How much did you spend in hobby?

[elfhentaifan]

10K Euros is a very conservative estimate for the last 5 years.
All on gaming related stuff

i gotta see that collection

[SAM]

Ah well, hobbies are what makes a life worth living!

That's very true.

But I found the efforts and process I need to make the money to fund this is not that enjoyable.

If only my employer let me, I would rather take 40% of the current pay and works only 2 days a week. This would allow me the time to enjoy life.

The other 60% pay won't worth it even if it allow me to fund an expansive hobby like this. (If this extra is enough to allow me to get marry and start a family, that's another story, but it doesn't.) Otherwise I just simply won't have the time to enjoy the stuffs I bought. Just count the number of sealed games sitting on my shelf. And in fact I am not particular buying much games nowaday.

[Ed Oscuro]

on videogames? something thats 5 digits in the last year. could have been a lot smarter, but i still want more.

likewise

just sitting over here crying thinking about all the copies of Taromaru I could have if I hadn't bought obsolete servers off eBay and stupid stuff like that

[SAM]

hobbies are the fun things in your life, things that bring enjoyment.

so bring enjoyment to your life, and stop worrying about the price. just make sure you can eat and sleep in the process.

That's very true. But my hoddy is PLAYING vedio games, NOT BUYING vedio games.

Spending more -> need more money -> work harder -> having less time to play games

That's counter productive.

[bay]

Spending more -> need more money -> work harder -> having less time to play games

That's counter productive.

i agree with this as well, but the answer is the same to most things.

you need to find the balance that works for you.

[DC906270]

just think how much more depressed (and bored) you'd be if you had no hobbies... youd probably become an alcoholic or druggie to make up for it
as long as you dont deprive your family or any dependants of anything, and you put enough away for the future, there really isnt a problem

[SAM]

Spending more -> need more money -> work harder -> having less time to play games

That's counter productive.

i agree with this as well, but the answer is the same to most things.

you need to find the balance that works for you.

Well, I am disperately in need of balancing right now.

I have too much "assets" in vedio games, Japanese Anime Figure Kits & Board games.

Judging from the responses we got here, I guess quite a number of other fellow members are on the same ship as I. (Not counting those collectors)

just think how much more depressed (and bored) you'd be if you had no hobbies... youd probably become an alcoholic or druggie to make up for it

I currently still own 210+ PCBs, console games; plus 10+ Virtual Console titles...

I would still got plenty of games to play even if I were to sell 150 more titles.

as long as you dont deprive your family or any dependants of anything, and you put enough away for the future, there really isnt a problem

Hmm.... Very true, thanks for your advice.

But well, may I remind you that I am in the same school as Neon, but with a different plan.
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=17397

[hermosaguy]

just think how much more depressed (and bored) you'd be if you had no hobbies... youd probably become an alcoholic or druggie to make up for it
as long as you dont deprive your family or any dependants of anything, and you put enough away for the future, there really isnt a problem

Drugs and alcohol would definitely be much cheaper than this hobby

[bay]

Drugs and alcohol would definitely be much cheaper than this hobby

i'm not sure about that. maybe you need to look into better designer drugs?

[DEL]

This hobby is cheap, even if you're a collector for collecting's sake.

The ca$h spent on this hobby doesn't compare to the bundles that can be spent on some other pastimes.

[MX7]

This hobby is cheap, even if you're a collector for collecting's sake.

The ca$h spent on this hobby doesn't compare to the bundles that can be spent on some other pastimes.

True. You've only got to watch Bargain Hunt to know how much someone is willing to spend on some tat. "£600 for a coffee table!", I shout at no one in particular. "You could get Muchi Muchi Pork for that!"

EDIT: Typo

[SAM]

This hobby is cheap, even if you're a collector for collecting's sake.

The ca$h spent on this hobby doesn't compare to the bundles that can be spent on some other pastimes.

True. You've only got to batch Bargain Hunt to know how much someone is willing to spend on some tat. "£600 for a coffee table!", I shout at no one in particular. "You could get Muchi Muchi Pork for that!"

Well, the point is: how many coffee tables could fit into your home? And how many PCBs could fit into your storage?

Some of us start buy PCB kits new, I guess most of us know how much that kind of stuff cost. Very soon not even your wife would know how much such PCBs you got in there, she even won't know you are buying new kits as long as you have the kit send to your office and smuggle it back home.

Console games look cheap in comparison, but the problem is you could even have more of them. Each of this game costs you USD 30 to 70 new. Let's assume USD 50 average include other fees such as postage.

I now own around 210+ console games and 4 PCBs.

That would cost me...
50 x210 + 120 x4 = 10,500 + 480 = USD 10,980
...when I first buy them.

Compare to this the cost of the consoles are just a small number.

But I have already gone though the first few rounds of downsizing.

What about you guys? I have heard some of you got 100+ PCBs.

[Ozymandiaz1260]

Drugs and alcohol would definitely be much cheaper than this hobby

At least you can sell games after you're done playing them or if you're just desperate for money. Can't resell something consumable...

[SAM]

Drugs and alcohol would definitely be much cheaper than this hobby

At least you can sell games after you're done playing them or if you're just desperate for money. Can't resell something consumable...

Very true, this make me think Virtual Console games is actually much more costy than it appears to be.

[Lawfer]

Well the only thing I spend on hobbies, is mainly gaming oriented. A 5.1 setup? For gaming. A 1080p LCD screen? For gaming and it goes on, all I ever spend is on gaming.

If I want to watch a movie I download it, so all my spending goes in video games. I have no idea how much I spent on all that, but who cares?

[gabe]

Very true, this make me think Virtual Console games is actually much more costy than it appears to be.

Which is exactly why I have a problem paying for downloads.

I'd much rather buy a used game, or hit up my local record store than drop a dime on iTunes or Virtual Console.

I'm not foolish enough to consider my record or game collection a sound investment... But I REALLY like owning physical copies of things.

[SAM]

Very true, this make me think Virtual Console games is actually much more costy than it appears to be.

Which is exactly why I have a problem paying for downloads.

I'd much rather buy a used game, or hit up my local record store than drop a dime on iTunes or Virtual Console.

I'm not foolish enough to consider my record or game collection a sound investment... But I REALLY like owning physical copies of things.

That's right, as long as you could find an used copy at a local store. Physical copy is cheaper.

But when you are shopping online, the S&H of the physical copy costs as much as the dime for download.

Therefore, I think as long as the download cost is less than $10, it probaby worth it if you can't find a used copy in a local store. But if you are a game collecter, then this does not apply.

[FatCobra]

I'm not too fond of digital distribution because I like having a physical copy of the games and music I buy.

Steam, though, at least makes those digital distros have some value in them. Valve definitely has something good going on here.

[jpj]

i hate downloaded music simply because of the amount of compression used leaves a dynamic range of only 14kHz

[KindGrind]

I stick to buying console games, and keep a rotation of 30-40 or so games that I play. When some get in, some get out. Although I own current generation consoles, I never keep more than 1-2 games for them: whenever I want something new I get in-store credit and buy other games. Fact is, in the long run, X360 and Wii games will be worth nothing.

I don't see myself getting into PCBs - the hobby's just too expensive. Even though I work and all, with a mortgage/cars/electricity/life to pay, there's no way in hell the missus would let me pay 400-500$ a pop for PCBs. And I talk about the g/f only kidding, really, because anybody in the same situation I'm in would know the thing just doesn't make sense for me

Edit: Typo.

[jonny5]

personally i tend to cut a very fine line between funding my hobby and spending more than i can afford....

i dont buy on credit so i am not putting myself in debt but often when i make major purchases(cabs/PCB's) i damn near break the bank....so i am often broke ass

outside of arcade stuff i dont spend money really other than bills, food and smokes/herb

unlike many of you here, i dont make much....i think i currently make like $30k a year....before taxes.....lolz

so ya.....i think as long as you live within your means there is nothing wrong....i think the enjoyment i get form this hobby is well worth the expense....

my g/f has other ideas however

[azmun]

Do you guys ever try to figure out how much did you spent in hobbies (any kind of hobby, not only TV games) last year? Last 3 years? Last 10 years? All these years?

Hmm, interesting question. Makes me think a lot. I don't spend anywhere as much as some of you guys here for gaming mainly because:
1-I don't have as much disposable income
2-I limit my choices to very few (mostly select fighting and racing games) in a year.
3-I rarely buy things new or when they first come out and prefer to let games age / go down in price.
4-I've got other hobbies and activities (mostly adventure sports and traveling) that I equally or enjoy more so than gaming and need to budget for those as well.

But to answer your question, I've tracked my gaming expenses and here's a brief summary over the past three years:

2005 - $1,200
2006 - $590
2007 - $343

I realised I spent too much in 2005 (mostly buying arcade stiks) and made a conscious effort to cut back. This year will probably be even less than last year's since I pretty much got all the gaming related items I want and don't plan on getting anything else, not even any of the current generation consoles (Xbox360, Wii, PS3).

Even though the amount of money and time I spend on gaming has gone down over the years, I don't feel my interest is waning. I just don't feel the need to 'upgrade' and buy any of the newer stuff that comes out.

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

I buy, sell, and trade vinyl records, along with owning own record label/imprint.

I spend several thousand a year on records.



www.shortforest.com

[gabe]

I buy, sell, and trade vinyl records, along with owning own record label/imprint.

I spend several thousand a year on records.



www.shortforest.com

Further evidence that having a band name that contains the word "wolf" is the new black.

[charlie chong]

i just done a ballpark figure for how much i spent on weed in the last 5 years..... £16,800
whoever said drugs and alcohol were cheaper is lying
WHIE MUST I CRY

I been halving my intake lately tho

[charlie chong]

i also buy a lot of old records . mainly from charity shops and bootsales tho but those 50ps and squids soon add up when some weeks you pick up 20-30 records ..games not so much anymore as i bought pretty much every shoot em up i wanted for saturn ,ps2 and dreamcast when i used to live with my mum. if i want a pcb i just sell off some shit i dont play anymore as nowadays i know which games are keepers..

[jormungand]

I have spent a lot over the years, but have slowed down in the past 2-3 years because of buying a new home, and a lot of land for that new home, along with getting married, and having two new english bulldog puppies. We still buy games, but I buy fewer new games, and just wait for used ones to pop up on ebay or on forum trading boards. All in all, I've invested easily, $25K+ at least in the past 17 years, and that's not including the new tv which has other uses besides gaming.