Help, How Do You Curb Your Urge To Buy (Another Fountain Pen)?

[fpenluver]

It started a few weeks ago. After a few years not buying more fountain pen, a simple "innocent" search on ebay drop me to the land of "doom" again. It started after I pressed that buy button online. Now, the search button keeps clicking and so does the buy / bid button. I neeeeeeeed helpppppp to keep the leak away from my pocket.

 

Now I am trying to look at my collection and remind myself - you've got plenty, you've got plenty,....., you've got plenty. I hope it will work......

 

So, what is your tip to prevent the crazy spending spree?

 

or May be I post the question on the wrong forum? and will make even bigger leak on my pocket.

 

Share your thought.

[zaddick]

I don't usually. But if a pen does not fill a hole of some sort (allowing me to try something new or fitting into a collection I have) I ask if I really want it. If yes, and I can resell it later for about what I paid, I'll often give it a go.

 

If you buy smart, you can often come close to breaking even when you move on. Now if you never move on you may have an issue buying lots more pens and tieing up so much money.

[CrunchiBiscuit]

I know what you mean, I think once you begin with this hobby it is very difficult to stop. I got some new pens and ink yesterday and am looking again today! The best thing I can suggest is to turn off the computer and go do something else for a while. Sometimes that works for me. I have a pretty good collection of pens and ink now but will still get more - will just limit it to every few months instead of every few weeks. Perhaps you could just stick to the pens you have and change the ink colours more often. The ink is a lot cheaper (usually) than buying another fountain pen and you can enjoy the process of cleaning the pen and refilling with a "new" ink. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful but at least you know you're not the only one.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Chase the nib you don't have....in you don't need any more nails.

How many 'true' regular flex nibs do you have?

 

German vintage semi-flex nibs....oblique semi-flex nibs....then take a month or two to use that pen before buying it's brother of cousin.

 

Join the Pen of the Quarter in the Mail Club. Get out of the Pen of the Week and or Pen of the Month in the Mail Club....

That reminds me I have to go look for a ceramic Pelikan.

I'm pretty much caught up with inkwells.

Got my 50 inks.....chasing good to better papers.

There are other things than pens.

 

I made a mistake in buying pens first, then inks. I should have bought a good to better paper every time I bought two bottles of ink. Then I'd not be behind the power curve.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[oldrifleman]

Not sure, but I am also in search of a 12 step program, I think (or at the very least a way to limit it to once a month).

[ParkerDuofold]

I usually sit down and look over all my credit card statements.

 

Of course, after I wake up from my fainting spell, I usually buy it anyway.

 

- Anthony

 

PS: Although I have been taking BoBo's advice lately and have withdrawn from the Pen of the Week Club in favor of the Pen of the Month Club.

[Bluey]

After trying all(except MB and Aurora, but they've been left out for good reason) the manufacturers who make their own nibs, there's only 2 brands that I would buy another one from again and that's Platinum and Sailor. With Sailor being my favourite.

 

The only problem is that I can't find a reason to buy another pen that fills a gap in what I have. I have the full line of nib width from EF to zoom(double double broad); demonstrator and typical; hooded, normal, and inlaid nib; C/C, piston, vac, and aerometric; soft nib, semi nail, nail; retractable and normal.

 

There isn't really any new experience that I want at this time. I'm happy to become better acquainted with what I have and save on money for more essential things.

[Runnin_Ute]

Well I have a birthday coming up in the next 30 days (just under actually). I have a budget of $X to spend how I want. Pen, ink,paper or something else entirely. Perhaps some shaving gear? I am a DE shaver as well. So many decisions. ....

[vickiehof]

After buying pens for about 10 years, I have about 12 that I use most of the time. A few have never been out of my rotation. They are perfect for me.

 

I rarely buy pens now because my new purchases often don't write as well as my favorites.

 

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

 

If you still want to buy more pens, you may not have found ones that are perfect for you. We often have to buy our pens on-line without trying them first to see how they write. They may be a disappointment, so you look for another pen.

 

If you're new to the fountain pen hobby, it's overwhelming to see such a beautiful variety of pens available that you have NEVER seen in stores. Pens that write effortlessly and beautifully with such a variety of inks.

 

Try to enjoy your favorite pen of the ones that you already own.

 

(I probably shouldn't give advice, since I have a drawer of pens that aren't my favorites but I haven't bothered to sell, yet.)

Edited February 16, 2017 by vickiehof

[ethernautrix]

My method was to buy a Nakaya and activate the Nakaya Shield. I suggested to myself that I should not buy any more pens until I'd paid for the Nakaya (at the time, my credit card wasn't charged until the pen shipped, and that could - and did - take several months), and weirdly I accepted this challenge. Definitely Nakaya has helped to curtail my exPENditures. YMMV.

[flyingfox]

Eh.... I wish I knew....

 

When I purchased a super-special pen at Philly Pen Show last month, I honestly thought this is IT... After all, I have so many pens already, there are only so many that I can use, and it is better to have a small number of super-special pens. (Well- I already have a whole bunch, but anyhow...)

 

Now I find myself coveting the new Lamy Al-Star in Pasific Blue.... Well... it is just so pretty....

 

I actually stayed away from FPN for several months, so that I don't get tempted, but since I am on FPN group on Facebook... I am flooded with the images of beautiful fountain pens, ink, and all that anyways. Yea... too much temptations....

[ParkerDuofold]

One technique you can try is that you can't buy a new pen until you sell (me) one of the old ones.

 

This will help keep things under control.

 

- Anthony

[guyinkits]

Just stop cold turkey. Don't even browse. Browsing is what kills you. There are a million pens out there and out of that are hundreds if not thousands of pens that you could justify to yourself as a good purchase. I just binged. I feel bad about it now. I will wait for all my pens to come in the mail. The ones I thought of buying, I'll will just hold off and maybe if I want it next year still, I'll pick up another one or two then. The key is to not look anymore. Get of the forums too unfortunately... unless you have great self-control but judging by your post, that's the source of your problem =).

[tinta]

It all comes down to money. A small fixed income helps me limit any pen or nib-unit purchases to a minimum. An avid interest in classic fly reels & fiberglass rods is another limiting factor.

Edited February 16, 2017 by tinta

[Parker51]

First, never buy on credit.

Second, if your collecting is getting to be too easy because you are using money to facilitate it, make it harder to do by setting up personal rules regarding collecting. As example, determine what you consider is a fair price, not the seller and then hunt for the item, or items you want at the price you consider fair. Yes, you will not be successful, that is in part the purpose of setting a firm price, to not pay too much. You will get what you ant eventually, you will defer gratification, you will conserve financial resources and you will thus be able to afford more items, be they pens, ink, or something else.

Also, remove any additional tools which make the purchasing of the items easier such as sniping tools.

Your goal is three fold: stay financially solvent, keep your life uncluttered and have some fun.

You collect pens and related items, not them you.

Now if what you really enjoy is simply the hunt, not the purchase, then hunt, record the price you could have paid for the pen or other items you wanted, record the images and store them and create a virtual collection. You could create a data base so that if you do return to purchasing you will be a le to get a better idea of what you like, and how much those items are selling for And th n use that information to prioritize your next purchase. Then hunt again, create your own wish book again, contemplate which of the items you have put into your wish book you do want and then buy it, but only for what you know is a fair price, b cause you know, you have to vide nice of what a fair price is, and you know another item will come up again.

[MuddyWaters]

I was thinking of starting a thread like this just a few days ago, as there is a Lamy 2000 massdrop ending in a few days and I am waiting in the mail for a $70 pen already. It would be absolutely ridiculous in my circumstances, since I am fairly newb and pretend to try to find that pen that fits well my hand and writes wet, to get a second pen in the mail before the first one comes in: what if that first one is the pen I've been waiting for?

 

Guessing from the habit I've formed, complete with urges from searching and browsing, I think that I'm looking for more than my perfect men; rather I am browsing and buying as a therapy for stress. And it sure has been stressful times, so it all makes sense...

[pajaro]

I look at all the pens I have that I don't like to write with, and the urge to buy, the fever, fizzles out.

[zchen]

Take a good look at my pen inventory and check when was the last time I used each pen.....

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/0B362644-00DE-4FE8-8175-3D8E1B224ABA.jpg

 

(For the tutuguan impaired)

Thankfully, I got the collecting bug out of my system a while ago.

Now, if can only get past the procrastination virus, and sell the pens I no longer want or need.

[ac12]

Go start another expensive hobby, like semi-serious amateur level photography.

Camera + lens will cost you about $1,500 - 2,000, a GOOD carbon fiber tripod and head about $1,000, and the list goes on.

If you get serious, the camera cost goes up from there, WAY UP. $$,$$$.

 

Or HIGH END audio. $$,$$$

 

Bottom line, is like any addiction, you have to have discipline to control yourself.

If you are tempted by eBay, STAY AWAY FROM IT.

Edited February 16, 2017 by ac12