Anyone else have a spending problem like me?

Wry smile.... of recognition

appart from consumables, (paint, glue, beer), I rarely splurge, except at my local hobby show (Iwata CS his year....)

If I really, really WANT something, I sell something on eb@y, so my hobby is finance neutral, well in theory...

Same with pc upgrades, earn it first, then upgrade...

What is hurting here is the runaway fuel, electric & petrol/diesel prices,

currently UKP£ 1.20/litre (UKP£ 5.46/gallon) for petrol & UKP£1.30 for diesel

That's approx USD$ 2.34/litre / USD$ 10.66 a gallon, diesel more....

Compulsive shoppers usually purchase things they don't really want or need because it stimulates the part of the brain in the same way that a drug does--and so it goes on and on, running up the bills just to get that rush again, like a "hit".

Here's how you know if you have a shopping problem---when it arrives in the mail, you get a momentary thrill from opening it and looking at it--but then you file it away, and hardly even look at it again or use it as it was intended to be used. If the actual purchase is more satidfying then the actual possessing of it, then you have a shopping problem.

Sufferers usually develope these compulsions either from chemical imbalances (yes, they can be treated with medicine in extreme cases) or from depression. You should ask yourself if these purchases are being used to mask some source of deep unhappiness in your life? 

col wrote:

Actually,thinking about it,its not like we are going to the pub every other night,and spending £20 a night is it?

I do agree with Col there...I don't drink anymore so the money I no longer spend at Hooters and what not does give extra money that I could be spending on worse things. It does keep me out of trouble and in the slightly better good graces of my wife!!!

Do you have a spending problem??? Can you afford it? If the answer is yes, then it isn't a problem. 

Speaking for myself, I spend maybe a hundred dollars a month on kits and supplies on average.

I may go several months and buy nothing more than some sanding sticks or brushes, etc. Then I'll go to a show like AMPS and spend upwards of $1000 in a couple of days.

The key is to never spend more than you can afford and never use credit cards to fund a hobby.

The paints are actually Mig Productions line of Oil Paints. Supposedly the best on the market for modelling.

Gigatron wrote:

Though today, I did order a PE bending tool - but it was a $40 purchase that I've been putting off for the last few months because I felt bad about spending that much on something that wasn't an absolute necessity (as far as hobby necessities go ) -Fred

I look at it like this ~ If that $ 40.00 tool will make the job easier and take less time (read as in agravation level) It will have paid for itself.  Before I retired I was a HVY Equipment Mine Mechanic, I knew guys who would spend half a shift taking stuff apart to reach a fitting with their  "open end wrench". When in turn if they had used a "crows foot wrench" it would of taken 10 minutes or less.  But they refused to buy the tools to make their job easier.  If you can afford it or justify it buy it, if your babies are running around wrapped in toilet paper instead of pampers rethink your spending habits.

Wow! $300 a month is a LOT of cash to spend on Hobby Supplies! I probably spent that much ONCE when I bought my first airbrush, compressor, and related accessories. Since then I might spend $50-$75 per month on kits, glues, paints, aftermarket stuff, etc.

Maybe you should STOP all online shopping for a while. It is too easy to CLICK, CLICK, CLICK yourself in to some serious credit card debt!  

Instead, put that $300 each month into an Mutual Fund or something that actually earns money!  

Yikes, $300 a month?  When I first got back inthe hobby, I think I spent about $400 the first month.  But that included quite a few paints, new tools (including a new airbrush) and a few kits, including AM accessories.

Since then, I've averaged maybe $20 a month, but that's like $100 one month and then nothing for 5 months.

Recently, I picked up an AM F8F Bearcat and Eduard PE set to keep me busy between my last build and the start of my Corsair GB - total cost was about $30.  But the PE set was wrong, so I'm waiting on an exchange.  Though today, I did order a PE bending tool - but it was a $40 purchase that I've been putting off for the last few months because I felt bad about spending that much on something that wasn't an absolute necessity (as far as hobby necessities go )

-Fred

Send me the money and the list.  I will order and pay for the stuff and get to have the warm fuzzy feeling.  I will send the stuff to you and you can tell SWMBO…”LOOK HONEY… they have starting just sending me stuff!”

Otherwise, let me know when your court date is so I can come and hear your excuse to the divorce court judge why you can’t afford  that much alimony.

Ron,

How big are those jars of paint? $7.19 seems like a lot unless it's like a 1 and 1/2 ounce bottle or something. Also, you would be better served going to Lowe's or Home Depot or even Michael's or Hobby Lobby for your thinners. They all pretty much carry every type you can think of including the oderless types. I used to think that everything had to say Testors or Model Master or Tamiya on it. After reading and researching on here, I found that they are all the same. We are just getting charged more for the brand name. Acrylic thinners are acrylic thinners. enamel thinners are enamel thinners. Turpenoid is turpenoid, etc. Like I posted before, I will never tell a grown man how to spend his money but, you may want to shop around locally just to save some of it for more kits. Not trying to preach at ya bro', just trying to give a little advice.

Regards,

Jeff 

To keep this thread going, I'll post what I just ordered. This month I might go over $600.

Having an undersatnding spouse makes a big difference too. Once I explained to COMNAVHOUSEPAC that the all of the "big ticket" items, pliers, sprue cutters, tweezers, paint stands, etc. were basically one time purchases she has never givin me a hard time. And paints as long as they are properly stored last a long time. The ones that I typically use for smaller detail work like different shades of yellow, red, and white will probably be on my bench long after I am gone.

Basically, everytime I get the urge to buy more goodies for the work bench I ask myself "Jeff, do you really need this, or do you just want it?" The majority of the time it's the latter answer. But that's just me.

I'm the last person who will ever tell a grown man how to spend the money he earns. So, what the hell, if after all the bills are paid and the groceries are bought for the month you have some left over to play with, I say, go for it. It least at the end of the day you will have something on the shelf to look at instead of a hang-over. Just my

Regards,

Jeff 

Sort of... but it's only a problem if you can't afford it at some level (and not just money-wise... do you have the space, the time, or does it otherwise affect personal relationships).

Everybody has their own interests, and should be able to pursue them as long as they can afford it.  It could be travel, cars, guns, houses, photography, woodworking, scrapbooking, or any number of other hobbies, and for us it's modeling.

If you are debt free (except for a mortgage), putting away enough for retirement,  and feel comfortable spending the money, go ahead.  On the other hand, if you're in debt up to your eyeballs or haven't put away anything for retirement yet, I'd strongly urge you to back off the hobby purchases and get your finances in order.

In my case, my monthly expenses usually add up to less than half of my monthly net pay, I'm debt free, and I'm saving/investing about 40% of my gross pay.  The last couple months I have spent more than I usually do in the hobby, and I do feel some guilt about that.  But looking at my larger picture, I can afford it.  I lead a somewhat miserly existence, and probably ought to loosen the financial reins a bit anyway.

I know what you are going through because I went through the same phase too in the past.  Now I try to limit my spending to minimum since I really don't have much room to store anything and my new hobby (gunsmithing) has taken a priority over building model kits.

Try not to go to hobby shops for next several weeks and don't carry any credit cards.  That may help you from spending money on hobby stuff.

When I first get into a hobby I go hog wild. When I got into woodworking I bought thousands of dollars worth of tools. Now 20 years later, I still haven't used some of them. The same goes for modeling, except I bought kits on top of kits. Now after about 5 years into the hobby, I've slowed my buying habits way down. I still make the occasional impulse purchase, but for the most part I only buy what I know I'm going to build.