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I found myself curious as to how most of dakka decides their gaming expenditures. Thus, the poll!

I rely on my S/O to keep me in check, and balance that around the reality of any game I purchase needing to be ones my group will play- and they're 5 and 2 at the moment. X-wing is a huge hit, and great value for us.

And how do the rest of you do it? The old paycheck for 20 dollar swap? Offshore accounts? Amateur.... modeling for money for your plastic crack? Inquiring minds want to know!

P.S.- I am not so tactless as to ask what your budgets are. I realize asking a gamer what they spend on gaming is akin to asking a stranger their weight or age.

My budget for luxury expenses (including all gaming expenditures, eating out, buying music, movies, or non-essential home and clothing items) is based on a fixed amount from each paycheck ($40 per month).

Video games: I play League of Legends
Mini's: Boxed set sprues and a tube of greenstuff

You can pick up sprues from Dark Veng and other boxed sets for $40 on Amazon & Ebay. Thats your cheapest source of GW mini's. I do it for the sculpting and the art, not to play tabletop games though.

I spend however I please. I just got back from a rough work trip and dropped $100 on X-wing in one shot. My budget is common sense.

I pay my bills, then put what I think is fair in savings, typically 140, then fun is left over.
I also ebay.

I buy what I want whenever. My purchases are sporadic enough they don't really figure into anything. I'm a single guy with no kids, so I've got a fair amount of slack in my budget. Not like a handful of miniatures costs more than night out or anything.

I pick a few things I want to buy, I save up from selling and spare cash until I can afford them, and then I build and use them. I don't really just have loose spending money.

I can just see it now... "Man this new model looks cool... Can I get it, honey?"

I have a somewhat set amount per month that I can spend. As I'm in college and all that, I'm generally limited to one (GW) kit per month.

On particularly larger price tagged models, I generally ask whether I can or not.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I have a somewhat set amount per month that I can spend. As I'm in college and all that, I'm generally limited to one (GW) kit per month.

On particularly larger price tagged models, I generally ask whether I can or not.

I wish I could afford one per quarter lol.

I am relatively new to WH40k and found myself responsible for kitting out my g/f's son Space Marines...and of course some Orks for him to kill.

I am relatively well paid and have spent a ridiculous amount in a few years. I have 12 Trukks, for example, and other Orky bits in proportion. The boy is not lacking in Space Marines either.

GW used to have their pre-orders on Friday night. This was terrible for me as I would come back from the pub...few beers...something shiny on the website...bang. I have brought a lot on Ebay though. A lot.

The g/f decided the buying was getting a bit too much so I promised no more models.

Sector Imperialis isn't a model though is it? It is scenery, so it doesnt count, so I got that... via an FLGS, to mollify my conscience. So I am working my way through the painting of Sector Imperialis, which should help me stop buying.

My habit has been helped by AoS - I am not interested. I even stopped buying White Dwarf...but the lastest Khorn look cool...

Ebay has lost its attraction as I have so much of everything, I don't see the point. So, until some brand new Orks come out, my wallet is relatively safe.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I have a somewhat set amount per month that I can spend. As I'm in college and all that, I'm generally limited to one (GW) kit per month.

On particularly larger price tagged models, I generally ask whether I can or not.

I wish I could afford one per quarter lol.

Lol, usually I have to stick with the less than exotic boxes... Greatswords, "Vanilla" Chaos Marines, Empire cannons and the like.


Something like a Land Raider, or at that price point, is where I start having to get permission

I had a major exception a bit over two years ago where I sold the last of my M:tG cards, and used that to fund my hobby until it ran out. I don’t normally sell stuff to buy stuff.

Once a year (tax returns) we earmark part of our return for fun money (generally $100-$200 each).
Money from loose change/gifts is guilt free and can be spent on hobby stuff.
I mowed a friends lawn for the summer when they were out of town, that was “free” money. Basically any side income is fair game.

At this point, if there is money in my wallet, it’s probably guilt free, as I use the credit card to purchase anything relevant, an only deal with cash for “personal” things. I used to budget $20 a month for entertainment (was more when I was employed). This included things like eating out, movies, etc, not just hobby purchases. I generally am very tight with the wallet, and didn’t even spend that. So I stopped tracking it formally*. But if I’ve been good with purchases, sometimes I’ll treat myself to something. Not very often, as I’m generally patient and can wait for funds to trickle in. But for things like a new set of rules/codex, I might not want to wait until my birthday/tax time, which is generally where I get shots of cash.

The Wife realizes how little I spend on myself, so when I run things by her, I generally get full support and approval.


*As a side note, this allowance was a hold over from when The Wife and I were first married. We had a joint checking account, and then each had a separate, personal one. All the paychecks were direct deposited into the central account, and we had automatic monthly transfers into our personal ones. Bills were payed from the central account. A bit after I quit my job to be a stay-at-home dad, this seemed excessive, so I closed my personal one.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
I pay my bills, then put what I think is fair in savings, typically 140, then fun is left over.
I also ebay.

This is basically what I do, as well.

I have a wee budget per month, so I don't go crazy.


But when I die, I just hope my S/O doesn't sell my stuff for what I told her it is worth.

 Jimsolo wrote:
My budget for luxury expenses (including all gaming expenditures, eating out, buying music, movies, or non-essential home and clothing items) is based on a fixed amount from each paycheck ($40 per month).

Wow around here $40 hardly pays for a single meal for 2 even at a reasonably thrifty restaurant.


I set 30% aside for taxes, 20% for savings, pay expenses with the remainder and spend out of the rest though most of it goes into savings.

My wife and I have a weekly budget each, that we can spend on whatever we want. I spend my money on the odd lunch of coffee, and spend probably about half on gaming stuff. Other than that I basically get money from people at the birthday.

So the last couple of years this has led to me starting new Epic armies with my birthday cash, and then finishing off and fleshing out those armies with ebay stuff when opportunities arise.

I can't afford anything new, really, so I mostly trade and barter. Built up a few thousand worth of models when I had far fewer responsibilities, so still haven't worked though the backlog. Which is good.

My wife and I have a monthly "fun stuff" budget that I use to do and buy things that aren't bills, gas, or child related. When and if I've spent the limit, I have to wait until next month.

Also, I don't play GW games so that saves me a ton money.

Side income only for gaming stuff.

I keep my spending in check by keeping focused on a maximum of three projects + an Aeronautica Imperialis project at a time. I can not move on a spend more until everything from the project is built and painted.

For example, I currently have 4 projects on the go:
1. Aeronautica Imperialis Force- 1 Faction
2. The Games: Blood and Spectacle- Have all the models, but am still painting them.
3. All Quiet on the Martian Front- Martians painted, but not all of my American forces.
4. Robotech RPG Tactics- All purchased, need to assemble and paint.

Once one of those projects is complete, I will then be able to replace it with a new project. I have a new Aeronautica Imperialis project every year, so that is just rotational. Therefore, I have to finish one of my Gladiator, AQMF, or Robotech before I can purchase new projects.

This has been a challenge as I have been sorely tempted to buy into Frostgrave, build a Ronin faction, and start Nappies with La Salle.

No fixed budget. I buy what seems reasonable.

Whatever, whenever. I'm good at buying nothing for 4-5 months whilst saving money and then getting a bunch of stuff in a single hit.

I've got a monthly "fun" budget, not necessarily for gaming.

Sometimes not even for fun, as next month's is going towards the "fun" of paying for an e.r. visit.

I think there is something quite insidious and unhealthy about "wanting stuff" without restraint. I don't think money should be the primary limiting factor, otherwise you will just always end up feeling like there isn't enough money, and being unhappy. I usually try to restrain myself when I want something by thinking about the stuff I have, and if I really need anything new (I have quite a lot of games now, and painting projects to last me until forever). If there is something I want to play, and my friends take an interest in it, then I don't mind buying in, but I don't think I spend enough to require budgeting.

Kickstarters are a bit of a weakness for me because I'd rather back now than miss out later, even if I'm not 100%, but otherwise I'm quite good.

I buy and sell 40k and gaming stuff to support my 'hobby' budget.

That covers all of my gaming (40k, board games, Mantic, MTG, Video games, etc.) and alcohol.

Im thinking of getting into that kinda business. Any suggestions?

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im thinking of getting into that kinda business. Any suggestions?

You need capital to start.
You need to be good at math and accounting to keep track of whether each purchase is a good idea before buying and what you're going to get out of it / sell it for.
You need to have a fair amount of free time to keep track of your ads and get stuff out on time.
You need to get a postal scale and a fair amount of shipping materials (tape, boxes, etc).
You need Paypal to receive funds in a reasonable manner.

What kind of Capital? Coul starting off selling miniatures I ni longer use count.

I do something similar to Pretre and I generally have between $500 and $1k in my paypal for available purchases. If it drops below $500 then it's for strictly purchasing to build back up.