What do your parents/wife/husband..ect think of your card hobby?

[theplasticman]

My wife doesn't mind so much. Over the last 2 years I've been able to make enough to pay down most of our personal debt and to pay for Christmas gifts, house repairs etc off of cards. She really doesn't mind that haha

 

[MichiganFan9]

My wife complains all the time cause of the money I spend (that we dont have) in shipping. I cant blame her, but anytime she decides to zip it, that would be great. LOL

 

[BiggioDiogu759]

Awesome responses.

 

[RustyGreerFan]

When I was a teen my mom was very supportive. She demanded I have a job at 15, but she let me spend my money however I wanted. Of course I blew it on cards and video games, but she taught me a great life lesson. If you work hard you can get fun stuff. While I do wish I had invested my money rather than having ever started this hobby, that lesson has stuck with me and helps me today to be responsible with money. She also would buy me a box and some singles for xmas each year.

My dad was also supportive. He would wander around with me at card shows for hours and we would shred boxes together. Good memories.

My wife ridicules me. She does not understand at all. Out of necessity I stopped spending money on cards in about 2001. She hasn't cared that I've recently done some trades here on The Bench or that I buy the occasional single. But she also has fun with it. Like she'll make me swear on my Rustys or suggest to our cat that my Rustys would be a great place to ***.

 

[Loyalty32]

she'll make me swear on my Rustys

That is the best line EVER used on The Bench!

Thanks
Craig

 

[Terry Jackson]

Here is a direct quote from the woman I married 35 years ago: " When you die, I am going to bury all of your commons with you."

It helps to keep your sense of humor...I think...lol.

 

[OriolesFan8]

My wife occasionally ask my "How are all the 14 year olds on The Bench?" Like others have said, she does not understand it but is supportive. I have my binders and some of my loose card boxes in my closet, so out of site, out of mind. As Curt said, as long as the budget allows and I don't forget to feed the kids, she can handle it.

Todd

 

[BiggioDiogu759]

This is cool

Keep them coming.

 

[Trader Rich]

Here is a direct quote from the woman I married 35 years ago: " When you die, I am going to bury all of your commons with you."

I love that quote!

As for myself; Being retired and on a fixed income, I have to be reasonable about how much I spend. I have sort of an unspoken agreement with my wife to not go overboard.
On the whole she is supportive because she understands the pleasure I derive from the hobby.

Rich

 

[dbarbos1]

That is the best line EVER used on The Bench!

Thanks
Craig

That was Great!

 

[NYMets6986]

My girlfriend of five years rolls her eyes sometimes, she will buy cards for me at garage sales, wal mart, even the local card store. I think she thinks I am obsessed but it really is just a hobby. She likes the look of all my autographed memorabilia.

My parents dont think much of it my dad is kind of interested when I talk about my autographs through the mail but thats about it.

Matt

 

[abeabe]

I think with most of us, our better halves, deal with our hobby. Yes there are stacks of cards on the dresser sometimes from the cards I looked through and didnt put back. Those are things they have to deal with sometimes, right? I guess each person's spending would be if they can afford it or not. If you have 2 kids and are late on mortgage/rent you definately don't need that $100 Jeter or Pujols auto, but if you can afford it then the wife/gf shouldnt be compaining. Hint to all the men here. Try not to spend more $$ on cards then your wife!!! If she puts up with it, atleast buy here something on par value-wise with your best purchase that year. With Valentine's Day, B-Day, Mother's Day, anniversary and holidays, there are several times a year they deserve a gift too. I think anyone who has issues with their better half about cards, needs to try that approach.

 

[mike91net]

We bought a collection (250K+) of commons, inserts, stars for $400 about two years ago. Although there were some cards that were in order, many were not. My kids help me organize the collection and put them online. As we sell them, we put the $ back into higher end boxes and then sit around the table once a month opening packs and enjoying family time talking about the hobby. Guess I'm lucky to have a room in the house dedicated to the obsession..but once a month we all reap the dividends by opening packs together as a family.

Guess you can say my wife supports it!

 

[metsman1986]

My wife thinks I collect "Pictures of Men", although she is very supportive and a huge baseball fan..................

 

[Phishmon23]

full support here! she even buys me packs when she's in target and whatnot! couldn't ask for anything more

 

[ian_kell]

Im lucky being a brit and married to an american bought up on baseball. She loves spliting packs and pulling the good cards!!! and then rubbing my face in it. But heh she will sit and sort them out as well!!

Lucky i guess and half of the 1/1 glaving i currently possess (26 different) shes bid on after i gave up the chase

Iain

 

[potvin48]

My wife despises the stacks of cards and boxes I have laying around the house. She's mostly quiet about it, but every now and then expresses her frustration. Then I know it's time to back off a little bit and do this stuff mostly at night when she goes to bed. Some nights I have a lot of things on eBay that I'm watching, and she's very tolerant of those nights. We usually play Rock Band in between my bidding

Kids aren't interested really, although if I have some boxes or a case, they're more than willing to rip them open for me...And my oldest likes to help sort until she gets bored with it.

I have been inspired to do something nice for the wife though. Thanks for that post abeabe...Good to be grounded every now and then.

 

[OriolesFan8]

My wife thinks I collect "Pictures of Men", although she is very supportive and a huge baseball fan..................

I heard a comedian say recently "If your a kid, you collect baseball cards - if your an adult, you collect pictures of men". So your wife is dead on, kind of creepy to think of it that way.

Todd

 

[chaddie84]

My wife doesn't fully understand it, but she tolerates it as long as I keep the budget to a reasonable amount. Sometimes I have a hard time doing this as I love the break product. She actually enjoys busting baseball product with me, so it makes for a great time. Pretty much anything/everything I sell online goes towards my box/case breaking budget which I rarely infuse cash into. It's pretty much self sustaining at this point minus the occasional LCS visit.

What she doesn't like is the clutter, so to make things easier on everyone...I've pretty much downsized my whole collection. I dump all my base at the LCS every time it fills up a 3200 ct. box. I now have a smaller, higher-end PC of Twins/Vikings stuff. All my box breaks start out in the trading forums, but end up being shipped into COMC every few months or so. My entire collection now fits within three 3200 ct. boxes!

I actually got my father in-law into the hobby in recent years. He's a big Michael Cuddyer fan, so whenever I have the opportunity to pick up a few singles for his collection, I snap them up. When the in-laws stop to visit, we often frequent the LCS at the local mall and pick up some Cuddy singles. He's actually building up a pretty decent PC.

 

[BiggioDiogu759]

Thats awesome.