Happy New Year

The Budget Collector wishes you a happy and healthy New Year, Feliz Nuevo Ano (sorry, I dunno how to do the tilde) and a wonderful 2012.

The one promise that I will make is that I WILL post more in 2012 than I did in 2011. Obviously I'm not into this blogging thing on a regular basis, but I should strive to do one at least once a week, if not more often.

To that end here's some budget tips for after Christmas Shopping:

Don't be too disappointed if there's nothing left on the shelves. I've been to several local Targets and TRUs after the Christmas holiday and noticed a distinct lack of everything fun and collectible. Which means that their buyers are getting a lot better at actually supplying the buyer's demands. For our budgets this is bad, as the after-Christmas sales are fewer and farther between. For the economy, this isn't that bad though, and we should all be happy with a more stable economy.

One item I do want to mention is the former exclusive 7 figure GI Joe Resolute sets are now $16.99 at ROSS. Also the TRU exclusive Spirit and Quick Kick single figures have been seen there as well. I haven't PERSONALLY seen them, but there are reports from all around the country.

Finally, here's our New Year's Eve Fun.

Happy New Year & Housekeeping

Happy New Year

Good morning folks, it's the Year of our Lord Two-Thousand and Ten. Or "twenty-ten" if you're so inclined. At first I was annoyed at people who were shortening the pronounciation of the year, but in the end I don't really mind so much. That said "Twenty-Eleven" sounds silly.

My wife and I spent our New Years at Disneyland, right in front of the castle in the Hub, watching the fireworks and lights. It was an amazing time that I'll not soon forget. We stayed up late, walked through the crowds and had a great time. We even rode Pirates and sat in the Tiki-Room! We indulged in our favorite park food and played in the silliness that is New Years. We weren't able to get a set of special 2010 Mickey Ears though, they were sold out early in the day. Did you know though that Disneyland and DCA publish special maps for New Years only? Got one, but by the end of the evening it was trashed, we'll keep it anyway though. Enterprising collectors may have snagged a bunch and put them on eBay already, not me.

Housekeeping

I have yet to send out my end of the team trading as I promised. That's not a shock. December was a roller-coaster month for us, one minute we were flat broke, the next we were doing OK. Regardless that's not an excuse, I'm just being very lazy. My "resolution" for 2010 is to be less so. I will get out my end in the next few days, if not a week. If my birthday rolls around (it's January 16) and I haven't shipped, then feel free to come out and flog me.

As my followers know, I'm moving away from being a sports-card blog and more into general collecting of stuff, which is what I do anyway. I've never focused on any one thing in collecting in all my years, and to start now would be an effort in futility. So if you're expecting keen commentary on the latest Topps Baseball set, you're probably going to need to look elsewhere. If, however, you're interested in reading my retro reviews of Doctor Who stories, or finding out about Disney Vinylmations, or whatever else comes to mind, then this is your place in 2010.

I don't promise to be more prolific in writing columns than I already am, were I being paid I could pump one of these out each day, but alas...

So here's to the new year, let it bring you everything you want and nothing you don't.