My experience with not buying miniatures for a year

[Pijlie]

On a beautiful winter’s day in February ‘22, my wife and  I walked through the city and, just after Covid and all kinds of lockdowns and cancelled social occasions, philosophized about the value of immaterial things such as simply being able to interact with other people and walk through a city.

Probably inspired by that conversation (and before I knew it) I spoke the ominous words: I won’t buy miniatures for a year!

Dear reader: I know what you are thinking now. Why would he say such a thing? Did he succeed? What did he learn from it? Would he do it again?

Read it here....

http://pijlieblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/consumer-challenge-year-without-buying.html

[Matakakea]

Was there much in the way of twitching and nervous tics? 

[Pijlie]

Was there much in the way of twitching and nervous tics? 

  N..N...n..noooo!!!!!

[Elbows]

While not a year, I have stopped from buying anything for about the latter half of this year (paint/glue/supplies being excluded).  I generally don't have a "lead mountain", but have gained one recently.

Time to clear some shelf space and the desk before getting out of hand.

In my mind, the only exception would be essentially finding a product I like that is going out of production, or finding a favourite product at some absurd discount (read: 50% or more).  So I have built in some excuse clauses...

[Easy E]

Congratulations!  I also have experienced some of the same feelings as you.  I still get excited about new releases, but the FOMO has passed.  If it is not there when the time comes, it was not meant to be.  Afterall, my projects are for me and won't catch any value at my estate sales when I am gone anyway!  Just more stuff for my family to bin!   

I typically plan a project for the year, buy what I need for it all at once to a budget and that's it.  Those are my entire hobby purchases until the entire project is done and dusted, which usually takes a year or two.   

Now that I have this awesome system, I do still have to contend with storage issues as I do have a few projects under my belt now. 

[Mr. White]

I love these sort of discussions. In fact, the philosophy and mindsets around collecting interests me a little more than actual minis projects oftentimes.

I've done a quarter with no purchases, but haven't done a full year. I sold off all my models, paints, and brushes about 10 years ago when my kids were younger, but about 5 years ago I reinvested in hobby supplies... I guess I couldn't stay away. However, that doesn't mean i want to always have models to paint. At some point, I'd like the bulk of my hobby time to be designing scenario, playing games, and actually developing a few non-game related hobbies. So, I'm trying to get all my current queue done in the next year or so. I do slow the tide of incoming models otherwise I won't be able to accomplish this goal.

I don't know if I'm ready to do a year with no purchases... I need want some of those sweet Oathmark models... but I might try to do two quarters back-to-back.


To the OP, what would need to happen for you to consider a year again? Is there a specific number of models/projects that you're monitoring as a signal to stop buying?

[fred]

I’ve definitely slowed down my hobby purchases of late - partly as I have been busy with other things and not done much painting, although I have been gaming, and partly as I am aware just how much stuff I have stashed away.

But I have recently made very good progress on WWI Russians (received as a birthday present) and can see some additions to that, and having played some more WWII games can see a few bits and pieces to add, and the new Stargrave plastics tempted me. So feels I’m back on the buying train!

I think as a hobby it is much quicker and easier to buy stuff than it is to build and paint it, and there is always something else interesting to tempt you!

[Inkpaduta]

The concept if completely alien to me.

[Dr. Zombie]

Ever since Brexit I have hardly bought any new models as the surcharge of getting models in Dk really bugs me. I don't mind the VAT but the £25'ish "handling" fee the post claims is an icy bucket of water to any enthusiasm.

I have however gotten a resin 3d printer And have bought loads of resin and STL files that I have printed. Does that count as buying miniatures?

[Citizen Sade]

I have mixed feelings about not buying miniatures. On the one hand, I have far too much stuff already and it's burdensome. On the other, a number of small companies say they're having a very tough time contending with increased costs, reduced demand due to Brexit challenges etc. It's likely that some won't survive without support from the community.

Ever since Brexit I have hardly bought any new models as the surcharge of getting models in Dk really bugs me. I don't mind the VAT but the £25'ish "handling" fee the post claims is an icy bucket of water to any enthusiasm.

Aren't there EU distributors who can source what you want? If not, might it be worth approaching some companies to see if they will?

Fenris Games, for example, distributes a few North American ranges in the UK which would be expensive to source direct due to P&P, duties & handling charges.   What passes for bulk orders and trade discounts, I assume, take some of the sting out of the price for the end customer.

[Pijlie]

To the OP, what would need to happen for you to consider a year again? Is there a specific number of models/projects that you're monitoring as a signal to stop buying?

No, not at all. In fact I have no idea how much stock I have. The decision was completely driven by emotion. To just stop buying stuff and stop burdening and harassing myself with more things to paint/build etc and escape the FOMO reflex of buying stuff simply because I can.

[Pijlie]

The concept if completely alien to me.

 

[Mr. White]

Afterall, my projects are for me and won't catch any value at my estate sales when I am gone anyway!  Just more stuff for my family to bin!     

This resonates too. I have no delusions about what's gonna happen to my models when I'm gone. I don't think anyone is gonna see it as a valuable inheritance. They might keep one or two models as a memento, but I don't even expect that. I expect they all go into the bin.

With that realization, I figure what projects i do involve myself in over the coming decades will get fewer and fewer as friends and opponents pass on. I'll probably move some of these models myself later when those points happen, not burden my family with any of it. I think, in the end, I might only have two Blood Bowl teams on a shelf

BB brought me into this hobby over 30 years ago...It'll see me out. ha!

No, not at all. In fact I have no idea how much stock I have. The decision was completely driven by emotion. To just stop buying stuff and stop burdening and harassing myself with more things to paint/build etc and escape the FOMO reflex of buying stuff simply because I can.

In my second go around in the hobby world here, I'm using the Diderot Effect and the Disease of More as guiding principles. I've not had the FOMO or urge to over-collect that I did in the past. Though I have a queue...it's quite small compared to how I used to operate. It's been liberating.

[ced1106]

Good work. The KDM Gambler's Chest arrived, and that's a few hundred dollars on miniatures I'll never paint for a game that I'll never play that needs space in storage I don't have. Huzzah!

That said, I'm going to admit I'm a collector, and, if I'm really going to lose money, have plenty of stocks I can buy.

I've gotten into solo miniature games (so far, Lasting Tales and Five Leagues from the Borderlands) and these games have let me put on the blinders to focus on ten or twelve miniatures to paint for an upcoming battle, rather than despair at 15K+ of unpainted miniatures. Also, since I want to *play* rather than *paint*, unpainted miniatures I can paint to tabletop, while the tabletop miniatures I paint to a higher level, or just base some prepainted mini's to look better. Revisited painting my CMON Zombicide: Black Plague and Massive Darkness miniatures, so I guess it's working out fine!

[nozza_uk]

Interesting blog entry.

At the start of every year, I keep telling myself that I won't buy anything new.

Every year I fail miserably. Although my spending has slowed down, my problem is that with the advent of 3D printing, it's very easy now to get miniatures, scenery etc related to topics I'm passionate about.

One of the benefits of the various UK Covid lockdowns was that I pretty much managed to demolish my lead mountain, so if I do start a new project, the time to table has massively dominished, so that I see quicker return on that investment.