[cnshockey]

I spend so much on postage. I wish it was cheaper. Would make my life so much easier

[charvey9]

Its tough for me to gauge my spending exactly. Been averaging about 1k per month since November, but I've also been selling between 500-750 per month.

As long as you have fun and you can afford it...its all good.

[scla6986]

Last year I was spending hundreds a month at my lcs and ebay. I can admit I definitly didn't have things in perspective then and have smartend up and spend maybe a hundred a month give or take (unless that something special comes along lol). As others have mentioned for the most part you have to be selling wax to make cash. My best advice for a smaller budget or not looking to spend a lot would be to buy a couple packs whenever you get the chance and build up your hits then trade them here for stuff you want. It costs a bit to get started (usually) but once you get started you'll pick up speed and learn things that cut costs.

[doniceage]

I say about 1500 a year.

Don

[oldhasek]

Around 20$ per month, fortunately Hasek retired and is less popular to the collecting world now, so his prices have dropped. Recently picked up another of his auto for 3$!