Anyone ever considered "Selling up" [Archive]

Gemini-Phoenix

09-26-2005, 03:54 PM

Anyone ever considered selling everything (Game collection) and buying something else, like a mortgage for a house or maybe a car of soem description? Ever think that you could perhaps be putting your money to a better use?

I often have these sorts of thoughts whenever I am ill. I lay there in bed and think to myself "Why do I bother" ~ But then I get better and I realise it's just crazy talk! Lol.

But, some people do have these momentary lapses of clarity, when they realise that maybe they have spent far too much on collecting games, and feel they could perhaps have put that money to better use.

Some people I know have sold up everything in the past to focus on their familty or to buy the sports car they always dreamt of. One person I know sold everything to fund a six month trip around the world!!!

Thing is, each and every one of them regrets doing so. Sure, they needed the money to fund somthing else (And a family is a good enough excuse I guess, especially if a baby is due) but they all resent having to part with what they loved the most.

Most of them have since started buying back some of their favourite games they previously got rid of.

Basically, would you rather starve yourself when you could easially sell a game or two, or would you sell your entire collection to buy the Ferrari you always wanted? Would you sell your stuff if a GF / BF or spouse told you to?

I have always vowed never to get rid of my collection ~ For any reason ~ Ok, I sell the odd game here and there which I have previously bought on eBay and arrived damaged, but they technically aren't part of my collection. I'd never sell teh whole lot though, or even split it to get some "Quick cash" - I would rather work for my cash than sell my belongings.

What makes it even harder is, a lot of my collection I would never be able to find again, in the condition I have it in. Not without paying big bucks at least, and that's if I ever came across it again. A lot of my collection now has sentimental value, and I have gone to some extreme lengths to obtain certain items ~ I#ve already made a lot of acrifices to obtain them, and ain't going to be giving them up so easially

Mind you, IF you did so, just think what you'd be able to buy with all that change! @_@

ClubNinja

09-26-2005, 04:03 PM

I've been doing this very slowly for about a year now, and will likely need another year to finally get rid of everything. Outside of keeping the consoles and games I actually want to play, it's all going. Why? So that I don't have to touch my real income to support my arcade hobby, which is vastly more important to me.

tynstar

09-26-2005, 04:06 PM

I would for a house but never a car. cars go down in value to fast.

But I don't need to do that. If I had to sell my collection to make a house payment of put food on the table I would.

njiska

09-26-2005, 04:25 PM

I'll take the Kevin Smith answer. I'll sell my collection if i absouletly have to, say to finance something, but as soon as i can i'm buying it back.

Jumpman Jr.

09-26-2005, 04:30 PM

Matt-El

09-26-2005, 04:35 PM

Actually, I have been thinking about this.

I'm in college, Need money, can't rationalize some games I have, Want cool ones to enjoy,....what would be the problem? But then, you get that itch..........

Well, If anyone wanted some Genesis rarities like Warsong, zero: kamikaze squirrel, or Madden 93 championship edition for genesis, which I DO have and AM considering selling/trading, I wouldn't mind, i think. It may give me the opporitunity to get more NES games (only at 250).

Selling it all completely? yeah, sure. But would anyone buy ALL of my stuff? Most of the time, to get the most of your money, you gotta piece it out one by one. I just don't know if I'd want to make that many pains in my ass right now.....

NintendoMan

09-26-2005, 05:21 PM

Wow, I think you read my mind Gemini-Phoenix, about your thread! I personally have never really thought about selling my collection, maybe sometimes thought about selling some of it but never everything, but have wondered if anyone else on here has thought of it.

Now, my collection is no where near the size of some of you guys on here, but I do own alot of rare, higher priced items. Like my sealed games collection. While I don't have huge amounts of sealed games, I do have rare ones like Zelda 1 + 2 GOLD versions, for instance. I like outdoor stuff, so have thought about selling a fews things to either get an ATV, Motorcycle, stuff like that. While my collection would never get me a new car, I still wouldn't trade my collection for a car anyways. I can however see how someone might sell their entire collections for a new car, house, baby coming, etc.

While I do think about sometimes selling a few items, which I do now and then to buy other things, granted they are ALWAYS video game related, I would never sell my entire collection. (Who knows though, that could change in one, two, maybe even 30 years) But who knows??
:D

WanganRunner

09-26-2005, 05:22 PM

I liquidate stuff for "quick cash" and then re-buy all the time, and the actual "collection" is typically dwarfed by the inventory of stuff bought somewhere or other at a substantial discount purely for the purposes of resale, an inventory which is constantly rotating.

The only reason I can do this is because my collecting tastes don't tend to be anything particularly un-attainable. I'd never have an M2 console or a copy of Stadium Events...just not my style. Anything I sell I can usually re-buy very easily later.

The exception to this is when I sold off a bunch of things I had purchased while in Japan, I regret EVERY BIT of that. I didn't get as much as I wanted for any of it, it had sentimental value since it was from an actual trip, and a lot of it was genuinely rare gear.

NintendoMan

09-26-2005, 05:24 PM

Of coarse I have thought about it, but those thoughts are usually followed by "only if I need alot of money to put a down-payment on a house."
I don't think I could justify letting all that time collecting going down the drain.

See, I would do whatever I could to wait and save the money rather than selling it to buy a new house. But, granted, I am one of those people who will be making a choice revolving around video games when I do buy a house. What I mean is I will need a couple rooms JUST for my video games. I am lucky enough to have a girlfroend of 4 years, future wife, that won't care if I use a few rooms when we finally can get a house. Actually, she is also a gamer too.
Yes, I am that obsessed.

Bluteg

09-26-2005, 05:34 PM

I am currently in a situation like Gemini said, but only out of desperation.

Actually last week was the worst week I've ever had. My dad had a stroke, someone tried to rape my girlfriend, and I totaled my car. Now the insurance will not pay for it because I hit a deer and it sat outside through Rita so all the blood on the side was washed off. Now there is no proof and to top it all off I had $2,000 worth of car audio equipment stolen at the fucking wrecker service place. But they are not liable because the have a small sign in back that nobody knows about except them that says "not resposible for damage or loss due to theft or fires"

So basically I have to sell my collection or not have any transportation. As it is by the time I get enough for a vehicle I'll have to drop my college classes because I will have missed too damn much to fucking pass. So thats more money I am out of.

:angry:

:angry:

:angry:

:frustrated:

Videogamerdaryll

09-26-2005, 07:43 PM

NO and.......Yes..
I'll never sell most of stuff in my collection,I never even consisder it......but somethings in my collection I have decided to sell..Stuff I can obtain again,and have no use for right now.
Mainly Arcade items(not MVS or Cabs)that sit on the shelf and never get played..Stuff I thought about puttng in Arcade cabinets(bought empty) in the future that I'll never do..

I've sold off several Arcade items to buy Pocket Bikes and equipement...(.Arcade items from my collection)
The Pocket Bikes I ride/race and work on a lot....As to the sold Arcade items,they just sit..
.................................................. ...........................
My Cabs,Game collection/systems,VB Display Unit I'll never sell..

CocoVG

09-26-2005, 08:02 PM

I sold my complete US/EUR SNES collection (all games with boxes, manuals, inserts, the whole shebang, and all hardware variations and just about every accessory on the planet) to get the money to finish paying for school and living expenses.

I pine for those games every now and again, but it was one of the best investments I ever made - if I hadn't put that money into the games, I probably wouldn't have had it around when I needed it the most.

When life expenses get in the way, the gaming gear takes a back seat. Unfortunate, but hey.

Malon_Forever

09-26-2005, 08:11 PM

If I really needed the money to survive, I would sell my collection. I would keep some things though. Nothing rare, but things that really mean a lot to me, like the Mega Man 6 my best friend gave to me (he moved, and haven't seen him since), or like my N64 system, or Genesis. Those mean a whole lot more than my rare games. Anyways, I doubt I would need to sell them any time soon though since I'm only 15.

Vroomfunkel

09-26-2005, 08:31 PM

Hehe. Well, since I am a Christian, I would have to say I would certainly sell it all if necessary. Ultimately nothing I own is really mine anyway ....

But even if you are not, anyone who wouldn't sell a few games to put food on their plate, or buy clothes for their children if they were strapped for cash is simply a fool, IMHO.

Of course, I am not fighting for food, and I don't have any children.

But as it happens, I am selling my whole collection anyway, simply because collecting was taking up far too much of my time and there are other things I want to be doing now. Plus I never really even played any of the games any more.

It's not going to waste though, I'm not just frittering the money away. All the money I get is going into a separate account from my living expenses account and converted to savings.

And it does feel good to know that I have as much in savings now as I owe in student loans. That is certainly a feeling of some satisfaction.

Vroomfunkel

Cobra Commander

09-26-2005, 09:01 PM

Before I had a job about 3 years ago, I sold all my SNES Square titles and Earthbound complete in order to buy a Gamecube. I looked back and nearly cried. As soon as I found a job, I bought the shit out of all those games.

Not being a Christian, I wouldn't sell them for anything less than life or death for me or a family member.;)
Myself, I would never get rid of something I love like my collection. I'd never part with it. I love my collection too much. It's the main reason I have a job. A job without fun at the end of the day, is no life for me.

Damaramu

09-26-2005, 09:01 PM

Nope. Never, not in a million years. I did this before and I still regret it to this day.

I would rather find a better job or even work two jobs than sell this stuff. I miss my first SNES collection (had all the rare stuff CIB), TurboDuo/Turbo Express, and Genesis stuff.

It's taken me quite a bit of time and effort to replace the collection I had when I was younger.

Never again. :angry:

digitalpress

09-26-2005, 09:42 PM

So basically I have to sell my collection or not have any transportation. As it is by the time I get enough for a vehicle I'll have to drop my college classes because I will have missed too damn much to fucking pass. So thats more money I am out of.

It's alright man. There are many things more important that our worldly possessions, and many more things beyond that more important than videogames.

Enjoy life, any way you can.

roushimsx

09-26-2005, 09:55 PM

I love my collection. I love it quite a bit.

But if it came down to having to choose between having a bunch of games I don't have time to play or having a nice house for my family...well... the collection is going up on ebay :)

(p.s. we're trying to get a house right now, so keep your eyes peeled on ebay )

Bluteg

09-26-2005, 09:56 PM

It's alright man. There are many things more important that our worldly possessions, and many more things beyond that more important than videogames.

Enjoy life, any way you can.

Thanks Joe, you words put a smile on my face on a day when I really needed it.

Diatribal Deity

09-26-2005, 10:54 PM

Here in the Northeast you have to sell your soul, limbs and first born to afford a house in most locations (not necessarily in that order). Unless of course your willing to devote 70-80% of your income monthly and live in an unfurnished house for a couple years until you can capitalize on that equity and buy all the video game goodness you want....oh wait maybe I've thought about this too much.

But seriously, if your asking whether its viable to sell your collection to finance the purchase of a house I would say hell yes. Just remember to add at least 20% on to that monthly mortgage payment to account for added expenses.
(not including food, beer, and strippers).

And if you have anything irreplacable in your collection, remember some limbs you don't need to play games. ;)

Mianrtcv

09-26-2005, 11:10 PM

As time goes by I have less and less game time like so many people do. I debate ditching the stash. I have games that in truth have never been played. I also have normal family living expenses that sometimes make me work a little more than I care to. I have this thought repeatedly, is it time? The items I would consider most selling/trading first would be imports that I never really played in depth. I amassed these items in haste. My collecting fever was higher than ever back then. HoweverI have never been able to sell or dispose of anything yet. I still accumulate games. Even get some systems, sparingly. I don't want to regret getting rid of some items that either gave me great enjoyment from play or just have sentimental value for other reasons. Now I have to pay for a party ($$$$) and the thought again stirs. In truth I think my wife would not let me get rid of it. At least not yet. She has helped me keep the room of doom in order, she has even helped amass numerous items even though it sometimes drives her nuts the space taken up. She also has played some games with me and House of the Dead on the various consoles solo. I don't know if/when it'll happen. The thought will always be near though.

goatdan

09-26-2005, 11:38 PM

I've answered similiar questions before in relatively the same way...

I actually don't own that much stuff. Since I have an insane Dreamcast collection, a lot of people figure I must have a ton of stuff. Truthfully... I basically just have an insane Dreamcast collection. And a Jaguar one. Beyond that, almost everything I have I want to keep because it is a memory of my childhood or a time gone by. Other than that, I don't get so attached to things. My 2600 / NES / Colecovision / SNES collections are each probably no more than a total of 100 games, and I am not actively seeking out more.

My Dreamcast and Jaguar collections are both very personal to me. They are both very large, but I collected the Jaguar when it was relatively cheap because I literally have liked nearly every game I've played for it, and the Dreamcast for the same reason. The Dreamcast has become especially personal to me especially because of the new releases that I am responsible for, including the one that I just got done playtesting that is really awesome.

Beyond that though, if I'm not playing it, I don't really care to have it so much. My only other Sega item other than the Dreamcast is a CD-X because I have been using it to check out a few Geni games I have wanted to play... but none have convinced me to keep them yet. I had a Saturn and sold it. Same thing with a TON of other consoles, and I'm currently working on that for my GameCube / Xbox 'collections.'

So would I sell my collection? For the most part, I feel that I already do. As things get older, I tend to get rid of them either through the GOAT Store or with great deals like the current trade 5 in, get $25 dollars credit at EB. The rest of my games are the ones that I really feel are personal, and I would do whatever I could to not have to sell those. If I had to or risk losing my house or not being able to eat, yes they would be sold. Otherwise, I would rather attempt to get a second job first.

PDorr3

09-26-2005, 11:45 PM

I thought about it recently, but I know I will never do it unless completely necessary.
I just wonder how much I could get if I sold everything individualy...

Anthony1

09-27-2005, 12:20 AM

Is it just me, or does it seem like more and more people on these boards are pondering the question of selling off collections and getting out of gaming (to differing degrees).

I used to be the type of guy that would always sell all my current get stuff, to get next gen stuff, and I would repeat the process over and over. Then I went retro, and I had to buy back all my old stuff.

In the long run, I still came ahead, because I sold my old stuff for way more than it cost to repurchase it at this later date.

But the concept of selling current gen stuff for next gen stuff isn't really what we are talking about here. We are talking about people either stepping away from the video game hobby altogether, or maybe giving up the "retro" part of their video game habit, or maybe just trimming their collections down to the bare essentials.

I've never even remotely considered giving up video games altogether. I don't think I ever will. I will game till I die. However, I have on a number of occasions considered going back to my old ways. My old ways of only being interested in the absolutely newest technology and next gen systems. I've been doing the retro thing for about 3 years now, and I've been questioning my dedication with it.

I've been wondering if it's just a phase that I went through, or does it really have long term staying power? I still haven't ultimately decided the answer to that, but I have decided to scale back my retro collection. Systems that I don't really play are being sold. Like my Game Gear stuff and my Master System stuff. I never ever play it, might as well sell it.

I'm not a collector, more of a gamer, so I'm not concerned about preserving any particular collections. Having said all of that, there is no way I'm going to ever part with my SNES and my Turbo and some key SNES carts and key Turbo Hu cards. Same thing with the Genny and some key Genny carts and the Saturn and some key Saturn games.

With me, it's more of a question if I'm going to sell all my gaming magazines and all the games that I never play and systems that I never play. I'm still undecided on the mags, but I'm definitely starting to part with some games that I know I'm not going to give some decent time to. No need for crap to just collect dust for no reason. Any money that I get from any of this stuff just goes into other video game related issues, like improving my Movie Theater setup (which is about enjoying my games to their fullest extent from an audio/video standpoint), or buying next Gen hardware like the 360 and PS3.

Hey, these new systems are quite pricey!

crisssybwoy

09-27-2005, 05:14 AM

I keep trying to sell off my collection & regularly sell off large chunks of it, usually when something goes wrong with my house or if the kids need something new & I dont have the funds for it etc.

I have certainly stopped buying as much so that I can concentrate on my family more etc. I do miss my SNES games & they are the biggest regret I have, but to be honest, I rarely played them as I play DC more often.

Once the kids are older & my wife can go out to work my collecting will resume & I'll get all the nice SNES games back & play them :D

mcarocks2003

09-27-2005, 05:27 AM

I'm TAKING MY GAMES TO THE GRAVE!

Precious SONIC - heal me now!

marcus12024

09-27-2005, 10:52 AM

I don't want to sound like a chump, but I've got a decent job (finally!!) and can now afford most every game that I want. Therein lies the problem - I've started to buy junk that I'll likely never play just because it was a good deal. It's pretty stupid, and I need to stop it. I'm guessing lots of people run into a similar problem the first time they have a decent amount of money coming in. It's hard to all of a sudden need to actively budget your spending when you're used to having no extra money outside of rent, bills, and food.

However, I have considered chopping my collection down to about 150 (from 500), and using the money as a down payment on a house. I have a lot of games that I don't play anymore, and that don't have any emotional meaning to me. Now I just need to get off my lazy ass and ebay the hell out of all those games. Ugh!

Oobgarm

09-27-2005, 11:39 AM

I most certainly have, a lot more recently than before. I'm getting married next year, have debt that looms overhead, and I'll need a place to live that's not an apartment.

I can't count how many times I've contemplated selling off everything except the games I deeply value and cherish...but games are the one thing that I think 'defines' me as a person, and I can't bring myself to do it.

I think I'd regret it, even if the things I sold could be bought back later on.

Kamino

09-30-2005, 01:28 AM

zerohero

09-30-2005, 01:48 AM

well, lately i've been selling off shit carts that i don't like. Why hold on to crappy games that I don't want to play???
There's a good number of games i will NOT part with, for ANY reason.
There's always flipping burgers if more cash is needed.

Hmmmm, maybe I should get rid of this Ramna 1/2 Hard battle game I have. It's pointless for me to keep it since I don't play it.

Gemini-Phoenix

09-30-2005, 05:29 AM

Call me selfish and greedy and unethical, but if I were starving and hadn't eaten for a week, I would rather resort to stealing food than selling off some of my prized posessions. Thankfully, I have never been in that sort of position.

I can just vision it now ~ Friends or family find me one day, dead and skeletal. They simply wipe the blood stains off of my sealed games and keep them themselves! Lol.

So long as I am still standing, and able to work, I will never be short of money. And even if I was crippled, so long as eBay remains, I shall never have to resort to selling my own collection.

ozyr

09-30-2005, 06:38 AM

Is it just me, or does it seem like more and more people on these boards are pondering the question of selling off collections and getting out of gaming (to differing degrees).

It's not just you...

I've been debating this for years. Heck, I even sold off a chunk of it years ago, only to buy it all back in the last three years.

However, I'm finally too the point that I just have too much of this stuff. I can't afford to keep pouring money into this hobby, as I have other hobbies that I find more important. I am really, really debating taking a good BIG chunk of what I have and sell it in a few weeks at a video game gathering. If I do this, I'm just keeping the stuff I really like.

I can just imagine the amount of space I'd have. I always laugh at the rooms of doom on DP. I have one, but it is more like the 'Boxes of Doom' - boxes of video games, in every single room of my house!

jdc

09-30-2005, 08:27 AM

I actually used to have tons of stuff. I used to work in the industry and acquiring large amounts of videogaming items was incredibly easy. I've had the multiples of each of the consoles and the large libraries that go with gluttonous collecting. Now that the videogame thing doesn't put food on my table, it has lessened in importance, not to mention the cornucopia of free stuff ended as well. It's a bit different when you have to pay for your shit. LOL

I woke up one day and saw my overblown collection as a waste of space. I was tired of looking at it, sitting dormant and meaningless on shelves. Lots of software that never got played, backup systems that would never be needed. It needed paring back like a weed infested electronic garden. I methodically went through each system, kept what I truly liked for each, and scrapped the rest. Reducing the N64 library was the hardest and the one I saved for last, but I have no regrets. Now I have 7 consoles (NES, Genny, N64, PSX, Dreamcast, Xbox and PSP) that each have tiny, neat, manageable libraries of the best of their respective software. Sort of a "greatest hits" of each console. I completely scrapped the Cube and PS2 in their entirety and got rid of all duplicate consoles with the exception of N64 variations.

My "collection" may be a total joke compared to the monster that it once was, but being smaller and more playable has actually given it more value.