It's 2013! If you work in America you just got a paycut via increased payroll taxes. Better adjust your poll...hmmmm.

This all reminds me of a saying I saw on the wall at a condo on the beach in Florida: "If you are lucky enough to be at the beach, then you are lucky enough."

I am lucky enough to have two pins in my house ...

Like to see as well with income or without

I could move further up and get more pins if my wife had a job. She quit years ago to raise children. My only regret is I just wish I got into the hobby sooner. My last hobby was reef aquariums - now THAT is a rich man's hobby. It was fun and interesting but way more expensive than pinball. You can ignore your pins if you want, but you can't do that with a saltwater aquarium that always needs attention.

... but I am not lucky enough to be at the beach. (finished it for you)

Exactly. People should be thankful that they have a job and pay payroll taxes. Many don't, and desperately want to.

Many don't and don't want to as well.

...and many don't want to want to, but do anyway...I think...

Hi,
I did not had a lot of money to spend a few months back but really wanted to
get a new pinball machine.
So I found a party animal for 150, played it and sold it with a little profit.
Bought a great data east batman and played it and sold it again with more profit.
They I found a decent xfiles played it a little bit and was forced to sell it because
I found a great revenge from mars and needed the space and money from the xfiles.

So overall I played four great machines and ended up with a revenge from mars very cheap!
Yes I had some luck but I would say pinball is not only for the rich!

Perhapes only if you only want the best of the best.

Greetings,

BasD

This I completely disagree with, and we both know that you can't prove this. I find it very disheartening when I hear people express thoughts like this.

There are many studies that indicate that more than anything - money, fame, prestige, etc. - that what people want most of all is meaningful work. That what gives people the most self esteem, confidence and pleasure is meaningful work. And considering how many menial non-living wage jobs are out there these days, I think it's impressive how many people actually would do anything for these jobs. Research also clearly shows that for all but a very small percentage of people -mostly mentally I'll or depressed or deeply anti-social - that people don't want "free stuff". They just don't. They want a fair shot and a decent job.

And we'll see, sure as shit, that as the economy improves and unemployment returns to more historical levels, that people will be more than happy to do these lousy jobs regardless of how little money, self esteem or career advancement they offer.

Oh well. I feel real lucky that I have a good job, good health insurance and pins in my basement. Too many don't have any of these things.

I can prove it...
The only 3 people I know personally that are on 'unemployment' in the last couple years DID NOT look for a job and planned on riding unemployment until it ended. With the extensions..2 have been on it for over a year and the other is approaching a year.

I'm pretty sure the one guy was done in November and collected 26+26+26+13 weeks. He also has a state pension while collecting unemployment

I find it more interesting, that people on Pinside take these ridiculous polls seriously .

Jim

Wait a second, these polls aren't scientific?!
So, would it be better or worse than the U.S. Census?

I don't think its a ridiculous poll and do enjoy these types of things. I simply take them for what they are worth. Entertainment.

What I find interesting is people that lack the ability to recognize an obvious joke and make serious comments to bring everybody down.

Kim

Anecdotes are not proof.

I'm lucky cause I'm not into modern games. But I'd say I would spend up to 1400 on a pin. But I think part of the thrill is the thrill of the hunt and finding a good deal. Heck. I just picked up an amazing wizard! For400 bucks!

I have been in the Hobby for one year (yep - still a noob) and made a rough calculation of how much I paid to start my collection.

Buying 6 pins: $4,600 (none of them were "A" titles and Pins are less expensive in France)
Transport: $600
Parts: $400
Labour: $200 (things I could not do myself or did not bother friends to help)
Attenting Pin festivals: $300
Play in bars / arcades: $100
Books & Magazines: $200
Gameroom decoration: $200 (old small bagatelles hanging on the wall...)

Total: $6,600 = $550 / month...by no mean cheap.
If you compare with salaries around, not a poor man's hobby...

However:
- One may argue the first year is the most expensive (building a collection from zero). In my case year 2 will be worse with Nemo and Predator...
- These pins have significant resale value (and I already sold 2 of them: needs space for the forthcoming pins)
- I made very good friends through this hobby... this is priceless!

that's a great start jlm33
the Nemo looks very interesting

Actually, I can since my cousin is one of them, however it will evolve into a political discussion and it isn't allowed on Robins site (which you said in another thread that you wouldn't do anymore). I'm here for pinball only and have fun with friends. I'm sorry you can't see past your own position but I'm happy for you that you feel lucky in lifes pinball game.

I find it disheartening too. Along these lines, last year we kept hearing people complain about the 47% of this country who are freeloading bums who want free stuff just because they pay no federal income tax. A lot of those people are working class people who simply don't make enough money to pay federal income tax (though they still pay sales tax, state/local income tax, possibly property tax, etc.). In fact, 2/3 of those 47% have at least one job.

I know I'm going to get thumbs-downed into oblivion for this post, but I just hate the fact that the poor have become the enemy. People want to work. Yes, there may be a very small percentage that are lazy and would rather live on welfare, but not as many as some would like you to think.

It's good to be the king

Blownfuse, this is the only real way to tolerate this particular pinsider. It is really refreshing.

This has been an interesting thread. Some people have touched on the age issue, which I think would help put the salaries into a bit more perspective. Everyone I know with pins are in their 40s and 50s, so they're probably at their peak lifetime earnings. None of that group were in the pinball hobby during our 20s and 30s, though I know that some on pinside are that young and have posted in this thread. Congrats to them by the way for bypassing the beany baby and fast car type hobbies that used to dominate the disposable incomes of my circle of friends when I was in those age groups. When I was younger I bought fast and pretty cars and wasted most of my money that way, as do many of my neighbors who consider my pins a luxury. Well, in my opinion so are the new Mustangs and Mercedes in their driveways. Though there are many pin cost entry levels, many in this thread have said that pinball is largely a rich man's hobby and the stats would back that up. However, I think the twist is taking into account the majority of collectors' ages and positions in life. So, it might more accurately be described as a hobby dominated by mid-life professionals at the peak of their earning careers, or something like that.

Interesting...I'm 41 and the oldest in the the group of pinheads in my area.

I'm note sure the other guys are even 30 yet

I'm not being political. Perhaps looking t sociology and our society. Certainly more interesting than guns and fantasizing about people attacking you and "stopping power". I'm looking at people and countering your opinion that most people - or maybe on 47% - are deadbeats. But you sir, are no scientist or sociologist Because "knowing" one person or three doesn't amount to jack shit. I don't know one person on unemployment. What does that say about me? That unlike you I don't have deadbeat friends or family? Of course not. You choose to look at it that way, not me!

Everyone who wrote "Meaningless poll" is rich and doesn't want to feel selfish.

Everyone who wrote "Great poll! The truth has been shown!" is poor and wants to rub in the rich people's face.

That said, I don't think there's any question that 100K - 150K is plenty rich for this hobby. These ain't Italian supercars folks.

-BB

Bingo. Perfect summation. Well done.

I am not rich, poor, middle class, 1%, 99%, white collar, blue collar or any other group. I am an individual. I am not "lucky", I have worked hard to own the things I have.

I used to think that most people will do anything to work, and I still largely do. However, I've been shocked at the number of people I know who have been willing to sponge off the govt when they've lost their jobs. These are well-educated people who were more than willing to take a long-time off of work, without searching. People that likely could find something, but repeatedly turned down jobs or didnt apply for ones they felt were beneath them. It was shocking.

And, sadly, there are a lot of people who are more than happy to go on disability for BS reasons. Percentage-wise, probably not a lot, but in absolute numbers, I'm sure billions are wasted every year supporting free-loaders.

Sound smart to me. Take back a little of those taxes you've been paying your entire life.

I guess I see the opposite with "their fair share" talk being slung around. I guess 1% paying half of all taxes isn't enough.

I appreciate your sentiment. Perhaps "blessed" is a better word than "lucky". I think most of us believe that we have the ability to work hard and achieve success. However, we often overlook the blessings of health, intelligence, and other innate characteristics of which we have little control. After having been on death's shortlist twice from something that I have no control over, I feel pretty blessed to just be around.

Wow, that was easy. There is Nothing any white male can say about that. Way to stick me in a corner. Thank you for your enlightenment.

Sorry, for snapping back, but your statement does nothing but divide people.

Well stated.

C'mon now, my perents worked very hard to make me white.

Hmm..probably didn;t come out right.

You do realize that even if it was a flat tax, the "1%" would still pay the vast majority of taxes, right?

Just sayin.... =P

This is a myth. There was a lot more of the Left saying the Right was complaining about the 47% than there ever was actual complaining about the 47% in the first place. It's just the Left engaging in class warfare, volume LXXVI.

Pinball is dirt cheap! Not a rich mans hobby! A game costs what 2 quarters? Oh, you're talking about buying pins for your house? What idiot would do that?!?

I'm just glad that TheFamilyArcade is sticking to his promise not to talk politics anymore.

I didn't say this...- not my quote - although it appears to be true with regard to some people here.

Id thumb that post down twice if I could

I think it's funny that so many people base their idea of wealth on income, instead of net worth. It's not what you make, it's what you keep.

oooh classy!

I sleep in the box that my new stern get's delivered in, so I have a new house twice a year

You sure assumed a lot in your trolling post to me (I never said any of those things). So much so that I can discount it here and call your whole post a fabrication, however you are funny to read sometimes when you go off like you tend to.

Not even close. Maybe I am bias because I have spent too much time on the other side of the hiring table at this point and worked my tail off to get there. People want to work, but on their terms. I don't care what the job is, filling an opening in this country is extremely difficult. People want jobs that have huge amounts of flexibility, only require them to do things that they want to do and at the same time will be accommodating at all times. Doesn't matter if its an hourly or salary position, it takes 100's of applicants to find one with initiative and motivation. As for the 47% not paying taxes, everyone in this country lives beyond their means, at all income levels. Fortunately though for most of the 47%, that gets them out of having to pay federal taxes. People that want to save, do just that. I lived for years on less than a janitor would make and always had extra money. I just had to make choices. Whether that means a crappier apartment, delaying having kids, taking the bus, not eating out, I always made sure I lived off 80% of what I made to save for retirement and emergencies. Most of these quote "rich" people boot strapped their way to the top making painful sacrifices that average people would never make or do. I guarantee 99% of the "1%" that made it on their own work more hours in their one job than the 2/3 of the 47% combining hours do at their 2 jobs. As for the topic, Pinball is for everyone. It is just a choice.