“You need to be saving your money. You’ll be sorry when you’re my age.” -Sal’s Mom
I have no idea how much money I’ve spent on figures. I’ve never added it up, but I’m certain it’s in the thousands. That means, theoretically, I could have several thousand dollars in the bank right now had I never started collecting. As in, had I not purchased figures, the money would be there, sitting in one or more accounts. It’s an interesting thought, but it might not be the case. I’m a spender. I’ve always been a spender. I work to spend money. I pay my bills and I buy shit. Always have.
I’ve just found a focused way of dealing with my spending. I buy figures now. I used to buy clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Now I buy figures. But I’m going to buy something. It so happens that for the last eight years it’s been figures. But if I were to stop collecting figures today that would only mean that I’d have less figures, not necessarily that I’d have more money in the bank. I’m going to buy something!
Throughout my twenties I made decent money. At 24-years-old I was the only person I knew, at that age, who lived alone in a furnished one-bedroom apartment and had a new car. I made full time pay for part time work. But when my twenties were up I didn’t have “anything to show for it.” Meaning, I spent it all! On what? Not action figures! I bought clothes, I traveled, and I went on dates. The point is, the money was gone.
At least now I have something to show for my spending. If I had to liquidate in an emergency I could recoup SOME money. My ¼ scale NECA Predator collection ALONE could fetch me $500 at the minimum. And that’s not including every other NECA ¼ scale figure I own. I see plenty of posts on Facebook groups of people “giving up collecting” and I think, “Oh please never.” But is that me not wanting to part with my collection or just the fear of me being really broke?
I’m not a young man. I’m not old either. The term is “middle aged.” I’m a middle-aged action figure collector. The lowest of the low of collectors. Comic book collectors get more respect. It took me some time to literally come out of the closet as an action figure collector. I was resistant. It took coaxing from YouTube and Facebook friends. I might still not be public; merely a name on YouTube. And now friends and family ask me to justify my spending. But it’s my money. I earned it!
Maybe they’re right. Maybe I DO have a problem. Maybe. It’s all a big fat maybe. Meaning, it’s all theoretical. So which would I rather have: $10,000 in the bank or every NECA ¼ scale figure?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Sorry…what was the question?
Sal Rodriguez pounds the pavement in Los Angeles as an actor, comedian, and writer. He began collecting figures upon discovering UFC and WWE figures by Jakks Pacific. He lives with his two cats, Fluff Daddy and Little Mister, and over 2,000 action figures. Subscribe to his YouTube channel.