The Energon Pub

Diem,

First off, your thoughts and feelings on this are far more common than you might believe. This thread should be a bit of a hint at that.

You have to separate the two things you are dealing with though. The first is the habit of buying and the second is the volume. They are related, but really different issues.

The habit of checking stores and thinking about acquiring all the time is probably the tougher thing to deal with. We all do it, well the ones who collect large volumes of toys. Changing the habit is tough. My advice is to purchase all your new stuff online. Use BBTS or HTS and get a whole wave a once. Take away the need to hunt at all. Even if you're knocking out only 2-3 trips a week. You'll get more comfortable with not stopping by as the fear of losing out will pass.

In regards to volume, this has its own challenge. If you don't have a "goal" for collecting, establishing one is the first thing to do. "All" is not a goal. It's unsustainable. If you don't believe me, start collecting Mini-Cons. We'll race. It'll be fun. (it won't) Point is, if you like Classics, collect Classics and be satisfied. Don't buy toys you really don't want to display along side them. Dark of the Moon is going to be a goat of a toy line. I've seen it. There's a LOT of crap coming our way. Use that as practice to cut down.

In terms of how much you spend and getting crazy with exclusives and rare items, my advice, and what has worked for me is to find a secondary interest. Collect something else. What this will do is put perspective and competition to the prices on Transformers. Some toys don't look as good for $120 when you can get a statue or other rare item of interest.

Lastly, one thing that has worked really well for me is seeing my toys on display en mass. Why that helps is that I can see the differences in quality and worthiness. Space is limited and toys these days need to be worth landing that space on my shelves.

In answer to Diem: yes, I'm afraid it really does sound like you are addicted to buying Transformers. I am not being snarky or anything, but the way you describe your emotions and attitude when hunting for Transformers (mood worsening and buying of alternatives when you can't find what you're looking for) do sound like it's becoming a problem, which you might want to take seriously, even if at the moment it is not a problem financially.

I too have to cope with an addiction to buying Transformers (and Lego). Last year especially I went overboard with my spending, mostly on e-Bay, buying up G1 'grails' like Star Saber, Victory Leo, Overlord, Thunderwing, Trypticon, Dreadwing, Darkwind etc.. At first, the fun is in winning the auction and expecting the package, but after a while I was starting to almost dread getting another package, feeling ashamed that the postman was visiting my house almost every two / three days.

I decided to quit around Christmas, not buying anything on eBay for over a month, which really did make me feel good, not worrying about packages coming through or not, not having to pay extra duties on already expensive items. I did still have a pretty large BBTS PoL waiting, which had to be shipped around the end of January, and at first I kind of hated that it was still looming over me, with a couple of items that I didn't actually really want anymore but which felt good to buy at the time. Still, that package did reach me recently and now it is serving me another good service which Mykltron also mentioned earlier: it is providing me with an already paid source of Transformers 'for a rainy day'. This is most definitely helping me to cope not buying TF's at the moment, and the good thing is that I have them in external storage, which means I have to go to a bit of trouble to get my new TF's (mostly new RtS and Generations TF's by the way). Sure, financially speaking it doesn't make a difference, because I've already paid for these items, but 'emotionally', it means a much reduced need to go out and buy new stuff, and keeps me of e-Bay, which is most important. Also, because some of the items I bought are just not that great, it helps me get some sense of perspective: it's not always worth it to get everything just because its available.

Also, I have to agree with Counterpunch's post right above mine: it's practically impossible to collect everything, and it is mostly not even worth it. Let's face it, there's quite a bit of chaff among the corn when it comes to Transformers, even if the Classics / Universe / RtS / Generations liness have a reasonably high ratio of hits to misses. Like Counterpunch mentions, the DotM line looks like a pretty complete loss, as far as I'm concerned, and I've already made my own resolution to not buy any of these, in contrast to the earlier movie lines, where I did buy quite a few, and most of which I now regret.

I have to say, this thread hit a nerve. I know the feelings Diem describes and have felt them and done the same things.

This is a problem in more than just our hobby tho. I have relatives and friends who collect all kinds of things, adding items to their collections to make themselves feel better after a bad day, bad relationship or just because. It's the same thing, tho, and maybe more a product of our culture (speaking as an American) than anything else.

Some inner dissatisfaction with life? In my case I know that's it. When I have satisfaction in other areas of my life, I have less craving for new Transformers. I still appreciate them but I don't chase them down.

The problem may need to be addressed by looking within and finding what it is you really want to be doing in life. It won't mean you stop enjoying Transformers but it might mean you find more fulfillment than just the quick "fix" of a new acquisition.

Prime Riblet wrote:Some people go out and drink every night or go gambling all the time, so I think Transformers are a pretty benign addiction.

I am SO agreed with this. Yes, there are a lot of people spending a lot of money drink, smoking, partying, etc. There are more ways people put their money on many meaningless things and those money just go and won't come back. Think about toys, at least they will have some values return (even donation, you know there are values for some one else) if someday you don't want them all.

People needs hobby, otherwise life is boring. We have a friend and her husband bought 3 firetrucks already. Yes! 3 FUNCTIONAL FIRETRUCKS. He does nothing at them but just put them at the cabin. Occasionally may drive them when some parades come up but maybe only once or twice a year. They also spend countless money on never-take-good-care-and-die-very-soon tropical fishes. Not the tetra types of easy care tropical fishes, the crown fish type of sea water tropical fishes. One nemo can cost about few deluxe figures and it died in few weeks if you don't take good care of them. Think about we leave those figures on the shelf getting dust.

By the way, I thought I will not be interested in getting FP Protector set and Sidearm but I just ordered them. I also thought I will not get Universe/ROTF Superion set but I also just get them and ordered FP aerial team add-on kit..........................

Pontimax 01 wrote:Sometimes I buy figures I don't even care for to get a fix. Does this count?

Yeah, that counts...

I try to limit my spending with TFs as much as possible. I set limits. I don't buy Legends, the simplified versions... but when it comes to certain lines like Classics and now RTS/Generations, my wallet just opens up. I do make sure my bills are paid up, first and I set aside money for my retirement, though.

But still... I sometimes buy to have something to fiddle with.

I have to say I feel no guilt about collecting.Im 31 have a good job and a wife.we own our house and I have my own collection room.she supports my collection(she collects some stuff herself)we both get out and socialise plenty... having many friends who think my collection rocks.

however if I didnt have all of the above I may feel some guilt about it.

"I used to do a little but a little wouldn't do it so the little more and more. I just keep trying to get a little better said a little better than before."

Transformers can be addicting just like anything that satisfies you. I believe it produces the same chemical responses in your brain as drugs. But I am no doctor so what do I know.

I also find myself anxious between waves when nothing is on the shelfs but stuff that I already have. I also find myself wearing shoes and clothes to the point of disintegration because buying new stuff is money that can be better spent on Transformers.

I do pay my bills but sometimes move stuff around to accomodate my habit. I even have a fairly significant balance on my credit card from Transformers but I have a plan to pay that down (just as soon as they quit making the little plastic bastards J/K).

Well firstly I'm glad that this conversation is being handled maturely and free of snark and secondly I appreciate having had the opportunity to get this all off my chest.

No-one else in my life is a collector of anything so I don't really have any litmus of what would be normal and what would be extreme behaviour. It's good to hear that others here also indulge in impulse buys and stop-gap purchases.

For those people who've sounded especially concerned for me, I feel almost as if I over-dramatized my opening post. My mood does worsen when I can't find a figure I want but that bad mood isn't depression, anger or hostility; more like frustration at having wasted my time and mild jealousy of other fans who have easier access to better stores. Similarly when I talk about buying alternate figures when I can't find the ones I want I'm still not buying indiscriminately; I can't think of a purchase within the last year or so I regret.

That said, looking back on this in the cold light of day rather than the slightly wine-fuelled haze of evening I feel like there's definitely room for improvement in my purchasing habits and having this conversation has strengthened my resolve. I won't get Alternity Thundercracker. I won't try to hunt down Classics Skywarp solely to fill the little gap between Classics Starscream and Generations Kup. Once I have Wreck-gar, my last grail for now, I'm going to use my disinterest in the DOTM and Prime lines as an opportunity to re-examine my spending priorities.

Thank you everyone. I hope that this thread is helping you as much as it is helping me.

Good for you, Diem. Prioritize and scale back.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:Transformers can be addicting just like anything that satisfies you. I believe it produces the same chemical responses in your brain as drugs. But I am no doctor so what do I know.

I am actually very interested in the brain chemicals. I believe in this case you are referring to Dopamine. This is the feel-good juice that your brain doses out to you as a reward for achievements. Unfortunately, the human brain is a really bad judge of what achievements are. So while dopamine is produced for worthwhile achievements (finishing tasks, eating, finally writing to your mother after all this time, she's worried sick) it's also produced for ridiculous achievements (picking scabs, peeling labels off bottles, buying Transformers).

While having no dopamine is a terrible thing (your motivation plummets to the point where you can't even be bothered to eat food) it's fairly easy for humans to become addicted to dopamine. Almost all people have some kind of addiction to it though some are manifested in healthier ways than others. Some people who are go-getters or competitive are literally addicted to success and the happy brain juice it brings. Video-gaming, collecting, shopping, eating, reading, blogging...all of these behaviours have dopamine to thank or curse to a certain extent.

I am terrible at this hobby. I get a desire to complete things in nearly every aspect of my life. Being a completionist in this hobby is hell, take it from me for trying. I deliberately avoided buying MP Rodimus, as he would have been my first Japanese MP, and I'm not ready to start going balls deep in the MP line.

I've started very carefully picking and choosing my battles by working on individual lines, sub-lines, or concepts.

However, I've got a lot of irons in the fire, as it were (I'll win at cliches yet):

Finish Microns/Minicons (need White Hellflame team, Quasar, Ito Yokado Crush, Sonic Attack Team, Aqua Raider Team, Hazard Team, BC 2008 Divebomb, BC 2008 Razorclaw, Space Galaxy Team)
Finish Superlink Exclusive Weapons (need Daylight Cutter, Clear Deep Blue Spear, Rodeo Magenta Spear, Copper Energy Raiden)
Finish Robot Masters (need Black Starscream, Black Lio Convoy, Lio Convoy, Shiny Prime, Victory Saber Gift Set, Black Convoy, Clear Red Arsenal Force)
Finish Henkei (need 9 figures)

After that, I'll probably try to finish the "Interesting" Japanese Animated (EZ exclusives, Exclusive Activators, etc) followed by Beast Machines (need about 10 figures) and the Movie 1 Japanese Exclusives.

I think part of the problem is that I use Shmax to manage my collection, and I get a warm fuzzy burst of dopamine when I can turn a category green for "Complete".

My mother calls this the "Theme Toy Craze". I think my parents are partly responsible for this and started me at a REALLY YOUNG age collecting.

My Father bought me a ton of Star Wars toys which I think were more for him then me when I was born. We accumalated quite a ammount of Stars Wars toys along with Hot Wheels / Slot cars until I was about 3. Then Transformers was released and my house was full of over a 100 within 2 years LOL. I mean they bought every damn figure there was. My Father had a questionable business practice at the time so money was not a issue.

My mother and father had a falling out and my Mom packed my brother and I into a VW bus with whatever toys she could gather and left Maryland for FL. Most of my toys were left behind including the trailer to my Rodimus Prime . My Father came down for about a year and bought me several figures and headmasters and some ghostbusters toys. My mother remarried a year later and she chose a man who did not believe in toys and took it upon himself to destroy them all over the years. I lost my entire transformers collection.

I was then forced to read books all day and not allowed to play video games or anything although we owned a nintendo , It resided in my step fathers trunk. Toys purchases were limited to times my mother could sneak them and transformers had died out with only little mini robots being released we would find at the woolworths or circus world. Losing interest in tiny robots I started collecting Ninja Turtles Toys. These figures held up against the fury of my step father when he would try to break them. The Transformers who died in the previous altercations seemed easier to break. Thankfully my Ninja Turtles and then Jurrasic Park toys survived the Holocaust.

Move forward I am emancipated at 16 years old and live on my own. I start working in a comic shop hunting toys and get into Star Wars toys again and am hooked. I even get OJT credit in high school for working at the Comic Shop. I then have a falling out with the owner and forever lose interest in Star Wars toys and then move onto the next THEME TOY PHASE.

Call it what you will but video games are toys. I was then a 18 year old kid who just watched the Phantom Menace come to the Movies and totally ruin Star Wars for me. I actually purchased a Jar Jar Binks and poored Nitroglycerine on him and watched him MELT! Riding down the road smoking a huge blunt. Yes I said it BLUNT. I stumbled upon a place that sold Arcade Machines. And Arcade games are BIG EXPENSIVE TOYS. I went in asking if they had a Neo Geo , A System which I would play at the local corner store because I lacked a video game system in my home although we owned several by that time. . They told me no and I asked if I could check out what they had in the back and she came back 10 mins later with one of their techs. Going back To the warehouse they had quite a bit of cabinets and low and behold 6 neo geos. I bought the nicest 4 Slot Neo Geo cab and started a 4 million dollar hobby.

I Swear to god I spent every dime I made for 10 years on Arcade games. I must of bought over 10,000 different arcade games in my life. It was my goal to collect them all and then I did.I even had all the different region and revisons of the boards. I collected the posters , the artwork , the flyers and any other misc BS that there was.It was the Biggest money waster in the world. Stay away from that hobby unless you are DEDICATED. I was so dedicated I made it a business. As you know the Arcade Scene is dead so I have no business. LOL , For Arcade games go the MAME route and then see me for everything else you cannot get going in MAME. I have it ALL!!!!

Currently I am unemployed and the only thing I collect is Transformers Generations and Reveal The Shield figures which I am almost finished collecting. I live off of my Arcade collection. I sell several games a month if I can and pay the bills buy a few console games and Transformers. My GF bought me a 25th Optimus Prime for Xmas and it was what got me back into Transformers. I love this hobby. It feels like hunting for Star Wars toys again. It is a really cool hobby and you should never feel ashamed of it and share it with as many people as possible. You would be suprised who would enjoy it. They are like little puzzles and I think its the best toy out there from a engineering standpoint.

Obviously G1 Transformers means alot to me in many ways due to it being associated with my upbringing. One day I hope to have every figure I ever owned returned to me in one form or another. The updates actually satisfy my Character need of a Toy. Like now that I have Rodimus from the 2 pack I am not feeling the need to purchase a G1 version. I still will get one but these figures fill gaps that I am trying to fill in more ways then one.



One way or another we are always collecting something as humans. Memories are the ones we will always have with us.

I do not spend wrecklessly and by most standards my collection is still very small. The main reason why both of those statements is true (for the time being anyway) is because my collection is very narrow and focused. I don't collect everything under the sun. Right now I only collect TF: Animated, Masterpiece (as long as they remain G1 characters), and Classics/Henkei/Universe/Generations figures that are G1 or G1 hommages. I will also buy any G1 re-issues that come out but I don't/won't go after G1 originals.

I do consider this collecting to be a hobby. As such, I hate buying new figures online. I like the thrill of the hunt. Seeing the figures on the store shelves and bringing them home and tearing the boxes open is what its all about. The online part of the hobby for me is finding the out of production figure at a decent price to backfill my collection with the figures that I missed back when I wasn't collecting. There is also a certain thrill to the online hunt as well but they are two different hunts for sure.

Usually, I can forget about being addicted because due to my collection habits the addict in me stays subdued. However, my addiction rears its ugly head in the not-so-often played out scenario of finding many figures that I need/want at the same place and at the same time where I have to decide which figures to get and which to leave until next time to spare my wallet.

The last time this happened was back in July. I was out of town for work and had new stores to explore. I wondered into a Kmart and there I saw the biggest stockpile of TF:A figures I'd seen since the show was on. But by July most of the TF:A figures were gone in most stores everywhere except this Kmart. There were 7 figures that I needed for my collection there, 2 voyagers and 5 deluxes. Getting all 7 would not have been good for my budget. But I was in a store that I would never be in again and they had figures that I knew I would probably never see in any store again. I had to decide which figures were coming home with me and which were staying.

I grabbed the two voyagers, that was the easy part. Being choosing between the deluxes was extremely difficult. I literally (not exaggerating) stood staring at the shelves for an hour and a half trying to decide which ones I was going to buy. It took every ounce of inner strength I had not to walk out of that store with all of them. I eventually settled and left with my choices. However, weeks went by before I got over the irritation of not being able to get them all. And, as predicted, I never saw those figures for sale again anywhere since.

If I go to a store and see one or two figures that I need, I cannot walk out without them. I just can't. It is a matter of survival and sanity that I keep my collection narrow and focused. But I enjoy it. I look at my collection a couple times a day. It sits in my computer room where I spend a good amount of my time. I go in there to do other things but sometimes I get distracted just admiring my collection and remembering my youth. My collection, while small and unimpressive to most, has brought me alot of joy and has been worth every penny I have put into it thus far.

I used to be terrible, HOWEVER after my son was born I pretty much had a reality check. Now I only get what I really, really want and most of the time I have to save for it.

I was spending obscene amounts when I was playing catch up and rebuilding my G1 collection. I wasn't spending beyond my means, but it was still a staggering amount each month for several months. Now that I'm pretty well caught up it's not so bad. I'm sure if my friends and family knew the actual amount I had spent they would think I had gone off the deep end. To be honest I'm glad to not be buying so much at the moment, it doesn't bother me at all to leave toy aisle empty handed.

El Duque wrote:I was spending obscene amounts when I was playing catch up and rebuilding my G1 collection.

I won $10,000 playing powerball a few years ago and most of that went to buying Transformers over the last few years playing catch up.

I am pretty strict about what I buy. This tends to keep the numbers down a bit. However, I have the same concern about certain things that I do want. I irritates me more than it should when I can't find a figure I am looking for it at retail (thank you Wreck-gar and Perceptor). I stop in TRU, Target, and Walmart every time I pass them Sometimes that's more than once per week.

My collection doesn't have a negative effect on my finances, but sometimes I think there could be some other things I could have spent money on. For example, Animated seemed like a great idea at the time and I enjoyed buying them. Now I look at them and think maybe I would rather have that money back. Especially since they have now made Classics that better resemble the G1 characters.

I refuse to let my collection interupt my social life. I certainly don't miss out on doing things because of my spending or searching for toys. I think that is when you start to have a problem.

Coming into the hobby when and how I did has been somewhat difficult. I found Transformers again in 2008 after seeing the new movie for the first time and seeing Transformers toys on the shelves. I started collecting when I discovered the Universe line was made up of new representations of classic characters, the ones I had watched on TV as a kid.

Eventually, I discovered Classics, which I had to go back and complete (with Devastator). That got a bit dicey, as I was paying aftermarket prices for those (though I'm glad I did it then, as the prices have only gone up - I got Magnus/Skywarp MISB for $30!). I've also become a huge fan of FansProject, and I've started in on G1 reissues and Masterpiece.

Not gonna lie, it's gotten a bit hairy a times, especially when I see things all at once. For instance, in regards to G1 reissues, I spent heavily back around Thanksgiving for Metroplex, Sky Lynx, and Omega Supreme at the same time the preorder for Predaking came in. I get in a bit of state sometimes, not because I don't have something, but because if I don't get it now, I'll never see it again and end up paying aftermarket. This is a bigger problem for me than not finding figures for a period of time.

However, I do try and keep myself in check. I do not use a credit card when I go to Target or Walmart - cash only, to help keep myself from buying their entire stock. I generally stay away from eBay entirely, except when I know that I will not have any purchases elsewhere (usually meaning no eBaying when I have things preordered). I've also picked one line as my main focus (Classics) that dictates how I spend my money. I've not yet picked up Masterpiece Grimlock, much as I would like to, but at the moment Generations is my primary collecting line that's available, so I'm just going to wait.

Frankly, I'm looking forward to DotM. It'll give me a rest on Generations figures, time to save money for future purchases, and a chance to pick up some other things.

All in all, I'm generally good with my hobby. I have moments where I kinda go crazy, but the sight of the credit card bill soon afterwards is a good incentive not to do that again.

(I hope that all made sense, as in rereading it I feel like it's kinda all over the place. )

Diem wrote:

Lapse Of Reason wrote:
If what you enjoy is also making you feel shame and guilt, then it is time to reconsider what you are doing. Unload some of the burden and set limits. It gets easier over time.

I feel shame about this hobby on a fundamental level though. My parents, sibling, wife and friends certainly know that I'm collecting but as cool as they are with it I don't feel cool about it. I've always felt self-conscious about the fact that I'm an adult collecting children's toys and that I'm spending money on things that are ultimately not functional.

I'm not hunting sympathy or trying to belittle collecting here. This is just the reality of how I feel.

You ain't alone, my friend. I'm the same way when it comes to self-consciousness. Even WAY before Bay's TF movies, I'd been interested in TF's as a adult, but never worked up the guts to buy one lest someone I know [from the gym of ex-college mates] saw me at the counter, because they know I don't have a kid.

It was only after I discovered a hobby store where everyone my age went to buy collectibles that I started buying stuff I hadn't bought since my childhood.

I never go to TRU's or departmental stores unless I'm really crazy about a certain TF, and the hobby store's sold out.

As for over-spending, the main thing that drives me to spend more than I think I should is the availability [or lack of] of certain TF's. Having missed some of my favorite TF's in the past, I tend to hasty decisions on purchases in case it gets sold out.

But I guess that's more of a problem with indecision rather than addiction.

I typically find myself overspending when I'm stressed out or depressed about things. Don't get me wrong though, I'll buy things I shouldn't plenty of other times too. I will say though, I sold my convertible a few years ago and don't golf very much so I don't think my spending is that out of line with what other people spend on their hobbies/past times.

However, I'm focusing on cutting back by trying no longer buying with a credit card, only with cash I have. It has been helping somewhat. I'm also trying to save more for my kid's college funds so that keeps my mind in the right place when it comes to spending.

I think the key question here is:

If:

1 ) You finally got all the figures from the past you wanted, whether G1 or Beast Wars or Unicron Trilogy or whatever, even Go-Bots and Macross and all other transforming robots,

and

2 ) Hasbro and Takara stopped making the Transformers line entirely...

Would you be satisfied and move on, as "Gotta catch 'em all" has turned into "Caught 'em all", or would your need to collect move on to other things to collect?

Depending on how you can answer that would be the best way to tell if you're addicted or not.

Valandar wrote:I think the key question here is:

If:

1 ) You finally got all the figures from the past you wanted, whether G1 or Beast Wars or Unicron Trilogy or whatever, even Go-Bots and Macross and all other transforming robots,

and

2 ) Hasbro and Takara stopped making the Transformers line entirely...

Would you be satisfied and move on, as "Gotta catch 'em all" has turned into "Caught 'em all", or would your need to collect move on to other things to collect?

Depending on how you can answer that would be the best way to tell if you're addicted or not.

Well... I actually do have a complete collection of all M.A.S.K. vehicles released (although not including the prototypes). It was a relief to finally have everything in that toy line, and not have to worry any more about acquiring the stuff I still needed to get. Luckily M.A.S.K. was a relatively short-lived toyline, although I'm still hoping for a live action movie and a new toyline!
What is worrying, perhaps, is that once I had M.A.S.K. complete (about 10 years ago), I moved on to collecting Star Wars Lego... And when it became relatively easy to keep up with that toy line, I moved on to Transformers.

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:As for over-spending, the main thing that drives me to spend more than I think I should is the availability [or lack of] of certain TF's. Having missed some of my favorite TF's in the past, I tend to hasty decisions on purchases in case it gets sold out.

I think this can be a significant issue to a casual Transformer collector. You really have to make your spending decisions well ahead of time if you want to avoid kicking yourself later on.

On the other hand, if you end up preordering/buying a bunch of figures you don't want, then what are you really accomplishing with your collection?

alldarker wrote:Well... I actually do have a complete collection of all M.A.S.K. vehicles released

Holy crap, really? Even T-bob and the Split Seconds? That's awesome!

8 bit wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:As for over-spending, the main thing that drives me to spend more than I think I should is the availability [or lack of] of certain TF's. Having missed some of my favorite TF's in the past, I tend to hasty decisions on purchases in case it gets sold out.

I think this can be a significant issue to a casual Transformer collector. You really have to make your spending decisions well ahead of time if you want to avoid kicking yourself later on.

On the other hand, if you end up preordering/buying a bunch of figures you don't want, then what are you really accomplishing with your collection?

You've got a point there. The thing is that I also collect other more expensive collectible figs as well, which almost doubles the pressure when making a decision.

I don't usually find myself buying stuff I don't want, but actually having to make a decision on which ones I want MORE.