Do you use card profits for non collectible purposes?

tombo · April 23, 2008 2:53AM

For those of you who are successful at flipping cards, do you ever use your profits for non-collectible related purchases (i.e household bills, gifts, vacations, etc.)?

Or do 100% of the profits go right back into more cards/memorabilia?

Vacations might be a bit of a stretch!!

RonBurgundy · April 23, 2008 2:55AM

This assumes there are profits to be had.

But to answer the question, no, not normally. There are exceptions.

Ron

artistlost · April 23, 2008 2:59AM

It all depends on if my wife finds out I made money...if so then yes...if not then more cards!!!

Though I did just liquidate a bunch of cardboard to buy a new HD TV/blu-ray/surround sound system for the basement...

mathew

Allen · April 23, 2008 3:03AM

From grade school to college graduation I have not had to work a real job thanks to cards. I set up at shows and sell online an manage to make more than I would working any mall or fast food job. I used the money for gas, girls, car insurance, alcohol, certification tests and all that important stuff.

dontippet · April 23, 2008 3:10AM

I have been known to sell a few cards in order to be able to finance a project. I wanted to put a stereo system in the basement complete with ceiling speakers. Since it was really a project for me, I proposed it to my wife with the notion that I would sell a few cards for it. A few 1987 Bonds PSA 9 cards later I had my project paid for. Looking back, it was definitely a good idea.

gumbyfan · April 23, 2008 3:10AM

<< <i>From grade school to college graduation I have not had to work a real job thanks to cards. I set up at shows and sell online an manage to make more than I would working any mall or fast food job. I used the money for gas, girls, car insurance, alcohol, certification tests and all that important stuff. >>

Can I hire you to be my personal collection manager? I will pay you in Ted Williams packs.

tombo · April 23, 2008 3:15AM

It all depends on if my wife finds out I made money...if so then yes...if not then more cards!!!

I use to get some pride out of telling my wife that I turned a $50 card into $200 or even a $10 card into $50, but I am more careful now. It just seems to give her the notion that she should do more online shopping courtesy of my paypal account. I currently have about $750 (my cost) of cards on Ebay that will probably close at $1600+ this evening. I have to bite my tongue, each time I look at my $92 Bobby Jones card going for $345, to keep from saying somehting to her!!

BobaFett72 · April 23, 2008 3:18AM

I use my theoretical profits for hookers and crack.

thedutymon · April 23, 2008 3:41AM

Good Day,
A couple of years ago my Wife started to get an inkling that I was making a little money on the cards and decided she needed to know what I was doing. So she bought some ledger books and started to keep track of everything, buy cost, sell, PSA costs, supplies, ect, ect. So anyway this is right about the time that I got my hands on an unopened Vending box of 1966 Batman cards and in one deal made $2500.00, and ended up making about 6 K off the box all told. So of course I had to pay for the vacation that year and the entire summer of camping trips. And that is the best I've ever done and fortunitly over the next year or so when she realized I really wasn't making much and what little I did was going back into cards she lost interest and has pretty much left me alone. Although like most of the posters mention, if I have a $100 card finishing up on E-bay at $300 which happens occasionally, I just keep my mouth shut.
Neil

tombo · April 23, 2008 3:45AM

I use my theoretical profits for hookers and crack.

Are your hookers theoretical or real?

NickM · April 23, 2008 4:05AM

It generally goes right back into card purchases.

Nick

digicat · April 23, 2008 5:08AM

Card money goes to cards. Though money's involved, I tend to think of my cards sales and purchases as multi-step trades.

e.g.

I "traded" a 1994 SP Alex Rodriguez PSA 9 for money I used to get PSA 8 RC's of Mike Schmidt, Robin Yount, and Rollie Fingers.

CDsNuts · April 23, 2008 5:09AM

What I make or spend on cards is not even close to comparable to the swings I take playing poker, so to my wife it's meaningless unless I buy a card I've always wanted, in which case she pretends she's happy for me and tells me what good condition the card is in.

I do like to mention if I make a decent buck on a card, but she and I both know it's most likely spent before it hits my bank account.

WinPitcher · April 23, 2008 5:24AM

Get a job.

Steve

obusek99 · April 23, 2008 6:18AM

I use profits for non-card related items. I remodeled a bedroom into an office/gameroom for the cards and supples etc. and it was paid for by flipping cards. Going to Ocean City in June and it will be paid for with card sells. For me, I love paying for things from my little side project that I enjoy doing. Sometimes the money does go back to cards but it will eventually turn around and come back. Of course, the challenge is to keep making the money.

smtjoy · April 23, 2008 7:14AM

Mine goes back into cards, being single makes it easy to reinvest in cards, haha.

SoonerCowboy · April 23, 2008 1:17PM

Oh yes, to pay bills. About 8 years ago my was diagnosed with cancer and of course with surgery, chemo and radiation she couldn't work for all most 6 months. Well, I sprang into action and began listing some of the cards that I had in my collection. But I also bought some nice complete sets and would list the stars and rc's. The rest I sold as team sets. If I can remember I bought all football sets. 1970, 1971, 1972(not high #'s) and 1974. Oh I also bought a 1972-73 basketball set. Hey, like I said, the bill got paid. I also had the Simpson rc, bradshaw rc and a handfull of the 1970 stars graded. The Simpson graded an 8 and the Bradshaw graded a 7.5 both BGS. Yes, it was hard to let'em go.

larryallen73 · April 23, 2008 1:20PM

I buy more cards with my meager profits from selling cards. I figure it's basically like trading.

Do you use card profits for non collectible purposes?

Comments