A wise person once told me, ‘Never turn your hobby into a business, it will ruin your hobby’.
Don
I think it's a fine line.
My mom is a potter, and it has always what I'd call a "MEGA hobby"... Not quite a job, but "border-line" hobby.
If you can walk that line, then in my opinion, you'll have success.
JR
In my experience, I have found that I enjoy working with dealers who are still collectors (even if it's in just a limited area). One dealer I know even exhibits from time to time. I really appreciate this.
I have worked as a stamp shop manager for the last 5 and one-half years.... if anything it has expanded my collecting pleasure.
And, I love my job!
David G
Ottawa, Canada
Dealing is fun when you have another source of income. Not so much when you need the money to put food on the table and pay the bills. That is the difference.
Yes, many full time dealers have incredible private holdings. They also realize that there may come the day they need cash to live.
If you hung around til after close on Sunday when everyone was picking up back in the 80's invariably someone who had a poor show would be looking to wholesale off a lot of material cheap. There were some incredible bargains to be had but I generally ended up paying a little more than asking price, as did many others...It was a small community.
Webpaper, i know a stamp dealer couple..no names as you may know them also..they can write the hundred thousand dollar check when a large estate comes along...i believe Ma is the workaholic of the two..but she claims if you really love what you are doing..its not work. I don't know about that myself.
If you enjoy selling stamps - then do it.
I have been a collector for 50 years and a part-time dealer for about 20 years.
Luckily I kept my day job, so the money goes back into the hobby.
I buy stamps when I find good deals, keep the ones I need for my collection and sell the rest on my website. I have found a number of items for my wantlist this way, and just spend the money that I obtain by selling stamps. So the hobby doesn't cost me anything. I even file annual tax forms reporting the income.
My hourly wages probably never exceed 5c, but the enjoyment level is huge.
Just make it fit with your other activities and it will keep being fun.
Grazie King, i probably do not set the bar too high for myself..i would like to break even on the buying and selling...not out ouf want..i can pretty much purchase what i want.Its like a thrill to get a bid...its nothing like the adrenaline of fur trapping and hunting when i was a teenager...its much more mellow. As of this point in July i am pretty much even on my buying and selling...i purhased a 100 foreign postcards including four from Siam...the first one sold on ebay for 38.00 but was never received in Thailand..that got me down for a while and then i posted that i would prefer to sell in the United States...the last one sold for 99.99 (in the states) so that was a big step up for me.
Using an auction site like ebay or one of the others is a great way to get started. And since is it not your day job, you can buy or sell whatever you want without having to worry too much about earning a living doing it. Enjoy it.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
A wise person once told me, ‘Never turn your hobby into a business, it will ruin your hobby’.
Don
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
I think it's a fine line.
My mom is a potter, and it has always what I'd call a "MEGA hobby"... Not quite a job, but "border-line" hobby.
If you can walk that line, then in my opinion, you'll have success.
JR
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
In my experience, I have found that I enjoy working with dealers who are still collectors (even if it's in just a limited area). One dealer I know even exhibits from time to time. I really appreciate this.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
I have worked as a stamp shop manager for the last 5 and one-half years.... if anything it has expanded my collecting pleasure.
And, I love my job!
David G
Ottawa, Canada
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
Dealing is fun when you have another source of income. Not so much when you need the money to put food on the table and pay the bills. That is the difference.
Yes, many full time dealers have incredible private holdings. They also realize that there may come the day they need cash to live.
If you hung around til after close on Sunday when everyone was picking up back in the 80's invariably someone who had a poor show would be looking to wholesale off a lot of material cheap. There were some incredible bargains to be had but I generally ended up paying a little more than asking price, as did many others...It was a small community.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
Webpaper, i know a stamp dealer couple..no names as you may know them also..they can write the hundred thousand dollar check when a large estate comes along...i believe Ma is the workaholic of the two..but she claims if you really love what you are doing..its not work. I don't know about that myself.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
If you enjoy selling stamps - then do it.
I have been a collector for 50 years and a part-time dealer for about 20 years.
Luckily I kept my day job, so the money goes back into the hobby.
I buy stamps when I find good deals, keep the ones I need for my collection and sell the rest on my website. I have found a number of items for my wantlist this way, and just spend the money that I obtain by selling stamps. So the hobby doesn't cost me anything. I even file annual tax forms reporting the income.
My hourly wages probably never exceed 5c, but the enjoyment level is huge.
Just make it fit with your other activities and it will keep being fun.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
Grazie King, i probably do not set the bar too high for myself..i would like to break even on the buying and selling...not out ouf want..i can pretty much purchase what i want.Its like a thrill to get a bid...its nothing like the adrenaline of fur trapping and hunting when i was a teenager...its much more mellow. As of this point in July i am pretty much even on my buying and selling...i purhased a 100 foreign postcards including four from Siam...the first one sold on ebay for 38.00 but was never received in Thailand..that got me down for a while and then i posted that i would prefer to sell in the United States...the last one sold for 99.99 (in the states) so that was a big step up for me.
re: i finally found a job i enjoy !
Using an auction site like ebay or one of the others is a great way to get started. And since is it not your day job, you can buy or sell whatever you want without having to worry too much about earning a living doing it. Enjoy it.