how do you set limits for yourself?.are you obsessed?

[vhal_x]

I'm obsessed. I'm constantly thinking of ways (or, trying to think of ways) to work my money to get as many CEs out of it as possible.

I buy pretty much every CE that comes out (if I can afford to) as most games I like, and if I don't, chances are my boyfriend does, so with him being a collector too, we pick up most CEs there is.

We've had to miss out on a few CEs already this year, not major ones, but still ones I'd have liked to get (Rayman, LOTR, etc), but as we were not prepared (this is my first year of collecting, so have never experienced the sudden extreme influx of games in this short amount of time (Mid-August to December), so had no savings put away, ready for the CEs.

However, next year, I have a game plan. Myself and my boyfriend are saving up from the start of the year, up until September (since August only has a couple, we'll be able to get them AND save) and then, from September, we will buy CEs like we did this year, out of our money (not the savings), but any ones we can't afford, we will just dip into the savings to purchase

This may sound extreme, but I really am caught in the grip of collecting. To the extent where we are looking for a bigger house, simply due to the fact of "the CEs don't have enough room"

Also, next year, even if we don't save, we'd be able to afford more than we can this year, as this year I've had to pay off debt to the damn electricity company (their fault, not mine ) and we've also had to buy lots of things for the house (it's our first year in our own home, also). Oh, and my boyfriends tattoo has used up quite a bit of money (over a grand!) and I've had to owe my mum a bit of money too as she has helped me out with buying things when we've not yet been paid/whatever

Ah, I'm rambling. But CEs are a big part of me now, and they always will be, so as long as I'm happy collecting, I'm fine with being "obsessed", I look at it in the sense of, I purchase CEs with money, not by using Credit Cards.

I know some of you have admitted to using Credit Cards, and I think that it mainly where the problem lies, as it spirals out of control (and it does for most of us), you realise, "oh but I can just get that on credit, oh and that one too, oh, might aswell get that one aswell" and then you just put yourself into debt doing something you love, and the debt will turn it into something you hate.

Just my opinion on it, but if there's ever a point when I need to get a Credit Card to fund my CE habit, then I think I'll force myself to quit completely, because as much as I love CEs, I do not want to get myself in debt over them.

If I need a credit card to get myself a "holy grail" CE on the other hand (like if I hadn't yet been paid and I figured it was my only chance to get it), fair enough, I'd probably get one then, pay it off within the month, and then cancel/close the credit card, to ensure I don't use it for anything else.

Phew, I wrote a book... But yeah, that's how I feel. A bit rambly and shit, but yeah, that's my take on my "addiction".

[AJLareneg]

Originally Posted by vhal_x

I know some of you have admitted to using Credit Cards, and I think that it mainly where the problem lies, as it spirals out of control (and it does for most of us), you realise, "oh but I can just get that on credit, oh and that one too, oh, might aswell get that one aswell" and then you just put yourself into debt doing something you love, and the debt will turn it into something you hate.

Just my opinion on it, but if there's ever a point when I need to get a Credit Card to fund my CE habit, then I think I'll force myself to quit completely, because as much as I love CEs, I do not want to get myself in debt over them.

If I need a credit card to get myself a "holy grail" CE on the other hand (like if I hadn't yet been paid and I figured it was my only chance to get it), fair enough, I'd probably get one then, pay it off within the month, and then cancel/close the credit card, to ensure I don't use it for anything else.

Phew, I wrote a book... But yeah, that's how I feel. A bit rambly and shit, but yeah, that's my take on my "addiction".

Only collection item I have used my credit card on is buying my replica amp, but seeing as how I got it for less than half the selling price as the one that recently sold....I think it was worth it.

Also, in an ideal world I wouldn't have a credit card. I don't have much savings, and unfortunately thousands of dollars in car repairs (which ultimately ended with me buying a new one ) and medical bills these past few years have dumped a lot on me. I could probably be using more collection money to pay it off but.... i like things. lol.

so yea. i'd prefer not to have a card, and i never ever use it except for emergencies (...and cole's amp counts ok) or in instances when i can save some money using it, and then i just pay it off at the end of the month. (like my amazon card sometimes :I)

otherwise i'd try to recommend avoiding them if at all possible but its not always possible for everyone.