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Serious Question - how do you afford these books?

Started by Hedge Collector,

131 posts in this topic

Hedge Collector

Hedge Collector

Posted
Posted

Compared to 10 years ago, today incomes are flat or lower, unemployment is higher, the stock market is lower, housing prices are flat or lower...

 

Yet comic books are much, much higher on average. How can do you guys afford these books? And this is a serious question.

 

Because many books are now in the 5 digits which is like a car which one only purchases every few years at the most, and because some books are now entering 6 digits which is like a home which some people only purchase a few times in their lifetimes if that.

 

 

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rjpb

rjpb

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Posted

Even in these economic times , some people just have a lot of money, and others are "comic rich", meaning over the years they've build up a valuable collection that they can then sell and trade in order to acquire books that would normally be beyond their reach.

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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Posted

Yet comic books are much, much higher on average. How can do you guys afford these books? And this is a serious question.

 

First thing's first. How do you afford them?

 

:baiting:

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the blob

the blob

Posted
Posted
Compared to 10 years ago, today incomes are flat or lower, unemployment is higher, the stock market is lower, housing prices are flat or lower...

 

Yet comic books are much, much higher on average. How can do you guys afford these books? And this is a serious question.

 

Because many books are now in the 5 digits which is like a car which one only purchases every few years at the most, and because some books are now entering 6 digits which is like a home which some people only purchase a few times in their lifetimes if that.

 

 

Really? I go to a show with $400-500 in my pocket and come home with all sorts of good stuff. usually 1-2 short boxes. sure, some of those $4 box books used to be $2 and some of those $2 box books used to be in the $1 box and some of those $1 box books used to be 50 cents, but this is not an expensive hobby if you aren't looking for the high end stuff. just like being an art collector isn't really that expensive if you aren't going to for known artists. Just go to ebay or etsy or any number of local art shows and you'll find lots of goods stuff for $25-$200. sure, a shiverbones original painting will run you more, so you need to save up for one of those. matt needs to drink too you known and Jack Daniels doesn't grow on trees.

 

Basically, you can put together a fun/nice BA/CA collection over time with some mid/low grade SA/GA sprinkled in socking away $100 a month. sure, the big keys will need to be lower grade or not at all. I picked up an ASM 129 for $20 at my LCS, for example. $100 a month is plenty if you're scrimping by normally, but if you're middle class (whatever the heck that means) or above and not in dire straights, it's the difference between brown bagging your lunch/afternoon coffee and buying them at the deli. seriously, i save $3 a day simply putting my ice coffee in my Sigg for consumption when I really need it at 2:30 p.m. rather than going to Star Bucks. I have been bad about packing my own lunch lately though as my new diet cuts out my old favorite leftovers like pasta and indian food over rice, so I have to make a salad, etc.

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Ogami

Ogami

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How do I afford them?

 

I budget year to year.

 

I have my monthly fun money that all goes to new books and world of warcraft.

 

And I have my annual budget (a figure that I track in my head as being between the parameters of not getting a notice out of my wife and getting a divorce on the other end) that I work with for the collectible stuff, extra trades, and supplies.

 

This year, I finished Avengers, bought one big book, and finished the mancave.

 

Next year, probably not much. Fourth Quarter has been slim, and need a new vehicle and am planning big trip to Ireland.

 

 

(I don't sell books. See? Not everyone here is a dealer)

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kidcolt

kidcolt

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Like most I adjust my comic budget with my regular budget however I don't have a big comic budget. I also buy a lot more trades then before I find that saves me a ton of cash. I don't drink (well hardly) I don't smoke or do drugs. A guys gotta have some sort of habit that sucks money out of him, mine is comics.

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the blob

the blob

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I sell blood. You can make a small fortune if you remember to make

the circut of 4 or 5 donation centers over a monthly period.

 

I've thought about this. Seriously. I'm a big guy, but otherwise healthy with no risk factors, and won't miss a pint or two of blood here and there. Maybe it will help me lose some weight? I don't like needles, but I can get over that.

 

Unfortunately, there is nowhere in NY to sell one's blood. And I don't think there is a place in NJ.

 

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towards2112

towards2112

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Posted
I sell blood. You can make a small fortune if you remember to make

the circut of 4 or 5 donation centers over a monthly period.

 

I've thought about this. Seriously. I'm a big guy, but otherwise healthy with no risk factors, and won't miss a pint or two of blood here and there. Maybe it will help me lose some weight? I don't like needles, but I can get over that.

 

Unfortunately, there is nowhere in NY to sell one's blood. And I don't think there is a place in NJ.

 

$15 a pint here, they flip it to the local hospitals for $45. Quite the return.

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