Collecting: What lessons have you learned?

[StaticShin27]

Saw this kinda thread over at TFW, why not here?

So what have you learned in your long (or short) time experience with collecting? Priorities, urges, conserving, regrets, post away!

Personally I try not giving into my completist mentality when it comes to certain items. Sure you may think a few others look nice to finish off a set but in the end it you may realize it's just wasted space. Unless I really love a line, I try sticking with just specific ones I really want.

 

[The_Emperor]

My general rule is "love at first sight" and going with my gut. If an item illicits an "OMG! MUST HAVE THAT!" kind of reaction, then I obviously want it. Done deal. No further thinking required. If I need time to think and 'convince' myself that I want something, then obviously I don't truly want it. Things that I get after thinking about usually end up as impulse buys.

Many years back, I used to buy anything that I merely 'liked'. It was painful to look at all the stuff I had and there were numerous items that I didn't have any appreciation for or even completely forgot about. But I've managed to get rid of the bulk of those impulse buys bit by bit over the years now.

 

[xSHiNOx]

i learned that you should buy a henshin device during it's run on tv or else it will become rare and expensive. i'm looking at you faiz gear.
i also learned that, if you didn't get the henshin device during it's run on japan tv, there is always korea, hong kong, etc. but you'd have to wait 2-3 years later.

 

[PyroturtleZX]

I learned that Bandai is an asshole... One big gaping asshole

But I'm still going to buy their useless ****.

 

[Ryuutaros]

1. Only buy stuff you truly want. Its painful when you lose interest and realise the money wasted.
2. Acknowledge that there are things (toys and collecting) that can wait and other stuff in life comes first.

 

[DeluxeRobots]

Many years back, I used to buy anything that I merely 'liked'. It was painful to look at all the stuff I had and there were numerous items that I didn't have any appreciation for or even completely forgot about. But I've managed to get rid of the bulk of those impulse buys bit by bit over the years now.

Pretty much this and if you really want something that's expensive you really have to work for it because you'll never get it cheap.

 

[redracer2004]

My lesson:
"If you see something you want to buy and if you can afford it, just buy, You won't know the chances of seeing it again. I actually did most of that and was happy I did what I did"

 

[KamenRiderDamian]

My lesson:
"If you see something you want to buy and if you can afford it, just buy, You won't know the chances of seeing it again. I actually did most of that and was happy I did what I did"

1. Only buy stuff you truly want. Its painful when you lose interest and realise the money wasted.
2. Acknowledge that there are things (toys and collecting) that can wait and other stuff in life comes first.

i learned that you should buy a henshin device during it's run on tv or else it will become rare and expensive. i'm looking at you faiz gear.
i also learned that, if you didn't get the henshin device during it's run on japan tv, there is always korea, hong kong, etc. but you'd have to wait 2-3 years later.

These. Make sure you're SURE when you're spending a certain amount of money on something that you won't regret it later, buy them if you know/have the feeling it'll be hard to buy later, and most importantly, managing your money for all of these things.

 

[redracer2004]

These. Make sure you're SURE when you're spending a certain amount of money on something that you won't regret it later, buy them if you know/have the feeling it'll be hard to buy later, and most importantly, managing your money for all of these things.

Yeaps. But even if you don't have the feeling but you want it, just buy it. Since you won't know whether it will be hard to find in the future. For instance, I didn't buy some of the PR figures when they were in clearance thinking that there will be still some left in the next clearance but they were all gone for some reason. They were dirt cheap here, about US$1-2 each.

 

[Silent_X]

Yeah, I didn't learn the lesson from personal experience, but "don't be completionist for complitionist's sake" is a good one. Buy something because you like it/really like it. Not because there's a hole in your collection.

Also "Don't Be completionist for nostalgia's sake". Buying a few things because of your childhood ties to them is ok, but don't go buying whole lines or anything because of that. Make sure you still like the subject without your nostalgia goggles.

Of course, I REALLY like most of the designs for the franchises I'm into, so that first one doesn't help me much.