Parents don't exactly see TFs as a worthwhile investment of your cash.  I know mine don't.  I've had a steady job with the UK govt for the last three years to finance my Tf habit, saved enough to do my postgrad degree and yet they still don't get it... and I wouldn't expect them to, it's a personal thing.

 

If TFs are the only thing you're spending your money on, even if you're saving, that's a pretty fair reaction from your Mother.  Anyway, to avoid driving your parents nuts, save some cash for the holiday season and then blow it all in the New Year sales... at least that way you can try and justify it by saying they were bargains!!!

Not abad idea. Although my holiday, Chanukah, starts on the 7th. I'm done with my holiday shopping. But I'm expecting a few TFs for the holiday. Then maybe, with gift card and gift certificates I'm bound and likely to get, and whatever money I have saved up from work, maybe I'll go on a TF New Year's sales splurge. Hopefully, my mom will be calmed down by then. What I like about my dad is that he's easy to talk to. He doesn't raise his voice that often and is more or less my external form of a conscience. So maybe with him, I might be able to do that and still get away with the "bargains" argument.

Another tactic you probably need to learn is the 'sneaking things into the house after the shopping trip'.

 

My Grandfather always thought he was the best at this, but my Grandmother could always tell when he had something new as he went up the back stairs as opposed to going and saying hello.

 

It's pretty easy to sneak a basic or deluxe thing in in your bag anyway, and I'm sure your parents don't pay enough attention to your collection to notice the odd small figure appearing here and there ;-)

True. If I get a new small figure like a Basic or a Deluxe, they don't notice. Even the occasional Mega and Ultra escapes their view. They're totally 100% uninterested in my hobby, just figuring that if I can just buy new ones when they come out, I'll be good. But if I came home with something like Galvatron, they would more than likely notice.

Just buy the ones you really like and for the repaints just by one version.

I understand buying the ones that I really like, but what do you mean regarding the repaints.

Ok take BM Jetstorm, their has been tons of repaints. What I'm trying to say is dont buy the same mode because it looks differnt from the first one. Example BM Jetstorm and UNI Skywarp same mold new look, but if you have Jetstorm dont get Skywarp.

Did she actually use the words "DAMN YOU?" If so, that's pretty harsh. I love my mom, but if she ever talked to me like that I'd tell her to talk to the hand.

Wow your mom said that, and did you leave some uneeded details out also? Anyway, hope everything works out in the end.

believe you me, you want to learn these harsh lessons of money NOW, and not when you live on your own. Take your mom's advice for everything it's worth.

My parents know that I ordered Bulkhead and Downshift from BBTS. They said that it was okay to have done that, since it fell into the rules of the exceptions.

 

MMC, I read in one of your other posts that they knew about you purchasing those guys, and that was the last thing you allowed yourself before the holidays. Did I read that right? If so, your mom needs to calm the smurf down. I mean, it is really good to learn how to manage your money before you move out, but does she have mood swings or something? That would have really pissed me off, telling me one minute that it was okay and then scolding me with a nasty letter the next. I don't play that passive/aggressive crap. :tdown

 

For me, I budget like hell. I figure out how much I'm going to make per month, calculate all of my bills and see what's left, and then repeat the process for the following two months. That pretty much gives me a rough window of how much money I can spend on myself without going broke. Having a credit card does help getting things immediately though, but the above rules still apply.

learn the secret art of Layway~

 

[rei a wei no jutsu!]

 

Seriously, being a collector is not an easy thing to do, sometimes you have to think and predict that some figure will become shelfwarmer later on and you can wait 'til there is a sale to get one, and believe me, 2.50 on a deluxe might seems small, but it adds up REAL quick. (Learn the hard way when Unicron 1st came out. OUCH! 50 buck Transformer)

believe you me, you want to learn these harsh lessons of money NOW, and not when you live on your own.  Take your mom's advice for everything it's worth.

Really. I went on a buying frenzy the past few months because I've always limited myself in the past(y'know, paying for bills and saving). I have other hobbies, too. TFs, fish, vintage audio- and the biggest of all, teh girlfriend. :D You have to finally reach a point where you say "y'know, I just don't need all this crap." Cause honestly- when you're dead, all this stuff is kinda useless(a little dark, sorry :redface ).

I have a job with a pretty decent salary. After the mortgage is payed and food etc... I still have money to spend. Nevertheless, I've been at the other side when I was still a student. From that time I learned to document every cent I earn/find and that I spent. I've told myself not to spent anymore than a certain amount per month on myself. This includes TF's, CD's, books, everything. (of course, I have a hard time managing it and knowing I can easily surpass this, I often do). I have a collegue who's in the same position, only his wife restricted him.

 

Keeping taps on exactly how much you spent and never passing this amount (unless ita avarages out -- one month less, the next month the same amount more), might be an idea.

 

Also, as said before: don't buy everything. You simply can't (there's too much and too many of those exclusives). Just buy what you really like and try to pick the nicest version of the repaints.

 

 

Remember: TF is a nice hobby but if you don't learn to control your spendings then sometime in the future you will have to sell figures (or they will be sold by others) to get the money that you need. Better to save on it now.