Personal finances in the hobby
When I'm surfing eBay, the Model Horse Sales Pages, orModelXchange, I very frequently see ads that begin "I hate to have to sell this lovely guy, but. . ." and then follow with a sad tale about job loss, car repairs, vet bills, or similar expenses.
I'm guessing the seller does this because (a) she wants to vouch for the quality of the horse and/or (b) she feels a sob story about her finances will convince folks to help her out.
I rarely see this kind of narrative on sales of other items at auction or sales websites. Why in the hobby do people have a compulsion to tell these stories in their ads? How do they benefit? And what does it say about hobbyists and the management of personal finances? I'm wondering how widespread the phenomenon is, how many of us spend beyond our means in this hobby and then have to resell horses in order to stay solvent.
And regarding those of us who do participate in this ritual--is it a class thing? Or is it part of a more general American trend toward overspending? Do European hobbyists also see this trend?
I don't mean to sound as if I'm on my high horse; I certainly don't have enough personal savings to float me for several months, as experts recommend (hello? I'm in graduate school), and there are a couple of models that cost me more than I care to admit. But the phenomenon of needing to sell horses—and sell them quickly—remains interesting to me.
Thoughts?
I'm guessing the seller does this because (a) she wants to vouch for the quality of the horse and/or (b) she feels a sob story about her finances will convince folks to help her out.
I rarely see this kind of narrative on sales of other items at auction or sales websites. Why in the hobby do people have a compulsion to tell these stories in their ads? How do they benefit? And what does it say about hobbyists and the management of personal finances? I'm wondering how widespread the phenomenon is, how many of us spend beyond our means in this hobby and then have to resell horses in order to stay solvent.
And regarding those of us who do participate in this ritual--is it a class thing? Or is it part of a more general American trend toward overspending? Do European hobbyists also see this trend?
I don't mean to sound as if I'm on my high horse; I certainly don't have enough personal savings to float me for several months, as experts recommend (hello? I'm in graduate school), and there are a couple of models that cost me more than I care to admit. But the phenomenon of needing to sell horses—and sell them quickly—remains interesting to me.
Thoughts?
posted by Leslie M-B at 6:33 PM
3 Comments:
I know what you mean... but I think sometimes it's a genuine sad sale... model collecting is addictive, and I think people suddenly find they have spent too much or have no more space and nee d to sell some. But I agree, it's not necessary to tell us their life story in order to get people to look at the horse.
(apologies for my blog being so outdated... I tend to update more on msn spaces!)
You know, it's not just limited to sales I don't think. The model horse world seems to have a tendency for TMI in a lot of things - how many posts have you seen on Blab about anything from PMS to job troubles to marital problems to mental health and more?
On my photography group, it's a friendly bunch, just as the model horse folk are. But if someone has got a camera to sell, it's just a sales ad, a description of what's being sold, not why.
And on that group, and another forum I'm on - sure, everyone is friends. But if a subject such as the ones I mentioned above comes up, it quickly goes to PM.
Now, I'm not saying it's a bad thing... but it does seem limited to the model horse hobby.
As for the sales posts.. it's interesting to read this... I very well may have to sell some of the collection because I need the money.. yet I cringe at the thought of holding a "hospital bill sale". But at the same time, I have been guilty of buying a resin from a friend who was indeed selling her collection due to financial hardship.. but that was only the one time... I might not have bought the resin if not for the fact that it was a friend, and I knew her troubles were real.
Much to think about with this post.
This is a hobby filled with obsessive complusives. Myself included some days. I think sometimes, when I buy a horse, "Oh, that'll be an investment" which then rationalizes why I just spent a few hundred dollars on a plastic horse. Then I suppose it would make it easier to part with one of them when I'm out of a job or have an unexpected bill.
That being said, I've only done it once or twice - when I was actually out of a job.
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