What Financial Matters Prevent You From Collecting Or Made You Retire?

[Meule]

Buying and renovating my house and gas prices. I don't have to give up collecting, but I do have to watch what I'm spending

[Dave Mc]

Life- 'Nuff said!

[garagesale]

With the economy going into recession, I'm wondering how all of us will be affected. It seems some of you already have been. So far, I still have some available cash without compromising the family's general way of life. I'm just glad I live where I live. TxTeach can probably back me up on the fact that things here in the OK/TX region have not been hit as hard as some in other parts of our country. My hopes and prayers go out to all of you who are having economic difficulties.

JamesD

[bobbait]

Life- 'Nuff said!

dido!!

[Airdave817]

My wife and I have been working toward completing an adoption through Vietnam for over a year now. We were hoping to have gone and come back home with our little girl last September or October. But, we haven't heard anything. We're still waiting for the "referral", which is her picture. Once we get that, then it's only a matter of a few weeks until the trip to finalize the adoption there.

Things seem to be moving at a real snail's pace, as my Dad used to say. There are a lot of people ahead of us (I would imagine), from different agencies. I know there are at least three couples in a group that will go ahead of our group of five couples.

Those three couples are the test group, to see how long the trip is, and what the expenses are like.

Everything is on an extremely tight budget because of that. I think I got that same 13 inch Batman figure, and a few others - like the Superman-Batman figures and Justice League Confidential series, and I've been getting the heroes of Alex Ross' Justice series. Unfortunately, I already have a few shelves filled with the Justice League animated figures, Classic Star Trek figures and Gilligan's Island figures. My wife just looks at the ones I've gotten and says, "Stop!!"

[Adam West]

Fortunately, I have been spared. Gas prices hurt but my commute is only 10 miles each way so it's not killing me right now. I never believed the stats of what it costs to raise a child but now I'm starting to believe it. My 13 year old son can eat more food in a meal than I eat in a day.

My wife is a Dental Hygienist by trade but temporarily left the work force when our (now 7 year old was born). Now she works about 6 or 7 days a month and it works out well (I get them off to school and she is home by the time they are out).

With that said, I do collect but because my interests are so diverse I have to pick and choose in the collecting arena because I don't have a blank check. Our home is 9 years old (which is still pretty new and we are spending some money upgrading some things that we couldn't afford when we first purchased the house). We also have a rental home in a ski resort area of West Virginia...the home is about 25-30 years old and have spent quite a bit of money updating it. This year after the ski season, it is going to need a new roof (it still has the original one) so that will set me back.

For me collecting is a lifelong thing. I take a little play money each month and buy a couple of things here and there. Unfortunately, I'm in the same spot as many others. I already have the lower end stuff and the things I need are expensive so it's a little at a time.

[jessica]

Daycare for 3 kids, bills (water, car insurance, garbage, cellulars, internet access, cable tv) gas, food...yuck. I hate it. Why can't I win the lotto? I am keeping my figures to a bare minimum, uncarded.