2014 - share ideas for collecting on a budget
 

As the new year approaches, it is normal to set goals for what we hope to accomplish. Collecting-wise, 2013 was a good year for me as I reached my goal of obtaining all of the Topps regular issue Hank Aaron cards (I will continue to add non-Topps & "oddball" items as I can). For 2014, I plan to continue putting together the 1st series of the 1952 Topps set (1-80, mid-grade). As a middle-class educator with a wife and 3 teens at home, I have to budget my purchases carefully. I would love to see how fellow collectors in similar situations continue to add to collections on a budget when monthly funds are definitely limited. There are certainly many vintage collectors that have the funds to buy basically what they want. I hope that sharing collecting strategies for those on a budget will encourage others to get involved and show that this great hobby is for everyone that is interested.

Thanks for sharing and Happy Collecting in 2014!

Congrat again on your aaron topps run.
I am sure you will add cool stuff in 2014
For my part like isaid in 2014 i will probably have less money to invest in my collection.

So my goals is budget.
1- Try to reach 100 sgc40 1933 goudey cards in my set
2- my main goal is finish my topps regular issue mantle cards. For the mick cards i look on cards graded 1-2 for the 50s mantle and 3-4 for the 60s

My approach to managing funds while still being able to actively purchase has always been to focus on the lower grade cards. I'd rather spend $100 on a PSA 1 or authentic than $300 on a PSA 3, particularly if I can then buy two more cards.

My approach being on a very limited budget is two fold.

One, I do not purchase graded cards. Even when I had money to burn so to speak, I did not purchase graded cards. There are a small handful of dealers I purchase raw/natural cards from and I trust them when they state the condition of the card.

Second, stay very disciplined in what you collect. Now, this point has always been a problem with me in the past. I might be working on a vintage football set as I am right now, but I do like to look for other cards so as to provide a little variety in my collecting efforts. So, I like to get some vintage baseball cards of some favorite players of mine as well. But, I keep it limited to just a few players.

As I stated, in the past, I would lose focus and start spreading my collecting focus way too thin. The problem is when you do that nothing gets completed.

I will echo some of what others have said. Focus is a big deal...not that I am exactly a model for that. However, I have learned a lot about collecting this year, and I have a much clearer idea about what I want to accomplish. I need 11 more cards to finish 1941 Play Ball, so I will work on adding some of those in 2014. Also, I plan on purchasing mid-grade star cards from 57 Topps, 53 Bowman, and perhaps 52 Topps. I am going to sample these sets rather than try and complete anymore complete sets. 53 Topps and 41 Play Ball (I am sooo close that I will finish it) will be my only complete sets for the foreseeable future.

I do believe some of you guys have influenced me to make this significant change in my collecting strategy, and I am thankful for it. This had been on my mind for a while. For me and my limited budget, I feel it only makes sense to grab the cards that I really want, cards that really effect me. This will give me a chance to buy favorite cards from a multitude of sets, and that makes me happy. I prefer ungraded cards, but I am not opposed to slabbed cards at a reasonable price. I feel the need to make each purchase count. I have a wife, two young daughters, a mortgage, etc, so I am money conscious. This brings me back to where I started...staying locked in to my goals. I think it will be a great year! Happy collecting everyone!

As I collect on a budget, buying lots/sets of cards, pulling the cards I am seeking(within my range of condition) and selling the rest off as either singles or small lots to break even(in most cases) has helped me add many nice cards to my collection that otherwise could not have been afforded. In most cases my greatest expense is my time, the time used in selling of the extras to cover my costs.

Team sets are a perfect way to collect on a limited budget, if you stay focused on base cards. If you branch out into test issues and certain inserts, it can get expensive. I worked on 1952 Topps to present with my Cardinals team sets and got them done in a relatively short period of time. They display great in albums and it is a fun way to continue your collection every year as a new set rolls around. Plus, it helps you keep up with your favorite team.

^^This^^

And to the OP, if you wanted to build Braves team sets, you've probably already knocked out the most expensive card within each year's team set (Aaron). Spahn and Mathews will be a little pricey, but probably not like the Aaron.

Great suggestions
 

Great suggestions, as usual, from fellow board members. Many options to allow collecting on a budget (raw cards, lower grades, focus, lots, team sets, etc).

Happy collecting in 2014. Looking forward to seeing everyone's additions.

If you are lucky and are a fan of the Chicago White Sox as I was, you don't have to worry about any expensive cards because they had no superstars. :o

Kind of kidding as they did have Nellie Fox, Luis Aparacio in the 50s and into the 60s and Dick Allen for three years in the 1970s, but compare that with teams such as the Yankees, Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers and even cross town rival Cubs, and you just don't have the upper tier superstars that those teams had.

Erik

😄 funny comment about the White Sox. To be honest, growing up in the 1970's the Braves didn't have many stars except for Aaron and, to a lesser extent, Phil Niekro. After Aaron left, Dale Murphy singlehandedly carried the torch until the 90's when Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, Jones, etc. came on the scene.

It could still get very challenging if you branch out from base team sets and get into test issues, inserts, etc.

I couldn't resist the comment about the White Sox. :D

The only year I have put together is 1975 because it was the first year I collected baseball cards.

Seriously, most of us here collect because of the love for it so if it happens that your team does not have a lot of valuable cards, so what. Heck, I tell the story all the time how back in 1975 I traded a Hank Aaron straight up for Dick Allen because Allen was my favorite player at the time.

Though I was more of a White Sox fan growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the 70s, I prefer collecting some Chicago Cub legends such as Billy Williams and Ron Santo over any White Sox player from the 60s and 70s.

Yes, you are correct.