Wasting Money?

[artemis-lady-warrior]

I'm not sure if this is the right section for this. If it is please move it for me..

This morning as I stood staring at my collection of transformers figures that I've been slowly expanding over the past two years I thought to myself. "Is this all a waste of money?"

If I did some calculating I'd come up to about $200 or more spent on Transformers figures with a few Star Wars figures added for flavor and a yellow Power Rangers RPM figure that I pretend to be Sari in battle mode.
If I saved all the money up instead of spending it on figures I'd probably be able to afford something more useful. Like a Digital Camera.

But since the rest of you are also transformers fans do you think I'm wasting it all on frivoulus things? I mean I don't play with the figures. I just put them on my shelf and when I get ideas use them in web comics similar to what Wayward a few a others have done.

Is it really healthy for a 22 year old to be spending all her money on toys?

Am I the only one who does this? Should I even let it bother me?

[Wonko The Sane]

There's no shame in admitting that we all have this question popped in our heads at one time.I never went to the point of this question,but my parents and siblings had for me...for both my Collection and my constant going to Conventions in the Summertime.

I love my small TF Collection,and it is going to grow overtime.I don't think of it as a waste of money,and you can always get that money back by selling them(That is,if you a permanently leaving the Fandom).It's your hobby,your passion,the very fabric of your childhood.

And yes,I think that Conventions are a waste of money sometimes...though I have to remember that I made friends there far more than I made freinds in school;that those places are were I get my older TFs,and let's not forget the experiences you gain along the way.

And a wise friend once told me that collecting and spending on Transformers is far more healthier addiction than spending it on alcohol and/or drugs

And you're not the only 20-something that collects these guys.There's a lot more than you think

[Darth Knuckles]

I totally understand your situation. I too am a early twenties-year-old and I have been asking myself the same questions lately.

I have all of the old Beast Wars toys I wanted from when I was a kid, except for Inferno because I could never find him! , and I did buy the new 25th Anniversary Dinobot figure because he looked really cool! I've also recently been getting statue like figures of other cartoon toys that I like. I've gotten some of the new 25th Anniversary Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys, a new 10 in. Metal Sonic toy exclusively at Toys R' Us, a Vegeta "statue", and I'm still waiting to buy the reissue of the TMNT turtle van/party wagon.

With money and a place to display all of these toys being an issue for me, I also ask if I should be buying them. I as of yet have still come to the conclusion that making myself happy is a decent enough thing to keep in check so I buy them. I'm not in any money problems so I do keep that much watch on myself so I figure I'd go ahead and splurge on sentimental things of my childhood.

[SkyxDB]

I don't think you let bother you to much. Other people your age group do that kind thing too. Heck, I know a guy in Gaming Club, who's a Transfan and he loves collecting the toys. My Mom's Boyfriend who's in his late 40's likes to collect anything Star Wars related and that includes toys. As for my Mom she likes to collect Barbie Dolls.

For me, I only own TFA Blurr and Prowl. At the most I find I want to collect the TFA figures, and set up on display in my room and maybe use them for funny pictures once in a while. But at the same time, I'm not so sure if I'll get all the ones I went, to be careful with my money.

Though my Mom did find it weird when she saw me buy Blurr. But then I pointed out that it's not any difference from her hobby of collecting Barbie Dolls.

So I honetsly I don't think it weird.

[Aesir]

Well I have a fair few Transformers and Transformers related things, and I do occasionally wonder if I've wasted my money, but then the pretty colours and wonderful toys chase away those dark thoughts :3

[transformersvoice]

No, don't let it bother you, spending some money on a hobby or enjoyment is fine in my opinion. These days, I usually buy maybe one or two a year. My wife and I are putting some shelves up so we can have the characters standing together, right now they're in a big cardboard box. I thought it would be cool to put up some Beast Wars characters for a few months then take them down and put up some Transformer movie characters. I have the Armada Unicron toy. I got it online about 2 years ago. I had wanted a Unicron toy ever since I went to see the G1 movie in 1986. After 21 years now I have one! And as for going to a convention, one day me and my better half are going to at least one!

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

I've wondered myself why I still buy TFs once in a while. Is it a waste of money? Not to me. I only buy the ones I really want. I don't and can't buy every single one that's out there. So I limited myself to buy only my favorite characters from the shows or the other ones in the toylines that caught my eye. And I'm happy to have all the toys and trinkets I have. I still try to collect some that I want, but I buy them pretty sporadically.

And yes,I think that Conventions are a waste of money sometimes...though I have to remember that I made friends there far more than I made freinds in school;that those places are were I get my older TFs,and let's not forget the experiences you gain along the way.

I have yet to say that about any convention I've been to. None of them have been a waste of money for me. I've made many friends and met many friends on-line in person because of them. I've had so many great experiences and met people who have changed my life and make such a positive impression on me. They've encouraged me to follow my dreams and get out and love life. And although people think conventions are just for "nerds," fanboys and fangirls, to me they're the only place you can meet your favorite "celebrities" and be surrounded by everyone who has something in common with you.

And a wise friend once told me that collecting and spending on Transformers is far more healthier addiction than spending it on alcohol and/or drugs

Well said.

I have all of the old Beast Wars toys I wanted from when I was a kid, except for Inferno because I could never find him!

I know how you feel, DK! The first season Rattrap NEVER came in my area! I looked every week for him and never saw him. Of course, way back then, I never had a Wal-Mart. I relied on Ames and K-Mart. I feel really dumb for this one: K-Mart was full of Tigatrons at one point for a long time, but I never bought one because I wasn't that into him and I kepy buying other figures. Now I want one and he can be tricky to find on eBay (which was where my brother bought me an original Rattrap a couple Christmases ago). I do have an Inferno, though, thanks to my younger sister.

[artemis-lady-warrior]

I have yet to go to a convention.

Hehehe. I have an inferno but he's a japanese import. His box is covered in kanji and he comes with a little comic strip also full of kanji so i can't read it. I got THAT bot for my 19th birthday. I was SO happy! XD

I also own a classics Starscream. I got him for Christmas. He's always trying to become leader of the bedroom.

I guess you're right. It's not exactly a waste of money. I don't have anything ELSE to spend my money on. Wal-Marts running out of TFA toys anyway and the new movie bots are ugly. I don't really want any of them unless they make an Alice figure. I don't like the character but she'd make a great addition to my collection which lacks females. I only have an energon arcee and two TFA Blackarachnias.

Did they make a figure for her at all?

[Beastbot]

No, and Hasbro said they aren't planning to.


Anyways, I think everyone knows what my opinion on this subject is.

*eyes desk which is drowning under an ever-growing avalanche of plastic*

....Yup.

[Dreamscreamer]

I wish my local Wallmart still sold TFA toys, they only have the movie ones anymore.

Haha and at least you do something constructive with your toys, like make webcomics. I keep all of my Transformers figures (I have about two dozen or so all total now) in a clear plastic box so that I can look at them, and so they won't collect dust. I'm thinking about trying to get a larger box for them so they won't be quite so cramped, and so I can take them out a bit easier if I want to look at them.

Sometimes it does seem kinda silly to buy something that just sits around inside a box, and that I don't even look at much. Yet somehow... they really make me happy, just having them, and I do look at them once in a while. I can't really explain it or put it into words, but just having them makes me happy and gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

I got an Arcee ROTF toy yesterday... I swear she looks so dang odd outside of her motorcycle mode, but I think she's... interesting XD Better than nothing at least, since apparently they're not gonna make a TFA Arcee. :/

[Beastbot]

...Huh? Yes they are. They have. Her mold is done and everything. She'll be out sometime in 2010, after the RotF hype dies some. Same with Rodimus Minor, Blackout, Workzone Bulkhead, Golfire Grimlock, Hydrodive Bumblebee, Wingblade Optimus Prime, Fugitive Wasp, Voyager Thundercracker, Cybertron Mode Ratchet, Ironhide, Toxic Oil Slick, Activator Power Up Optimus Prime, and Activator Battlefield Bumblebee.

(Freeway Jazz & Electrostatic Soundwave w/ Ratbat are due out in November.)

[artemis-lady-warrior]

2010?! aww! rats! i was hoping it would be sometime this year. My TFA Ratchet is lonely!

[Aesir]

2010?! aww! rats! i was hoping it would be sometime this year. My TFA Ratchet is lonely!

Artemis, 2010 is only like 2 months away

[NaitoKage]

Hm.. have I wasted my money on stuff.. Probably. Specially on beastwars.. I have a ton of those things. Not much else as I cut down collecting action figures and such as I got older, I got some bootleg figures since.. I like weird bootleg stuff, but mostly I ended up spending my money on videogames and computer equipment and anime dvds.. though now mostly just computer stuff and videogames. Which are probably wastes?


Not sure how it matters in my case though. I don't watch tv or movies anymore, don't drink or smoke. so I need some sorta hobby I guess.

[Darth Knuckles]

Optimal Optimus Primal said

I know how you feel, DK! The first season Rattrap NEVER came in my area! I looked every week for him and never saw him. ......I do have an Inferno, though, thanks to my younger sister.

I'm glad someone does! I feel like I'm finally vindicated because no one else I knew was into Beast Wars at the time and no one was trying to collect all of the toys like I was. I'm glad you've got Inferno and Rattrap. Good luck on finding a Tigatron!

artemis-lady-warrior said

I have yet to go to a convention.

Hehehe. I have an inferno but he's a japanese import.

I've never been to a convention either. I see that you're lucky, to me anyway, in that you have an Inferno. Well I'm happy that you were able to get one.