How do you guys justify it?

[justinmew]

@yoshimoshi

only use your play money on pokemon lol
max out your roth 401k to IRS limit
max our your roth IRA to IRS limit
have no debt, no mortgage, no car loan, no college debt

then use all money after that on pokemon because you have nothing left to spend your money on

Also save 15-20% of your income a year for retirement. Most people probably don’t do this.

[null_user]

I really like this thread.

Does anyone experience guilt, not around retirement money, etc. But how much you could help someone else with your “Pokemon $$$”?

For example: “I’m sitting on $30k in shiny cardboard, that could literally save a bunch of children in another country. dang…”
?
thoughts?

[xileets]

@nish

Maybe if trying to justify big purchases is causing you stress and anxiety then just don’t make those purchases. It’s okay to readjust your goals mid way through and aim for something you’re a lot more comfortable with

Dead on. Collecting should be something that you fully enjoy, and worrying about going too far… I’m in this position with my Arita Collection, I say, Screw it! That 3K can go towards some really nice experiences in life, or an intentional investment, JMHO.

[xileets]

@nico

I really like this thread.

Does anyone experience guilt, not around retirement money, etc. But how much you could help someone else with your “Pokemon $$$”?

For example: “I’m sitting on $30k in shiny cardboard, that could literally save a bunch of children in another country. dang…”
?
thoughts?

Why WOULDN’T it be the same as retirement money? Just something to consider.

Great posts here, BTW! And you’ve just recently started posting. Respect.

[nikhil]

@nico

I really like this thread.

Does anyone experience guilt, not around retirement money, etc. But how much you could help someone else with your “Pokemon $$$”?

For example: “I’m sitting on $30k in shiny cardboard, that could literally save a bunch of children in another country. dang…”
?
thoughts?

I think its a “yes, but type situation”

Your personal livelihood probably would change a considerable amount giving away that 30k to people that could use it more directly in their lives, but there are also people who could donate 100 million and be completely unaffected who just haven’t too. I don’t want this conversation to go too far outside of the guidelines here, but I think there are other people that could help that are not and could be unaffected.

But me personally, I think about it in how I’m willing to spend more on cards than other more personal purchases in different hobbies, but not in the context you provided.

[shadowless]

@nico

I really like this thread.

Does anyone experience guilt, not around retirement money, etc. But how much you could help someone else with your “Pokemon $$$”?

For example: “I’m sitting on $30k in shiny cardboard, that could literally save a bunch of children in another country. dang…”
?
thoughts?

Interesting take, it´s a karma question in the end. I personally don´t feel any “guilt” for having cards, otherwise I would have to literally feel guilt for any other item I have that is not necessary but valuable. I try to do good via different avenues, if I wouldn´t do that I might have answered that question differently.

[null_user]

@xileets, @shadowless, @nikhil,
Great responses. I love hearing from all of the experienced collectors/people out there.
I’m gonna take what you’ve said and just digest it, rather than try to respond immediately.

[hooblovesyou]

@nico

@xileets , @shadowless , @nikhil ,
Great responses. I love hearing from all of the experienced collectors/people out there.
I’m gonna take what you’ve said and just digest it, rather than try to respond immediately.

You can do a lot of good with your time, attitude and energy that money cannot provide. Personally, I am a community mental health worker and psychotherapist. Providing my unconditional positive regard, skills and listening is something I take pride in, especially for the energy it takes to do this kind of work. With that, I have no problem spending my funds on things I am passionate about outside of my profession.

Spreading joy and caring to those around you, no matter the individual goes a long way, as well.

[geg89]

@ripguyfawkes

There is no justification for an obsession. Never has been.

Hey where is your avatar from please?

[ripguyfawkes]

@geg89, made it myself, unfortunately. It’s a Sugimori artwork we never got as a card

[geg89]

@ripguyfawkes

@geg89 , made it myself, unfortunately. It’s a Sugimori artwork we never got as a card

Thank you. RIP It is a nice art ha, I am an Umbreon fan and knew it wasn’t but hoped it was real XD.

[dragon1te]

I tried collecting the Gen 2 Pokedex (all from Neo Genesis- Neo Destiny) in NM/M condition. My “rules” were:

1. If there was a holo variant of the card in any of the 4 sets, I would use that
2. If there was no holo version, I would always choose rare over uncommon, uncommon over common, etc. (Sudowoodo from Neo Rev instead of Neo Genesis)
3. All holos were the Unlimited version and non-holos were 1st editions

I definitely should’ve gone about it the way @wise_wailmer said haha. I was buying up 1st edition non-holo common and uncommon lots for pretty cheap and a good chunk of the holos weren’t too pricy. It was when I was looking into the prices for the legendary birds/dogs when I was slapped in the face. The best way is to get those top cards first and then work your way down (or realize the collection won’t be feasible in the first place). I ended up selling the binder as an incomplete set and moved on . Rookie mistake by me.

[jaredschallenge]

@stagecoach

This is me.

The truth is, I cannot rationally justify the expense. There is no justification for it. I do it anyway. If Pokémon cost this much when I started, I probably would not have. But I am “in it” now and if I want to keep doing it then this is what it costs to do. I am determined to finish what I started despite the expense.

My family was lower class growing up and my mother and father hated Pokémon. They saw it as a brainless, frivolous fad. They opposed my interest in Pokémon at every turn, just short of forbidding it entirely, and made it quite clear they found my passion for it shameful. It sucked. When I put Pokémon down in 2001, there was a feeling of being free from the shame of it. But before that, it meant my collection was a lot of other people’s scraps. They were hand me downs and pity trades from other kids. Pokémon was something I was enthralled with and loved, but most of all it was something I wanted. I wanted things I couldn’t have. As an adult, I still really wanted them. More than a decade later I still thought about those cards. So I set out to get them, finally, and achieve that little boyhood dream just to see how it felt.

And honestly it felt amazing. I am not ashamed to say this anymore. I love Pokémon and it felt incredible to achieve that childhood goal even if it took until I was an adult to do. I got all those cards I wanted, quieted my inner child, and felt a triumphant peace for having accomplished something in maturity that I could not in my youth. The cards were more to me than a hobby, they were prideful treasures. It meant a lot to me.

When I finished my “childhood sets”, I was at a crossroads. I could quit while I was ahead, which I did for about a year, or I could keep going. There was nothing stopping me from picking up where I left off, exploring new cards and collections at a steady and personal pace, and even though I never collected those cards as a kid I still felt the pull to continue that legacy. I thought the expensive cards were behind me and anything from that point on could be slower paced and more affordable. I started four more sets - 1st Edition Neo Sets specifically - and planned to finish it longterm over the next few years. This was in 2019. Then 2020 happened.

I am close to finishing those Neo sets now. I have 5 cards left, which I have mentioned in other threads. They are expensive. They are too expensive, frankly. I cannot justify them. But I know I have to finish. Because now I am right back to where I was as a boy where the cards I want are once again out of my reach. If I walk away before I finish, I will always want them. I can’t open up that dissatisfaction again. I can’t once again let my legacy with Pokémon end with want. I can’t have it all be for nothing.

So I can’t justify it financially, logically, or rationally. But emotionally I have no other choice. This is why I do what I do.

I knew I liked you when I started seeing your posts pop up. You speak *type* well. I resonate in a very similar fashion as you do with this hobby. It’s kind of a taking back of what should have been ours if we were supported in the simpler passions in life huh lol

[jaredschallenge]

@dcs

Simple: I buy cards using ,money that I make from selling cards. So Pokemon basically funds itself.

I’ve always kept it a 0 deficit hobby myself. It’s 0 stress that way

[tfgh]

I’ve recently started to separate my collection into two goals: my main and expensive collection goals and a smaller cheap binder collection. I know it’s probably not the easiest way to do it. I’ve always been an advocate for “buy the most expensive thing first”, but this way I can save up for the expensive cards and when the urge to buy a card inevitably arrives every week I can safely spend a small amount on a binder card I need that isn’t really impacting my main savings for other things. It means it’ll take slightly longer but it stops me impulse buying an expensive card and then having to kick myself when my main goal card comes up for sale and I’m short on “Pokemon cash”. It scratches that itch to buy new cards and lets me still save for big ticket items when I want.