Retire (stop collecting) or Work ( continue collecting) Dilemma

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Posted By: Mike

I have a dilemma. If anyone else out there has dealt with this problem, please let me know how you have handled it or solved the problem.

The situation is : I want to retire , but if I retire I just won't have the extra funds to continue to build my collection. I still want to collect, but I also want to retire.

It would be hard to look at my collection and know I won't be able to add to it, especially when all the auction catalogs arrive in the mail etc.

Thanks Mike

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Posted By: john/z28jd

I'm not really near retirement age but recently I've thought about what you're saying and I figured I would retire sort of but work part time doing something I really like. I live close to a minor league baseball stadium and assuming I dont move I figured I would go for an usher job....work 72 days a year but basically I'd be getting paid to watch baseball,and at a place I'd probably be often if I was fully retired anyway. You might want to look into something part-time like that and use that money towards card expenses. My step-mother plans on retiring soon but she loves doing dog-grooming so when she does retire from her teaching job she will do the dog-grooming part-time and she will getting paid to do something she really likes.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Which is more important to you- retiring or collecting?

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Posted By: leon

Retire from your real job and find a part time money making hobby (read little to no stress) and fund your hobby that way. regards

edited to add that I didn't read John's post above, before I posted, but that is exactly what I am talking about too....

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

I retired at age 51 with a nice pension, a low mortgage balance, a decent amount of AT&T stock,
and a formidable and eclectic sportscard collection (1887 to 1987).

That was 18 years ago. And, with 2 grown up, married Daughters, I figured to spend more time
and money collecting sportscards and BB memorabilia.

Reflecting back at these past 18 years in the hobby, this turned out to be a very wise decision.

So, it can be done if you plan right.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Why not retire and also take on a part time job doing something you enjoy?

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Posted By: Mark Evans

I retired 3 years ago after 30 years with the federal government. I volunteer part-time at a nearby golf course but have no source of income outside of my and my wife's pensions. As a result, I've had to curtail my collecting habits although I still buy cards from time to time. Although I had a series of wonderful jobs, I don't regret retiring for a moment. After 25 years of school and 30 years of work, I feel like, for the first time, I'm the master of my life. Mark

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Posted By: Bruce Dorskind

There is no greater joy in our life than discovering a long sought after
item from America's Toughest Want List.

Why ever consider retiring? The intellectual stimulation from work, not to
mention the financial rewards, is fabulous. If one works hard enough,
long enough and smartly enough one can always add to one's collection.


We never plan to retire or stop in our pursuit of America's Toughest Want List.


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

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Posted By: Rob D.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Two thoughts:

a) what is this pension thing you guys refer to?
b) the day that I have one more dollar than I need to live on the rest of my life is my first day of retirement -- and I love my work.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Mike- why not retire and start a baseball card business? Whatever profits you make can be applied towards buying a card you want. If you get tired of a card you can sell it yourself, and replace it with something of more interest.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

That's the great thing about America, isn't it? We can retire if we're able and willing, but we could also stay at work forever, too, if that's what we want.

Personally I plan to work as long as I'm able, but to scale back as I get older to spend more time with my family and use the work for intellectual stimulation.

Mike, in your case, you wrote four words that make it easy: "I want to retire." So retire. As others said, you could get a part-time gig to earn money for the hobby. Another thing that some people do is fund their hobby buy bargain-shopping for cards in auctions, and then re-selling at a profit, and use the funds to buy things you like.

Either way, I wish you all the best.

-Al

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Posted By: john/z28jd

I love the way Jeff thinks but I dont think anyone tells you when you exactly reach that point. I'd love right now to be a 72 day a year usher but I don't think I've reached that point unless there is a minor league usher union about to form I don't know about

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Posted By: barrysloate

I would like to retire to the country and get a job as a goat herder.

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Posted By: joe D.

retire.

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Posted By: paulstratton

Barry,
You can always move to Afghanistan.

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Posted By: richie

Enjoy the retired life.

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Posted By: Anonymous

To imitate Daffy Duck:

"This is a Dilemma?"

Keep working. Keep collecting. My collecting investments right now are working out much better than my 401K.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

I'd throw the keys to the landlord and tell him to keep my furniture and equipment. Some people love to work and some people live to work. The moment I have the cash to quit I am GONE. If the cash isn't there, I work. If I had to decide between retiring and acquiring new cards, I'd retire and then try to parlay my existing cards into a business that generated enough profit to buy more cards, as some have suggested.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Dan Paradis

I tried to retire about 8 years ago, it was the worst year of my life. Once you catch up on the household chores (neaten closets, painting, etc.) Here was my day: get up in the morning, walk around, go to the gym, hang around until lunch, meet some friends for lunch, hang around in the afternoon, wait for my wife to come home, eat dinner, watch TV, then go to bed. Sorry, not for me.

I started a couple small businesses with friends that keep me busy enough, but not so busy that I can't take time off whenever I want. That also gives me extra money to spend on cards, go to casino a few times a year, extra vacations, etc.

So I would say the same as a few others have already said, retire, but find a small business (i.e. selling cards, neighborhood handyman, etc.) to keep you busy and bring in some extra cash.

Good Luck!
Dan

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

Mike,

Although you may not know it... your in an invious position!  Congrats!

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

Well you cannot take them with you and the next generation will only sell them when in dire need, unless you have G.W's money !

I thought that I could never part with any of the 7 Boston Garters I owned, the 47 Mello Mints, 7 JAckson Cracker JAcks, 113 CObbs...but I did. I had only saved the very first Cobb that I got from Sal Weingarten (Baseball & Memories)cause he was a true pal back then .There never was a hassle in buying a card from him, so I still have that one and the Cobbs went back up to 30, down to 8 and back up to 18....so ya never know.

I know that working SUCKS, just because of the so many charachters you have in dealing with the public! I often wonder if some of these people ever look in the mirror and realize how demanding and rude that they are for no reason at all.

Enjoy your life, noone knows the cards you have sitting in the corner but you. You can boast about them all day, but only having one life and paying your dues is complete ,wind down and relax.

You could also down-size your home and get a one bedroom for you & your cards !

Keep the cards you have, add 2-3 a year and do some possible trading on the b/S/t.

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Posted By: Marty

I am 57 this year. I had worked for my last company from 1990 to July of this year. I was given a new position two years ago and I did not like what I was doing. I had been building up my card business for a while and made plans to quit. I had a financial planner look at my retirement. Living modestly and having some income from cards for the next 8 years, I have more than a 99% chance of never running out of money. My wife retired 2 years ago with medical benifits and I was able to get on her plan. She takes care of my grand son, so I see him every day.
I would not have retired to do nothing. My typical day when I first stopped going to work was get up and see my grandson, go into my office to work on my inventory and web site, play with my grandson some and have lunch with him, go back into the office, go yo the gym, eat dinner, watch some TV, go back into the office and stop about 11PM.
My sales are up because I am working more at it, but my timing with the stock market was unforseen. I have not felt like I should have stayed with than company yet. If I need a steady income, I will find somewhere else to work.

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Posted By: steve

Retire - and go fishing - recommend a Deschutes steelhead fly fishing trip this fall ! Nothing quite like a 10 pound sea going rainbow trout jumping all over the river to get your juices going. Ahh, the Deschutes, one of America's finest all around trout/salmon/steelhead rivers !

And your cards - well - sell all the little stuff and focus on a collection of, say, 20 super nice cards.

steve

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Posted By: Wesley

Retire (and find a cheaper hobby)