I'm half your age, and I think spending money recklessly has to do with how much you actually care for what you spend it on. If you're willing to spend $100+ on something that you kinda sorta wanted a few weeks ago, there's a problem.

 

*looks over, and copies answer*
*then types in "Japanese G1 Transformers" on eBay search*

 

Basically, I dont buy anything I cant make my money back on or at least somewhat near what I paid, so in a sense, its not reckless for me in my opinion. I'm 32.

 

I only buy once my bills are paid. My spending has gone up, mainly due to the increase in 3rd party products and commissioning several pieces...the latter being the biggest offender lately. I am nearing completion on my list of figs that I "need", so this should start to drift down over the next few months (ie about march of next year). On the plus side, my bank account stands to increase considerably in about 1.5 yrs, making my current TF budget relatively minor

 

I'm 32 and I still occasionally buy stuff, so long as I don't spend all i have before the bills are due that week. I'm also in the process of inventorying my room, seeing what I'll still use (major BW, mostly Classics/ Movie/ Animated) and the rest might go into storage, either in my shed in the backyard once I get the lawnmower and gas cans and old steamer trunk and other stuff not used out and possibly to good will (do totes suffer from melting if in a shed during high heat?) or look into public storage. Those I can part with (Movie 1 Leader Prime, Energon Autobots, unused Cybertron, DC Direct, Titanimums) would go to secondary market shops where maybe someone else can use them.

Back to the topic, I now only go for the G1 Classics (Jazz, Tracks, Windcharger, Scourge, Wreck Gar, Thunderwing, if Thundercracker is made before Movie 3, Perceptor) style characters and maybe a few HFTD figures that look good (Terradive) I buy them. Thankfully Animated is done so that's one less line to deal with, and I'll be very choosey with TF 3 and the eventual TF Prime line

 

I just turned 30 a couple months back and I find myself more wreckless. Hahahhaha. Mwuahahaha. Especially when I have other hobbies too.

 

What does recklessly mean? I'm 31, I buy the toys and video games I want, but I also pay my bills and save. I work hard, though. So buying what I enjoy and worked for doesn't seem reckless at all. Of course, I have to be cautious about the room I have to. I think the issues is what you like to spend money on. A lot of other adults I know are amused at all the toys I get, but they spend money to, just in different ways. I know a guy who has to buy every new tech gadget that's popular, another who invests in beefing up his motorcycle, guys and gals who honestly spend a ton of cash on just drinking, women who invest in large amounts of clothes and shoes, another guy who has a large assortment of sports shoes, and then a large assortment of couples who really spend every extra dime on their kids. So, everyone seems to have something they spend money on, just don't let them tell you what you spend your money on is wrong. Well, unless you do have bills and family that need those finances. Family should come first, of course.

 

That is a good question. I guess recklessly for me would mean spending money when I know I don't have it to spend. I.e. on credit, when other bills are due, things like that. I think we can all agree that we shouldn't spend recklessly, but do you still do it every now and again?

I used to sometimes for a thrill or just because I wasn't patient enough but that was before I had other people relying on me. But man, do I want to.

 

Are you living with your parents or are you ballin'?

 

This. I spend large wads on TFs, but its money I can spare. Never bill money.

 

33 and yes. Although not as many opportunities as before. I am rather looking forward to all the new stuff coming up though.

 

I'm 32 and I kind of do now, but I just recently started spending it recklessly on toys. I waited until I had a house first. Before I bought my house my #1 goal in life was to get one; so I wasn't then. I'm a lot more likely to drop $45 on a 19inch Galactus figure on a whim now; whereas as couple of years ago I'd have stuffed that extra $45 that I didn't need to eat or pay rent into my "house down payment fund."

 

35

It depends on what you mean by recklessly. if you mean full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes type thing where you do not even worry about bills or responsibilities, then no. If you mean spending way more money than I should on toys..I.E. hundreds of dollars a month, then yes.

As long as I can put some money in savings, tak ecare of my part of our living expenses, then the rest is play money as far as I am concerned.

 

I was reckless with my money about 5 years ago (when I was 30-31) and spent way too much on toys. After I married I started to rein in my spending and now I hardly buy any toys. In 2011 I will buy MP Rodimus (either 1 or 2) and be done with it. If the next MP is one that I want I will buy it too, but I will stay away from TF toys for the most part (that is if the new Universe toys aren't too tempting... I still want Classics Coneheads and TC to complete my Seekers collection).

 

32

Spending mone on toys (transformers and disney cars) isn't reckless!!

 

31. I spend less than last year, when I wasn't married. I was going crazy buying whole waves and going completionist on everything. It was just because of how new I was to "serious" collecting. Now I've run out of room on my walls for carded figures. The shelves I built are pretty much full, and I've loaded my step-kids' rooms with all they can bear. So now money is tight and so is my space. I look a lot harder now at a new repaint or movie toy before I commit. The real goal is to get off the habit of buying all the new stuff so I have money to get into the stuff I say is too expensive now, like third party stuff.

 

I should have seen this coming.   This is going in my signature.

 

I'm about to turn 32 and The bulk of my monthly spending is TFs (especially around Botcon and Tokyo Toy Show) and other toys (mostly Japanese figurines of anime girls, which tend to be especially expensive, and Busou Shinki, which isn't cheap either).

(I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid...)

 

This thread is making me want to collect less. I'm at the point where I have such a large collection, I don't know what to do with it all. 33 here.

 

I just buy one or two figures at a time. Pacing yourself is key. For me, it works like this: when a wave of toys comes out, I figure out which toys are probably going to sell out the fastest. (At this particular time, that's Dirge and Red Alert.) Those are the ones I jump on immediately. Alternately, I look at whether or not the line in question is coming to an end, and if so, how likely is it that the toys will remain on the shelf long (such as with Universe Ratchet, Inferno, and Hot Shot.)

If the toy does not fall into those categories, and I have a reasonable expectation that they will be available at reasonable prices for longer, then I put off buying and just acquire them as is convenient.

As an example: this week, I'm buying Dirge and Red Alert. In two weeks, I'll pick up Straxus. After that, Thunderwing and Skullgrin.

It's all about pacing.