To be honest...I've had plenty of ups and downs in collecting Transformers for a decade now.

The Upsides
-I've made quite a few friends here on the site. Making friends where I live was kind of difficult for me when I was in school, especially when I got into Transformers again. I've had good times and bad times here, but for the most part, you guys are awesome; you're like the dysfunctional family I've never had.  
-Had it not been for collecting, I would have done drugs instead. It's weird, but hey, I'd rather do plastic than do an illegal substance.
-As a lot of people have said, it kept the kid in me alive. Granted, my hormones were going crazy as I went through my teen years, but I needed to keep what was left of my childhood alive though some sort.
-Toys make good listeners.  

The Downsides
-MONEY. Sadly, while I can tell my brother and my father that I didn't waste money on drugs, they have a point about my collection being a waste of money. About a week ago, I compiled a list of all the purchases I've made over the decade, and sadly, I didn't like the result. I purchased at least 350 Transformers over the course of ten years, and quite frankly, I must have paid half a grand or more on plastic.   This is the reason why I've been selling off most of my collection like mad; none of the newer toys make me happy. Dear lord, think of all the video games and systems I could have bought with that money instead.
-Of the conventions that even had stuff that was Transformers-related in it, I've never gone to a single one.   Hell, I can't go to Botcon this year, and I don't think I'll be able to go to the San Diego Comic Con (I mean, I CAN, it's all a matter of getting through the different casts fast enough). If my feet weren't deformed, I would have finalized everything by now and be on the first plane to Texas.   Well, there's still the New York Comic Con, but I'm a little iffy about going to the Big Apple.

 

As silly as it might be to say, I think collecting and customizing Transformers may have inadvertently saved my life. Whenever I'm dealing with personal or everyday issues, I go inside my walk-in closet and just stare at my collection, or I look at some of the customs I've worked on.

When you think about it, a lot of things in life are a waste of money. The same people that consider collecting to be a waste of money may not be above going to a bar and throwing down anywhere between $50-100 on drinks in a single night. Of course, the downside to that is that you never get those drinks back. With collecting, you can at least flip stuff with a fair chance at making back what you spent, if not more. I know, it's probably a piss poor comparison but still.

 

Video games and systems drop more in value than a car driven off a dealer lot. I buy games but never at full price anymore I always buy new but just a 4 or 5 months after the release. I don't think I've paid over $30 for a game in over a year the last two games I bought were $10, $5 and $3 all brand new games Mass Effect 3, Batman Arkham City & Rage.

In most cases if you don't buy a TF when it hits the shelves you could be paying almost double 6 months later.

My brother is into racing 4 wheelers talk about an expensive hobby and his old rides are worth less than half of what he paid.

 

I actually think that's a very fair comparison. I know people who go out CONSTANTLY ans spend about that much weekly on bars and clubs (if not more). I get more gratification from staying home, watching a movie, and basking in the glory of my collection. In my opinion, I think it's a waste of money to go out clubbing and bar hopping every week (hell, I have friends who do it multiple times a week even). It's even more pointless to me because I did it all through high school and college to meet girls, and now that I'm married to an awesome chick, I don't have to urge to party like I used to. Some people may think I waste my money on Transformers, but I think they waste their money on paying entry 20-30 dollar entry fees to get into a club where the drinks are ridiculously expensive and the music it too loud (and crappy these days) to even strike up a conversation with a decent girl in the first place.

I used to collect video games, but I quickly grew tired of it. After I'd beat most games, I'd rarely have the desire to even play it again and after a while, even my systems began to collect dust. Hell, my PS3 has been a Blu Ray player primarily since the year after launch, lol. Plus, at least most Transformers will appreciate in value. I've yet to come across a video game (console or otherwise) that didn't significantly lose its value over time. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but those are very few and far in between.

 

This is true. Especially, most nicotine addicts here would not even think twice about buying a TF instead of a pack of cigs. I gave up a few packs only cause I bought bots instead.

 

Half a grand? I call that Deszaras LOL 

Positives
It puts a smile on my face

Negatives
MONEY... I've quit the 3rd party/Classics game because it was just getting outragious for me. 600 dollar Devastators? Give me the G1 version and I'm done.

 

Hmmm, let's see:
1. Got my first job.
2. Met second best friend.
3. Made new good friends.
3. Hold few local festivals.
4. Discovered for myself amazing world of cinema. Seriously, before first Baymovie i was only one time in cinema. After it i was visiting cinema with friends regularly.

 

Pros: TFs have kept my imagination fuelled and my inner child content. Without either, I am nothing.

Cons: You know the feeling when you've just emptied your wallet on a TF and then something else you really want crops up? I get that very often, and I absolutely abhor it.

 

I really enjoy it to be honest. A nice hobby that is a little weird lets be honest, but if you enjoy it and it hurts no nobody. Then its all good! I've probably spent around £500 since 2007 so seems a bit, but £100 a year aint no thang

 

Good thread.

Gotta agree with alot of ppl that at 33 it keeps the inner child alive amongst the drains of getting old/pressures of life. Because I make more than I buy it gives me a more involved hobby too, something to get my teeth stuck into. I've also met and speak to alot of awesome ppl on here that I would never have done in my normal life.

It's weird tho....compared to others I wasn't a geeky kid, quite the opposite in fact but still had the love of G1 in the 80's. After growing out of it my parents stashed my entire collection (I was majorly spoilt) and I rediscovered it at my grandparents house....at that time I wasn't interested and sold the lot....boxed Fort Max and all and it wasn't until I stumbled across a pic of MP-01 that I got the bug again.

Outside of my house you would probably never peg me as a Transformers fan and my collection isn't that big compared to some around here but it's a conversation starter and ppl find it really interesting when they see my stuff.

 

Wait a minute, I don't see a disco ball with the Beeotch freshener... j/k

Awesome car and mods!  

 

Wow! I just read through all these posts. Im 32 been collecting for too many years guys and have been selling ym gifures off lowly since my wife and I bought a house in Austin. We have 2 kids. My son loves Transformers but doesn't take good care of them. they end up broken or lost. Ive given him quite a few of my figures.
As echoed time and time again money is a big issue. I can't believe I've bought any TF Prime figures but i find that I now have 5 of them when i mean to purchase 0. I gotta thank the movies for helping me curb my Tf purchasing by having so many figures i didn't like.
When i do sell my figures i sell them mega cheap because i just want them out of my house. I've been dwindling them down now for several years and holding on to a few key figures. Even some of them I've sold. (Bye G1 Shockwave!)
I really enjoyed reading this post. Its nice to hear that many people share some of the same concerns and thoughts about collecting.
Its nice to have a hobby and collecting Transformers is pretty fun and a very safe hobby. Just can be expensive.
Id love to sell off most of all my figures ideally. Ive noticed though I'm compulsive to things I'm into. Wether it be transforms, freddy gloves, comic books, cartoons, i get really into it. so that is a personal issue that isn't something every deals with but perhaps being a collector in any form is a sign one may be inclined towards a more "obsessive" tendencies.
If anything I've learned about me personally is that the hole is never filled by the figures, there will always be a better figure around the corner. So be happy with what you got or what you had and then move on. Life is too short. id rather save up for vacations for me and my family to take. plus if i sell some more figs i could get a Gokai Green Helmet made - LOL! j/k sort of... oh damn fandom! you are so alluring and addicting!  

 

thanks for reading that, I know it was a long and pseudo emo,but I believe I answered the question as honest as I could.  
so...you selling anything lol

 

collecting tfs is the only joy i have left in my life

 

Exactly. If it wasn't this stuff, it could be anime dolls.

 

turned me into an amateur hoarder   good thing i've watched seasons of the show before i turned 'pro' and it 'scared me straight' and now i'm trying to sell off my stuffs, because i realized most of the toys i bought on impulse just because they're in the store and relatively cheap, and after the initial 5 minutes fiddling they go sit in a pile until i get off my lazy ass to sort them into bins, then i don't think or touch them for months. i live in an apartment so i can't just put display shelves everywhere, so every thing goes to the bins.



i kept telling myself it's better than booze and cigs since at the end of the day i still have something physical, but it's really starting to invade my living spaces.

 

I'm a collector myself. For me it's everything in moderation as long you have taken care of the more important stuff like bills etc and have an interests outside transformers. I never want to make one thing an obsession

 

It hard to say.I guess it started as a kid with Joe.I've always collected something.Now i get to share it with my kids(they've gotten into arguements over who gets it when i'm dead....)I started a thing with my son for the last 2 years.At christmas,there is a G1 somewhere under the tree. Gave him my MIB reissued Ultra magnus and this year i stuck Soundwave in his stocking.Those are his fave. ones. I'm not sure how its affected me,i've just always collected something and to not collect.Its not a thought i entertain.