General Forum

That is very true but all the way up here in the GWN at least health care is not a worry. Then the wife's employer covers the dental, glasses and perscriptions. Along with several other benefits like massage, etc. Plus its been $50/bi-monthly for the kids since they were born so both will have college money. Sadly the 17 yo has decided being a rebel / malcontent is funner than school, girls can be scary!! =/

I went 20 years or so before I got back in and that was after I wandered into then left comics / SW fanfare. Since I quit smoking though the ability has become easier (stupid habit) to enjoy the hobby. Even with what I do spend I still only spend 50% of what smoking costs would have been. This all said right before the "big" yearly trip to the show. =)

Ummmm... you have massage insurance???

Yes .......... Yes I do. Two treatments per month are covered to 80% which works out to $16 for my share of the co-pay. That is a 60 min deep tissue massage which works wonders. The plan also includes acupunture, homeopathic visits and other non-essential therapys. Also hearing aids, orthotics, braces, etc.

As someone who has to poke holes in himself every day if he wants to live...at least 8 times a day, sometimes more...accupuncture is pure insanity. 

I have had several down times in my life when I didn't buy many cards. These days it's usually singles, because the pack busting can become soooo addicting.

Back in 2012 I bought a whole case of The Walking Dead season 2, that was a blast. I documented each box, took nearly 24 hours to do. Also purchased 3 additional boxes, that only got me about half way for the autos and wardrobe cards. Couldn't keep dropping over a grand, so had to buy the remaining inserts single. I think I've bought maybe 10 packs since then, some golf and hockey. I'm eyeing some 2018 Topps baseball packs now, because of that kid from Japan that's with the Angels. I must remain strong....

My story has been told many times here, so I'll try to keep this short. I only buy a few hobby boxes per year and they are usually new NASCAR and older random years of NFL and MLB. I usually make hobby box purchases with part of my tax refund. I buy random blasters throughout the year whenever I happen to be at Target. For MLB, it's mostly the re-pack products at Target. NFL is completely random by year and maker and even re-packs there too. For NASCAR, it's whatever I can find at Target.

My hobby purchases are almost always new NASCAR releases and somewhat recent NFL releases. With MLB hobby boxes, I haven't bought one (that was new) since 2009 and don't plan to buy any made after that year anyway. I have bought several older MLB boxes since then though. I don't buy single packs at all b/c I don't have a hobby store nearby. My only options for single packs are Target and Walmart and I refuse to buy them at those stores due to the pack-searchers.

Anyway, I always enjoy busting packs of cards to see what I get! Sometimes, I'm thrilled right away. Other times, I'm not to happy. But sometimes I'm happy at first and dissappointed later or vice versa. I usually open products and then have to go to work (I work 2nd-shift hours). So I go through them in greater detail when I get home.

Recent examples from last Friday (4/13): I bought a blaster of 2018 Donruss Racing (60 cards) and a 50-card pack of 2017 Donruss football. I opened both before I went to work but didn't really get to sort them. I was really happy with the Racing cards b/c I pulled 14 cards of drivers that I collect and some cards that I was sure were SP's. I was okay with the NFL break b/c I pulled 6 keepers and lots of parallels or inserts.

When I got home from work and got to go through them better, I was VERY happy with the NASCAR box! It was the best NASCAR blaster I've had since before Press Pass shut down. The only parallel card was a downer b/c I already had it and it was the only card I pulled of my favorite driver. But I pulled EIGHT short-print cards and 2 were PC! One of the inserts was PC and the MEM "hit" was also PC. Great box! The NFL box stayed the same as my initial impression, but it was still fun to go through the cards again. I only got one Panther (normal for me), but I got 2 Packers and 2 Patriots (with one insert for each team). But the best card was the card I pulled of someone who never played for any of my teams. A Barry Sanders The Legends Series insert card was easily my favorite card of the whole pack. Not only does it look awesome, but it looks better than any Barry card I've acquired over the past several years!

I almost always appreciate getting what I can afford to buy no matter how little or how much, but sometimes it's disappointing. That's usually just when I spend way more than what I feel like I received in return! Busting packs will always be fun to me - at the time. It's the second look that makes or breaks a pack or box.

I usually reserve major box purchases to a few times a year - I treat myself during Christmas, my birthday, and tax time. I hit local shows once a month and buy online when I need to. My new position at work has definitely allowed me to spend more, but I need to cool off some. I think I'm spending way too much. But, as long as what needs to get paid gets paid, I won't worry too much about it.