Your better half: How do they approve of your hobby?

[TheGriceBoys]

Hey peeps, just a quick question.

How do your wives, girlfriends, significant others feel about your sports card hobby?

Are they ok with it, not cool with it or don't care in general? DO they set stipualtions or guidelines you have to follow (this is more for the married folks I suppose)?

Let's hear it!

Personally, my wife wasn't really aware of how different cards there were of each player, the values , just how elaborate this hobby was.

She grew up in Buffalo so she is a huge hockey fan in general, loves the Sabres, Av's and Patrick Roy.

Now she knows more about the hobby she really enjoys seeing what comes in each day, sometimes asking how much I paid, what they are worth and of course judging which cards are designed the best.

She has a good eye, you should see how well she decorated each and every room in our house.

As far as spending guidelines, we're good there too. She doesn't ask too often when it is shiny or signed because she really doesn't want to know!

So let's hear some feedback folks on how your better half treats you with regards to our great hobby.

 

[bunny89]

Fortunately, my wife is down with my hobby. She doesn't always appreciate that it really can take an entire evening to reorganize my paralells from 2001-03, but she has never taken issue with the $$ or the hobby itself. She thinks Ebay is a major waste of my time, but other than that, we're cool !

 

[TanguayFan]

My wife used to collect Chris Drury cards when he played for the Avs. She practically had a better collection than I did at the time, and I enjoyed buying cards for her more than myself.

But then as time passed, and he got traded, she lost interest. She often asks to see what I have in the mail, and sometimes she asks what I paid. She doesn't like the fact that cards have become so expensive, but she appreciates the fact that I have toned it back a bit, and so she doesn't give me too much grief if I spend a lot on a card. Of course now my 4 year old is into Yu-Gi-Oh, and I think that drives her nuts more than my card collecting...LOL

 

[Bugjam]

My Girlfriend is like "Why do you like Ice Hockey?" and "How much was that Card?"
This is probably due to the fact that we live in England so the NHL and Collecting aren't as popular here (Understatement of the decade!)
Other than that she lets me get on with it.

 

[redwngfanhockey]

my girlfriend doesnt really understand , but i dont understand why she needs a new pair of shoes every 3 days . i think we have an understanding she doesnt question my collecting and i dont question her shopping . when she does get made at me when i spend too much time trading online , she asks why all they do is sit in a box . she loves hockey and going to as many games as we can , but she really doesnt understand the whole collecting thing . i did take her to the nhl draft and card show this year and she didnt complain too much .

 

[Brave]

My Girlfriend... woops, I mean my Fiance (how long did it take you guys to get used to saying that?) Is jealous that I have a hobby that can keep me occupied on the rainiest of days. I do sometimes get a lecture on how its not good to come home and check my posts/messages before I call her to say hi....

When it comes to collecting, I have to be sneaky when I trade away Yankee cards. I tell her I keep them for her, but as soon as she is gone, I post em up for trade.

She likes to bust the occasional pack or 2, but this works for me because I can buy 2 packs instead of 1 when I am at a Gas Station or Target, 1 for each of us!!

Now that we are saving up for a wedding, I have cut my card budget to about $20 every couple of weeks. This doesnt count what I sell on ebay, that money goes right back out to someone else!

 

[slappy69]

She hates it

takes up to much space (rooms and shelves for cards)

takes too much time (online shopping/ trading)

too much money (god if only she knew)

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[Nick2317]

My gf doesnt mind it much ....she goes to games with me and stuff but doesnt collect doesnt understand and doesnt understand why a piece of cardboard is worth so much money ....she refuses to buy me boxes for my bdayor on holidays anymore

 

[wingnut888]

I've been married 13 years and met my wife at the card shop she used to run with her brother. She totally understands the hobby and the cash that goes along with it. I wouldn't say she's into it but always want's to see what I get in the mail.
She also never questions the money I spend. As long as the bills are paid I don't think she ever will either...I give her 2 thumbs up!!

 

[Beff57]

I have been happily married since 1996, and we have been together since 1990.
When I left Ottawa for Toronto for school, my arbitrage skills funded frequent visits home. I planned trips home around the monthly Ottawa card show.

She is somewhat envious, as she wishes she had a hobby aof her own.
I should mention that I have never spent $100 or more on a card. I should also mention that I used to half-joke that my collection was whatever I could not sell.

Her only complaint, is the amount of space the cards have commanded, and when the cards/binders take over the dinner table.

 

[BigBarracuda]

We're supposed to tell our spouses? I didn't see that in the terms!!!!!!

 

[27Leafs27]

My wife totally gets the hobby and never really gives me any grief. Mind you I'm not a big spender to begin with so money is never an issue as I'd never spend more than I could afford. I'm the only wage earner so I try to pick my spots on a low budget. Luckily my PC (Sean Burke) cards are resonably priced for the most part. My wife used to help me open box's back in the day when I could still afford them,lol. She'd always pull the GU card and ask me if this was any good, never really liked that part

Dan.

 

[jets13]

She only like's it if i pull a high dollar Card....."Sell it!!!"...Or i get How much is it worth???..."Sell it!!" Give me 1/2 the money!! NO!

 

[gratzi]

She thinks it's cute, so that's a plus!

 

[Fritz]

as long as I keep bringing in roberts/iginla cards for her at a rate of about 1 for every 5-10 clark/fleurys I'm good to go

 

[patrickw]

I ve recently just got bcaked into the game and have turned my fiance from a non sports fan into a die hard red sox fan, so i have aquired her some Youkellis cards (who she adores) and that keeps her happy.

 

[quincy]

Hates it with a qualifier: As long as it doesn't intrude TOO badly into other parts of life, she tolerates it. She's also softened some since I demonstrated that this hobby has a certain degree of...liquidity that other hobbies don't tend to have.

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

She hates it but she knows how much I enjoy it. She has only been nagging me about the $$ since our son was born before that she never mentioned the money. We have a great understanding...she knows that shes not permitted to touch any cards or comics. Every since she tipped a full cup of coffee over a 1000 count box of Potvins and a short box (complete run) of Akira comics she has been banned from the card room.

Now I spend about 90% less time on cards and spend more with her and Noah. When I look back it amazes me how much of my time was consumed by the hobby. Going to the card shops, organizing and the computer (ebay, HI and Beckett sites).

 

[GarkoCollector]

We have been together for about 9 years and over that time, its been up and down. She is a Cowboys fan, so I used to put Troy Aikman cards together in an album for her. She hates how things get spread out and makes the room "messy" and when she sees it, she says that "its unnecessary to have everything spread out everywhere."

Now I have a room for nothing but cards and sports things. She doesnt go in there and she doesnt comment about it. I get things my way, she doesnt have to see the mess. We're all happy. She DOES like to bust packs though...she has better luck than I do.

 

[hockeytown]

Never really been a issue...she stays out of it except to occasionally ask if I big player in person to sign when I have mentioned I am going for a big name in person...