What would your bank account look like if you didn't join AA?

[+cmart604]

I've been collecting since 1999, I started with Intellivision as that was the system of my youth and then branched off into 2600, Colecovision and 7800 because those were the systems my friends had. Initially I spent a ton on ebay as I worked on completing my INTV original 125 in any form, while picking up odds and ends for the other systems. After I had done that I found my collecting would go in phases as I browsed ebay or the interwebs in general.

 

I had been lurking on AA for about 5 or 6 years I think on and off and finally decided to join Jan 2010 so I could buy some Mario controllers that Yurkie was making to go with J-F's new Mario release for the CV. Since then my collecting habit has gone through the roof. I've now completed my INTV CIB collection, my 7800 collection, have over 300 2600 games CIB and have almost completed my CV collection with most CIB. I have AA to "thank" for that. That's to say nothing of all the homebrews I've acquired for those four systems, many of which I might not have encountered had a not been a AA forum member.

 

So while AA has been a curse for my bank account (as I mostly buy, not much of a seller, although I am starting to get rid of some of my very large INTV extras pile), it has also been a boon for my collection, and has me playing my classic systems more than at any time since my youth.

 

I realize many of you sell a fair bit here as well, so maybe your bank accounts are positive or at least neutral in that selling funds your next purchase, but would most of you be better off financially if you'd never found this great little corner of the internet?

[nathanallan]

Yep! I'd have more, but that's not to say I wouldn't have found another gaming related thing to spend money. I'd rather it go here, anyways.

[Algus]

If anything, AA has HELPED me. Before I knew about reliable private forum trading, I relied exclusively on ePay. I've gotten some really good deals here. I've seen a lot of deals blow by me too though due to lack of money

[Rex Dart]

+$400

[Cebus Capucinis]

Thousands of dollars.

[Austin]

I wouldn't be broke all the time. That's for sure. Maybe.

[the.golden.ax]

I've both bought and sold thousands of not just dollars but items on Atari Age. I've got no idea what would happen if I hadn't been here. I'm broke now if that helps give you any idea.

 

AX

[raskar42]

oh man - if i saved all the money i'd spent on video games i'd have tons of money to spend on video games!!

[+bennybingo]

I am actually spending just as much as I always did on video games, but I am getting much better deals here than I did previously with ePay as my primary resource for the things you cant always find in the wild. I would be just as broke...just with less to show for it.

 

(Plus, I would have never had the opportunity to become a member of the Wine Snob Club...that's status baby!)

[Cebus Capucinis]

I am actually spending just as much as I always did on video games, but I am getting much better deals here than I did previously with ePay as my primary resource for the things you cant always find in the wild. I would be just as broke...just with less to show for it.

 

(Plus, I would have never had the opportunity to become a member of the Wine Snob Club...that's status baby!)

 

LOL, ironically that's what all my money goes to anymore -- not video games themselves but supplies for art projects FOR video games, club prizes, etc.....

[+cmart604]

Thousands of dollars.

 

But doesn't that pale in comparison to being able to claim you're a founding member of the AA Wine Snob Club. (Which reminds me, I really need to get around to posting some pics of myself so I might join this hallowed club)

[CommodoreStaffen]

Probably +$700 dollars. Not really the purchases I've made here, but how this site got me hooked on collecting four years ago.

[fiddlepaddle]

My name is fiddlepaddle and I am a gameaholic. AA has saved me lots of money because I am reading and typing pointless posts long into the night preventing me from working effectively the next day and bringing home less money for my wife to spend.

 

{pleese excuze pour gramma... it is long into night...}

Edited June 15, 2011 by fiddlepaddle

[Tr3vor]

It would he the same. I was buying as much NES games before i joined as I do now. I got my atari before coming to atariage.

[keilbaca]

Definitely thousands of dollars. I couldn't tell you how many times when I was in the military that I would have my next paycheck spent before I had it...

[HatefulGravey]

Up to about 3 months ago I was spending a crap ton of money in the marketplace here. I mean a ton. The AA marketplace was my leading spending spot for the 6 months before hand. I simply ran out of things to buy in there to really add up to much. Ax keeps me busy with some Sega stuff here and there, but over all I'm finding that Atari stuff doesn't come up for sale much in the Atari Age marketplace anymore.

 

I have picked up a pile of CIB Sega Genesis stuff recently, some Sega CD recently, but nothing major. My main interest right now if my NES collection (as Atari stuff is hard to find in the market right now) and I'm not finding the deals I would expect on NES stuff here.

 

My WTB list has really been the main source of my spending. I don't see a lot of what I'm looking for listed, but I do get a lot of messages about it, so thats cool.

 

Anyway, a few weeks ago my wife had to work the week out of town. In that time I got bored and went through my bank records for the time have been here (just under a year now) and did the math. I thought I wanted to know what I was spending here. Its was just under $1300, and that isn't all I spent on gaming in that time. My collection has grown by a lot in the time I have been here.

[SlowCoder]

This threads explains my position on the subject: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/183100-aa-i-love-you-and-blame-you/page__view__findpost__p__2297086__fromsearch__1

[Atari_afternoon]

I would not have gotten into Lynx playing. Thank you, AtariAge

 

Moneywise, maybe 300 Euro. That´s mainly due to the homebrew games (which ALL rock). The Lynx itself I got for about 20 with shipping.

Edited June 24, 2011 by Atari_afternoon

[jetset]

I'd rather not even think about it.

[tz101]

Only about $80 richer. I never buy from the marketplace, and only bought about $80 worth from the AA store. My collection has mainly come from thrift stores, yard sales, and epay.

[atarigal]

I'd be a few hundred dollars richer, which doesn't sound so bad until you look at how long I've been here.

[toptenmaterial]

I do not have a bank account I'm sure that I would spend the same amount of money on eBay, but have far less stuff. AA marketplace rocks!

[zylon]

Mine would look about the same since almost everyone I PM about buying something never replies.

[+wood_jl]

There would probably be a couple or few (??) thou. more in there.....IF I didn't wisely spend it on Atari/gaming stuff and instead wasted it on frivolous bullshit.

 

 

But honestly, when I walk into the room that I have all the gaming (and classic Atari computer) stuff in, it's a form of mildly-euphoric escapism, from the hassles of adulthood and middle-age. I frequently leave that room smiling, even if I just look around at the stuff and don't even play a game. I'm still eating and have a place to live, so I suppose it wasn't a total waste of money that should have gone to something "more worthwhile" (in the view of someone else, that is). I just like to look at the stuff, sometimes. Silly? Probably.

[+cmart604]

There would probably be a couple or few (??) thou. more in there.....IF I didn't wisely spend it on Atari/gaming stuff and instead wasted it on frivolous bullshit.

 

 

But honestly, when I walk into the room that I have all the gaming (and classic Atari computer) stuff in, it's a form of mildly-euphoric escapism, from the hassles of adulthood and middle-age. I frequently leave that room smiling, even if I just look around at the stuff and don't even play a game. I'm still eating and have a place to live, so I suppose it wasn't a total waste of money that should have gone to something "more worthwhile" (in the view of someone else, that is). I just like to look at the stuff, sometimes. Silly? Probably.

 

I feel exactly the same way. In fact, I was just standing in my game room looking at stuff, happy as could be. Not silly at all, a great form of escape!