Do you have a monthly budget for buying cards?

lawnmowermanswife · July 26, 2007 7:29AM

Do you have a set amount per month you try not to go over when buying cards or do you just spend willy nilly?

Also, do you spend money you already have (cash, checking account) or do you make all your card purchases on credit cards?

nam812 · July 26, 2007 7:31AM

I've spent willy once, but never nilly.

I wish I had an unlimited budget like the one Matt has. Oooooops I meant a $12 budget like Matt has.

rube26105 · July 26, 2007 7:36AM

yeah cash,as much as i can lol-depending on what coming out,never charge as you will never get out of debt on some of those cards!
randy

lawnmowermanswife · July 26, 2007 7:36AM

<< I've spent willy once, but never nilly.

I wish I had an unlimited budget like the one Matt has. Oooooops I meant a $12 budget like Matt has.

>>

rube26105 · July 26, 2007 7:38AM

i was fine once, but i wasnt dandy, i was fine & dandy once back in 1965 for about an hour, but nobody asked, and i coulda told em -fine and dandy lol
randy

CDsNuts · July 26, 2007 7:44AM

Are you trying to get us to settle a bet between you and Matt?

MuckyMutt · July 26, 2007 7:47AM

I have a budget, but I forgot how much it is because I always go over.

I always use my credit card because it's easier, I have extra buyer protection, and I always pay it in full every month. I like the convenience.

The only way I slow down on buying cards is when I delete all the auctions I am watching on Ebay.

I just wish I had near as much as Matt to spend on cards.

stown · July 26, 2007 7:53AM

Pffffffht!

This month's budget went bye-bye many, many, MANY hundreds ago.

lawnmowermanswife · July 26, 2007 7:53AM

<< Are you trying to get us to settle a bet between you and Matt? >>

No Lee you pot stirrer.

Actually, we both just buy things when we want them and were thinking about setting a monthly budget for those things instead. He brought it up first actually.

nam812 · July 26, 2007 7:56AM

Suuuuuuuuure he did.

Barfvader · July 26, 2007 8:00AM

No budget.

Most of my eBay purchases are from browsing auctions and buy it nows and if I see anything that interests me and I can afford it I will bid or buy it.

Jeff

mikeschmidt · July 26, 2007 8:08AM

No-

I don't buy any cards at all.

Nothing to see here, move along.

I only sell cards.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it

CDsNuts · July 26, 2007 8:11AM

If you have the financial means to do so, there's nothing wrong with buying stuff whenever you want to, unless it gets out of hand. That's pretty much how I go about it. I don't want to be sitting in a restaurant trying to talk myself out of ordering a steak because of the price. Life's too short.

Lee

goose3 · July 26, 2007 8:13AM

no budget.

I spend nothing many months and then along comes one like I'm having now where I've picked up a Gehrig for my set.....

Her money is her money and mine is mine.

Best advice I could ever give to anyone getting married is to keep your money separate.

We each have our own bills. She gives me a set amount out of each of her checks and I take care of all of hers. Anything she has left she can burn for all I care.

It helps that we have zero credit card debt and 2 pretty new vehicles and only 1 small payment on hers.

kingraider75 · July 26, 2007 8:14AM

Use to spend willy-nilly, now I rarely buy cards. So now the limit is about $100 a month, max. Use to be about $600 max.

Goot · July 26, 2007 8:29AM

I just splurged and bought a $50 box of 2005 diamond kings so that right there comes within a few bucks of a record month for me. But oh yeah, I'm 16 and newly unemployed.

cohocorp · July 26, 2007 8:36AM

anyone who has almost had his fingers almost chopped off while pruning bushes to make the house look nice for his awesome wife should have a budget of around $5,000 per month. that kind of dedication must be rewarded.

SoonerCowboy · July 26, 2007 8:39AM

I try to only spend about $20 or so a month. Yes, I know that's not very much but hey, I have bills too.

F1ferrari · July 26, 2007 8:39AM

My wife and I pile all our income into one account (well, except what goes into savings), and everything comes out of that. We pay all the bills and buy groceries and then if there is any left over, we can splurge a little. Her a few new clothes, me some cards. That way, we're both happy and fed.

Griffins · July 26, 2007 9:55AM

What is a budget?
nah, never mind, I really don't want to know.

Teknobailey · July 26, 2007 9:59AM

HAHA, It's funny, my fiancee asked me this same question...

"And how much per month should we figure for your little card thingies?"

"My little card thingies" I said

HAHAHA

Stingray · July 26, 2007 10:02AM

I feel kind of funny answering this, like I am ratting Matt out or something.

I spend about $40 a month on cards.

lawnmowermanswife · July 26, 2007 10:03AM

<< My wife and I pile all our income into one account (well, except what goes into savings), and everything comes out of that. We pay all the bills and buy groceries and then if there is any left over, we can splurge a little. Her a few new clothes, me some cards. That way, we're both happy and fed.

>>

That's exactly how it is here. Cards and clothes.

<< anyone who has almost had his fingers almost chopped off while pruning bushes to make the house look nice for his awesome wife should have a budget of around $5,000 per month. that kind of dedication must be rewarded >>

Ha! The finger vs. hedge trimmer was done at work not home so it doesn't count

If anything I should get the bigger allowance, I've birthed all these youngins!

lawnmowermanswife · July 26, 2007 10:05AM

<< I feel kind of funny answering this, like I am ratting Matt out or something.

>>

No worries, I don't follow his card purchases with a magnifieing(sp?) glass.

Allen · July 26, 2007 10:12AM

Most all of the cards I buy are to sell or to trade for something I can sell. There are cards I buy for my collection, but I buy with profits. I am not married, but there have been several times that a girlfriend has been with me when I have spent or collected $1,000+ and it takes me a while to explain to them how the system works haha.

lawnmowerman · July 26, 2007 10:24AM

<< anyone who has almost had his fingers almost chopped off while pruning bushes to make the house look nice for his awesome wife should have a budget of around $5,000 per month. that kind of dedication must be rewarded. >>

This is the coolest thing I have ever heard! Where did you attain such great knowledge cohocorp?

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · July 26, 2007 10:27AM

<< Most all of the cards I buy are to sell or to trade for something I can sell. There are cards I buy for my collection, but I buy with profits. I am not married, but there have been several times that a girlfriend has been with me when I have spent or collected $1,000+ and it takes me a while to explain to them how the system works haha. >>

I am in the same boat. I get a around $20 a month to spend. With that I do as you do and then buy what I want when I have a little extra. Once in a while She will see a check I get in the mail for say $100 and say "Oh lets go to dinner". Yeah right, you know how many flips/time it took to make that? Harder than my job.

pandrews · July 26, 2007 10:29AM

willy nilly, if that means i dont have a set budget.. i try to sell a lot of stuff so i can keep spending.. but sometimes its whatever i can sneak into the house and out of the wallet..

Tedw9 · July 26, 2007 10:33AM

<< If you have the financial means to do so, there's nothing wrong with buying stuff whenever you want to, unless it gets out of hand. That's pretty much how I go about it. I don't want to be sitting in a restaurant trying to talk myself out of ordering a steak because of the price. Life's too short.

Lee >>

I agree with this 100%. That is one of the many lessons I learned from my Dad, life is too short, enjoy it.

No, I have no set amount and I buy only what I can afford. I only use a credit card when I have the cash and am making a larger purchase (for the protection), and then I put the cash right on the card. Otherwise it comes from my checking account so I can keep track of it. I've got a great lady like Matt, she has no problem with my hobby as long as the bills are paid.

mandeld · July 26, 2007 11:17AM

$1000/month max. But I don't usually break $500...

colebear · July 26, 2007 11:30AM

<< HAHA, It's funny, my fiancee asked me this same question...

"And how much per month should we figure for your little card thingies?"

"My little card thingies" I said

HAHAHA >>

Are you engaged to my girlfriend?

jmbkb4 · July 26, 2007 11:34AM

No.

Fortunately, I'm one of those anal people who actually spends LESS on cards than his wife thinks he should. Right now, I'm obsessed with putting money aside for the kids' college funds and their trust.

BunchOBull · July 26, 2007 11:45AM

I put 25% of my income into a high yield saving account that I don't touch. Why I don't touch it, I don't know, but I'll need it for important stuff one day. I put another 25% into a savings account attached to my bank account, that's were I save for big purchases like vacations, splurging on cards and other things, so on, so forth. The other 50% is in my bank account to pay the bills, eat, take the lady friend out, that kind of thing. Every month or so, if I have more in the bank account than I need to live for the next month, I split the surplus between my two savings accounts. I like doing it this way, I've almost cut $30k in student loans in half in 11 months living like this, and that's 11 months on a 30 year note. I figure in no more than 2 years I'll be debt free, if I can stay unmarried between now and then. I know a couple who paid off their 15 year mortgage on a $75k home in a little over 3 years living this way. My girlfriend and I both have a college education, but our salaries are separated by almost $50k a year. If we were to get married, I'm not sure how I'll manage the finances, she says she is sold on the way I do it now. We will see. I really won't let myself get married unless I think "forever" is in the arrangement, but I can't help but feel I need a prenuptial agreement. I've gone off on a tangent, but this post got me thinking. I'm only 24, but she brings up the big "I do" every few days. Scary stuff.

julen23 · July 26, 2007 11:45AM

i have a double major in finance & economics & an mba and i don't incorporate any kind of budget
for my cardboard.

i spent 4 years building a 1969 baseball master set w/ all rc's and hof players in psa 8 or better and sold most of it off this year, so my budget fluctuated w/ how many cards i was able to sell on e-bay each week.

i only have about 12 graded 1969 topps left, so i dont really have a lot of budget remaining.

oh yea, cheq out my auctions this week! nice '81 rack packs w/ stars galore and an '85 topps rack pack w/ brett & clemens showing....

tiger style correct!

julen

cohocorp · July 26, 2007 12:21PM

<< 

<< anyone who has almost had his fingers almost chopped off while pruning bushes to make the house look nice for his awesome wife should have a budget of around $5,000 per month. that kind of dedication must be rewarded. >>

This is the coolest thing I have ever heard! Where did you attain such great knowledge cohocorp?

>>

matt,

months ago you posted a pic of your injured hand and mentioned the story. pretty tough to forget that one.

pandrews · July 26, 2007 12:23PM

lawnmowerman · July 26, 2007 12:50PM

<<

>>

YEAH BOYEEE!

Allen · July 26, 2007 1:38PM

<< I put 25% of my income into a high yield saving account that I don't touch. Why I don't touch it, I don't know, but I'll need it for important stuff one day. I put another 25% into a savings account attached to my bank account, that's were I save for big purchases like vacations, splurging on cards and other things, so on, so forth. The other 50% is in my bank account to pay the bills, eat, take the lady friend out, that kind of thing. Every month or so, if I have more in the bank account than I need to live for the next month, I split the surplus between my two savings accounts. I like doing it this way, I've almost cut $30k in student loans in half in 11 months living like this, and that's 11 months on a 30 year note. I figure in no more than 2 years I'll be debt free, if I can stay unmarried between now and then. I know a couple who paid off their 15 year mortgage on a $75k home in a little over 3 years living this way. My girlfriend and I both have a college education, but our salaries are separated by almost $50k a year. If we were to get married, I'm not sure how I'll manage the finances, she says she is sold on the way I do it now. We will see. I really won't let myself get married unless I think "forever" is in the arrangement, but I can't help but feel I need a prenuptial agreement. I've gone off on a tangent, but this post got me thinking. I'm only 24, but she brings up the big "I do" every few days. Scary stuff. >>

Like Eddie Murphy says, before you say I do- think about this HALF. HALF.

ArchStanton · July 26, 2007 2:16PM

My wife and myself live on a budget. It is not meticulous, but it is complete as far a our regular income is concerned. My card budget comes from card sales and other money I earn outside of my regular salary.

I think you will be very happy a couple of months from now, if you set up a budget today.

Goodsport40 · July 26, 2007 2:24PM

I try to limit it to $60 a month. We have had a budget for our 11 years of marriage and it has worked for us. No credit card debt allows the odd card splurge and NYC trip this October! Great question!

Robert

HeritageAddict · July 26, 2007 2:34PM

The wife and I have a joint account that our work earnings go into, that pays all bills, groceries, etc.. and my wife will buy stuff for herself using that account but she rarely spends more than $50 a month so it's not a big deal, I have one bank account that all my ebay sales go into and I use that for my card buying and other misc. stuff that I think I need, and then I have another account for my gun sales/buys, but if there is a card I want and my card account is low I will sometimes take it out of my gun account, and both of those also make for a good emergency fund. I try to make sure that I always have atleast 3 months worth of bill money set back, and as long as I do that I really don't have a budget.

bigdcards · July 26, 2007 3:30PM

I'm at $100 a month. Every once in a while I go over if my wife comes home with a blaster box or something. Otherwise I have to be strict with it. I spent way more than I could afford about 4 years ago and it took a while to get out of. I could still get the cards I want, if I would just have the discipline to save half for the next month and build on it. Saving money in the rest of my life is easy. Somehow with the card budget, I find it impossible.

BigDaddyBowman · July 26, 2007 3:55PM

I do not have a set budget....in my line of work with summers off, I tend to spend alot during the summer when I have alot of ebay surfing time. This summer, I have spent about 2 grand on cards, but once school starts in August and the sports seasons begin, I am so busy that I may only buy 1-2 cards a month. So over the course of a year, I probably spend on average 100-200 a month. With 3 kids under 7, I probably am spending too much on my addiction, but my wife is supportive. I don't smoke, drink, or cause trouble...so shes fine with my harmless addiction. Kids don't have shoes on their feet...but Daddy's got a new Tittle!

GDM67 · July 26, 2007 4:52PM

I'm around $300 a month. Sometimes I have bigger or smaller weeks than the previous ones, but it works out to about that, on average. And I'm a strictly money order guy.

metalmike · July 26, 2007 5:35PM

Yes, leftover money if I sell 40 pete cards I use the $$$ to buy different stuff

metalmike · July 26, 2007 5:40PM

supportive? . I do smoke, I drink, and cause trouble

fiveniner · July 26, 2007 10:33PM

No Budget.No Credit Cards.When I accumalate some money I buy.

BigDaddyBowman · July 27, 2007 1:36AM

<< supportive? . I do smoke, I drink, and cause trouble >>

No intent on offending the smokers...drinkers...and causers of trouble out there. My wife just rationalizes that smoking, drinking, and other vices can be quite costly, so instead of spending our money on those kinds of vices, buying cards is a my vice and she supoorts it.

augustaman · July 27, 2007 1:45AM

I have a strict budget.............
As of this morning, I've already
spent my budget through Nov 2009.

Do you have a monthly budget for buying cards?

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