Be careful out there

[dgbarnes]

I tend to get ahead of myself this time of year, and I'm sure there are many others that do the same in some capacity.

With the hobby being as hyped as ever, and the added social pressure of message boards, IG, and Facebook groups, all I can say is be careful.

Most of all, be careful with your spending, and be realistic about your budget.

The last thing I want to see, is people in deep from the hobby that we all love and enjoy. So, as much as some people think this is an unnecessary post, I hope it has value even as a friendly reminder.

✌🏽

[CoolG]

:)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAiFSHfMeio

[mikejones]

https://youtu.be/C0-58f6Eiow

[dgbarnes]

https://youtu.be/C0-58f6Eiow

He'S a ViSioNAry

[Giannis34fan]

I tend to get ahead of myself this time of year, and I'm sure there are many others that do the same in some capacity.

With the hobby being as hyped as ever, and the added social pressure of message boards, IG, and Facebook groups, all I can say is be careful.

Most of all, be careful with your spending, and be realistic about your budget.

The last thing I want to see, is people in deep from the hobby that we all love and enjoy. So, as much as some people think this is an unnecessary post, I hope it has value even as a friendly reminder.

✌🏽

I just buy singles for the most part. However this is the time when I do buy some Prizm basketball hanger packs. Last year I did quite well! :D

But yeah, just be responsible with your spending. Good reminder. :)!

[Vdm2018]

Good reminder.

[the27guy]

Some of the best advice you can give in this hobby, OP. Thank you. Those of us who have been around a while can surely tell stories of people making huge financial mistakes. Don’t spend more than you can and definitely remember that busting wax can quickly become very similar to gambling - with people often losing control and exhibiting addictive tendencies.

I personally don’t bust wax, because I know myself and how obsessive I can become.

[ClipsandVols]

One of the best posts I've seen on BO. Kudos OP and thanks for the reminder!

[ninjacookies]

Excellent, OP. One of the most critical components of any hobby, especially one involving financial risk. Very easy to dig yourself into a hole you can't get out of.

[JoeAdam]

I see so many people wasting money on those “pulls” or “staxx” on Facebook. At least if you buy packs you have a shot at a bit hit. These are pure scams.

[brettmik59]

Most of all, be careful with your spending, and be realistic about your budget.


✌🏽

Yep, especially with this year's inflated wax prices.

[dgbarnes]

Some of the best advice you can give in this hobby, OP. Thank you. Those of us who have been around a while can surely tell stories of people making huge financial mistakes. Don’t spend more than you can and definitely remember that busting wax can quickly become very similar to gambling - with people often losing control and exhibiting addictive tendencies.

I personally don’t bust wax, because I know myself and how obsessive I can become.

One of the best posts I've seen on BO. Kudos OP and thanks for the reminder!

Excellent, OP. One of the most critical components of any hobby, especially one involving financial risk. Very easy to dig yourself into a hole you can't get out of.

Thanks fellas! It's so easy to get caught up in the hype and mayhem that swirls around the hobby, that sometimes it's beneficial to take a step back.

[chris_ac]

Preach!

Buy responsibly, enjoy wisely.

Btw... I'm king of my facebook gatherings so no pressure ;)

[Cheken]

I just saw my cc bill this month and im at 4k LOL - but it goes to my shelves as display ornaments so worth it!

[Ross]

Agreed OP. Just be smart folks, and have fun first and foremost. And remember- you can never own every card in the world anyways! Second reminder there is always a deal somewhere, so be patient... hype has ruined many many things.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[spacewrangler]

If you're a ripper like me remember to take the time to go through your pile and pick out stuff to sell lol be a collector, not a hoarder.

[Soxfanguy]

Thank you. I realized that I spent too much recently and have been cutting way down on buying.

[DajuanWagner]

:)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAiFSHfMeio



Fast Times at Ridgemont High is my favorite movie of all time. That was before most of you were even born...…….

[Soxfanguy]

Buying singles instead of wax is good advice, just watch out, it adds up quickly

[arod305]

Great post here, it is a crazy time of year. You have Prizk bkb and Draft baseball coming out at the same time. In addition, you are approaching the best time to buy MLB singles.

My only advice would be, never buy wax with money you can't afford to lose. I use to buy a ton of wax and I still love busting. However, this year I've focused a lot more on singles and my collection is x10 better than when I was ripping cases. In addition, its really nice not having to spend nights listing cards to recoup 60% of case prices. Ya singles may fluctuate, but if you're buying the right stuff you know you have the equivalent of liquid assets you can get cash for if something comes up.

As stated, great post OP. I see people going crazy in the prizm threads and it makes me think they were spending money they didn't have banking on the flip of retail.

[DajuanWagner]

https://youtu.be/C0-58f6Eiow



I didn't know that Corey off of Pawn stars knew anything about cards.....that's awesome...…….

[arod305]

Buying singles instead of wax is good advice, just watch out, it adds up quickly

Difference being you have a floor you can get out at, you can take a 70% haircut on wax instantly. Unless you're not very good at buying singles you may have to only worry about fees/5-10% fluctuations.

[21Pittsburgh58]

Excellent thread!

[Pathora]

Nice thread, I thought this was going to be about going around to Walmarts and Targets tbh.

[kenji003]

Budget control is important. After all this is just a hobby I love

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[dgbarnes]

Great post here, it is a crazy time of year. You have Prizk bkb and Draft baseball coming out at the same time. In addition, you are approaching the best time to buy MLB singles.



My only advice would be, never buy wax with money you can't afford to lose. I use to buy a ton of wax and I still love busting. However, this year I've focused a lot more on singles and my collection is x10 better than when I was ripping cases. In addition, its really nice not having to spend nights listing cards to recoup 60% of case prices. Ya singles may fluctuate, but if you're buying the right stuff you know you have the equivalent of liquid assets you can get cash for if something comes up.



As stated, great post OP. I see people going crazy in the prizm threads and it makes me think they were spending money they didn't have banking on the flip of retail.



This is an awesome point in regards to wax. When you purchase wax hoping for a winning lottery ticket to pay back the cost of the wax, it’s 9 times out of 10 unenjoyable because of the added anxiety.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BC81]

Thank you for sharing OP. I definitely agree with this. I find myself suffering from huge FOMO and need to catch on to the next craze. IG can be the worst, I see a card that I didn't realize I want badly and then overpay on eBay.

Box breaks are also another form of gambling. I started getting into them 2 years ago with the NT breaks. I keep telling myself if I had only bought one more slot I would get that Jayson Tatum RPA. It only worsened the urge to keep on buying into the breaks. I stopped when I realized the return I had was a pittance of what I spent.

The addiction is real.

[dks]

Well said, I tend to loose big time when I try and rip wax to get a card I want rather than just buying singles...

Trying to debate ripping or flipping 2019 Prizm...
30 Target Blasters
10 Walmart Megas
10 Walmart Fat Packs and
80 Fanstics Blasters.

If I rip I’ll loose about 50-70% almost guaranteed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smalltown]

I find myself suffering from huge FOMO and need to catch on to the next craze. IG can be the worst, I see a card that I didn't realize I want badly and then overpay on eBay.

FOMO can be very real. But in most cases if you wait you're patient you're not going to miss out.

[gomiamigo]

I definitely spent too much money last month on wax and singles and pre-orders, mad at WMT for canceling prizm but did get a bunch of money back.

[mc1]

This is an awesome point in regards to wax. When you purchase wax hoping for a winning lottery ticket to pay back the cost of the wax, it’s 9 times out of 10 unenjoyable because of the added anxiety.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Busting boxes of Prizm was definitely more fun before the silver prizm hype. BO was selling Hobby boxes of 13-14 and 14-15 Prizm for peanuts.

$400-500 for hobby! Ha!That’s why Id rather chase some retail.

[mindcycle]

https://youtu.be/C0-58f6Eiow

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49040650836_1c0749a7b2_z.jpg

[Cheken]

I definitely spent too much money last month on wax and singles and pre-orders, mad at WMT for canceling prizm but did get a bunch of money back.

dude - did you still have the mj/mj ud black dual auto patch? I think I sold it to you since I sold a handful of cards.. some cards is hard to buy back anymore lol

[BC81]

FOMO can be very real. But in most cases if you wait you're patient you're not going to miss out.

Agreed, what helped was putting all my collection on a spreadsheet to see where all my money went. It was not pretty lol

As you said, if I had just waited longer and was more patient, the cards I wanted would have gone down in price or the prospects I chased were no longer relevant.

[gomiamigo]

dude - did you still have the mj/mj ud black dual auto patch? I think I sold it to you since I sold a handful of cards.. some cards is hard to buy back anymore lol

Of course I still have it! :D :)!

thanks again,

[Cheken]

Of course I still have it! :D :)!

thanks again,

nice man - I'm so bad at buying & selling haha - I got SO MUCH #@#@#@#@ I bought off of ebay thinking I will sell at one point but 99% end up being scrubs and still sitting in boxes and boxes HAHA. I bought just about everyone but got out of the hobby just before Giannis or else I would have been sitting on a nice collection lol

[bigjbasketball]

This is so so so so important, great post! I buy wax and singles, but I don't go crazy on buying massive amounts of products, just a box or two of most releases, and maybe a little more of some other stuff (i.e. Prizm). I'm also not a super high-end collector of singles. My most valuable cards are still only in the $150-$200 range. It's better to buy singles from a ROI standpoint, but those high-end cards get very pricey very quickly!

[SportsClown]

Thank you very much, OP. This is by far the most important thread on this board and should be made sticky. I would just like to add that this doesn't only apply to buying wax, but to other aspects of the hobby: group breaks, singles etc.

In general, the list of priorities should be:

a) maxing out 401k
b) maxing out ROTH IRA, if you qualify, otherwise the same amount+20% into a taxable account
c) maxing out section 529 plan, if you have kids

Only after a,b, and c are done, you can responsibly spend your first dollar on the hobby. When spending on the hobby:

a) Never go into cc or any other kind of debt for any hobby purchases. Stable returns from the hobby won't cover the interest rate you will have to pay and you should avoid investing high yield debt into non-stable returns.

b) Avoid group breaks - this is just money down the drain and doesn't benefit you in any way.

c) It is ok to break wax, but break 1-2 boxes to get a feel of the product, enjoy photography, designs, how do inserts/parallels look in hand etc. This is should be your only goal. Never break wax for profit - it is statistically a heavily losing proposition. Even now by breaking Prizm blasters at $20, you are expected to loose a lot of money.

d) Unless you are buying non-vintage, non-early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., be 100% ready to loose 100% of the price you pay for singles. The vast majority of cards go steep downhill after the hype has passed. There are a lot of new people in the hobby right now, so I will gently remind you which player was hyped to be the next Lebron before Zion Williamson: it was Andrew Wiggins. Even top players which have had successful careers and have a legitimate shot at winning the cup (Tatum, Simmons, Porzingis etc.) sell for a fraction of what they used to sell. Yes, there is always a Steph Curry somewhere there, but don't convince yourself that you can pick the right player/time the market over the long horizon. In stock market, the whole index return is coming from 4% of all stocks. Yes, that is one in 25 chances to pick up a right stock. The market returns are not predictable. That is why active money management is dying and is dying fast. All investors which are successful long-term (Buffett, Icahn etc.) are activist investors which actually go to shareholder meetings and decide how the companies are going to run business. After buying a pile of Young holos are you going to buy a majority share in Atlanta Hawks and turn them around? Yes, the card investing is not any different: there will be like 2-3 players from an average draft which will generate some long-term profits. At the same time, there is absolute nothing wrong with losing money on a rare 50k personal collection card, if you are enjoying/feel the connection to the player and have healthy savings (see above), that is why we are collectors. Just at any point of time don't treat these cards as an investment.

You can invest into early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., but be patient. There will be no crazy returns overnight, but a steady long-term (decades) growth.

e) Sealed wax investment works better, because it diversifies, but again it is not a substitute for traditional forms of investing and should only be considered after them. The liquidity costs of selling wax are high. Selling 500k worth of S&P500 will take you less than a second on your phone. Selling 500k worth of sealed wax will take months or even years and considerable effort. Again, don't time the market/rookie class, buy consistently every year: it is impossible to know which rookie class will pan out and which will not. Also don't flip, but treat this as a long-term investment. A lot of people will return your Prizm blasters sold on ebay in November in January when they are in every other Target at MSRP and online below that.

[n1nesports]

Good thread, good reminder, gotta spread out that money to last til the end of the month, it's easy to indulge and be broke before you know it.

[dgbarnes]

Thank you very much, OP. This is by far the most important thread on this board and should be made sticky. I would just like to add that this doesn't only apply to buying wax, but to other aspects of the hobby: group breaks, singles etc.

In general, the list of priorities should be:

a) maxing out 401k
b) maxing out ROTH IRA, if you qualify, otherwise the same amount+20% into a taxable account
c) maxing out section 529 plan, if you have kids

Only after a,b, and c are done, you can responsibly spend your first dollar on the hobby. When spending on the hobby:

a) Never go into cc or any other kind of debt for any hobby purchases. Stable returns from the hobby won't cover the interest rate you will have to pay and you should avoid investing high yield debt into non-stable returns.

b) Avoid group breaks - this is just money down the drain and doesn't benefit you in any way.

c) It is ok to break wax, but break 1-2 boxes to get a feel of the product, enjoy photography, designs, how do inserts/parallels look in hand etc. This is should be your only goal. Never break wax for profit - it is statistically a heavily losing proposition. Even now by breaking Prizm blasters at $20, you are expected to loose a lot of money.

d) Unless you are buying non-vintage, non-early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., be 100% ready to loose 100% of the price you pay for singles. The vast majority of cards go steep downhill after the hype has passed. There are a lot of new people in the hobby right now, so I will gently remind you which player was hyped to be the next Lebron before Zion Williamson: it was Andrew Wiggins. Even top players which have had successful careers and have a legitimate shot at winning the cup (Tatum, Simmons, Porzingis etc.) sell for a fraction of what they used to sell. Yes, there is always a Steph Curry somewhere there, but don't convince yourself that you can pick the right player/time the market over the long horizon. In stock market, the whole index return is coming from 4% of all stocks. Yes, that is one in 25 chances to pick up a right stock. The market returns are not predictable. That is why active money management is dying and is dying fast. All investors which are successful long-term (Buffett, Icahn etc.) are activist investors which actually go to shareholder meetings and decide how the companies are going to run business. After buying a pile of Young holos are you going to buy a majority share in Atlanta Hawks and turn them around? Yes, the card investing is not any different: there will be like 2-3 players from an average draft which will generate some long-term profits. At the same time, there is absolute nothing wrong with losing money on a rare 50k personal collection card, if you are enjoying/feel the connection to the player and have healthy savings (see above), that is why we are collectors. Just at any point of time don't treat these cards as an investment.

You can invest into early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., but be patient. There will be no crazy returns overnight, but a steady long-term (decades) growth.

e) Sealed wax investment works better, because it diversifies, but again it is not a substitute for traditional forms of investing and should only be considered after them. The liquidity costs of selling wax are high. Selling 500k worth of S&P500 will take you less than a second on your phone. Selling 500k worth of sealed wax will take months or even years and considerable effort. Again, don't time the market/rookie class, buy consistently every year: it is impossible to know which rookie class will pan out and which will not. Also don't flip, but treat this as a long-term investment. A lot of people will return your Prizm blasters sold on ebay in November in January when they are in every other Target at MSRP and online below that.

Just a phenomenal post all around SportsClown (which btw your name is very misleading 😂). Tackling a,b, and c most definitely adds comfort when buying into the hobby.

One approach I'm taking now is to make a budget, let's say $500, to card purchases every 3 months or so. This way, it forces me to be more strategic about what I purchase. I approaching it from an invest and flip standpoint, which would ideally allow me to spend the profits + the original budgeted amount into whatever I might want. Ideally I can then use those funds to purchase a big PC card in a few months.

I include everything in this budgeted amount (shipping, tax, grading fees, supplies, etc.).

[gowizards0]

Well said, I tend to loose big time when I try and rip wax to get a card I want rather than just buying singles...

Trying to debate ripping or flipping 2019 Prizm...
30 Target Blasters
10 Walmart Megas
10 Walmart Fat Packs and
80 Fanstics Blasters.

If I rip I’ll loose about 50-70% almost guaranteed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Idk about losing 50-70%. Some products are different from others. I actually made a profit from Prizm Draft and Chronicles recently.

By no means trying to encourage breaking wax you can’t afford lol I would’ve been fine losing on the retail I bought

[mindcycle]

What I find sad is how prices for cards have become so ridiculously high nowadays that collectors (people who actually collect cards, not flippers) have to closely look at ROI to decide whether or not to pick something up for their PC. I know some like that aspect of the hobby, buying/selling, putting money towards other cards, etc.. Nothing wrong with that, and it's nothing new. But the fact that even the most overproduced cards go through these crazy hype cycles just shows how far it's moved into gambling culture and how far away it is from just collecting cards for the fun of it.

For me personally, I pick up cards I like first and foremost. From the design, to even just the photo used. I like rare cards just like everyone else, but I will only pick them up if I feel the price is fair and when i'm comfortable that if they were worth $0 tomorrow that i'd still feel happy with the purchase. I don't look at it as something I want (or need) to gain value because more often than not you'll lose that game. If I grow tried of those cards in the future and can sell them to buy other cards, cool.. If not, i'm not going to lose sleep over it. That's how I collect.

[chuckerrrr]

This thread is the real deal! Thank you OP. This resonates big time with me.

I recently (4 weeks ago) had an awakening of such. Well it had been something that had been on my conscious for a long time. I just kept pushing those feelings to the side. My reasoning was to look on eBay for the next cool card or open wax for the next hit! It will make everything better.

Hmmm very rarely is an understatement.

A family member I was very close to passed away about 2 months ago. Although it has been difficult it was also what helped me stop and think about my own life.

It was time for me to admit to myself that this Hobby had taken me to a dark place. Mentally and physically. Luckily I have no financial debt. At the same time I feel like my life was 24/7 card hobby. Had sleepless nights. Spent hours a day on my phone in “fear of missing out” on the next deal. Drove for hours around town looking for wax at retail stores.

It became an ADDICTION/OBSESSION.

I have been in the hobby on and off in my lifetime and 2012 was when I started to get back into it due to nostalgia, social media etc. in 2015 I had twins. Since 2016 I started to feel guilt about a lot of money I was spending especially wax and breaks etc. The gambling part. I threw so much cash down the drain. Thousands and thousands. Also the amount of time it consumed me.

Instead I could have been putting that time and money into my family. To make myself feel better I would just buy more cards. A vicious cycle.

To add to that prices kept going up every year on everything (wax, singles, breaks) and have now got to a crazy unjustifiable place if you have been collecting/buying for more than the last 4/5 years.

Another thing that has added so much fuel to my fire is the last 12 months with all the dodgy stuff going on uncovered by BODA. All the trimming and altering, manipulation, shilling, sneaker-heads, stockx, pump and dump.

The hobby in general to me has gone to a dark place. Its for the most part unethical.

We as humans are all in different places. Each to their own. This is just how I see it. Im sure some of you have a great time doing things how you do it and thats cool. At the same time I know I’m not the only one out here who has had struggles with the manic of this hobby.

4 weeks ago that was it. It hit me. I decided to take a break indefinitely. Maybe forever if it is the best thing for me. I felt a weight off my shoulders. A relief.

I still come on this forum to read stuff as I find some of it very interesting and its not all cards. For example this thread.

I have sold a heap of stuff and have already paid for a family trip next year and to take my wife to Europe. It was an amazing feeling to do this for them. I personally felt that whole time I owed my family not just something. Everything. Time to prioritize. It feels great.

Anyone reading this.....

If you need a chat Dm here or my IG (charger21_sportscards)

If you are enjoying the hobby, fantastic! As others above have warned. Be smart. Do not get caught up in the fomo/hype and spend money you do not have. Or better still listen to your conscious. Prioritize!

Most importantly....

Its cardboard. Thats it....just cardboard.

Your livelihood and well being is priceless.

Peace all






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JoeAdam]

One trick I use is to try to keep my card money separate in PayPal. If I want something I gotta sell something.

[Spacemanspif]

One trick I use is to try to keep my card money separate in PayPal. If I want something I gotta sell something.

that one is FANTASTIC. I've been contemplating doing the same thing, but the seasonality of card buying / selling will make that one tough.

I understand that ripping is probably a losing proposition, but I think if you want to get things graded gem mint, you almost have to pull the cards yourself (yes I know they're not automatically gems, but much better than purchasing singles through ebay). the last set of Prizm and Optic I opened I got 4 base Lukas and a RWB, probably 4 of the 5 have a solid chance at gemming and would pay for my entire purchase.

I appreciate the sentiment of this post, I know I've come off as a killjoy on some of the Trae and Lukagasm threads but reminding people that values don't move up and to the right indefinitely is sometimes needed.

[Jopeal]

I just want to contribute by bumping an excellent thread with many quotable and well-written posts.

[regularp]

I think the biggest thing for me right now is putting prices in perspective. For example, PSA 10 Doncic Silver Prizms are going nuts right now and there's almost 1,300 of them already. Would I rather pour money into that or a nice low pop Kobe or LeBron, who have established their legacies? Hell, even just a Topps Chrome RC of either guy.

[softmax]

no problem my girlfriend have my credit card and paypal password ...
what .. humm ... perhaps not the good solution, dépend of your GF ))

[BC81]

This thread is the real deal! Thank you OP. This resonates big time with me.

I recently (4 weeks ago) had an awakening of such. Well it had been something that had been on my conscious for a long time. I just kept pushing those feelings to the side. My reasoning was to look on eBay for the next cool card or open wax for the next hit! It will make everything better.

Hmmm very rarely is an understatement.

A family member I was very close to passed away about 2 months ago. Although it has been difficult it was also what helped me stop and think about my own life.

It was time for me to admit to myself that this Hobby had taken me to a dark place. Mentally and physically. Luckily I have no financial debt. At the same time I feel like my life was 24/7 card hobby. Had sleepless nights. Spent hours a day on my phone in “fear of missing out” on the next deal. Drove for hours around town looking for wax at retail stores.

It became an ADDICTION/OBSESSION.

I have been in the hobby on and off in my lifetime and 2012 was when I started to get back into it due to nostalgia, social media etc. in 2015 I had twins. Since 2016 I started to feel guilt about a lot of money I was spending especially wax and breaks etc. The gambling part. I threw so much cash down the drain. Thousands and thousands. Also the amount of time it consumed me.

Instead I could have been putting that time and money into my family. To make myself feel better I would just buy more cards. A vicious cycle.

To add to that prices kept going up every year on everything (wax, singles, breaks) and have now got to a crazy unjustifiable place if you have been collecting/buying for more than the last 4/5 years.

Another thing that has added so much fuel to my fire is the last 12 months with all the dodgy stuff going on uncovered by BODA. All the trimming and altering, manipulation, shilling, sneaker-heads, stockx, pump and dump.

The hobby in general to me has gone to a dark place. Its for the most part unethical.

We as humans are all in different places. Each to their own. This is just how I see it. Im sure some of you have a great time doing things how you do it and thats cool. At the same time I know I’m not the only one out here who has had struggles with the manic of this hobby.

4 weeks ago that was it. It hit me. I decided to take a break indefinitely. Maybe forever if it is the best thing for me. I felt a weight off my shoulders. A relief.

I still come on this forum to read stuff as I find some of it very interesting and its not all cards. For example this thread.

I have sold a heap of stuff and have already paid for a family trip next year and to take my wife to Europe. It was an amazing feeling to do this for them. I personally felt that whole time I owed my family not just something. Everything. Time to prioritize. It feels great.

Anyone reading this.....

If you need a chat Dm here or my IG (charger21_sportscards)

If you are enjoying the hobby, fantastic! As others above have warned. Be smart. Do not get caught up in the fomo/hype and spend money you do not have. Or better still listen to your conscious. Prioritize!

Most importantly....

Its cardboard. Thats it....just cardboard.

Your livelihood and well being is priceless.

Peace all






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thank you for sharing an amazing story. It took courage to share this and it resonates with me as well.

Congratulations on getting this under control and I hope you continue to do well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Giantrobot]

This thread is the real deal! Thank you OP. This resonates big time with me.

I recently (4 weeks ago) had an awakening of such. Well it had been something that had been on my conscious for a long time. I just kept pushing those feelings to the side. My reasoning was to look on eBay for the next cool card or open wax for the next hit! It will make everything better.

Hmmm very rarely is an understatement.

A family member I was very close to passed away about 2 months ago. Although it has been difficult it was also what helped me stop and think about my own life.

It was time for me to admit to myself that this Hobby had taken me to a dark place. Mentally and physically. Luckily I have no financial debt. At the same time I feel like my life was 24/7 card hobby. Had sleepless nights. Spent hours a day on my phone in “fear of missing out” on the next deal. Drove for hours around town looking for wax at retail stores.

It became an ADDICTION/OBSESSION.

I have been in the hobby on and off in my lifetime and 2012 was when I started to get back into it due to nostalgia, social media etc. in 2015 I had twins. Since 2016 I started to feel guilt about a lot of money I was spending especially wax and breaks etc. The gambling part. I threw so much cash down the drain. Thousands and thousands. Also the amount of time it consumed me.

Instead I could have been putting that time and money into my family. To make myself feel better I would just buy more cards. A vicious cycle.

To add to that prices kept going up every year on everything (wax, singles, breaks) and have now got to a crazy unjustifiable place if you have been collecting/buying for more than the last 4/5 years.

Another thing that has added so much fuel to my fire is the last 12 months with all the dodgy stuff going on uncovered by BODA. All the trimming and altering, manipulation, shilling, sneaker-heads, stockx, pump and dump.

The hobby in general to me has gone to a dark place. Its for the most part unethical.

We as humans are all in different places. Each to their own. This is just how I see it. Im sure some of you have a great time doing things how you do it and thats cool. At the same time I know I’m not the only one out here who has had struggles with the manic of this hobby.

4 weeks ago that was it. It hit me. I decided to take a break indefinitely. Maybe forever if it is the best thing for me. I felt a weight off my shoulders. A relief.

I still come on this forum to read stuff as I find some of it very interesting and its not all cards. For example this thread.

I have sold a heap of stuff and have already paid for a family trip next year and to take my wife to Europe. It was an amazing feeling to do this for them. I personally felt that whole time I owed my family not just something. Everything. Time to prioritize. It feels great.

Anyone reading this.....

If you need a chat Dm here or my IG (charger21_sportscards)

If you are enjoying the hobby, fantastic! As others above have warned. Be smart. Do not get caught up in the fomo/hype and spend money you do not have. Or better still listen to your conscious. Prioritize!

Most importantly....

Its cardboard. Thats it....just cardboard.

Your livelihood and well being is priceless.

Peace all






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:)!

Your thoughts mirror my own. I can’t really afford to waste the amount I spend on cards at times. Once I pulled a fairly valuable card (for me), I realized I was chasing that rush and trying to top it. That was unlikely to happen, and I had to step back and realize what I was doing was pointless. Instead of trying to find that one elusive card that would sell for $$$, I realized the joy was in spending less hunting and more in enjoying the actual cards I could afford. An occasional surprise would be even better without the stress and letdown of so many bad breaks. It’s tough once you get obssesed to step back and see what’s really going on.

[ClipsandVols]

This thread is the real deal! Thank you OP. This resonates big time with me.

I recently (4 weeks ago) had an awakening of such. Well it had been something that had been on my conscious for a long time. I just kept pushing those feelings to the side. My reasoning was to look on eBay for the next cool card or open wax for the next hit! It will make everything better.

Hmmm very rarely is an understatement.

A family member I was very close to passed away about 2 months ago. Although it has been difficult it was also what helped me stop and think about my own life.

It was time for me to admit to myself that this Hobby had taken me to a dark place. Mentally and physically. Luckily I have no financial debt. At the same time I feel like my life was 24/7 card hobby. Had sleepless nights. Spent hours a day on my phone in “fear of missing out” on the next deal. Drove for hours around town looking for wax at retail stores.

It became an ADDICTION/OBSESSION.

I have been in the hobby on and off in my lifetime and 2012 was when I started to get back into it due to nostalgia, social media etc. in 2015 I had twins. Since 2016 I started to feel guilt about a lot of money I was spending especially wax and breaks etc. The gambling part. I threw so much cash down the drain. Thousands and thousands. Also the amount of time it consumed me.

Instead I could have been putting that time and money into my family. To make myself feel better I would just buy more cards. A vicious cycle.

To add to that prices kept going up every year on everything (wax, singles, breaks) and have now got to a crazy unjustifiable place if you have been collecting/buying for more than the last 4/5 years.

Another thing that has added so much fuel to my fire is the last 12 months with all the dodgy stuff going on uncovered by BODA. All the trimming and altering, manipulation, shilling, sneaker-heads, stockx, pump and dump.

The hobby in general to me has gone to a dark place. Its for the most part unethical.

We as humans are all in different places. Each to their own. This is just how I see it. Im sure some of you have a great time doing things how you do it and thats cool. At the same time I know I’m not the only one out here who has had struggles with the manic of this hobby.

4 weeks ago that was it. It hit me. I decided to take a break indefinitely. Maybe forever if it is the best thing for me. I felt a weight off my shoulders. A relief.

I still come on this forum to read stuff as I find some of it very interesting and its not all cards. For example this thread.

I have sold a heap of stuff and have already paid for a family trip next year and to take my wife to Europe. It was an amazing feeling to do this for them. I personally felt that whole time I owed my family not just something. Everything. Time to prioritize. It feels great.

Anyone reading this.....

If you need a chat Dm here or my IG (charger21_sportscards)

If you are enjoying the hobby, fantastic! As others above have warned. Be smart. Do not get caught up in the fomo/hype and spend money you do not have. Or better still listen to your conscious. Prioritize!

Most importantly....

Its cardboard. Thats it....just cardboard.

Your livelihood and well being is priceless.

Peace all

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These types of posts are very important for the card community. Someone will read this and realize that they feel the same way, but didn't know how to say it, and you may help stop their vicious cycle. I hope someone reaches out to you if they have any similar feelings.

Thank you for sharing and once again, thank you OP for creating this thread.

[TBlightning]

Some really great posts in here. Really appreciate some people taking the time to share their stories and give some best practices examples when it comes to saving first and foremost before cards.

[goldkobe]

What I find sad is how prices for cards have become so ridiculously high nowadays that collectors (people who actually collect cards, not flippers) have to closely look at ROI to decide whether or not to pick something up for their PC. I know some like that aspect of the hobby, buying/selling, putting money towards other cards, etc.. Nothing wrong with that, and it's nothing new. But the fact that even the most overproduced cards go through these crazy hype cycles just shows how far it's moved into gambling culture and how far away it is from just collecting cards for the fun of it.

For me personally, I pick up cards I like first and foremost. From the design, to even just the photo used. I like rare cards just like everyone else, but I will only pick them up if I feel the price is fair and when i'm comfortable that if they were worth $0 tomorrow that i'd still feel happy with the purchase. I don't look at it as something I want (or need) to gain value because more often than not you'll lose that game. If I grow tried of those cards in the future and can sell them to buy other cards, cool.. If not, i'm not going to lose sleep over it. That's how I collect.

I am the same mentality. :)!

[smalltown]

What I find sad is how prices for cards have become so ridiculously high nowadays that collectors (people who actually collect cards, not flippers) have to closely look at ROI to decide whether or not to pick something up for their PC. I know some like that aspect of the hobby, buying/selling, putting money towards other cards, etc.. Nothing wrong with that, and it's nothing new. But the fact that even the most overproduced cards go through these crazy hype cycles just shows how far it's moved into gambling culture and how far away it is from just collecting cards for the fun of it.

For me personally, I pick up cards I like first and foremost. From the design, to even just the photo used. I like rare cards just like everyone else, but I will only pick them up if I feel the price is fair and when i'm comfortable that if they were worth $0 tomorrow that i'd still feel happy with the purchase. I don't look at it as something I want (or need) to gain value because more often than not you'll lose that game. If I grow tried of those cards in the future and can sell them to buy other cards, cool.. If not, i'm not going to lose sleep over it. That's how I collect.

100% agree with all of this. My collection even if it was worth $0 real world dollars would still have a ton of value to me.

[goldkobe]

This thread is the real deal! Thank you OP. This resonates big time with me.

I recently (4 weeks ago) had an awakening of such. Well it had been something that had been on my conscious for a long time. I just kept pushing those feelings to the side. My reasoning was to look on eBay for the next cool card or open wax for the next hit! It will make everything better.

Hmmm very rarely is an understatement.

A family member I was very close to passed away about 2 months ago. Although it has been difficult it was also what helped me stop and think about my own life.

It was time for me to admit to myself that this Hobby had taken me to a dark place. Mentally and physically. Luckily I have no financial debt. At the same time I feel like my life was 24/7 card hobby. Had sleepless nights. Spent hours a day on my phone in “fear of missing out” on the next deal. Drove for hours around town looking for wax at retail stores.

It became an ADDICTION/OBSESSION.

I have been in the hobby on and off in my lifetime and 2012 was when I started to get back into it due to nostalgia, social media etc. in 2015 I had twins. Since 2016 I started to feel guilt about a lot of money I was spending especially wax and breaks etc. The gambling part. I threw so much cash down the drain. Thousands and thousands. Also the amount of time it consumed me.

Instead I could have been putting that time and money into my family. To make myself feel better I would just buy more cards. A vicious cycle.

To add to that prices kept going up every year on everything (wax, singles, breaks) and have now got to a crazy unjustifiable place if you have been collecting/buying for more than the last 4/5 years.

Another thing that has added so much fuel to my fire is the last 12 months with all the dodgy stuff going on uncovered by BODA. All the trimming and altering, manipulation, shilling, sneaker-heads, stockx, pump and dump.

The hobby in general to me has gone to a dark place. Its for the most part unethical.

We as humans are all in different places. Each to their own. This is just how I see it. Im sure some of you have a great time doing things how you do it and thats cool. At the same time I know I’m not the only one out here who has had struggles with the manic of this hobby.

4 weeks ago that was it. It hit me. I decided to take a break indefinitely. Maybe forever if it is the best thing for me. I felt a weight off my shoulders. A relief.

I still come on this forum to read stuff as I find some of it very interesting and its not all cards. For example this thread.

I have sold a heap of stuff and have already paid for a family trip next year and to take my wife to Europe. It was an amazing feeling to do this for them. I personally felt that whole time I owed my family not just something. Everything. Time to prioritize. It feels great.

Anyone reading this.....

If you need a chat Dm here or my IG (charger21_sportscards)

If you are enjoying the hobby, fantastic! As others above have warned. Be smart. Do not get caught up in the fomo/hype and spend money you do not have. Or better still listen to your conscious. Prioritize!

Most importantly....

Its cardboard. Thats it....just cardboard.

Your livelihood and well being is priceless.

Peace all






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for sharing your personal story!!

[goldkobe]

Thank you for OP to start this thread, we need more threads like this more than hype threads for cards/products.

I'd also like to share my story, I have been collecting on and off since 2003 and became more serious since last Oct. I think with the same reasons as a lot of collectors due to nostalgia, social media etc. It's been a bit over a year now and I have probably spent around $18,000 on the cards ( I usually only buy singles). I was chasing the cards and I'd be on eBay all the time to look for the next "Big item" to add to my PC . I never did consider collecting as investment and I am lucky enough to be debt free. I don't have a budget for collecting but I can't stop to think if I can used the money/funds better, contribute more to investment, helping family/loved ones, or even donate to good cause. I have been slowing down with the new purchases and I found it's actually more enjoyable, be patient and buy the cards you really want instead of trying to buy what's hot on the market or chase the trend. I found it's more rewarding and satisfying and usually the card you end up buying will stay in your PC for longer.

One advice I can give is try not to buy with emotion, once you find a card you want to buy, wait for a few days and sleep on it. If you still want the card and you are okay with the price, then buy it. The chances you change your mind next day or so is high and the chance you regret the purchase would be much lower. Good luck and Happy collecting everyone!!!

Bryan

[istheskyblew]

Thank you very much, OP. This is by far the most important thread on this board and should be made sticky. I would just like to add that this doesn't only apply to buying wax, but to other aspects of the hobby: group breaks, singles etc.

In general, the list of priorities should be:

a) maxing out 401k
b) maxing out ROTH IRA, if you qualify, otherwise the same amount+20% into a taxable account
c) maxing out section 529 plan, if you have kids

Only after a,b, and c are done, you can responsibly spend your first dollar on the hobby. When spending on the hobby:

a) Never go into cc or any other kind of debt for any hobby purchases. Stable returns from the hobby won't cover the interest rate you will have to pay and you should avoid investing high yield debt into non-stable returns.

b) Avoid group breaks - this is just money down the drain and doesn't benefit you in any way.

c) It is ok to break wax, but break 1-2 boxes to get a feel of the product, enjoy photography, designs, how do inserts/parallels look in hand etc. This is should be your only goal. Never break wax for profit - it is statistically a heavily losing proposition. Even now by breaking Prizm blasters at $20, you are expected to loose a lot of money.

d) Unless you are buying non-vintage, non-early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., be 100% ready to loose 100% of the price you pay for singles. The vast majority of cards go steep downhill after the hype has passed. There are a lot of new people in the hobby right now, so I will gently remind you which player was hyped to be the next Lebron before Zion Williamson: it was Andrew Wiggins. Even top players which have had successful careers and have a legitimate shot at winning the cup (Tatum, Simmons, Porzingis etc.) sell for a fraction of what they used to sell. Yes, there is always a Steph Curry somewhere there, but don't convince yourself that you can pick the right player/time the market over the long horizon. In stock market, the whole index return is coming from 4% of all stocks. Yes, that is one in 25 chances to pick up a right stock. The market returns are not predictable. That is why active money management is dying and is dying fast. All investors which are successful long-term (Buffett, Icahn etc.) are activist investors which actually go to shareholder meetings and decide how the companies are going to run business. After buying a pile of Young holos are you going to buy a majority share in Atlanta Hawks and turn them around? Yes, the card investing is not any different: there will be like 2-3 players from an average draft which will generate some long-term profits. At the same time, there is absolute nothing wrong with losing money on a rare 50k personal collection card, if you are enjoying/feel the connection to the player and have healthy savings (see above), that is why we are collectors. Just at any point of time don't treat these cards as an investment.

You can invest into early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., but be patient. There will be no crazy returns overnight, but a steady long-term (decades) growth.

e) Sealed wax investment works better, because it diversifies, but again it is not a substitute for traditional forms of investing and should only be considered after them. The liquidity costs of selling wax are high. Selling 500k worth of S&P500 will take you less than a second on your phone. Selling 500k worth of sealed wax will take months or even years and considerable effort. Again, don't time the market/rookie class, buy consistently every year: it is impossible to know which rookie class will pan out and which will not. Also don't flip, but treat this as a long-term investment. A lot of people will return your Prizm blasters sold on ebay in November in January when they are in every other Target at MSRP and online below that.


what line of finance do you work in? If not financial planning, you should consider it!

edit: Based on your list of priorities

[gomiamigo]

1) Avoid group breaks is not good advice. For some it's a way to stop spending $2k on a box or case to still get all the players on their fave team from that case for $49 or $89 or whatever.

2) Buffett is not an activist shareholder that's LAUGHABLE, he is proudly the opposite of that and has made it clear verbally and in his investment principles for decades now.

3) Telling people not to flip is very questionable logic as well, must be nice to have a crystal ball. Many people need to flip to 'stay in' the hobby.

4) Buying every rookie class makes no sense to me either. None. Hard to keep spending down if you're doing that.

[byronscott4ever]

I think another misconception is that you need big money to be in the hobby. I have collected for over 30 years and how much I’ve spent varied along the way but my enjoyment didn’t vary. I like breaking wax but stick to older stuff or retail. I can buy all my PC cards in a release for less than the price of a box, sometimes the price of a pack. If selling happens more than buying, maybe a wax splurge happens. I’ve also heard from others that buy collections from people who “must” sell now. I don’t want to get in that spot.

[CoolG]

Thank you very much, OP. This is by far the most important thread on this board and should be made sticky. I would just like to add that this doesn't only apply to buying wax, but to other aspects of the hobby: group breaks, singles etc.

In general, the list of priorities should be:

a) maxing out 401k
b) maxing out ROTH IRA, if you qualify, otherwise the same amount+20% into a taxable account
c) maxing out section 529 plan, if you have kids

Only after a,b, and c are done, you can responsibly spend your first dollar on the hobby. When spending on the hobby:

a) Never go into cc or any other kind of debt for any hobby purchases. Stable returns from the hobby won't cover the interest rate you will have to pay and you should avoid investing high yield debt into non-stable returns.

b) Avoid group breaks - this is just money down the drain and doesn't benefit you in any way.

c) It is ok to break wax, but break 1-2 boxes to get a feel of the product, enjoy photography, designs, how do inserts/parallels look in hand etc. This is should be your only goal. Never break wax for profit - it is statistically a heavily losing proposition. Even now by breaking Prizm blasters at $20, you are expected to loose a lot of money.

d) Unless you are buying non-vintage, non-early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., be 100% ready to loose 100% of the price you pay for singles. The vast majority of cards go steep downhill after the hype has passed. There are a lot of new people in the hobby right now, so I will gently remind you which player was hyped to be the next Lebron before Zion Williamson: it was Andrew Wiggins. Even top players which have had successful careers and have a legitimate shot at winning the cup (Tatum, Simmons, Porzingis etc.) sell for a fraction of what they used to sell. Yes, there is always a Steph Curry somewhere there, but don't convince yourself that you can pick the right player/time the market over the long horizon. In stock market, the whole index return is coming from 4% of all stocks. Yes, that is one in 25 chances to pick up a right stock. The market returns are not predictable. That is why active money management is dying and is dying fast. All investors which are successful long-term (Buffett, Icahn etc.) are activist investors which actually go to shareholder meetings and decide how the companies are going to run business. After buying a pile of Young holos are you going to buy a majority share in Atlanta Hawks and turn them around? Yes, the card investing is not any different: there will be like 2-3 players from an average draft which will generate some long-term profits. At the same time, there is absolute nothing wrong with losing money on a rare 50k personal collection card, if you are enjoying/feel the connection to the player and have healthy savings (see above), that is why we are collectors. Just at any point of time don't treat these cards as an investment.

You can invest into early MJ/LJ/Kobe singles etc., but be patient. There will be no crazy returns overnight, but a steady long-term (decades) growth.

e) Sealed wax investment works better, because it diversifies, but again it is not a substitute for traditional forms of investing and should only be considered after them. The liquidity costs of selling wax are high. Selling 500k worth of S&P500 will take you less than a second on your phone. Selling 500k worth of sealed wax will take months or even years and considerable effort. Again, don't time the market/rookie class, buy consistently every year: it is impossible to know which rookie class will pan out and which will not. Also don't flip, but treat this as a long-term investment. A lot of people will return your Prizm blasters sold on ebay in November in January when they are in every other Target at MSRP and online below that.

great points however
E. Some wax is very liquid and large quanities can be moved in a matter of days
so i'll disagree with months or years and costs aren't that high in quantity
other points are spot on:)!

[chuckerrrr]

Thanks all for kind replies in the thread. Like I said if you are enjoying the hobby and you have a way you do things that suit you and make you happy, great!

If your in a bad place you are not alone and you can step away to work on other things. I know it is not easy. I have had 3 years of struggles. Not financially luckily. Addictiveness/obsessiveness. Living with a lot of negative emotions.

That is not healthy. It has not been an easy 4 weeks either. Just like when I gave up smoking or going through a breakup or loss of a family member. There is a part of me that wants to go back to that place. The comfort zone.

Social media and Internet helps fuel the fire. 24/7 365 days a year. Can buy cards at 1pm or 2am. Can look at cards anytime. Hence sleepless nights looking for the thrill.

Back when I was a kid the only time I could be in cards is when I went to the store itself. Which I actually think is healthy. Go the whole week doing what you do then have fun on weekends with peeps at the store opening packs and trading.

Again if you read this and it resonates please feel free to DM me. Im here to help anyone.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[the27guy]

I think another misconception is that you need big money to be in the hobby. I have collected for over 30 years and how much I’ve spent varied along the way but my enjoyment didn’t vary. I like breaking wax but stick to older stuff or retail. I can buy all my PC cards in a release for less than the price of a box, sometimes the price of a pack. If selling happens more than buying, maybe a wax splurge happens. I’ve also heard from others that buy collections from people who “must” sell now. I don’t want to get in that spot.

This is a great post.

To me this is where, “buy what you like” comes from. If you have a budget of $5 a month or $10k per day, this hobby provides amazing entertainment. For the majority of my time in the hobby, I would classify myself as a low dollar spender. I’m not sure the hobby has been more fun as a higher dollar guy than a lower dollar guy. Sure, it’s nice to have some really big cards, but the chase of a smaller dollar type set can be equally rewarding.

[the27guy]

Thanks all for kind replies in the thread. Like I said if you are enjoying the hobby and you have a way you do things that suit you and make you happy, great!

If your in a bad place you are not alone and you can step away to work on other things. I know it is not easy. I have had 3 years of struggles. Not financially luckily. Addictiveness/obsessiveness. Living with a lot of negative emotions.

That is not healthy. It has not been an easy 4 weeks either. Just like when I gave up smoking or going through a breakup or loss of a family member. There is a part of me that wants to go back to that place. The comfort zone.

Social media and Internet helps fuel the fire. 24/7 365 days a year. Can buy cards at 1pm or 2am. Can look at cards anytime. Hence sleepless nights looking for the thrill.

Back when I was a kid the only time I could be in cards is when I went to the store itself. Which I actually think is healthy. Go the whole week doing what you do then have fun on weekends with peeps at the store opening packs and trading.

Again if you read this and it resonates please feel free to DM me. Im here to help anyone.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Another great post. My guess is that this resonates with most of us.

Gotta maintain balance. But it’s a constant struggle. The boards can be a stellar place to connect and have real, meaningful conversations and make freinds. But it can also be a place where you get FOMO and are reminded how bad you suck. :)

[Wade Mulroy]

Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air

[chuckerrrr]

Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air



Hahahaha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Josie27]

To keep this thread bumping I will share my little experience in just 9 short months. This is embarrassing as it points out one of my larger flaws.

First, I will admit to having an extremely addictive personality. Not like popping Oxy's or anything though one parent is a recovered alcoholic and the other...well, is not a recovered one. Anyways, I will get crazy into something for a time , often to the point where it feels like I blackout for days on end. Like the whole obsession will take over and dominate all thoughts leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened the past few days.

No doubt many have been in my position. I am a 1st time father (16-month old girl quickly turning into a freaking Velociraptor). Experienced 2x bad back injuries over the past 12 months. This meant that over the summer I could no longer play basketball or golf. Two things that got me out of the house and kept me relatively active. Had to resign from my Country Club because I simply couldn't justify the cost when it felt like I was playing Russian Roulette w/my health each time I played. So all these social and physical outlets were, what felt like, stolen from me.
The 2nd factor that led me down this path....
Wife is a HS Varsity coach so I am solo w/the child Jan-May. Get her up in the AM, pick her up from school, feed/bath/put her to bed, etc. After a couple months, I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO. JUST ANYTHING. I got so freaking bored. And honestly, the change from no real responsibilities to full on in charge of this little human was a bigger shock than I care to admit. The parenting itself has come naturally (being from a large family helped) but it was the TIME commitment and lack of freedom that I still struggle with. So there is an LCS on the way to my daughters school. Stopped in one day, bought some wax for the hell of it. Out of the 1st 10 or so boxes I purchased over the next few weeks, I pulled what are still my best 3 pulls to date. Sold the 3 cards for a total of $2,000. Like others have mentioned, I was hooked looking for the high of those early wins.

It hasn't even been a year and I am trying to get out. Scared to go through and add it all up. I mean it's probably $500 per week on average when you add it all up. Possibly more.

What makes me feel like a dumb piece of crap is that both my wife and I want a 2nd child. We are no spring chickens so clock is ticking. We need to renovate our house to accommodate. Here I am having one of my best years at work (100% commission job) and I'm wondering why we cannot save money for a new kitchen. Well dumbass take a look in the mirror. Stop spending all your disposable income you idiot! Living in the Midwest, making good money for about 7 years now and suddenly I feel a squeeze if I don't get paid for two weeks. Only one reason for it. My addiction.

What alternatives have you guys found to help fill that void? Mentally this is a hard time for me because my physical health is suddenly shot. I'm only 36 and I cannot even do the stair master w/out incredible pain afterwords. I want to feel good and proud of myself again. Volunteering is a broad term often used to 'give back' but I don't even know where to start.

If anyone has been here, DM me or just post. I enjoy this thread as it's one of those 'misery loves company' types. Even joked to my wife this forum having an online recovery group.

[byronscott4ever]

If you like what you do, you never work a day in your life.

If you collect what you like and like what you collect, you’ll never worry about value changes (assuming you’re staying within your budget).

[chuckerrrr]

To keep this thread bumping I will share my little experience in just 9 short months. This is embarrassing as it points out one of my larger flaws.

First, I will admit to having an extremely addictive personality. Not like popping Oxy's or anything though one parent is a recovered alcoholic and the other...well, is not a recovered one. Anyways, I will get crazy into something for a time , often to the point where it feels like I blackout for days on end. Like the whole obsession will take over and dominate all thoughts leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened the past few days.

No doubt many have been in my position. I am a 1st time father (16-month old girl quickly turning into a freaking Velociraptor). Experienced 2x bad back injuries over the past 12 months. This meant that over the summer I could no longer play basketball or golf. Two things that got me out of the house and kept me relatively active. Had to resign from my Country Club because I simply couldn't justify the cost when it felt like I was playing Russian Roulette w/my health each time I played. So all these social and physical outlets were, what felt like, stolen from me.
The 2nd factor that led me down this path....
Wife is a HS Varsity coach so I am solo w/the child Jan-May. Get her up in the AM, pick her up from school, feed/bath/put her to bed, etc. After a couple months, I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO. JUST ANYTHING. I got so freaking bored. And honestly, the change from no real responsibilities to full on in charge of this little human was a bigger shock than I care to admit. The parenting itself has come naturally (being from a large family helped) but it was the TIME commitment and lack of freedom that I still struggle with. So there is an LCS on the way to my daughters school. Stopped in one day, bought some wax for the hell of it. Out of the 1st 10 or so boxes I purchased over the next few weeks, I pulled what are still my best 3 pulls to date. Sold the 3 cards for a total of $2,000. Like others have mentioned, I was hooked looking for the high of those early wins.

It hasn't even been a year and I am trying to get out. Scared to go through and add it all up. I mean it's probably $500 per week on average when you add it all up. Possibly more.

What makes me feel like a dumb piece of crap is that both my wife and I want a 2nd child. We are no spring chickens so clock is ticking. We need to renovate our house to accommodate. Here I am having one of my best years at work (100% commission job) and I'm wondering why we cannot save money for a new kitchen. Well dumbass take a look in the mirror. Stop spending all your disposable income you idiot! Living in the Midwest, making good money for about 7 years now and suddenly I feel a squeeze if I don't get paid for two weeks. Only one reason for it. My addiction.

What alternatives have you guys found to help fill that void? Mentally this is a hard time for me because my physical health is suddenly shot. I'm only 36 and I cannot even do the stair master w/out incredible pain afterwords. I want to feel good and proud of myself again. Volunteering is a broad term often used to 'give back' but I don't even know where to start.

If anyone has been here, DM me or just post. I enjoy this thread as it's one of those 'misery loves company' types. Even joked to my wife this forum having an online recovery group.



Dude! You are not alone. Like I said my physical health has also taken a hit with all the addictiveness and madness.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[the27guy]

Josie27,

Lots of honesty in that post. Thank you.

The percentage of us here who are extremely obsessive personalities is probably pretty high. I know I am. Learning to find balance is tough. A lot of people can’t do it. And for those people, getting out 100% is smarter than losing any meaningful part of their life. But I’d argue that most of us, if we set goals and plan ahead and are aware of the possible bad behaviors, can find balance and enjoy the hobby. :)

[chuckerrrr]

Josie27,

Lots of honesty in that post. Thank you.

The percentage of us here who are extremely obsessive personalities is probably pretty high. I know I am. Learning to find balance is tough. A lot of people can’t do it. And for those people, getting out 100% is smarter than losing any meaningful part of their life. But I’d argue that most of us, if we set goals and plan ahead and are aware of the possible bad behaviors, can find balance and enjoy the hobby. :)



I agree with everything you said here Adam.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dgbarnes]

To keep this thread bumping I will share my little experience in just 9 short months. This is embarrassing as it points out one of my larger flaws.

First, I will admit to having an extremely addictive personality. Not like popping Oxy's or anything though one parent is a recovered alcoholic and the other...well, is not a recovered one. Anyways, I will get crazy into something for a time , often to the point where it feels like I blackout for days on end. Like the whole obsession will take over and dominate all thoughts leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened the past few days.

No doubt many have been in my position. I am a 1st time father (16-month old girl quickly turning into a freaking Velociraptor). Experienced 2x bad back injuries over the past 12 months. This meant that over the summer I could no longer play basketball or golf. Two things that got me out of the house and kept me relatively active. Had to resign from my Country Club because I simply couldn't justify the cost when it felt like I was playing Russian Roulette w/my health each time I played. So all these social and physical outlets were, what felt like, stolen from me.
The 2nd factor that led me down this path....
Wife is a HS Varsity coach so I am solo w/the child Jan-May. Get her up in the AM, pick her up from school, feed/bath/put her to bed, etc. After a couple months, I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO. JUST ANYTHING. I got so freaking bored. And honestly, the change from no real responsibilities to full on in charge of this little human was a bigger shock than I care to admit. The parenting itself has come naturally (being from a large family helped) but it was the TIME commitment and lack of freedom that I still struggle with. So there is an LCS on the way to my daughters school. Stopped in one day, bought some wax for the hell of it. Out of the 1st 10 or so boxes I purchased over the next few weeks, I pulled what are still my best 3 pulls to date. Sold the 3 cards for a total of $2,000. Like others have mentioned, I was hooked looking for the high of those early wins.

It hasn't even been a year and I am trying to get out. Scared to go through and add it all up. I mean it's probably $500 per week on average when you add it all up. Possibly more.

What makes me feel like a dumb piece of crap is that both my wife and I want a 2nd child. We are no spring chickens so clock is ticking. We need to renovate our house to accommodate. Here I am having one of my best years at work (100% commission job) and I'm wondering why we cannot save money for a new kitchen. Well dumbass take a look in the mirror. Stop spending all your disposable income you idiot! Living in the Midwest, making good money for about 7 years now and suddenly I feel a squeeze if I don't get paid for two weeks. Only one reason for it. My addiction.

What alternatives have you guys found to help fill that void? Mentally this is a hard time for me because my physical health is suddenly shot. I'm only 36 and I cannot even do the stair master w/out incredible pain afterwords. I want to feel good and proud of myself again. Volunteering is a broad term often used to 'give back' but I don't even know where to start.

If anyone has been here, DM me or just post. I enjoy this thread as it's one of those 'misery loves company' types. Even joked to my wife this forum having an online recovery group.

So much realness here, thank you Josie.

I think with anything, small steps are best. One minor tweak that is fairly obtainable is purposefully putting down my phone from about 5-7:30pm each night to focus on family. It's a struggle, but it really helps balance my hobby with life.

From a health standpoint, I by no means truly know your situation, but I would consider again small adjustments to what you are already doing. Sometimes even simple stretching helps alleviate stress.

[EricFozz]

To keep this thread bumping I will share my little experience in just 9 short months. This is embarrassing as it points out one of my larger flaws.

First, I will admit to having an extremely addictive personality. Not like popping Oxy's or anything though one parent is a recovered alcoholic and the other...well, is not a recovered one. Anyways, I will get crazy into something for a time , often to the point where it feels like I blackout for days on end. Like the whole obsession will take over and dominate all thoughts leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened the past few days.

No doubt many have been in my position. I am a 1st time father (16-month old girl quickly turning into a freaking Velociraptor). Experienced 2x bad back injuries over the past 12 months. This meant that over the summer I could no longer play basketball or golf. Two things that got me out of the house and kept me relatively active. Had to resign from my Country Club because I simply couldn't justify the cost when it felt like I was playing Russian Roulette w/my health each time I played. So all these social and physical outlets were, what felt like, stolen from me.
The 2nd factor that led me down this path....
Wife is a HS Varsity coach so I am solo w/the child Jan-May. Get her up in the AM, pick her up from school, feed/bath/put her to bed, etc. After a couple months, I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO. JUST ANYTHING. I got so freaking bored. And honestly, the change from no real responsibilities to full on in charge of this little human was a bigger shock than I care to admit. The parenting itself has come naturally (being from a large family helped) but it was the TIME commitment and lack of freedom that I still struggle with. So there is an LCS on the way to my daughters school. Stopped in one day, bought some wax for the hell of it. Out of the 1st 10 or so boxes I purchased over the next few weeks, I pulled what are still my best 3 pulls to date. Sold the 3 cards for a total of $2,000. Like others have mentioned, I was hooked looking for the high of those early wins.

It hasn't even been a year and I am trying to get out. Scared to go through and add it all up. I mean it's probably $500 per week on average when you add it all up. Possibly more.

What makes me feel like a dumb piece of crap is that both my wife and I want a 2nd child. We are no spring chickens so clock is ticking. We need to renovate our house to accommodate. Here I am having one of my best years at work (100% commission job) and I'm wondering why we cannot save money for a new kitchen. Well dumbass take a look in the mirror. Stop spending all your disposable income you idiot! Living in the Midwest, making good money for about 7 years now and suddenly I feel a squeeze if I don't get paid for two weeks. Only one reason for it. My addiction.

What alternatives have you guys found to help fill that void? Mentally this is a hard time for me because my physical health is suddenly shot. I'm only 36 and I cannot even do the stair master w/out incredible pain afterwords. I want to feel good and proud of myself again. Volunteering is a broad term often used to 'give back' but I don't even know where to start.

If anyone has been here, DM me or just post. I enjoy this thread as it's one of those 'misery loves company' types. Even joked to my wife this forum having an online recovery group.

So, I have a wife, and a 9-month-old, and I have similar thoughts about wanting to do something for myself. I have a good full-time job, and I spend on cards, but also keep track of all purchases and sales to have a sense of what I have really "spent", and what singles, sealed products and sets I still have on hand if I want or need to move them.

Most of us can admit there's a gambling mentality behind busting wax, and hoping for the big win. That's why I almost rarely buy wax unless I'm planning to hold it for what I think will be a quick or long-term profit. Something I really appreciate about these forums is that you can learn what products to buy & hold, and which ones to generally avoid. With that said, some admittedly can't buy wax and let it sit.

If part of the problem is filling time with something fun and just for you, I wonder if you can switch up how you enjoy your hobby. Instead of chasing the "big win", could you find joy and excitement out of chasing a set? Throwing this out there - instead of buying a $400 hobby box of 19-20 Prizm, you decide to chase the 19-20 NBA Hoops set. Instead of $500 per week, you spend $50 a week on Hoops retail. You still get to bust wax, you still come across a decent hit once in a while, and spend time organizing what you have, filling a base set, maybe even chasing a parallel set. You can spend time looking for singles to fill gaps in the set, and selling/consigning what you don't need. There's something strangely rewarding about completing a set, and you can still work towards that every week if you wanted, and spending a lot less of your dough.

NBA Hoops may not be your answer, but you might be able to find a few products that are just fun to rip, even if on the cheap, and can offer similar satisfaction! :) Just my three cents!

[Josie27]

Dude! You are not alone. Like I said my physical health has also taken a hit with all the addictiveness and madness.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for taking the time to read and for your kind words.

Just to be clear, the health is not caused by the hobby. Health contributes to the hobby addiction as I can no longer play sports or work out. Anyone that has had long term injuries can attest to the mental tole it takes as well. It's not even a cool injury story. 1st time I experienced these spasms was bending over to get chlorine tablets out of a bucket (yea, not depressing at all :( ). Back spasmed up, was on the ground unable to move for 3 hours while my entire pelvic region was shifting several inches to the right. Got it back in line through PT. Happened again on the golf course in July 5-holes in to a tourney w/a $49k purse! 2nd one messed up a disk and I can feel it daily through my hips. Each time this happens I am basically bed ridden for over a week, in incredible pain for several months and just a general wretch to be around.

This community, overall, is a fantastic one. Much more mature than many online communities. So I do listen to what others say. I have always collected my Purdue alums, shipping is generally more than the card ha so no issue there. But I also have enjoyed researching and finding baseball players from my era so guys like Beltran, J. Rollins, Ortiz, Reyes, etc. Not high dollar stuff. Bowman RC refractors or a cool Atomic refractors. Just so I can look at them later in life and know I have a nice collection of players from my era. It's actually been more satisfying than feeling like a sucker spending $150+ for boxes that were $75 2 years ago!

[prospectorgems]

Very well said OP. I came into some winnings recently and I jumped into some future prizm group breaks, I didn't go hog wild on them. I got a few teams for about the cost of 1 hobby box so I will be content even if I get shut out. I figure it wouldn't be any different than getting a crap box. No real sense in overspending and just being smart about it.

[ClipsandVols]

To keep this thread bumping I will share my little experience in just 9 short months. This is embarrassing as it points out one of my larger flaws.

First, I will admit to having an extremely addictive personality. Not like popping Oxy's or anything though one parent is a recovered alcoholic and the other...well, is not a recovered one. Anyways, I will get crazy into something for a time , often to the point where it feels like I blackout for days on end. Like the whole obsession will take over and dominate all thoughts leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened the past few days.

No doubt many have been in my position. I am a 1st time father (16-month old girl quickly turning into a freaking Velociraptor). Experienced 2x bad back injuries over the past 12 months. This meant that over the summer I could no longer play basketball or golf. Two things that got me out of the house and kept me relatively active. Had to resign from my Country Club because I simply couldn't justify the cost when it felt like I was playing Russian Roulette w/my health each time I played. So all these social and physical outlets were, what felt like, stolen from me.
The 2nd factor that led me down this path....
Wife is a HS Varsity coach so I am solo w/the child Jan-May. Get her up in the AM, pick her up from school, feed/bath/put her to bed, etc. After a couple months, I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO. JUST ANYTHING. I got so freaking bored. And honestly, the change from no real responsibilities to full on in charge of this little human was a bigger shock than I care to admit. The parenting itself has come naturally (being from a large family helped) but it was the TIME commitment and lack of freedom that I still struggle with. So there is an LCS on the way to my daughters school. Stopped in one day, bought some wax for the hell of it. Out of the 1st 10 or so boxes I purchased over the next few weeks, I pulled what are still my best 3 pulls to date. Sold the 3 cards for a total of $2,000. Like others have mentioned, I was hooked looking for the high of those early wins.

It hasn't even been a year and I am trying to get out. Scared to go through and add it all up. I mean it's probably $500 per week on average when you add it all up. Possibly more.

What makes me feel like a dumb piece of crap is that both my wife and I want a 2nd child. We are no spring chickens so clock is ticking. We need to renovate our house to accommodate. Here I am having one of my best years at work (100% commission job) and I'm wondering why we cannot save money for a new kitchen. Well dumbass take a look in the mirror. Stop spending all your disposable income you idiot! Living in the Midwest, making good money for about 7 years now and suddenly I feel a squeeze if I don't get paid for two weeks. Only one reason for it. My addiction.

What alternatives have you guys found to help fill that void? Mentally this is a hard time for me because my physical health is suddenly shot. I'm only 36 and I cannot even do the stair master w/out incredible pain afterwords. I want to feel good and proud of myself again. Volunteering is a broad term often used to 'give back' but I don't even know where to start.

If anyone has been here, DM me or just post. I enjoy this thread as it's one of those 'misery loves company' types. Even joked to my wife this forum having an online recovery group.

Gonna send you a PM re: health stuff.

Thanks for sharing the details. Getting it off of your chest will help, but this post too will make a big impact on someone else.

[SPauthentic84]

Just going to bump this up.

This is something I think 98% of us struggle with on some level at one point or another.

Thanks for posting stories.

[imbluestreak23]

I tend to get ahead of myself this time of year, and I'm sure there are many others that do the same in some capacity.

With the hobby being as hyped as ever, and the added social pressure of message boards, IG, and Facebook groups, all I can say is be careful.

Most of all, be careful with your spending, and be realistic about your budget.

The last thing I want to see, is people in deep from the hobby that we all love and enjoy. So, as much as some people think this is an unnecessary post, I hope it has value even as a friendly reminder.

✌��

Too late dawg. I'm in too deep, time to double down!

edit: well, I guess everybody is serious. I look like a D :(

[helstad]

Very good thread. I've managed to control myself a long time ago, I've learned how to set a budget (I only spend $50 a month on cards) but it was really difficult at first, especially when I watched breaks online and saw all the amazing and valuable stuff popin' up everywhere. Reality is you will lose money on 90% of the boxes. It's something you really gotta get into your head.

I also resell a lot of stuff here in Portugal and I'm gonna share a small story. There was a guy who hanged out in soccer groups and when he became interested in basketball he started buying packs from me. the second time he bought packs from me he pulled a really cool Simmons card from select, I can't remember the exact card but he sold it for over $500 and he was even more hyped for nba cards.

He kept buying stuff, spending like 300 or 400 bucks a month. I checked his fb profile out of curiosity about how he could spend so much (min. wage here is about $650 a month) and he seemed to be from a small town and have a pretty modest life. Of course I didn't want to judge because you never know how much cash people really have and I didn't want to get into his personal life.

Once he mentioned in a private message he was going to pay for a bunch a packs from his mother bank account (this guy was almost 40, so I found it strange). I asked in casual conversation if he had any problems with the paypal account he normally used and he said he didn't want his wife to know he was buying cards because he was spending too much and they had had a huge argument over it when he couldn't pay for a car fix and she found out how much he was spending.

I felt pretty shitty being the guy selling him the cards, although I know it's his business and I'm not really in a position to say what anyone does or not with their money. Besides he would buy from someone else. I ended up offering him a few packs and told him I didn't feel right selling him more stuff knowing it was causing him family problems. I wasn't judgy or anything and didn't really gave him advice, I was just very short and clear.

The guy went ballistic, had a huge rant, blocked me from facebook and left the groups I managed. I saw him in other groups spending money for a while.

After 3 or 4 months I saw other people complaining he wasn't paying for stuff he had bought and was blocking people from the chat. Eventually he deleted his account.

A couple of months later he created a new account and added me, he came talk to me thanking me for stopping selling to him, he admitted he had a problem and it got to a point where he argued with his wife daily because of how much he was spending. Luckily everything is alright now, he still buys the occasional single or retail blaster but I never saw him spend big again.

I guess what I'm trying to say with this story is that if we are in a position of sellers and we know a regular buyer is having problems of addiction with cards, it's worth it to lose some sales cash and try to help a fellow collector realizing something that it's hard to admit.

[Firerunner4]

Another very important question to ask yourself, is why are you buying what you’re buying? Do you truly want it? Or are falling into to the hype of something? Or are you seeing others posts cards on here that are beautiful and look cool and you want them for that reason?

When I really got into collecting, I fell into number 3 big time. I spend a lot of time on here, and a lot of the collections people post on here incredible and are so fun to look at. I would constantly find myself seeing someone post a card they picked up and thinking “that looks awesome” and buying it, or something similar (ie. different card from the same set or something). I would be excited to buy it, but then when it came I would think, why the heck did I buy this random card? Do I enjoy owning it? No....did I like looking at scans/pictures of it and think I needed it? Yes I sure did. When it came down to it, it didn’t fit my collection and I had a weird assortment of cards.

I got stuck in that spiral for a while. It sounds dumb, but it was very easy to get out of control trying to fit in/catch up to other members spending money I didn’t need to be spending

My PC guys in Baseball and Basketball are borderline scrubs, and it took me a while to just be content with that and not chase random cards I see on here, or in Facebook groups. Eventually I learned that I could collect my PC guys and be happy with just looking at the cool cards I see here and not feeling the need to buy them

[jlawje]

So many good comments in this thread. Thankfully a huge part of the hobby for me is just reading about it. Learning. Communicating on forums. Personally this is how I control myself -

I keep a monthly budget that goes into a paypal balance. I will separately allow myself to buy a couple boxes of sets I’m into on release (there are only a few sets that interest me). I sell those cards and the funds are added to my paypal balance. With the balance I buy singles. Rinse repeat.

[Spacemanspif]

Another very important question to ask yourself, is why are you buying what you’re buying? Do you truly want it? Or are falling into to the hype of something? Or are you seeing others posts cards on here that are beautiful and look cool and you want them for that reason?

When I really got into collecting, I fell into number 3 big time. I spend a lot of time on here, and a lot of the collections people post on here incredible and are so fun to look at. I would constantly find myself seeing someone post a card they picked up and thinking “that looks awesome” and buying it, or something similar (ie. different card from the same set or something). I would be excited to buy it, but then when it came I would think, why the heck did I buy this random card? Do I enjoy owning it? No....did I like looking at scans/pictures of it and think I needed it? Yes I sure did. When it came down to it, it didn’t fit my collection and I had a weird assortment of cards.

I got stuck in that spiral for a while. It sounds dumb, but it was very easy to get out of control trying to fit in/catch up to other members spending money I didn’t need to be spending

My PC guys in Baseball and Basketball are borderline scrubs, and it took me a while to just be content with that and not chase random cards I see on here, or in Facebook groups. Eventually I learned that I could collect my PC guys and be happy with just looking at the cool cards I see here and not feeling the need to buy them

this one is huge. I got SUPER into buying stuff this summer, and a lot of them I can tell you is "this looks undervalued, I can probably sell it for more". while maybe true in some cases (Luka and Trae stuff is doing well), I have a few hundred others that may be underwater.

ONLY buy the stuff you actually want to keep, or a player you really enjoy or believe in. buying for the sake of buying, or to think that everything goes up in value is going to get you in trouble more often than not.

[mrchipz]

Ill chime in on this as well.
as a long time collector and member here i think its safe to say most of us have an addiction to cards and its good to talk about this stuff with one another.

i been collecting since 1992 but stopped around 1998.

then got back in in 2003 with the lebron hype. then stopped again mostly til around 2010. i bought a few pc cards a year nothing major.

around 2010 i started full blast and bigger then ever. i had a job that paid me nearly 6 figures now and lots of disposable income.
from around 2011 til 2014 i would buy boxes and cases weekly at the lcs and from blowout.
i keep very good records of all my purchases buys and sells of cards.
i would bust and keep my pc stuff which was very little and sell the rest.

it took my 3 years to realize i spent about $15,000 a year on cards and only made back on average about $3,000 a year of that so about an 80% loss.

was it fun hell yeah but worth it hell no.
i said to myself why dont i just buy the cards i want instead.

then that brought me to group breaking around 2015.

i started joining group breaks on breakers and youtube almost every night just buying my pc teams. i figured if i want to hit cards for my collection it would be way better to spend less on them then to buy boxes and cases and maybe get nothing worth keeping or noone worth investing in.

i was spending about $100-$200 a night on group breaks 3-4 nights a week.
the sad thing was i was barely ever hitting much and with one of my pc teams being the yankees spots were costing alot.
and even when i did hit a nice $100 card i paid $250 for the spot.

needless to say i learned from that mistake quick it only took me about 4 months to realize it was just as bad as buying cases and boxes i was losing about the same but slightly lower.

so then at the end of 2015 i said to myself screw it. im not buying wax anymore at all except for prizm basketball and when i can get things for cheap and retail product occasionally.

i figured instead of the gamble in opening wax and trying to pull a high dollar card or the gamble in random team group breaks trying to hit a good team and hope to get a big card why not just buy singles.

why not just buy cards for my pc and why not just buy the guys i want to invest in and see how that works out.

so yeah in 2015 i started only buying singles.

i still spent and still spend around $15,000 a year but now i buy what i want and i buy nice cards for my pc and invest heavily in players to invest in.

that worked out very well for me.
instead of losing nearly $12,000 a year on cards i started making money by buying guys cheap sitting on them for months or years and selling them for a profit like most of us do.

in 2015 i made a little over $8,000 profit.
in 2016 i made over $30,000 in profit thanks to giannis
and this year alone im up over $10,000 in profits.

all from buying and investing in singles.

i know this wont work for many but if there are any pointers and tips i can give anyone based on what i did is this:

1.buy singles, not wax. if you do buy wax 95% of the time if you are not keeping it for your pc or someone you want to invest in sell it fast, like really fast prices plummet quick.
2.collect what you like and love. if you love the card then who cares how much you made or lost on it.
3.invest in guys that are young. i never put money in to any nba rookie over the age of 20 and baseball prospects that dont have a chance to make mlb rosters by the time they are 22.
4. stay far away from football cards!! lol i know this sounds crazy but i lost a bulk of money in football cards. there is little to no value in them unless they are named brady or mahomes. seems like football cards just hold no value compared to baseball and basketball.
5. focus on buying the products people want and most collected. for basketball prizm and optic and NT. For baseball bowman chrome and topps flagship.
6. focus on low # stuff. it doesnt have to be from the best or most expensive sets. when a player gets really hot and everyone starts to want their cards alot of big time collectors want the rare stuff. so like cards # out of 50 or less. and cards # 100 or less if the player is big enough are still a good choice cause surely there are more then 100 serious collectors that want a nice low # rc.
7. dont be afraid to drop big money on a big card. lots of people like to buy bulk in prizm or topps baseball base rookies. there is nothing wrong with that and i do it too. but diversify a bit. if you can do it pick up a couple of big cards cause they will usually appreciate the most. we all know and read the countless stories and posts from members and people that sold a card for $500 that 2 years later now sells for $5,000-$10,000.
8. dont get discouraged if a investment you make on a player fails and you lose money. move on to the next. eventually you will get it right but its also good to pick a few guys so you dont put all your eggs in 1 basket.
9.if you are buying football cards only buy quarterbacks. lol
10.teams matter. in baseball you got the yankees. basketball the lakers for example.marquee teams like them have huge fan bases and collectors and lots of them. so when one of these rookies pans out they pan out big.

at the end of the day buying singles and investing in rookies or prospects you will still lose on some. but even when you do lose its usually wayyyy less then wax to me.
if you have a good eye and pick the right players and buy the right stuff you can make a killing.
then in turn take those profits and use them to buy nice pc cards for free.

i still love busting wax but only the right products and it has to be at msrp or cheaper. i pretty much only spend money on prizm basketball and topps flagship and heritage baseball every year and thats it and its not much.

but never put yourself in a hole no matter how good it sounds ta the time. if i cant afford to buy it with cash or pay off the credit card in 1 month so i dont get charged any interest i wont buy it. ive seen too many people with addictions especially hear in las vegas to gambling lose everything in a flash.

so for me i was too addicted to opening wax so i had to step far away from that. instead of spending $15,000 a year on wax i now spend about $2,000 a year max. that was the one thing i had to cut out and it made collecting much more enjoyable to me and much more profitable.

the amount of money i see some people spend on wax blows my mind!! seriously. like you would think there are a ton of millionaires on here lol.
i make about 6 figures a year and im dreading thinking about the $1700 i spent on prizm retail already even though i save well and pay everything on time thats still a big gamble to me no matter if i made 20k a year or 500k a year. $20 is still $20 lol

This is a crazy world for cards now and the prices for wax are just dumb. im sorry i cant beleive people are willing to spend $400 on a box of prizm. i was buying boxes or prizm for like $90 or less in 2013,2014,2015. busting wax at these prices now unless retail you are just asking for it to be a loss.

if your bills are all paid, 401k maxed, family taken care of and so on and you have some extra money then go for it.
but i dont care how much money i have i will never spend $5,000-$10,000 on a case of cards to gamble in hopes to hit it big. if i was that dumb i would rather drive 10 minutes to a casino and play high dollar slots and prob do much better.

when i buy cards now i buy the player for 2 reasons. 1 i like them and 2 as an investment. which is good cause if the investment does not pan out i still have a nice collection of cards i love that might not be as valuable to others as they are to me.

like i said i might differ from others but what did it for me was to stop buying wax and stop joining group breaks and just buy singles mostly. i had a budget for prizm and make sure you have one as well. $1500-$2000 on retail wax and $500 on group breaks for the one team/player i am going after. that is it. that is my whole budget and bulk of money i am spending on wax for the whole year. everything else will be spent on singles.
always have a budget.

sorry for the long ramble but hey i guess thats what this thread was for.

[KevJo]

https://youtu.be/C0-58f6Eiow

Thank you for posting this :)! .

Kevin

[JoeAdam]

I feel this thread is worth a bump. I’m seeing lots of people in FB groups desperate to sell their Prizm “hits” to recoup money quickly. Based on quick judgement, I would say they opened way more than they could afford and the reality of not hitting a Zion is hard.

Also, for all the new people, don’t underestimate shipping and eBay fees.

[Ross]

I feel this thread is worth a bump. I’m seeing lots of people in FB groups desperate to sell their Prizm “hits” to recoup money quickly. Based on quick judgement, I would say they opened way more than they could afford and the reality of not hitting a Zion is hard.

Also, for all the new people, don’t underestimate shipping and eBay fees.



Amen. Even when they hit a zion the reality of it not being a million dollar card is hilarious... gonna get real fun soon, if it hasn’t already.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smalltown]

Even when they hit a zion the reality of it not being a million dollar card...

I watched a guy online who was genuinely confused when he realized the RWB Zion he hit doesn't cover the cost of the $1200 in packs and blasters he ripped.

[dgbarnes]

Appreciate the bump on this.

I'm also seeing a lot more cases where people are clearing out what's in stock ($1000+) at Walmart or Target, only to post a "rip or hold?" question after getting it home.

I'm sure there are plenty responsible collectors that have the means to drop $1k on product and not break a sweat, but they seem to happening at a much higher frequency than last year.

[tommyboiazn23]

I watched a guy online who was genuinely confused when he realized the RWB Zion he hit doesn't cover the cost of the $1200 in packs and blasters he ripped.

After reading this - I said to myself "that's actually funny, but not funny at the same time" lol

Sounds like too many people jumped into basketball cards who don't understand it lol

[tommyboiazn23]

Appreciate the bump on this.

I'm also seeing a lot more cases where people are clearing out what's in stock ($1000+) at Walmart or Target, only to post a "rip or hold?" question after getting it home.

I'm sure there are plenty responsible collectors that have the means to drop $1k on product and not break a sweat, but they seem to happening at a much higher frequency than last year.

I've seen that a lot, for sure lol. At the end of the day, they're adults. They're suppose to be responsible for themselves. Cause of the Zion Mania, a lot of people are buying and clearing out the stock for the wrong reasons. As doing anything for the wrong reasons, usually doesn't end well

[smalltown]

After reading this - I said to myself "that's actually funny, but not funny at the same time" lol

Sounds like too many people jumped into basketball cards who don't understand it lol

That's exactly how i felt. Wavering between laughing and feeling bad for the guy. Genuinely clueless. In the end it's a lesson everyone needs to learn.

[JoeAdam]

I've seen that a lot, for sure lol. At the end of the day, they're adults. They're suppose to be responsible for themselves. Cause of the Zion Mania, a lot of people are buying and clearing out the stock for the wrong reasons. As doing anything for the wrong reasons, usually doesn't end well

I’d be careful assuming everyone is an adult. Seems like a lot of teenagers are posting these on FB.

[ACCDADEAL]

I am going to have to sell some big boy cards to pay off, but planned on going Zion all in too

[tommyboiazn23]

I’d be careful assuming everyone is an adult. Seems like a lot of teenagers are posting these on FB.

That's even worse then lol

The fact that they have access to funds that they probably don't have is alarming then

[arod305]

I feel this thread is worth a bump. I’m seeing lots of people in FB groups desperate to sell their Prizm “hits” to recoup money quickly. Based on quick judgement, I would say they opened way more than they could afford and the reality of not hitting a Zion is hard.

Also, for all the new people, don’t underestimate shipping and eBay fees.

Great bump... People just don't realize how quick this stuff adds up. We all have the mind set of its only a $19.99 blaster, $17 hanger, etc. However, the stuff adds up. In my head I had broke $3500 of prizm retail. When I put pen to paper it was about $4700. I've sworn myself off prizm for the year as I usually do a hobby case but didn't see the value vs. retail this year.

[jjrpilot]

Great post. Yes it's insanely easy to justify buying more. It really is and can be addictive...basically gambling as someone put it earlier.

I thought I was in deep by going in basically $450 worth and I realized. Nope, I'm good I don't need anymore.

I bought 13 blasters last night which will be my last purchase (price included in the above $450) and with those blasters I'll hold for a year or two.

[KhalDrogo]

I feel this thread is worth a bump. I’m seeing lots of people in FB groups desperate to sell their Prizm “hits” to recoup money quickly. Based on quick judgement, I would say they opened way more than they could afford and the reality of not hitting a Zion is hard.

Also, for all the new people, don’t underestimate shipping and eBay fees.
Nobody get triggered by what I am about to say, but frankly I am very glad to hear this. These are hard lessons to learn, but hopefully they are learned. Wax is not an easy flip. Singles are an even harder flip unless you’re hitting Zion Silvers. Good luck to everyone.

[Wade Mulroy]

FOMO is definitely a real thing, but it feels like a lot of people could fix this issue by taking a few minutes to make a plan/budget. We've been talking about Prizm for months before its release, so it's not like it snuck up on anyone.

I probably take this for granted since I work in Finance, but my approach to Prizm (and cards in general that I'm looking forward to buying) is consider my situation and map out an amount that I'm comfortable spending.

Throughout the pre-sales, I bought up various formats to stash away and once I hit my "magic number" I was done. No regrets and no temptation to buy more because I hit the goal I set for myself.

I posted earlier in this thread that I had to make a trip to Wal-Mart last week to pick up a Christmas gift. While I was waiting for them to bring up my order, I stumbled upon two fully stocked, untouched Prizm displays that had just been put out. It was glorious to behold, but there was no consideration to buying any, because I had already settled my mind on the amount I would spend. Had I not had that plan in place, it would have been easy to convince myself to justify dropping another $1,000-$2,000 without truly considering the ramifications.

[mindcycle]

I'm also seeing a lot more cases where people are clearing out what's in stock ($1000+) at Walmart or Target, only to post a "rip or hold?" question after getting it home.

This is exactly why I made the meme below. I have seen posts that look almost exactly like the below photo, or photos of bags and bags of Prizm lined up in a car. I mean, if every other dude is posting pics like this do people really think they're "getting in" on something? It's almost laughable to me how overproduced this stuff has gotten.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49134844941_044d37473a_c.jpg

Bottom line.. don't go into it buying a bunch of blasters thinking you're "investing" and end up spending beyond your financial means. I see more and more people "collecting" for the wrong reasons nowadays and it makes me sad to see what it's become.

[brettmik59]

Wax is not an easy flip.

Wait, what? I just cashed out my 401k and turned it into Prizm retail which is sitting in my basement. Planning to cash in big!

In all seriousness, busting wax is entertainment only - it's pure gambling and you're going to lose in the long run. Assume you're going to lose your full investment going in. If that's ok to you, then have fun. If not, save your money.

[smalltown]

I see more and more people "collecting" for the wrong reasons nowadays and it makes me sad to see what it's become.

This. So much of this.

[Josie27]

I get the impression sellers significantly outnumber buyers by an incredible margin. The saying "jumped the shark" keeps popping into my mind. Usually in reference to a tv show that has reached its peak becoming an absurd version of itself. I get the inkling 2019/20 might be the "shark" year for collecting. Expectations of return and profit are simply no longer anchored in reality. A correction is inevitable.

One thing people have pointed out and I noticed too. There seems to be very few Hobby parallels out there. Wonder if this is due to more people than usual holding long term or fewer boxes opened due to crazy high was cost. A ton of retail parallels out there.



Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[smalltown]

Wax is not an easy flip.

And when you sell it. The buyer opens everything and then makes a return because the box was full of donruss football. Selling sealed wax is always a gamble.

[KhalDrogo]

And when you sell it. The buyer opens everything and then makes a return because the box was full of donruss football. Selling sealed wax is always a gamble.
More things that people don’t account for.

[calculusdork]

More things that people don’t account for.

I've never sold sealed product on eBay for this reason. The only way I've ever sold sealed is directly to the LCS.

[BrokenSpirit808]

Ill chime in on this as well.
as a long time collector and member here i think its safe to say most of us have an addiction to cards and its good to talk about this stuff with one another.

i been collecting since 1992 but stopped around 1998.

then got back in in 2003 with the lebron hype. then stopped again mostly til around 2010. i bought a few pc cards a year nothing major.

around 2010 i started full blast and bigger then ever. i had a job that paid me nearly 6 figures now and lots of disposable income.
from around 2011 til 2014 i would buy boxes and cases weekly at the lcs and from blowout.
i keep very good records of all my purchases buys and sells of cards.
i would bust and keep my pc stuff which was very little and sell the rest.

it took my 3 years to realize i spent about $15,000 a year on cards and only made back on average about $3,000 a year of that so about an 80% loss.

was it fun hell yeah but worth it hell no.
i said to myself why dont i just buy the cards i want instead.

then that brought me to group breaking around 2015.

i started joining group breaks on breakers and youtube almost every night just buying my pc teams. i figured if i want to hit cards for my collection it would be way better to spend less on them then to buy boxes and cases and maybe get nothing worth keeping or noone worth investing in.

i was spending about $100-$200 a night on group breaks 3-4 nights a week.
the sad thing was i was barely ever hitting much and with one of my pc teams being the yankees spots were costing alot.
and even when i did hit a nice $100 card i paid $250 for the spot.

needless to say i learned from that mistake quick it only took me about 4 months to realize it was just as bad as buying cases and boxes i was losing about the same but slightly lower.

so then at the end of 2015 i said to myself screw it. im not buying wax anymore at all except for prizm basketball and when i can get things for cheap and retail product occasionally.

i figured instead of the gamble in opening wax and trying to pull a high dollar card or the gamble in random team group breaks trying to hit a good team and hope to get a big card why not just buy singles.

why not just buy cards for my pc and why not just buy the guys i want to invest in and see how that works out.

so yeah in 2015 i started only buying singles.

i still spent and still spend around $15,000 a year but now i buy what i want and i buy nice cards for my pc and invest heavily in players to invest in.

that worked out very well for me.
instead of losing nearly $12,000 a year on cards i started making money by buying guys cheap sitting on them for months or years and selling them for a profit like most of us do.

in 2015 i made a little over $8,000 profit.
in 2016 i made over $30,000 in profit thanks to giannis
and this year alone im up over $10,000 in profits.

all from buying and investing in singles.

i know this wont work for many but if there are any pointers and tips i can give anyone based on what i did is this:

1.buy singles, not wax. if you do buy wax 95% of the time if you are not keeping it for your pc or someone you want to invest in sell it fast, like really fast prices plummet quick.
2.collect what you like and love. if you love the card then who cares how much you made or lost on it.
3.invest in guys that are young. i never put money in to any nba rookie over the age of 20 and baseball prospects that dont have a chance to make mlb rosters by the time they are 22.
4. stay far away from football cards!! lol i know this sounds crazy but i lost a bulk of money in football cards. there is little to no value in them unless they are named brady or mahomes. seems like football cards just hold no value compared to baseball and basketball.
5. focus on buying the products people want and most collected. for basketball prizm and optic and NT. For baseball bowman chrome and topps flagship.
6. focus on low # stuff. it doesnt have to be from the best or most expensive sets. when a player gets really hot and everyone starts to want their cards alot of big time collectors want the rare stuff. so like cards # out of 50 or less. and cards # 100 or less if the player is big enough are still a good choice cause surely there are more then 100 serious collectors that want a nice low # rc.
7. dont be afraid to drop big money on a big card. lots of people like to buy bulk in prizm or topps baseball base rookies. there is nothing wrong with that and i do it too. but diversify a bit. if you can do it pick up a couple of big cards cause they will usually appreciate the most. we all know and read the countless stories and posts from members and people that sold a card for $500 that 2 years later now sells for $5,000-$10,000.
8. dont get discouraged if a investment you make on a player fails and you lose money. move on to the next. eventually you will get it right but its also good to pick a few guys so you dont put all your eggs in 1 basket.
9.if you are buying football cards only buy quarterbacks. lol
10.teams matter. in baseball you got the yankees. basketball the lakers for example.marquee teams like them have huge fan bases and collectors and lots of them. so when one of these rookies pans out they pan out big.

at the end of the day buying singles and investing in rookies or prospects you will still lose on some. but even when you do lose its usually wayyyy less then wax to me.
if you have a good eye and pick the right players and buy the right stuff you can make a killing.
then in turn take those profits and use them to buy nice pc cards for free.

i still love busting wax but only the right products and it has to be at msrp or cheaper. i pretty much only spend money on prizm basketball and topps flagship and heritage baseball every year and thats it and its not much.

but never put yourself in a hole no matter how good it sounds ta the time. if i cant afford to buy it with cash or pay off the credit card in 1 month so i dont get charged any interest i wont buy it. ive seen too many people with addictions especially hear in las vegas to gambling lose everything in a flash.

so for me i was too addicted to opening wax so i had to step far away from that. instead of spending $15,000 a year on wax i now spend about $2,000 a year max. that was the one thing i had to cut out and it made collecting much more enjoyable to me and much more profitable.

the amount of money i see some people spend on wax blows my mind!! seriously. like you would think there are a ton of millionaires on here lol.
i make about 6 figures a year and im dreading thinking about the $1700 i spent on prizm retail already even though i save well and pay everything on time thats still a big gamble to me no matter if i made 20k a year or 500k a year. $20 is still $20 lol

This is a crazy world for cards now and the prices for wax are just dumb. im sorry i cant beleive people are willing to spend $400 on a box of prizm. i was buying boxes or prizm for like $90 or less in 2013,2014,2015. busting wax at these prices now unless retail you are just asking for it to be a loss.

if your bills are all paid, 401k maxed, family taken care of and so on and you have some extra money then go for it.
but i dont care how much money i have i will never spend $5,000-$10,000 on a case of cards to gamble in hopes to hit it big. if i was that dumb i would rather drive 10 minutes to a casino and play high dollar slots and prob do much better.

when i buy cards now i buy the player for 2 reasons. 1 i like them and 2 as an investment. which is good cause if the investment does not pan out i still have a nice collection of cards i love that might not be as valuable to others as they are to me.

like i said i might differ from others but what did it for me was to stop buying wax and stop joining group breaks and just buy singles mostly. i had a budget for prizm and make sure you have one as well. $1500-$2000 on retail wax and $500 on group breaks for the one team/player i am going after. that is it. that is my whole budget and bulk of money i am spending on wax for the whole year. everything else will be spent on singles.
always have a budget.

sorry for the long ramble but hey i guess thats what this thread was for.

Excellent post!!! I’m still fairly new to the hobby but learning a lot thanks to this forum and members like you that share your experiences and wisdom. I got into this hobby because my friend thought I would be good in it as a way to make side money. So far I’m down about $2.2k which is mostly from shredding. It is a fun hobby and I enjoy it but also need to do it within my means.

[Pierce09]

After seeing the countless posts of people clearing out Walmart / Targets and showing off the haul I keep thinking about one fad in the past: Beanie Babies.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a collector and will continue to be. However I keep getting this gut feeling that the masses are rushing to clear out stores assuming there will always be someone willing to pay more. Combine this with a weak start for the draft class and I see a short term surplus causing some real pain. There are people that can sit on thousands of $$ in wax and wait for the class to recover or the next Giannis to show (13-14 prices tanked before Giannis showed up) but that person is not typical and my guess is these arent the people clearing out Target.

Again, I'm not predicting the crash of the hobby a la Beanie Babies, but there are still people who list Beanie Babies for stupid amounts on eBay thinking there is value, and when you look at completed sales it's nowhere near the value. As mentioned earlier, I can see this being the case with a RWB Zion for example.

Just my two cents at the moment.