OK, let me tell you all a story that happened to me yesterday:

 

I was going to a movie with a friend/coworker/possible potential "other" of mine, and it didn't start until 7:00 so I had an hour to kill. I walked into Wal-Mart and found myself looking at the toy aisle. Lo and behold, I found something I think I shall never see again--Alternators Swindle, Grimlock and Meister all at once. I was halfway to the register when something hit me: I was about to blow my "date" money on toys!

Now this is where it gets complicated. I sat there for literally 15 minutes, wrestling with the consequences of my decisions. They were:

A.) call my friend and tell her I couldn't make it because something happened (lie through my teeth) and take home $65 worth of toys.

B.) put the toys back (hide them on the top behind all the overstock) to buy them later and have fun at the movie.

C.) Buy the toys with my debit card, using money I need to pay for tuition and break into my car fund in order to pay for tuition, and still go see the movie with my friend.

 

Subsequently, I chose B. I had an absolute fun time at the movie and I think I've made headway between me and her (or I'm just wishing really hard that I did). But today, the first waking thought I had was, "I've got to get to Wal-Mart!" Then I calmed down and thought, "This is stupid. I'm ready to break open my account to buy $65 worth of toys when I need to pay tuition and also keep saving up for a new car." I got paid last night via direct deposit, but when Christmas drained your account as much as it did to me, you need to save all the money you get. The other thing that helped me decide on choice B was that another friend of mine promised me a TRU gift card for Christmas, and she hasn't been able to go but she keeps promising me that she's going.

 

Now, when does a collection become an obsession? I nearly blew my Christmas budget on toys for myself--the only thing keeping me from doing that was the fact that I didn't shop alone this year--and now I'm ready to spend tuition money on more toys. I often see a toy and don't buy it, but I'll spend the day worrying that I won't find it ever again and I'll be forever kicking myself for not getting it. I know that this is a toy-designated site, but I'm wondering if maybe I might be in danger of crossing the line and going full-blast TF-nutso. I have decided to go back and get Swindle since the Decepticons are always shortpacked (I've only seen one Dead End ever and I bought him), but do you think I'm in the right in avoiding the other two? Or have I simply driven myself crazy over nothing?

Well friend...Tf's are like most things that are hobbies...easy to becoem too obsessed with them.

 

I've been in a situation similiar to yours many times. Made some good choices and some bad choices. Stuff liek this just happens with a hobby. I know I'm fairly obsessed with TF's and dang it, I don't care either.

 

You just have to know your personal limits and you just have to keep a cool head about you and not be too stupid when obsessing.

I suffer from many of the same problems, compounded by the fact I have no job. My opinion-you resisted because you knew you needed the money for something else, so you're fine. If you start blowing food $$ on toys, then worry.

 

Plus, the fact that you're worrying shows that you at least know there is a line, and that will keep you from crossing it.

 

And, good luck on your next date.

Yeah, I agree with Shadow. You stopped and had to seriously consider which use of your cash would serve the best reward. That's not a big deal. But if you start buying TF's on a credit card you can't pay off, or skip a meal, or gas for your car, then you're in trouble.

 

If you told me that you were going to get the Alts, and then could no longer afford the semester at all, or were going to miss out on buying a specific car forever because of it, I'd say you have a problem.

 

The question you should really consider, though, is that when you do have full time job, and steady income, will you be able to control your TF spending. When the money keeps coming in...that's when most "collectors" seem to start buying everything they can get their hands on.

The question you should really consider, though, is that when you do have full time job, and steady income, will you be able to control your TF spending. When the money keeps coming in...that's when most "collectors" seem to start buying everything they can get their hands on.

Yup...that wil be a big stepping stone for some.

Well while I'm not obsessed with the collection, which I'm now keeping in memory of my dead beloved, I am stuck with a choice whenever I see a new TF. Her ein the UK the choice of getting a new TF or not bothering with it is a problem since there's very little TF's actually sold here and when any are sold here, there's hardly any stock, usually just one and that's the lot. Like for example, I've found Energon Scopornok at last in the local town, but I'm in serious debt and I have a lot of bills to pay, going back to college soon and I need to buy food, but I've been wanting to get Scopornok ever since I saw the first pictures of him last year and I would really like to get him. I've got one chance to get him, if I don't buy him next week then I'm unlikely to ever find him again. I'm working through my tiny budget to see if there's a way to buy him, I don't want to be stuck with having to try my luck on Ebay since I'm unlikely to win. Stupid lack of stock, plenty of E-Magus, but hardly any of the other TF's.

 

-Chuckles

*is obsessed* I've given up lots of things to buy TFs...

Well while I'm not obsessed with the collection, which I'm now keeping in memory of my dead beloved, I am stuck with a choice whenever I see a new TF. Her ein the UK the choice of getting a new TF or not bothering with it is a problem since there's very little TF's actually sold here and when any are sold here, there's hardly any stock, usually just one and that's the lot. Like for example, I've found Energon Scopornok at last in the local town, but I'm in serious debt and I have a lot of bills to pay, going back to college soon and I need to buy food, but I've been wanting to get Scopornok ever since I saw the first pictures of him last year and I would really like to get him. I've got one chance to get him, if I don't buy him next week then I'm unlikely to ever find him again. I'm working through my tiny budget to see if there's a way to buy him, I don't want to be stuck with having to try my luck on Ebay since I'm unlikely to win. Stupid lack of stock, plenty of E-Magus, but hardly any of the other TF's.

 

Tony.

When I'm in situations like yours (and as a struggling student, I usually am), I think to myself...

 

"If this toy is so important to me in a year or so, when I do have a steady income, I'll spend the extra cash and get him off Ebay."

 

If it isn't important enough of a toy to do that, than it isn't important enough to buy it immediately with money you really don't have. When it comes down to being really broke, I ahve a "must have" list (which is very short) and a "would really like to have" list. Things like a 20th Prime or Alt Grimlock are must haves for me...almost everything else is "like to have". I'll do almost whatever I can to get the must haves, but the other I can wait on. If they're that important, I can always get them later.

Well, just bought Alt Swindle, and the others remain dutifully hidden. On the upside, I found a nice little shiny moment: TRU gift cards can be used on-line. So, once I do get my late Christmas gift, if my local TRU is out of stock, I can just hop online and grab Grimlock and Meister.

 

I've been reading the responses and I have to address a couple of things:

--I have a full-time job at Barnes & Noble, and this year's raise will have me making $8+/hr.

--I had $3000 in savings (no checking yet) but Christmas halved that. Literally.

--This is my last semester before graduation.

 

But what I'm really worried about is this: there have been times when I did think it through, and I still bought the Transformer and got more money from my account to cover it. I'm just worried that maybe I might be going off the deep end very soon. We'll see.

 

 

Oh and Smokescreened? You should buy some E-Magnus and sell those suckers on eBay. I talked to a guy at TRU here who collects them and said he'd gladly pony up $100 for one--and I think he was dead serious.

their's always layaway!