What do you do for Living?

For the last 10 months...

I have been selling corporate partnerships and sponsorships for an NBA team. For 34 years prior to that I worked at a newspaper as a copyboy, proofreader (when there was such a thing), writer, editor, events manager, promotion manager-turned-director-turned-VP. Then I got laid off in one of many such moves in a now-dying industry.

After doing bounty hunting for about 20 years, I went into the less stressful world of serving subpoenas to those of you that are requested to appear in court or provide evidence. I am also a dog behaviorist and trainer but I don't really like dealing with the dog owners. The dogs are great. It's the owners that drive me crazy. By night, I am a jazz clarinetist and saxaphonist. I guess I can also call myself a photographer since I do sell a few of my photos now and then.

Public Safety Telecommunicator with the Rocky Mount Police Department. Part time Photographer and I do alot of volunteer work. I am a Staff Officer in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

What do you do for a living?

Today a co-worker, while watching an amazing sunset over the Pacific Ocean from my deck here in San Francisco and after looking at my collection of hats, guns, pipes, watches, eyeglasses and photo equipment, and hearing me ramble on about my place in Washington State, said to me, "how do you afford all this stuff? I make as much as you do and I can barely keep my head above water." I didn't really have an answer for her. Thinking about her question after she left, I realized I make a decent living but really, how do I afford all of this? I wondered if it is because I don't have kids or bills of any kind or because I have just always been good with making money work. On the Fedora Lounge I read about collections of expensive hats, automobiles, suits, vintage this and vintage that. It brought me to the question of how do you all afford all of these collections? What do you all do for a living? I know it's a touchy subject asking someone how much they make (and none of my business) but is it good jobs that get you all that collectable stuff, or just juggling money just the right way?

I wouldn't call it a living, but they pay me as a graduate student - just enough to keep me above the poverty line. Purdue cares!

As for how do i afford my collection? I buy super cheap, am very picky about what i buy (only excellent condition), and will only buy what i can wear. Thrift thrift thrift thrift ...

There's an old story that goes like this: "How was copper wire invented? Two Scotsmen fighting over a penny". I was one of those Scotsmen. Only by extreme pennypinching can i afford to live in vintage clothing ... If nothing else, i'm disciplined with my money spending.

bk

Baron Kurtz said:

There's an old story that goes like this: "How was copper wire invented? Two Scotsmen fighting over a penny". I was one of those Scotsmen. Only by extreme pennypinching can i afford to live in vintage clothing ... If nothing else, i'm disciplined with my money spending.

bk

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That's a very funny joke promoting an ethnic stereotype. Haha!

MudInYerEye said:

That's a very funny joke promoting an ethnic stereotype. Haha!

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Don't start with the pc thing... or this thread will go haywire and not resemble the orginal question at all..

now as to aford the stuff.. It's not how much you make.. it's how you use what you make.

I try to be careful with money up to the temptation point then things get a little screwy. However I don't usually go too nuts on my purchases. I do try to look for value and the good deal.

Occasionally a lust over takes me and I burn with feverish desire leading to a poorly timed purchase. On the other hand sometimes you have to pay a little more than what you want if you are going to get something. Vintage pens, if I can find a good example of a fine pen I usually have a value line, but if I wait for it to go on sale, it will sell before i get back, So $50 bucks when I thought only $40-45 well okay. Most pens I can say, once they have been resacked, cleaned and nibs adjusted, I can get more for them than what i have into them. I have about 4 vintage pens for every new fountain pen. Lately it has become important to share with close friends and I give to those that will appreciate it a vintage or new fountain pen with a journal or other writing paper items like Crane Cards. There was a time that the gift of a fountain pen was a big deal, and the better the pen the bigger the deal.

I work in the automotive replacement parts industry, I do the catalog research that allows a manufacturer or an importer to sell the correct part for the correct vehicle. I have done vendor research and purchasing too.

Currently I am looking for new employers as my old ones were cheating the customers over some premium part.

Most moderately big purchases are planned for the best selection, thers are opportune choices.

I teach in a small private college. Well, I will until the end of April: the guy who owns the college has decided to sell it (anyone want to buy a college?) We just found out last Friday. Luckily I have a second job as a dance teacher so I'm not completely lost. (It also means that my formal wear is tax deductable--I need it for judging and such).

I tend to splurge when things are going well and then really look after it in tight times. I'm thinking of going back to school (again!) so lean times are probably looming. Vintage is great because if you really look, you CAN find great deals.

shindeco said:

Vintage is great because if you really look, you CAN find great deals.

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My sentiments exactly!

shamus said:

Don't start with the pc thing... or this thread will go haywire and not resemble the orginal question at all..

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Can't take your own medicine I suppose.

Interesting thread... wrong title...

but an interesting thread nonetheless. Let's address the real question, which is: How do you afford to be a collector? I think the answer to that question lies mostly in how you approach building a collection be it antique fountain pens or -- in my case -- WWII US Army Air Force militaria.

The first requirement is, of course, money. You have to have sufficient disposable income to collect whatever it is you're going to collect. With original WWII squadron patches now running between $200 and $500, this is a category of militaria that I love but simply can't afford. I have one mint squadron patch from the 61st Fighter Squadron (part of Zemke's Wolfpack) that I picked up at an airshow for $35. It's worth at least ten times that amount, but I wouldn't part with it at any price.

The second requirement is discernment. You simply can't collect everything! You have to decide what really rings your bell. My passion right now is wings! But, again, I don't have the funds to establish a comprehensive collection. So, I am content to focus on just senior pilot and command pilot wings that are definitely from WWII (and NOT the late 1940s-1950s vintage that many try to pass off as WWII era). I have original command and senior pilot wings from WWII which I can wear as a living history enthusiast, and so I consider myself to be a lucky boy.

The third requirement is patience. If you don't have all of the money in the world, then it will take a lot of time and research to find items for your collection. This is, I believe, the most satisfying aspect of collecting... the chase! Avoid the temptation to buy something just because it looks cool or interesting. I can't tell you how many times I have bought something because I simply wanted to hold it in my hands... only to find out that once I had actually held it in my hands, I really DIDN'T have any interest in keeping it. (That brings me to my fourth point.)

The fourth requirement is the willingness to sell as well as buy. I have found that letting stuff "pile up around the house" is not a collection. It's your disposable income manifest in old crap! If you don't absolutely love it, resell it. Chances are you can find someone who's in the stage of "oh man is that cool/interesting" and you can sell it for more than you paid for it. (In fact, since I have started to move my "crap" on eBay, I can see the day -- about a year from now -- when I have made sufficient profit to have a net zero dollar investment in my collection of WWII militaria.)

Anyway, just some thoughts from someone who "got bit" by the collecting bug big time!

ZF

i don't view vintage clothing as being a frivolous expense. we all need clothing. the most i've paid for a vintage suit is £220 (about $460). how much would i have to spend on a modern suit of quality ? about £800 minimum. i'm getting a good deal.

Newspaper photographer/photo illustrator.

I get a lot of my stuff from my mom back in small town Iowa. She assists senior citizens transition from their homes to retirement communities. It can be a gold mine at times.

I avoid e-bay.

herringbonekid said:

i don't view vintage clothing as being a frivolous expense. we all need clothing. the most i've paid for a vintage suit is £220 (about $460). how much would i have to spend on a modern suit of quality ? about £800 minimum. i'm getting a good deal.

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I guess the difference is in the word 'collecting'. When i think collection i'm seeing an awful lot of stuff hanging in a closet unworn (women's suits, anyone?). The vintage i buy forms my wardrobe. I have very few clothes that are not vintage. Once the collecting begins, you're into getting the really rare things; those beauties that don't come around very often. The cost of these things escalates proportionately.

Excellent points made above. By being careful (and woth some degree of luck - i'm lucky in that my size is still relatively available in the vintage market) one can attain very high quality stuff at a fraction of the price of modern.

bk

I myself, I don't really know how I can afford all the stuff I "need". Since I'm only a student and live out of my parents pockets. I don't really know how I make it, but somehow, in a mysterious way, it works good. But I think withoute ebay, I couldn't afford all the things I have.

Naama

I reckon we're very cash poor by normal standards. But......

1) vintage is usually way cheaper than modern stuff of comparable quality

2) like BT we aren't bothered about all the latest consumer junk people waste their money on

3) I am a vintage dealer - I clothe myself through my business. Greengrocers never go hungry!

.

You folks may want to check out this thread:

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=3932


The current thread I'm talking in now, has more to do with "How can you afford your current lifestyle" than what do you do, so we'll let it stay for a while. If it turns into something very similar to the other thread, I'll merge the two for consistency.

Carry on!

Come on, no kids and no bills and you can't really actually wonder why there is a difference between your disposable income and somone supporting kids, making mortgage, house insurance and car payments and/or other little suprises in life that cost dearly can you?

All I'm doing these days is writing mostly WW 2-era combat stories which don't pay super well but I sold one of my houses in the L.A. area and have a much tidier bank account now. I don't spend a lot of money on anything much anymore. I'll pretty much top out at $50 on something I want.

Zohar said:

You folks may want to check out this thread:

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=3932


The current thread I'm talking in now, has more to do with "How can you afford your current lifestyle" than what do you do, so we'll let it stay for a while. If it turns into something very similar to the other thread, I'll merge the two for consistency.

Carry on!

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My fault. Very bad title. It was late. Sorry. :cry: