At 18 I worked 3 jobs and had plenty of emergency cash for situations with my car or other expenses. It is about being prepared for when things go south, because eventually they do. There is NO FAMILY or FRIENDS to ask for this monetary assistance? No credit card? I don't get it.

It's amazing how this seems to be going right over your head.

You've asked people to send you money to pay for *your* house repair. Most people pay for their own house repairs.

My workshop roof just sprung a leak the other day and leaked a bit on one of my games. I'm not asking people here to pay to fix it.

So, that's why people are annoyed with you - we all have to pay our own way and they feel it's unfair for you to ask others to do it for you while you refuse to sell a game to pay for it yourself.

....wow.

Try living on a bag of potatoes for a month,or taking the bus because you have no gas or it broke down and you have no money. I guess nowadays it is PC to ask people to fix your car because you have to pick up a pin maybe as well. You are taking the easy way out asking for people to solve your problems with their money. Again it's very cool you are 18 and into cool EM games, and I would help you carry all of them across town if you needed it. You should try to absorb what many including my self are saying, we have all been in your spot. Learning to deal with life and your own decisions is a real MF, but it builds character. Unfortunately character and taking responsibility is not taught these days, instead it's all about not my fault and fix this for me. I do again wish you the best of luck with all of this.

I don't get it either. The whole thing is a shit mess. What I really don't understand is the people sending him money. What makes a person send another one money when they have 29 pinball machines and they refuse to sell any?

Next time I have any house issues, Ill start a thread too. How about this title....

Please help!!, I have $40K in pinball machines, $50K in the bank and 5 cars but I don't want to use my own money. HELP!!

Part of me says awww the other parts says "really?"

The Best advice or comments I saw
Or have:

Stop scanning CL ads a deal is a deal if you've got a fund allocated for the hobby

Sell games to raise cash. Look 29 pins isn't hoarding but there is a clear pattern of financial irresponsibility.

At no time should any pins or parts be lying on a basement floor . Anticipate the unexpected or be at least be cognizant
of your water table.

Sump pump and dehumidifier are paramount before game one even goes into a basement that's susceptible to water. Me personally mine flooded in 2010 and I made the necessary engineering adjustments prior to setting up the "arcade". It wasn't cheap.

A wise man even older than me told me to collect quality over quantity . It's mostly worked out well with very few hiccups.

Self-reliance is a tool many of today's youth seem to lack IMHO.

Water in a basement is just that. A FLOOD is a tragic weather phenomenon that destroys property and takes lives.

My $0.02

Agree, is it the personality or the generation?

I know what I would have done now and at his age, and both would have been considerably different. I would have been frustrated and disapointed and overwhelmed, anyone would have been.

However I think somehow it seems more people at this age have less skill and resources to manage or understand responsibility and consequences.

It would seem some are helping seeing the limitation and looking past it, some may be recognizing some aspect in their own experience. I won't question if they should or shouldn't, its their choice.

Interesting situation.

There's a lot to learn here. I'm happy to see community respond to help for what ever their reasons. Its not a mistake to help anyone, its a decision. My hope is that reflection afterword will show some evidence of change.

I still cringe at some of the things I did when i was younger, or yesterday. Maybe this tomorrow.

18 years old. Ok 1977 . I took 17 credits with 6 hours a week in a science lab, driving a rusty 1965 VW, worked 30 hours a week paying my own tuition , buying my own gas, commuting to classes. Paying for vehicle repairs. My buddies had fill time jobs and had more money than me, or they lived on campus and partied . I never asked anyone for a red cent. Graduated with ZERO student loans and a Bachelor of Science. On my Graduation Day I got my ass to work and had my diploma mailed to me.

When I had a few spare moments away from classes or studying I put quarters into the Pro Pool in the Student Center and racked up the added balls .

Wow great advice and a good life lesson, that I'm sure the OP will totally ignore...

I'm sorry to hear about your medical conditions that prevent you from obtaining gainful employment. But I congratulate you on your speedy recovery, seeing as how you and your mom moved 7 pins today. Also very happy to hear you've made your hobby a full time job now. Maybe soon you'll be able to get your own place.

You need an immediate fix for 2 grand. 1. Ask your parents for a gift or loan. 2. Get a title loan on your vehicle, you say that's extreme,but you would have money in hand and repairs being done tomorrow. 3. Take games to a pawnshop for a collateral loan, money in hand. You are young and might not know of this. I do see you know #1 very well, but to think you are going to get gifted 2 grand as fast and start repairs seems foolish or maybe I'm the fool. You said asap on needing to fix this just some asap ideas. Maybe your family will fix it asap knowing that the kindness of others is on the way to make it all better. Again just trying to help. If you give a man a fish he eats today, but if you teach him to fish he will always eat kind of stuff. I wish you and your family the best in this. You are probably going to need it when nana wants to turn your butt red for putting all those games upstairs and all the people come over to help, which I hope many will. We all need help from time to time. Best of luck and make sure if you have any money leftover to send a good old fashioned thank you card to those that sent money. It means a lot to us old people. A card is that thing nana used to give you that probably started your pinball fund.

Sorry one more advice after reading your last post. Marry for money not love unless you can get both.

I only know what you've posted. YOU started this thread asking for help, and honestly I would have been totally sympathetic to your cause HAD YOU NOT ASKED FOR MONEY.

I get it, it's a generation thing. In today's kickstarter/gofundme world, there is no shame in begging for $$ today. Sorry, but I think it's sad.

In one breath you say "I'm too sick to work" and in another it's "I got a job - how do you think I got all these pins?" ....jeez...

You're gonna need a bigger boat.

Totally agree about debt. Sometimes it is necessary unfortunately. I was only trying to help, but do respectfully disagree on some of this matter. If I have helped at all with ideas and personal lessons learned I am glad. That's why old guys say stuff like if I know what I know now and was 18 again kind of shit. Life is tuff and pinball is fun. Enjoy the highs and the lows it's a long road. Hey you own some games before I ever did, so right on and again best of luck.

I find it amazing that so many on here take this request for aid, labor and fiscal, as some kind of personal affront and then proceed to sermonize on it. It's simple, if you don't think it's OK to be asked for money, don't donate.

I enjoy all of the sermonizing.

Again, I ask..... Why do you think its OK to ask for money and declare " I'm not selling anything!!, don't even ask"???

Talk about a self-centered attitude. Though, I guess, free handouts are always nice.

I need to look that up?

ITs what i do to my car (once a week before heading to mass),
to give it a good shine.

Interesting - Google the definition of Otaku

Just about spit my beer out on that one!

I feel for him a bit some ways - but I'm a bit baffled too. ......

Yup raised $600 through pinside so far but not selling games - don't even ask.....

If people show up to help, happen to have cash in pocket and make a nice reasonable offer to get one of the games out of the way - it would be foolish to dismiss the offer right out.

Refusing to help yourself when a financial opportunity might arise to help bail yourself out of this mess on your own is dismissed, but taking advantage of the goodwill and monetary generosity of others won't win you too many friends...... and it may cost you some friends to boot.

Huh that might explain some things

People giving money to a kid that hasn't a clue about real life and real problems. The water ruined a pos em game that only you care about and rusted some legs and levelers while you were out picking up another game that you dont have proper storage for..you know what they say about fools and their money.....two years ago we had massive flooding here and my house was flooded twice and my retaining walls in the back yard were destroyed which cost me 20 grand in repairs out of pocket two months after my dad passed. however I didn't get on here and complain and ask for money for my first world problems. this beats all that you would even ask for this money....

If you won't sell a game to help yourself, why should others help you?

It's like personal responsibility has gone the way of the dodo.

If he's routing games for income selling them is poor financial management.

LOL, good thing your seeing the whole picture....

And if people are going to pay for things you need why use your own money. This guy is a genius.

Well I'll politely decline monitory compensation. Nobody ever handed me money to fund a hobby.

I'll always listen to a person wanting a hand up, not a handout .

I donate my goods, services, and money to Cancer Research ( I'm a 2 time survivor) , Local Shelters, Food for the Poor, Fidelco & Goodwill.

You guys have convinced me. I'm gonna sell some games.

Congrats on being a cancer survivor and being a generous person! I didn't find it offensive that he put his pay pal info up in case someone wanted to donate and help in this particular situation. If you someone don't want to give then just don't give, pretty simple really. I just figured the kids basement is flooded really bad putting his games in danger with more water coming and he's freaking out a bit......just like I would be also.

The older I get, the more generous I become. That doesn't mean I let people take advantage of my generosity though because I'm no dummy and I won't allow that to happen. I've had a good life and I try and give back here and there when funds allow me too, giving to help animals is my biggest thing because I love animals so much.

I've just become less stingy as I get older and I'm glad. I definitely believe in working for the things that you get and I hate lazy asses and bottom feeders. Giving to cancer related things makes me feel good since I lost my Mom to cancer, giving to animals makes me feel great, sick children, a family in need ,whatever. Hell sometimes it feels good to even buy someone a pizza that is less fortunate than I am even if is their own fault that they are that way. I'm just kind of shocked at some people's reactions here but it's all good. I'm probably a bigger hard ass than 90% of the people on this forum when it comes to stuff like this but for whatever reason I just didn't find the OP's post offensive at all. I don't think he really expected people to give, I think he just threw the option out there to fellow pinheads. I just try to help people when i can, it's my nature.

And the Nostradamus award goes to.....Cosmo. First post of the thread no less, well done.

Jeez! What the fuck is wrong with some of you people…..

I'm with you, Ted. Holy shit are some of you guys assholes. You don't know him, at all. Just fuck off to another thread please, he's not here looking for extra parents.

I'd be on my way already Steven but I am at work now and work tomorrow night as well. I'll keep an eye on this to see how it's going and can maybe pop over Monday if there's still work to do. I've appreciated what I've seen from you at York & Allentown and have been meaning to make your acquaintance anyway. I can drink that Budweiser too, if any is left.

I need to pay the mortgage this month, good thing I have 17 pins and can sell some to make this payment.

I didn't read every post, but I get the gist of it. I made some stupid decisions when I was 18 (and beyond), hoped I could get some sort of bail out. Never got one, maybe it was for the better. None of my stupid decisions involved buying and fixing cool things (until much later). I think the 29 games, he can afford it argument is a little weak. I don't know what the market is like in the OP area, but EM's are pretty cheap here. Other than maybe one game I really wanted, I've paid anywhere from free to $200 for older games. Mostly projects. Unless they are sought after titles, after hours of getting them to work, you are looking at selling for $400-500. It's not like he's sitting on a gold mine. I only have 7 working games right now, but one them is an MMR I bought NIB. I could easily turn that into 20+ EMs. it took me a long time to build up some pin equity to afford that one. I'm tossing a little money his way. I'd help if I was closer with some moving. Good luck.

Otaku, I think I have the same dehumidifier. I believe you can hook a hose up to this so you don't need to empty manually, might be useful. Wish I was a bit closer so that I could get out there to help out, just won't be possible this weekend unfortunately.

+3 on the shit some of you guys are assholes. If you have nothing better to do than piss in this guy's cornflakes, why not instead go back to debating LEDs or Stern releases...or playing pinball

This is kinda how I feel about it too, thats why in a previous post that I said sometimes is better to just stfu and take the high road. At least people now know who some of the azzholes on here are though, because there were a few that really exposed themselves. I can understand that some people may feel he shouldn't have put up his pay pal for donation purposes, but the way some of these people jumped on him and just kept bashing his head in really shows how big of ungrateful azzholes that they really are.

We are all going to go through tough times eventually and need to ask someone for help, it doesnt matter who you are, how rich you are, or whatever. These same people may need help one day from a friend, a fellow pinhead, God, or whoever, and they may end up getting a life lesson themselves. Karma is a MF'R sometimes.