Originally Posted by the 'stache
As long as you're having fun, you've in the right frame of mind, and everything else will come in time.
Remember, collecting isn't a competition. It can be easy to get swept up by the purchases other members might make, but you're not in a foot race to the finish line. You are doing this for you. Do it at your own pace. Never feel pressured to meet some arbitrary deadline. If you tell yourself "I have to have x number of cards by y date, then it's no longer a hobby, but a chore. Inheriting some cards to start out with is always a great way to start, because you can feel what a collection is going to be like, and when you ultimately do reach the end, you'll have a very special set comprised of cards you bought, and ones received from somebody else special to you. What you do from that point is up to you. You can always sell the set, take the proceeds, and start working on another set. Or, you can put it aside, let it appreciate further, and either sell it, or pass it down to a son, if you have one.
You might be in the same boat I am. I don't have nearly the financial resources some other members have at their disposal, so I have to pick and choose my battles. If, by some small miracle, this stem cell procedure I'm going to have on my back in another year and a half fixes my back, I can go back to work as a stockbroker, and then the funds will be there to do whatever I want. In the mean time, I have to play it smart, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I work a little on one set, then switch it up a bit, and work on another. I'll likely choose to stick with one of the three sets I named before too long (I think the '53 Bowman color set might be the one, as it's a smaller set, and outside of a handful of cards, it's reasonably priced. Of course, I like the 1975 set a lot, and it contains the rookie of one of my two favorite players, so I can justify the expense for that card!) The cool thing about collecting cards is you set the rules, the pace, and you can do as much, or as little, as you want. You can take little breaks, and then come back refreshed. If something comes up where you can't buy for a while, you can share in the fun other collectors are having. Believe you me, it helps.
If you ever have any questions, or just want to bounce an idea or three off of somebody, as I like to say, my inbox is always open. You're always welcome to send me a message whenever you need to talk to somebody, or if you just want to talk collecting. Remember, there aren't any stupid questions. Knowledge is power in this hobby.
Bill
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