(Topic ID: 242640)

What do you guys do that you can afford pinball?

By Trooper11040

4 years ago


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  • Latest reply 4 years ago by irobot
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    There are 448 posts in this topic. You are on page 9 of 9.
    #401 4 years ago
    Quoted from toyotaboy:

    i have a friend that drove a cement truck for 30 years, he just retired at 58. claimed he couldn't take it anymore.. supposedly liked the job, just didnt like the company he worked for.

    The older you get without establishing yourself as a boss or in a supervisory position, the more likely you are to be run out of a company (IMHO). Youger guys come in and if they can gun for the older guys w/o repercussion eventually it works in one way or another.

    #402 4 years ago

    I haven't read all of the posts so someone may have mentioned this before. But a couple of thoughts. Don't buy new in box pinballs, as they will likely lose some of their value at least in the short term. They are also very expensive initially as compared to used machines.
    Start to learn how to do basic repairs. At a minimum, learn how to take apart a playfield, wax and rubber a game and possible install LEDs. Begin to learn how to do simple repairs - replace a flipper coil, replace drop targets, find and replace a bad transistor on a circuit board. Install a new battery holder, etc etc.
    Then you will be in a position to buy a cosmetically nice game which needs some repairs or cleaning, and you can get it a little cheaper. You will get good enough that eventually you can buy cheap broken machines, fix them up, and either keep and enjoy them or sell them for a small profit. Do that a few times and you will have enough to buy another machine. Meanwhile, you will have a steady stream of different pins coming into your home for cleaning, repair, etc, keeping things interesting.
    If you don't have much cash to start, pick an early digital machine for your first purchase like an early Bally, Gottlieb or Williams from the late '70's-early 80's. Many of these are fun to play and can be had in non-working condition for $300-700. Repairs are often fairly easy and the end result is a fun game worth maybe $1000-1200.
    If you decide to go this route, I am also in eastern PA. If no one else is near you, you can always reach out to me for advice on how to make various repairs. I'm always willing to spend some time helping someone trying to learn. I consider it paying back a lot of guys over the years who helped me out when I didn't know a resistor from a diode!
    If you don't want to do your own repairs, then there's no easy solution except money and lots of it based on today's prices!

    #403 4 years ago
    Quoted from sbmania:

    I haven't read all of the posts so someone may have mentioned this before. But a couple of thoughts. Don't buy new in box pinballs, as they will likely lose some of their value at least in the short term. They are also very expensive initially as compared to used machines.!

    I feel ya on this, but I've had several used purchases turn into surprises with issues that weren't disclosed and made me wish I had just bought NIB. I know buying used is smart financially, but it's not always best for the feeling you should be getting when getting a new pin in your collection. Plus the consideration of travel time to pick up a used pin, the potential hassle, unknowns, etc. Not crapping on your advice, just adding that this is not always black and white.

    #404 4 years ago
    Quoted from Cobray:

    The older you get without establishing yourself as a boss or in a supervisory position, the more likely you are to be run out of a company (IMHO). Youger guys come in and if they can gun for the older guys w/o repercussion eventually it works in one way or another.

    i find this more of a Phlilly thing.

    1 month later
    #405 4 years ago
    Quoted from russdx:

    Getting rich is not always about working hard, I know plenty of people who work very hard but are no better off then the average person. Alot of people come from money or just fall into money (inheritance, lucky investment, etc..) or even just know the right people to climb the commercial ladder quicker then others.
    Luck does play a huge part for some people.

    The difference is that some people hope for luck, and some people create their luck. Yeah, you might occasionally get "lucky" with an investment or hitting on a 19 in blackjack, but you're much better off educating yourself, creating goals and a plan, and sticking to it. You invest in things because you understand them. You stay on a 19, hit on a 4, double-down on a 10, split on an 11 and occasionally hit on a 12 if you're counting your cards else you stay.

    In my experience, those with "money" get it that way far more than any sort of "luck".

    PS - I like blackjack

    #406 4 years ago

    I just work more to get another pin. It helps that I love my work and it pays well!

    #407 4 years ago
    Quoted from ToucanF16:

    It helps that I love my work and it pays well!

    Aside from winning 500 million in the power ball, this is where you want to be

    #408 4 years ago
    Quoted from ktownhero:

    The difference is that some people hope for luck, and some people create their luck. Yeah, you might occasionally get "lucky" with an investment or hitting on a 19 in blackjack, but you're much better off educating yourself, creating goals and a plan, and sticking to it. You invest in things because you understand them. You stay on a 19, hit on a 4, double-down on a 10, split on an 11 and occasionally hit on a 12 if you're counting your cards else you stay.
    In my experience, those with "money" get it that way far more than any sort of "luck".
    PS - I like blackjack

    can you teach me how to create this luck and I will head down to the nearest casino

    blackjack will always take its percentage in the end

    #409 4 years ago

    Airline Captain at a Legacy for the past 15 years:

    Started flying in 1990...paid for own college while working 4 jobs in college and staying all summer semesters... took 21 years to pay off 130k of debt for private flight university as USAF Academy slot got rolled to alternate because of upcoming draw down in early 90's, bypassed only option military missle silo assignment and stayed civilian...didn't have furniture for first 3 apartments while flight instructing for 3 years during the 90's and jobs were scarce...slept on a mattress only with no furniture in apartment that I could barely afford while eating PB & J and mac n' cheese just about every day....married early (sometimes you just know and moving around the country unmarried didn't seem like a fit for us or the family) but waited to have kids for 5 years...never took a honeymoon...had a shotgun wedding that cost 7K and got that back from wedding guests...took whatever flying job I could get until the regionals hired in 1996...pay for training was in effect so borrowed 8.5k from relatives and paid them back before paying off student debt, first year only paid 13k so I grossed -7000 after taxes and other costs...naturally running up credit debt just to buy food even though I qualified for food stamps but never took them...upgraded quickly but had to stay 10 years at the regionals due to 9/11...was able to buy a meager starter home for 104k with 3k down on FHA loan and live in for 15 years... finally got hired at majors only to have mandatory age 65 implemented (which extended soon to be retired pilots at age 60 another 5 years - think moving the goal markers)...recession hit..and merger takes place...oh yeah, and you have to start over at the bottom of the airline when switching companies...lost 14% of seniority and finally back at parity after 10 years post merger...got kicked out of Captain seat on 737 to right seat of 787 due to base shrinkage and luckily got back to the left seat a year later only to sit on reserve for 4 years (basically on call and brutal hours)...

    But...

    It all paid off...

    Looking back I made financial mistakes, but had no mentors and could have gone different routes but it worked out somehow...

    I'm now sitting back in the CA seat, built a nice new house, pool, home theater, game room, live within my means and can now afford Pinball machines...

    Only took 29 years of blood, sweat and hard work your mileage may vary

    #410 4 years ago

    I invested all my money in new coke and blockbuster video.

    #411 4 years ago
    Quoted from russdx:

    blackjack will always take its percentage in the end

    Actually, you can play in such a way that over an infinite timeline you are guaranteed to come out ahead by 1 to 2 percent. And I'm not talking about cheating in any way.

    The problem is that we don't live forever and don't have the funds to play long enough to realize it. Hence, you create "luck" which simply means that you do everything in your power to create a situation in which your short slice of time is a time of prosperity and not deficit. This involves a lot. Knowing how to play and having the will to stick to it no matter what. Knowing when not to and when to walk away.

    It's the same concept that people use to generally build wealth except that in life you are able to create much better odds for yourself than something like Blackjack.

    #412 4 years ago
    Quoted from T2S88:

    I invested all my money in new coke and blockbuster video.

    It was Crystal Pepsi for me

    #413 4 years ago
    Quoted from ktownhero:

    Actually, you can play in such a way that over an infinite timeline you are guaranteed to come out ahead by 1 to 2 percent. And I'm not talking about cheating in any way.
    The problem is that we don't live forever and don't have the funds to play long enough to realize it. Hence, you create "luck" which simply means that you do everything in your power to create a situation in which your short slice of time is a time of prosperity and not deficit. This involves a lot. Knowing how to play and having the will to stick to it no matter what. Knowing when not to and when to walk away.
    It's the same concept that people use to generally build wealth except that in life you are able to create much better odds for yourself than something like Blackjack.

    I tried this theory once. I mastered "basic strategy", and then took it beyond basic. Then it came down to counting cards. What I found is that it was no longer fun playing blackjack. It became very mentally taxing sitting at the table, and sure the odds may have been a lot better, but in reality you still lose frequently. I never mastered card counting, it's just too mentally taxing - not to mention that you'll get flagged if they suspect you are doing it.

    Blackjack is still my favorite game in the casino though. The characters you see at the tables, and the amount of money floating around. It's entertaining to say the least. I've watched people burn though a Wonka in an hour, look into their empty wallet, curse a little and walk away. God help the poor guy that did it with his lady friend behind him. She was pissed! =)

    Off topic I know....sorry!

    #414 4 years ago
    Quoted from russdx:

    can you teach me how to create this luck and I will head down to the nearest casino
    blackjack will always take its percentage in the end

    Easy; get licensed in your Jurisdiction and build, staff and operate a casino. Head down and count your money.

    It's not luck, it's statistics.....

    #415 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinJim:

    I tried this theory once. I mastered "basic strategy", and then took it beyond basic. Then it came down to counting cards. What I found is that it was no longer fun playing blackjack. It became very mentally taxing sitting at the table, and sure the odds may have been a lot better, but in reality you still lose frequently. I never mastered card counting, it's just too mentally taxing - not to mention that you'll get flagged if they suspect you are doing it.
    Blackjack is still my favorite game in the casino though. The characters you see at the tables, and the amount of money floating around. It's entertaining to say the least. I've watched people burn though a Wonka in an hour, look into their empty wallet, curse a little and walk away. God help the poor guy that did it with his lady friend behind him. She was pissed! =)
    Off topic I know....sorry!

    There are basic card counting techniques that aren't that difficult, but they can really make a huge difference. Start at the count of 10, add +1 for every 3 - 9 and -1 for face cards and aces. If your count ever gets to 15, start doubling your bets. If your count gets to 20, triple or higher. On the flip side, if your count starts dipping well below 10, consider sitting out for a few hands or leaving the table. Decide well before you sit at the table what those #s are for you, so there's no emotional play involved. You have to start with enough chips for at least 20 bets to provide a buffer. Any less than that and you won't be able to stick around long enough to survive a dip so you gotta either pony up or move to a cheaper table. But don't try walking up with, say, $25 at a $5 table... You're almost guaranteed to be down $25 at some point. But if you step up with $100 at a $5 table you're usually in good shape and your worst case scenario is you hang out and get drinks all night.

    You can get flagged I guess if you're at like a $100 / bet table, but if you just like smoking cigars and meeting people you can sit at a $5-$10 table all night and typically break even or, if the probability gods love you, walk away with a few hundred in winnings.

    EDIT: There are small tweaks to card counting techniques that add continual accuracy, but it's annoying tracking black vs red cards. I find the 3-9 and 10 - Ace system very easy to keep track of and you can still enjoy yourself.

    #416 4 years ago
    Quoted from ktownhero:

    The difference is that some people hope for luck, and some people create their luck. Yeah, you might occasionally get "lucky" with an investment or hitting on a 19 in blackjack, but you're much better off educating yourself, creating goals and a plan, and sticking to it. You invest in things because you understand them. You stay on a 19, hit on a 4, double-down on a 10, split on an 11 and occasionally hit on a 12 if you're counting your cards else you stay.
    In my experience, those with "money" get it that way far more than any sort of "luck".
    PS - I like blackjack

    "For some people... luck itself is an art"

    -Martin Scorsese in the intro for "The Color of Money"

    Pinball excellence is not about excellent pinball.

    Seriously though, I know a lot of guys of more modest means with nice collections. Learn the "art" of buying and selling games in order to afford them. Some guys make it look easy and others can't seem to get in the groove, but once you're in there, you know how to do it.

    #417 4 years ago

    I'm a HVAC tech with a 40+ job in the summer and 50+ hours in the winter. Lots of on call and overtime hours. My wife is a RN and she gets overtime also. We've lived below our means and have done good overall. Our overtime money goes to pinball or house repairs if they pop up. This has ended up with us having 17 pins that we bought over several years and 4 snowmobiles which is my other hobby.

    #418 4 years ago
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    #419 4 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    [quoted image]

    Wasnt there a thread asking where Odin was? This explains alot.

    #420 4 years ago

    My answer to the OP is, I didn't have any kids. No weddings or college educations to pay for. No debt and no foolish mortgages! I was pretty frugal and didn't buy pins until my early 50's and then bought an old beater and restored it. Then another. Now I finally bought a NIB...ACNC and am still waiting for it. And I have nothing against having kids. So please don't flame me for it. All decisions in life have consequences. Having no kids does too. Point being, I can afford it now.

    #421 4 years ago

    #422 4 years ago
    Quoted from rattmuscle:

    I'm a HVAC tech with a 40+ job in the summer and 50+ hours in the winter. Lots of on call and overtime hours. My wife is a RN and she gets overtime also. We've lived below our means and have done good overall. Our overtime money goes to pinball or house repairs if they pop up. This has ended up with us having 17 pins that we bought over several years and 4 snowmobiles which is my other hobby.

    That's what I did. Went to school for it. Earned an AAS in HVACR. Then eventually got on with a Natural Gas utility. 29 years in now. Wife also works at the hospital, but not a nurse. Lots of on call and O.T as well. Being on call sucks!!!!!!! Now I work in the transportation and storage division. No more on call!

    #423 4 years ago

    I started my own business about 5 or 6 years ago selling stills. Before that on the council for 20 years, always had a second job and worked overtime any chance i got. On call truly sucks alright.

    Now i work for myself but my boss is still a prick.

    #424 4 years ago
    Quoted from punkin:

    On call truly sucks alright.

    Yup, people think you're the Maytag man just anxiously waiting for some bull shit call at 3AM on a work night! Example: I smells gas!!! It's 2:00AM Monday night in a thunderstorm! So you drag your ass out of bed and when you get there they tell you, "ya, I've been smelling it for 3 months now." Then you discover that their cat pissed on the floor! I have hundreds of such stories! Thus my move to a better position for mental health reasons mostly. There wasn't enough Zoloft in the state of Michigan Sorry for the rant! It's really much worse in reality.

    #425 4 years ago

    Sometimes having kids isn't so much a life choice but an evolution choice.. I mow grass for a living and I have a college degree I stopped using a decade ago. Who would have ever thought you could make 8k a month mowing grass? I have enough hobbies and just like to play pinball and have no real desire to own something else I need to constantly fix. I have equipment and old vws to fix already.I play onsite to get my pinball fix. I know not everybody has a place to play close to them though. Just getting serious about pinball again in the last year I feel I missed the boat as far as buying goes as prices are crazy it seems even for old beaters..

    #426 4 years ago

    Most of the guys who have big collections got started early so they were always making a profit when selling and trading up. The other trend is that they seem to live pretty far away from major cities to avoid huge housing costs. The collectors I’ve met with good solid collections have good jobs but nothing crazy like a doctor or anything.

    I’ve got a good job as a software engineer but I like city living so my house is probably more expensive than the average here. It also is a big old thing that needs money put into it so instead of a NIB pin I’m getting a NIB gas boiler or a NIB tub.

    If I put my wife and i’s Combined salary here some people might think I should have a crazy gameroom but I mean pinball is just one thing that’s going on with us. I’m maxing out my 401K and saving for my son’s college and funding trips to pinburgh. If I didn’t do any of that I could probably swing a new game every year or so.

    1 week later
    #427 4 years ago

    I can’t afford it that’s why I only got one DH

    #428 4 years ago

    Why not add a poll to this thread to get an idea of income brackets for the hardcore pinheads here. It would be anonymous I'm assuming and would be interesting to see.

    1 week later
    #429 4 years ago
    Quoted from okgrak:

    Why not add a poll to this thread to get an idea of income brackets for the hardcore pinheads here. It would be anonymous I'm assuming and would be interesting to see.

    I doubt many people want to disclose their incomes. I could be wrong.

    #430 4 years ago
    Quoted from Mr_Outlane:

    I doubt many people want to disclose their incomes. I could be wrong.

    I guess a poll would be anonymous?

    I’m sure there are many here that either make more than I do, or just burn through cash. Does anyone else think “what the f does that guy do?” when you see a lineup of a dozen high end machines in their collection? That’s always my first thought, mixed with a dose of jealousy. I guess I’m lucky to have what I have. Which is a wife who tolerates my hobby.

    #431 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinJim:

    I guess I’m lucky to have what I have. Which is a wife who tolerates my hobby.

    You’re very lucky!

    #432 4 years ago

    I drunkly bought my pinball online with my wife’s credit card on my 45th birthday. Might be a new tradition.

    1 month later
    #433 4 years ago
    Quoted from Mr_Outlane:

    I doubt many people want to disclose their incomes. I could be wrong.

    It’s been done. Looks exactly like you would think.

    FDE99495-F8E6-4A65-8BD1-6DA80A8C28B5 (resized).pngFDE99495-F8E6-4A65-8BD1-6DA80A8C28B5 (resized).png
    #434 4 years ago
    Quoted from Duke-:

    It’s been done. Looks exactly like you would think.

    Interesting. Here is a very unscientific comparison of the 2012 pinside poll you show to 2012 US household average income (not apples to apples, since the poll probably includes international respondents, and we don't know if the respondents answered with household or individual income, etc.) but it gives a snap shot of how pinsider's compare. It was a pretty large sample for pinside (819 votes), so just guessing this is accurate enough to make the comparison.

    Chart (resized).pngChart (resized).png
    4 months later
    #435 4 years ago
    Quoted from konjurer:

    Sorry, I gotta disagree with part of your post. Kids don't have it tougher. If you have college loans that take until you're 60 then you've made poor choices in attaining your education. I see that all around me. Parents that allow their kids to go to out-of-state schools and take degrees that are not in demand do their child no favor. Community colleges are extremely affordable and then transfer to a 4 year in-state college, or a private college that can provide a great financial package. Believe or not, there are kids that come out of college with no debt and no parental assistance.
    Swinging back to the topic, the biggest indicator of financial success is the ability to delay gratification. I worry about the people that make $40K and have a collection of NIB games. In this scenario, if you haven't been putting money back towards retirement you're being irresponsible. Start with a $500 pin and work your way up to a nice collection over time while saving and avoiding debt. Just one guy's opinion... but I'm right
    https://jamesclear.com/delayed-gratification

    I agree with you. It also makes no sense to me why parents and kids don't live home after college and pay off there student loans? The majority of people's parents will allow them to live home and pay nothing. Pay off you student loan and then save a few 100K and buy a house cash. No one else is ever going to allow you to live for free ever again in your life. So these kids rush to move out or spend all the money they make on vacations. new cars or clothes. I refuse to pay for my kids education. I don't understand how parents for go retiring or put themselves in financial hardship to pay for there kids college? Anyway it's just my opinion.

    #436 4 years ago
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    #437 4 years ago
    Quoted from Syco54645:

    same, bought a fixer upper. just had to replace my car. could have easily afforded a more expensive house or car but i will not afford them. having said that pin prices are at the point that i wont afford them any more as well. i will just buy newer games and remakes for 2k more over a 30+ year old trashed game.
    people need to remember that being able to afford something doesn't mean you have to. after i explained that to my wife she suddenly understood. for instance she wants a new bathroom (ours is currently pink) but it works fine. there is no reason to afford a remodel on the bathroom at this time. in the future sure but id rather be even more financially stable before doing it.

    Well to give an update the pink bathroom is gone. My wife and I made a deal, we both want 3lvira and said we had to redo the bathroom before buying another game. Plus the tiles were falling off the wall and it just looked awful. It is done now so we are on the look for a HUO 3lvira!

    When i made this post I was in a really dark time with my job. Financially it was great but otherwise it sucked. I am a software engineer and work from home. The company I was working for was the type to just keep piling on work regardless of situation. "We promised this to the client by Monday" was a common thing to hear Friday at 8pm, and the estimate would nearly always be something that was at least 30 hours. Finally got out of that and now work for a company in Irvine, California (and yes I am actually in Pittsburgh). The difference is night and day. I am actually respected and empowered to push back on insane requests like that. They fly me out 4x a year to hang out with the team (and work of course) and all expenses are covered. This last trip I took my wife with me and we went to Disneyland (yes I did budget for this as it was a luxury).

    #438 4 years ago

    DevOps engineer. Make good money, but I also live in the SF bay area, so cost of living is up there, too.
    For me, half the fun is bringing games back to life.
    Bought a Gorgar a few years ago. Fixed it and played the hell out of it. Started buying projects, fixing them then selling. Bought a Munsters and promptly put it on route. Bought a super Mario and did the same. I luck out on occasion with good deals, but I basically try to break even with the hobby. I learn new skills and I'm not bored, so I count the time as wisely spent.

    #439 4 years ago

    Stop eating out. Even fast food. You will be amazed how much you can save.

    If you buy nib and sell for a loss, you are still ahead if that was the money you used to spend going out.

    #440 4 years ago

    I married “my little wooden goldmine” to quote Stromboli... I found a woman who could play pinball as nearly as well as I could, and even better than me some times, at least she would say so, and promptly married her. We have been fortunate enough to be DINKs, or unfortunate some might argue, but damn are kids expensive, more than pinball! We also were able to take some career risks based on us each making good enough money to allow each other the option of trying something new, or risky, or just smart (like finishing a degree)... and this has let us leap frog our way up the food chain.

    I am a software engineer working for a national bank currently, and my wife is an executive in the health care industry where she works.

    They say on average you will hold 5 different jobs in your life... I am a little above average because I have been all of the following:
    Paper boy (twice)
    Janitor
    Census Bureau worker
    Electronic technician (three times)
    Nuclear Reactor Operator (US Navy ET-RO)
    Sailor onboard Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine
    Software developer (3 times)
    Qualification Lab Photometric Test technician
    Reasearch Physicist
    Aircraft Lighting Engineer
    Technology Consultant/programmer
    Software Engineer

    #441 4 years ago
    Quoted from JohnnyPinball007:

    Stop eating out. Even fast food. You will be amazed how much you can save.
    If you buy nib and sell for a loss, you are still ahead if that was the money you used to spend going out.

    It’s also infinitely healthier to eat food that you cook yourself.

    #442 4 years ago

    i buy broken machines, arcades and pins when the pop up, usually you got to be hella fast to get anything. then sell the ones you dont want and use that money to get what you do want. unfortunately for me, i also own many rentals. It seems every time im making good headway on selling arcades and pins, then i have a A/C go bad or something and poof there goes my pinball fund. i guess its better than being out of pocket.

    #443 4 years ago

    I don't work too hard, in fact not since last Thursday, so I try to make my pinball dollars count.

    Things I don't waste my pinball money on-

    So called "A" games that aren't any fun to play anymore.

    New games with 30 year old themes that don't even come close.

    LED bulbs.

    Aftermarket or factory toppers that aren't included.

    Lighting so I can see my feet glow purple.

    Other interactive or non interactive add on bullshit.

    #444 4 years ago

    Stationary engineer, aka a refinery operator. I mainly make jet fuel, remove sulfur and process naphtha for gasoline. I’ve been here 6 years and this is by far the highest paying AND best job I’ve ever had.

    #445 4 years ago

    First post on here, thought this would be a fun one to jump into. My fiance and I caught the pinball bug a few years ago. We have plenty of great places to play on location around us, but we would always dream about having our own pin.

    I work as a union quality technician and make ok money. Keep my living expenses as low as possible. I worked overtime consistently for the past 6 weeks and used that money to buy our first pin. It's a Bally 4 million BC. Plays great, but needs shopped out and eventually I'll need to teach myself how to rebuild the flippers.

    It took some planning and a lot of shopping around to find the right deal for us. Be patient, make a plan, manage your money right, and be sure to shop around and do plenty of research.

    #446 4 years ago

    I have what I call "the game account" which is completely separate from all other accounts. This account alone is what pays for pinball and arcade games. The hobby funds have always been kept separately from everything else for close to 25 years. The cash that funds the game account comes from arcade and pinball restorations, sales, and a machine locator service for my clients. Otherwise it wouldn't happen any other way with 4 kids, 3 whom are in college, and the wife. We've always agreed that if I could make the hobby pay for itself to have at it and that's what I've done.

    #447 4 years ago

    Pinside got thousands of members. What percentage of those members do you believe that owns more than one pin or even a single pin?

    Sure there are people that can afford very expensive and large collections but I don't think that this is more than 10-20% of the pinsiders.

    I am in sales business as a Product Manager at the moment, married with two kids, and I can afford, maybe, one pin per year.
    What I can afford however are many (nice deal) projects. Because searching, picking and restoring is the whole deal of being in the pinball hobby.

    So, in my opinion, don't try to buy Willy Wonka or Strangers Things or what ever just yet , instead try to find a Gorgal project, or a Fathom project, or any project. Be creative on restoration and at the end of the day you will own pins very cheap and most importantly you will be able to experience the hobby in it's full scale.

    #448 4 years ago

    I don't see what the big deal is.

    ANY collector community consists of people who save up their birthday money and their work bonuses and fun money and use it to buy guns or stamps or cars or whatever.

    Instead of going out to dinner and buying hockey tickets, they just keep focusing their extra money on their hobby.

    They're always looking for a deal, so they find bargains, and they put sweat equity into stuff.

    After a while, it adds up.

    Suppose you caught the bug of collecting Luger pistols. You'd hunt around at gun shows and on gunbroker and so forth and save up $600 and buy one, and the years would pass by and eventually you'd have 20 or 30 of them.

    A couple of them you'd get at bargain prices and it would turn out that they're worth a pile of money.

    By the time you're 50, you'd have $38,000 worth of Lugers and everyone would scratch their head wondering where you got the money.

    When you focus your money and effort into one hobby, year after year, it adds up.

    ALSO, collecting type hobbies (unless they're stupid, like beanie babies) USUALLY turn a profit. Unlike buying a boat, which is a huge money pit.

    I drove 4 hours and bought a Twilight Zone pin from a guy for $2400 back in the old days. Which seemed crazy expensive when I got it. Now it's worth what? $7000 maybe?

    ALSO,

    You don't have to go for the high end pins. Some of the 80s pins are really fun. I have a Bally Atlantis and I love it. You'd be amazed how often people pick the Atlantis over the other pins I have.

    There are 448 posts in this topic. You are on page 9 of 9.

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