What do your friends and family think about your collecting toys?

[indianawars]

Just out of interest, what do your friends and family think about your collecting toys?
My wife is a diamond and tolerates me collecting (As long as I don't do anything stupid and spend too much). She allows me a budget of £200 a month, so I'm a happy Chappy. If I want something else, then I have to sell something else (which is fair). I've converted a couple of friends into collecting as well, but the downside to that is they want me to help them find things. I had one friend that irritated me with the classic, 'that must be worth a lot of money?!' Trying to explain to someone that it's about more than just the money was quite hard work. My brother think's I'm quite strange for collecting toys and doesn't understand it whatsoever, but oddly enough, he has requested that I leave it all to him in my will (Fat chance of that happening). So all round the people in my life are quite possessive to me collecting toys - Even my wife's friends have asked to see my collection before I've even made them a cup of tea when they visit.

 

[edd_jedi]

Generally it's negative unfortunately, most people don't get it. My wife is very against having anything on display, I really had to fight for a couple of small shelves!

For that reason I don't tell many people to be honest, I'm not one of those people that opens parcels in the office or have figures on my desk! I've always been a bit of an introvert in that sense, I'm quite envious of people who don't care what others think and have their hobbies/music etc in full view of others.

 

[Robstyley]

Most of my family think I'm mental, they don't get it at all. My Mum loves the films but's not really interested in the toys, she's like - if it makes you happy love. My sister's like - waste of money if you ask me, I'd sell it all and go on holiday. Like you said, a lot of people (like my nephew) always mention the value - oh it must be worth loads, why don't you sell it? Most of my friends love it, they think it's really cool, they like gawping at it and I enjoy showing them and talking about it.

 

[Robstyley]

I just thought of something else. I have been labelled the nerd/geek in my family. My niece always calls me a nerd and so does my brother-in-law! Prob because I collect toys, not because I'm really into SW and Sci-Fi etc and movies generally. Strange thing is I'm not a nerdy type, never have been. It's weird how people perceive you just because of a hobby you have. I say **** em'!!

 

[Hooch]

I must say I am pretty lucky as Mrs Hooch, who cant stand the movies as she is a Treky was the one who suggested turning the spare back room into a display room. The only thing from Sw she liked was the Ewoks so together we started a little side focus picking up bits and pieces but now it has taken over pretty much
As for close friends they love it. Whenever I have friends over they always comment 'I had that & that as a child'
Only a few of my work mates know I collect. They always try and have a dig at me about collecting dolls

 

[grinchy]

My wife just lets me get on with it, she is very supportive of my hobby, and helped me change our spare room into a star wars room, friends etc do ask how much is it all worth, weird thats the first thing that people think of, but they do like to see the room

 

[walkie]

The majority of my family think I'm bonkers and are generally shocked by the prices items fetch.

My brother's ok with it has he collects vintage Lego so he's also a retro nerd.

I'm still battling for a display in the main part of the house, even something small would be nice but it hasn't happened yet.

The missus just thinks I should 'cash in' but for someone that doesn't collect anything that's easy to say, where as i've invested 12+ years into the hobby.

 

[edd_jedi]

By the way I don't hold a grudge about it, I actually agree with my wife that in a 1.5 bedroom flat there isn't really room for a massive star wars display, and although I love my collection I don't want it in the sitting room or hallway, I like most of the house to be 'normal' too. I'm very jealous when I see the American and Australian houses on here, most of you have bigger basements than the entire of my flat :lol:

I will definitely have a collecting room one day, no point having all this stuff just to sit in boxes! But not until we move to a bigger house and I have my own loft/basement/office etc.

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

I'm really lucky too, my wife is very supportive and tries to show an interest in things. She's understands the toys came on different cards and some are harder to find than others. When she rarely pokes fun at me for spending money i like to point out if we were up schit Creek, selling my collection would help us out finacially far more than her shoe and handbag collection.

 

[ScruffyLookingNH]

Same boat as a lot of you guys. Wife (barely) tolerates it. As long as it doesn't invade the rest of the house then she's OK with it. She, and the rest of the family, know I've been a "collector" since I was knee high to a grasshopper so this is just another arm to my collecting. And although this takes up way more room than my military medal collection it takes up a HELL of a lot less space than my 60,000 US comic collection

The family thinks I'm mad anyway. My brother just rolls his eyes and says "whatever" if I tell him about my latest exciting purchase. My mum, bless her, does what she can to show interest and brings home the ocassional bit from car boots (a POTF II Jawas MOC and a very cool UK ROTJ large format comic book so far).

The ardent supporter is my 3 year old daughter. She absolutely loves the loose figures (as well as asking to open the MOCs). I get home around her bedtime and yesterday I had a book from Stu and a couple of loose figures arrive. Last night when I walked into her bedroom at storytime she leapt out of bed and rather than "Hi Dad" it was "Dad! Can we open you parcels? Pleeeeeeeeease!". That kind of excitement helps reinforce my love of SW.

 

[lejackal]

Sue generally lets me get on with it as long as the bills are paid and I don't do anything stupid. I currently have what I've got on display in the back room but to be fair its only one shelf (so far). She has agreed to the idea of a small shelf unit/display case so happy days.
The guys at work think the stuff is generally cool and I have a rotation of figures that get displayed on my desk, couple of Neca items/transformers/star wars/marvel etc.
And yeah, I know I talk about the price of things quite often in terms of trying to learn the values and what things sold for and what not to pay for things but there was a lot of why don't you cash in with the new film from the guy I sit next to. I tried to explain that I've only bought and sold to change from the modern stuff I did have to focus on vintage and would only sell the vintage if a) there was a cash shortage or b) if an upgrade became available.
As for my friends we are all mid thirties and still buy each other nerf guns and the like so I think you can guess the mentality there

 

[chipsteak]

My friends and family range from ambivalence to mildly keen with occasional jibes. I'm chronichly ill so their attitude is that if it makes me happy then great.

I get a mild ribbing from my brother but his sense of humour is very cheap so what can you do.

 

[robpmarsh]

I don't collect toys.....I collect vintage collectables

Everyone thinks I'm mad.....but then they smoke so who's the bigger idiot?

 

[edd_jedi]

Everyone thinks I'm mad.....but then they smoke so who's the bigger idiot?

That's my argument, I spend a lot of my money on various collectables but I have something to show for it and am virtually guaranteed not to make a loss when I come to sell, so it's far better than spending money on expensive clothes, cars, smoking, betting, drinking etc (not that I don't do any of those things, but I like to have something to show for my money.)

 

[lejackal]

I agree, I only really got into collecting when I quit smoking which was also when my son was born so spend the savings on toys, some for him and some for me 8)

 

[SublevelStudios]

I've never really cared what anyone else thought, in fact I would go as far as to say I openly talk about collecting. Most people are really interested as they have some connection somewhere down the line, whether it be themselves or someone they know. Others give you a funny look but who gives a toss?

As already mentioned, I can get my money back tomorrow if needed - show me a season ticket that offers that guarantee!

My wife - and kids - are really cool about it, I work from home and have my own office so my stuff is all out of the way. My son and daughter love to play in it and hopefully these will be memories they'll take through their life and look back with fondness.

I don't smoke (anymore) I rarely go out (thanks to the kids!) and I rarely drink (unless the SWFUK boys are in town, then it can get messy) so when I compare myself to other dads at the school, most of whom are sporty types and are gone for most of the weekend watching or playing, my wife realises it's actually not a bad thing at all

 

[Fishtalk]

Currently single, no kids so I have no-one to answer to and my disposable income is mine alone. My friends at work know what I collect, and will often comment that I'm a "****ing idiot" for spending so much money on old toys.

 

[tiefighterboy]

I remember my father once said...."What do these things do for you, what is the point, you are pissing away your money". I n response I stated that everything is a waste of money in exception to spending money on food, shelter, water, warmth. I looked on the wall at the family home and said...what is the point of the paintings on the wall? He said, well I like to look at them.............and so began me picking him apart. I never heard another word on the subject of my hobby.

People spend vast amounts on things that do not keep them alive...sports cars, sporting events, hookers, booze, you name it....so with that people who remotely think I am stupid will get a backlash from me.

My wife has and will always support me in my addition to toys and my childhood memories. My kids now once again think Dad is the cool kid as star wars once again is a hot item.

 

[chipsteak]

Being full time ill with advanced MS and more I've got loads of time. A major part of the hobby, for me, is spending that time scouring EBay with a fine tooth comb looking for bargains. I either keep the stuff or sell it in to buy what I really want. That way I get stuff that should be out if my budget. It gets me out to the post office too.

So it fills a lot of my time, which is a great distraction. Most people can appreciate that I can't drink it smoke any more and don't have any other extravagances.

 

[indianawars]

Being full time ill with advanced MS and more I've got loads of time. A major part of the hobby, for me, is spending that time scouring EBay with a fine tooth comb looking for bargains. I either keep the stuff or sell it in to buy what I really want. That way I get stuff that should be out if my budget. It gets me out to the post office too.

So it fills a lot of my time, which is a great distraction. Most people can appreciate that I can't drink it smoke any more and don't have any other extravagances.

I know what you mean buddy, it's an enjoyment for me scouting around for items and finding bargains...