It's that time of the year again. It's tax time. Well, for people who make lots more money than I do it's tax time. For most of us with average jobs and several children, it's refund time. And as it goes every year, you have to resist the urge to splurge.
I understand that card collectors aren't the only people in the world with hobbies. There is a whole slew of people who will get refunds this year that will go to buying golf gear, taking a vacation, buying TV's and funding an untold number of other hobbies.
In that sense, our hobby is more affordable than other options. But it just never seems to happen that I can just go nuts and buy all the cards I can get my hands on. No, I've got responsibilities. And I can just imagine that after all of those real needs are met, there will be a fraction left of the refund for a hobby. And my wife has hobbies and wants too. So it's like getting half of that fraction in the end. Getting older is boring.
It is a blessing however to be able to meet the needs we're faced with. For example, fixing the Jeep, getting three kids to the dentist, getting to the eye doctor, paying bills and making a Costco run eats up a lot (ok nearly all) of the payday. But aren't those things more important than cards anyway? The 15 year old version of me is saying that it isn't, but the adult me is more than happy to pay for the real stuff.
But there will be just a bit left over. And that's where the real decision is made. Do you buy a hobby box or two? Do you buy singles? Do you start a vintage year collection you've been wanting to do for a couple of years? So many decisions that it's almost too much to handle. Because whatever you choose, you can really only choose to do it once a year. So that makes it stressful.
As for me, I think that I'll be able to finish the base of the Murad (not the minis yet though), finish the Murad checklists (easy) and the relics. The autos are a bit more spendy depending on the player, but I can pretty much knock out the relics without problem - they're suprisingly affordable.
And I do want to buy a box or so of 2010 Heritage baseball. I think it's going to be a fun set to put together. I hope. There's always the possibility of Topps' shenanigans. But we'll give it a whirl.
And yet at the same time, I don't know how much of my sports budget I want to put into cards. Instead of buying cards, we could go to a Blazer game. Or I could buy myself a Batum jersey. Or I could get my girls some Blazers clothes (or Mariners for that matter).
Decisions decisions. So what are you going to do with your returns?
3 comments:
I'm getting a pretty big return this year (well, for my family at least) and I am paying off a few bills, buying a laptop (need one for when I deploy to Afghanistan) and buying an ipod touch (the wife is buying a new dining room table since, well, we dont own one).
Wow, I hope I get a return this year. I have received one in recent years. I could really use it because I'll be moving back to my hometown of Green Bay, WI after studying at the U of North Dakota. Most of it will go towards a security deposit on the new apartment. I'd love to divert some towards my Fleer 2008-2009 set. The retro parrallel set has been difficult to assemble. Thank goodness packs are less than 40 cents each.
AK,
Well, I hope you and your wife get to have a few great meals before you deploy. Stay safe over there. I've had a couple of buddies serve - and I give you much respect for doing what you do.
Zach,
I'll keep my eye out in the card shops to see if I run across any of those parallels. I'm typically burying into the 08/09 stuff between the Murad and the Bowman.
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