Has the economy slowed/stopped your hobby?

Could you continue your enjoyment of the hobby in these hard times by selling the "excess" stuff that you will never use to pay for the things that you will use?

If I want a new engine or structure, then something that is in excess has to go to pay for it so that household money is not used.

 

Of course the sell off to buy new theory does work, but raises, at least in my mind, the impolite question of whether the new stuff I buy will be of any more use to me than the old stuff was? Or, am I just repeating the same old pattern of buying to buy, in hopes I need it for some layout that will probably never get built or finished?

I have been through a few recessions in my MR career and each time I vow that I will never again over buy, feeling guilty at how much money I wasted on stuff that never really got fully used. Of course, in the last few rebounds, I went right back to my old ways, albeit perhaps with a little less buying vigor. I think this one will cure me to reasonable spending levels, since I have a big, running layout, and I still have too much stuff.

 

What excess?

Gee I only have about 350 locomotives and several thousand pieces of rolling stock...

Sometimes... excess is not the same for everyone. I certainly have no reason to have as much as I have accumulated. I do enjoy supporting the hobby and can certainly do with less. I'm just reluctant to give up items I really still like. I'm really more of a collector than an runner anyway. I view these items more like 'art' in motion when on a layout... and just art when on display.

 

The problem with that is that you are selling in a buyer's market, and you will likely take a huge loss to sell right now. Not sure trading 3 for 1 is my favorite concept, even though I've done it--even recently--just for the reason you state.

Cash flow is key and if you want to buy that's a good strategy, especially if you have some items that are still holding their value well. But like Jeff said, you may be trading 3 of something you don't need for 1 of something you don't need.

The economy has affected my hobby, at least indirectly. I still have a job, and it seems it will hold up at least through the first of next year. So my spending power has not been altered much, although I am putting more of my money into savings and toward paying down debt should the worst-case scenario rear its ugly head.

 

I've slowed down my general purchasing habits. I'm focusing on DCC for the immediate future and that's only picking up more decoders to finish my stable of locos.

My industry is exceptionally hard hit, manufacturing, and until it picks up or what's left of it picks up, major improvements of rolling stock and new motive power is on hold.

We did give ourself a nice raise last week. My wife and I quit smoking. That will eventually same us at least $300.00/month.

 

It might be a good time, though, for model railroaders on Trainboard to speak up when they need something and maybe work a trade. For example, may Joe needs some flextrack or turnouts. Bob has extra, but he needs a special passenger car--which Joe has.

I'm thinking of something similar to the auctions that are held here but are instead a kind of trading bulletin board. What if people had a place to just post what they had to trade or were looking for, including photos when possible? Trainboard could facilitate this by providing a space, and perhaps help us all get through the downturn.

 

Wow, that's great. Wish I had an expensive habit to quit! :tb-biggrin:

Congratulations to both of you.

 

This recession has taken my hobby out at the knees. There's not a lot you can do without a job...

 

Being on disabilty and fixed income...the sucky economy hasn't affected my train stuff much. There isn't a lot of spare $$$ to begin with. I save my monthly 'allowance' and purchase what I can when I can. I have been saving for 3 months now to buy the turnouts for T.H.E. Yard. Saving and then purchasing just makes opening the box when it arrives...that much sweeter. I have to admit that kitbashing is becoming a relaxing part of the hobby...and gives me pride in my work...even if the results aren't perfect in someone elses eye.

PLUS...with the profound kindness of some new dear friends here at TB ...T.H.E.R.R. is showing some real progress.

:tb-cool:

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I am not buying as much as I would like, mainly because I have no guarantee's to be employed. I don't think I will lose my job, but my company has laid off recently and will lay off again in all likelihood this year.

I just started in the hobby, so I have a lot of purchases to make just to get started on my layout. I just need to do it at a more judicious pace than I probably would if the economy was not in such a crapper.

 

I like the idea of swapping things. Probably this could be done in the Trainstore/Marketplace section.
But living in Germany, the shipping cost would keep participation on a very low level....

 

I LIKE this idea. There are similar sites for trading books, trading DVD's.

 

TrainBoard does have their "Wanted" section in the "TrainStore"

http://www.trainboard.com/trainstore/showcat.php?cat=10

I have seen a lot of "Will Trades" in there. Along with the N scale "Auction" and the "Buy It Now" sections...there are some good deals to be had. JMO.

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This is cool. I didn't know about it.

But when I look at all the listings, what I see is "Here is this impossible thing that I can't find anywhere else, does anyone here have it?" I also don't get much of a sense of what people have to offer except money, which is the issue here. In other words, these are classic want ads for a normal economy.

What I was thinking of was more of a "Hey, look, I've got this, this, and this that I could part with. I'd really like this or that piece of rolling stock that I can't afford to buy. Any takers?"

 

I save before I buy and I spend more time window shopping items. Lots of time spent making lists and revising lists rather than just going out and buying stuff. But I am buying and I'll pick up a big order at the post office in the morning. Now work can resume on the layout.

 

I'm pretty much not buying anything,but really,it's only slowing progress on my RR.I have dozens of projects to get caught up on,probably 70+ locos to paint.I did 10 this week.I started my own shop last year,in September,things went to poop..Things are picking up,but I had 5 really bad months,the lease ran out on my old shop,the landlord said I either hadda buy the place,or he had somebody that would.I ended up moving the whole shebang,took a month,then 3 more to get set back up.I'm better off,though,5X the room,and less than half the rent.Now I'm renting space out,pretty soon,the building will be free,LOL!!

 

Like most of us Aussies its the exchange rate that slows down my purchases. I'm also lucky to have a pretty secure job, as long as the real railway keeps paying me the N scale one will keep going. I'm also sure most model railroaders are like me and have enough unfinished projects lying around to weather the economic crisis without having to spend up big, the hobby after all survived the great depression and also WW2 when modeling supplies were simply not available.

 

I hope not to come off as snide, and I am sure guilty of overbuying as my 200 locos, 600 freight cars, dozens of unbuilt kits and a few TB members can attest, but it strikes me just how much our hobby is centered on buying "stuff" rather than building stuff (models and layouts)

The OP and most answers basically assume that you have to buy to enjoy this hobby. Most admit that they have reams of unused stuff. Couldn't this be viewed as a Golden Opportunity to catch up on those "delayed" projects?

If you have your layout started, finishing it should be cheap! Even building a smaller layout from scratch can be done for less than $1000 in a years time. Why count savings from trading locos when you can count savings and be entertained without spending another $9 per movie ticket and popcorn, gas to get there, etc?

I say make lemonades out of the lemons we have been given in this economy! Build your layout, finish it, improve it, redo it, photograph it, blog it, research it, etc. All of those things are cheap and some are free. All are fun, as model railroading is meant to be.

Buy ground foam if you must! Paint if you can! Use household items to build things cheaper. Maybe the old MR dollar projects (okay, updated to $5) should make a comeback and TB should have a money savings tip thread stickied to the top of the N scale board.

Soo had switch throws made out of ear ring studs when I visited his layout last week. Looks better than Caboose Ind throw bars, more in scale, and they worked.

Any other good ideas out there?