Ever think about the $$$ you lost enjoying this hobby.

[CaptainSkidMarks-migration]

I tend to think about the money I lost on hookers....

[Jimmy Linguini]

I tend to think about the money I lost on hookers....

 

Lost? or saved?

[miraclemet]

I think of all the donations I made to USPS when I bought books and sold them for the same price at a later date.

 

Even when I break even someone else comes out better...

[Unca Ben]

I tend to think about the money I lost on hookers....

 

Lost? or saved?

I saw what you did there!

[Bio-Rupp]

I think of all the donations I made to USPS when I bought books and sold them for the same price at a later date.

 

Even when I break even someone else comes out better...

 

... and even they have lost 3.9 billion this year

 

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130809/NEWS02/130809844

 

It's probably because of all us comic shippers misusing media mail

[Screwy-migration]

When the time came I ended up bringing along about 3000 comics, nothing newer than 1970, and piled them up, bare, raw, not a bag or board in sight, on the table and sideboard of the hotel suite, set up a bar and snacks and opened the doors to all and sundry.

 

On the menu was good scotch, good beer, Cheetos, pixie stix, grape and orange soda, and various other snacks. Oh, Dum Dum suckers and malted milk balls, too, I think.

 

 

I can't believe you forgot Slim Jims!

[Not*Sure*]

There was slim jims..we snapped into them..they go awesome with scotch

[ThreeSeas]

I haven’t sold any comics, so I have not lost any money yet. (A few years ago I was watching a talk show with Warren Buffet(?) on it, if I remember correctly, and the interviewer asked him how much money he had lost during the stock market crash. He answered “none, because I have not sold any stock” to paraphrase as I cannot remember his exact quote.) I say the same about my comics, having never sold any for less then I paid - I have not lost any money on them.

 

But to think back to how much I used to spend.. I started keeping records in 1984. I spent, on average, $25.00 a week for new comics until the comic shop I went to closed in 1998. (The shop owner always gave me 20% to 30% off cover discount.) Let’s see that is about $18k spent in that era give or take. Dang heh heh. To me the memories are worth the money. I enjoy my comics, although with a family now I do not get to spend a whole lot of time with them nowadays.

 

I guess my phrase is "Ever think about the Great Memories you have gained while enjoying this hobby?" Going with Scrooge on adventures all over the world, imagining the wealth of Richie Rich, flying throughout the world like Superman, stopping crime without superhuman powers like Batman, Climbing and swinging from tall buildings like Spiderman, and the stories in Tales of the Unexpected or the House of Mystery and many other Horror comics I very much like - yes many good memories.

[delekkerste]

I haven’t sold any comics, so I have not lost any money yet. (A few years ago I was watching a talk show with Warren Buffet(?) on it, if I remember correctly, and the interviewer asked him how much money he had lost during the stock market crash. He answered “none, because I have not sold any stock” to paraphrase as I cannot remember his exact quote.) I say the same about my comics, having never sold any for less then I paid - I have not lost any money on them.

 

I don't know that Warren Buffett would have said something like that, but, if he did, I'm guessing the context was that he didn't panic sell during the liquidation phase and that he didn't believe that the value of any companies he invested in was permanently impaired, so that he would eventually recoup any losses he had (but, the losses were very real nonetheless at that moment).

 

The same CANNOT be said of comics. Most comics DO suffer permanent impairment of value - my guess is that 99+% of comics sold over the past 2 decades can't even fetch cover price anymore.

 

Bottom line: a loss is a loss is a loss, whether it's unrealized or realized.

[mintcollector]

I haven’t sold any comics, so I have not lost any money yet. (A few years ago I was watching a talk show with Warren Buffet(?) on it, if I remember correctly, and the interviewer asked him how much money he had lost during the stock market crash. He answered “none, because I have not sold any stock” to paraphrase as I cannot remember his exact quote.) I say the same about my comics, having never sold any for less then I paid - I have not lost any money on them.

 

I don't know that Warren Buffett would have said something like that, but, if he did, I'm guessing the context was that he didn't panic sell during the liquidation phase and that he didn't believe that the value of any companies he invested in was permanently impaired, so that he would eventually recoup any losses he had (but, the losses were very real nonetheless at that moment).

 

The same CANNOT be said of comics. Most comics DO suffer permanent impairment of value - my guess is that 99+% of comics sold over the past 2 decades can't even fetch cover price anymore.

 

Bottom line: a loss is a loss is a loss, whether it's unrealized or realized.

 

+1

 

 

[Bio-Rupp]

I just purchased a long box of recent books off a local shop and snagged the majority of most of DC's New 52 titles (excluding Batman of course) as well as current runs of the new Marvel Now imprint and an assortment of newer recent other companies titles. Some dups of course, maybe 15 or so... but mainly one each of everything.

 

I've heard good and bad about these titles, but now I get to read them and didn't have to break the bank to do it.

 

Let's go low and average all the books (2.99 - $3.99) at $3.50 each.

 

$3.50 x 250 = $875

 

For the 250+ recent books from dealer overstock... I paid $50.

 

$875 - $50 = $825 in savings (or call that a house payment).

 

Thought it might be a good time to revisit this thread

 

Remember with patience, comes savings.

 

xxx ooo

 

Rupp

 

 

[Aman619]

That's an even more economical way to read comics than waiting for the trades! With patience, you can wait long enough to read every new comic for pennies.

[ernster]

I think about all the money I have spent on my Kid's private education ( two in high school and one in the eight grade) around 40k a year and all the comics I could have bought with that money

[architeuthis]

I just purchased a long box of recent books off a local shop and snagged the majority of most of DC's New 52 titles (excluding Batman of course) as well as current runs of the new Marvel Now imprint and an assortment of newer recent other companies titles. Some dups of course, maybe 15 or so... but mainly one each of everything.

 

I've heard good and bad about these titles, but now I get to read them and didn't have to break the bank to do it.

 

Let's go low and average all the books (2.99 - $3.99) at $3.50 each.

 

$3.50 x 250 = $875

 

For the 250+ recent books from dealer overstock... I paid $50.

 

$875 - $50 = $825 in savings (or call that a house payment).

 

Thought it might be a good time to revisit this thread

 

Remember with patience, comes savings.

 

xxx ooo

 

Rupp

 

 

Just did the same thing with a $30 Diamond box from my LCS. 150 issues to read, and after going through them all and thinning the stuff I don't want that MCS is currently buying, a credit with them for around $40 for something I do want.

[oakman29]

I think about all the money I have spent on my Kid's private education ( two in high school and one in the eight grade) around 40k a year and all the comics I could have bought with that money

 

Damn I would have said "kids,you're going to public school,and you're going to like it".

[Bio-Rupp]

I think about all the money I have spent on my Kid's private education ( two in high school and one in the eight grade) around 40k a year and all the comics I could have bought with that money

 

Damn I would have said "kids,you're going to public school,and you're going to like it".

 

On the flip side, those kids should have a quality education and be well prepared to assist in the future care of their parents when and if the need and the time comes.

 

So not that bad of an investment

[oakman29]

I think about all the money I have spent on my Kid's private education ( two in high school and one in the eight grade) around 40k a year and all the comics I could have bought with that money

 

Damn I would have said "kids,you're going to public school,and you're going to like it".

 

On the flip side, those kids should have a quality education and be well prepared to assist in the future care of their parents when and if the need and the time comes.

 

So not that bad of an investment

 

Yeah they can put you in a home,and forget about you.

[Bio-Rupp]

I think about all the money I have spent on my Kid's private education ( two in high school and one in the eight grade) around 40k a year and all the comics I could have bought with that money

 

Damn I would have said "kids,you're going to public school,and you're going to like it".

 

On the flip side, those kids should have a quality education and be well prepared to assist in the future care of their parents when and if the need and the time comes.

 

So not that bad of an investment

 

Yeah they can put you in a home,and forget about you.

 

... and there is that too

[Aman619]

Money spent on education, especially a 4 year college degree is more and more a waste of far too much money. For too many kids its a four year all expenses paid vacation. Not all kids of course, but even those of us who didn't literally party 24/7 didn't exactly get our parents money's worth. Parents have to evaluate and discuss honestly with their kids as to the best use for the 100s of 1000s Of dollars a "education " now costs.

[oakman29]

Money spent on education, especially a 4 year college degree is more and more a waste of far too much money. For too many kids its a four year all expenses paid vacation. Not all kids of course, but even those of us who didn't literally party 24/7 didn't exactly get our parents money's worth. Parents have to evaluate and discuss honestly with their kids as to the best use for the 100s of 1000s Of dollars a "education " now costs.

 

I kind of agree with this,even though I do have a business degree.I'm certainly not using it.I'm still trying to pay off my student loan too,after 25 years.