How Impulse Buying Stamps Leads to Hoarding and Feeling Overwhelmed (Ep. 53)
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- Опубликовано: 13 янв 2025
- In Episode I am going to address the topic of feeling overwhelmed as a stamp collector because you have been impulse buying and feel bad about it. Please comment if you have ideas, tips for others and maybe just some thoughts. Share your experience and if you have a certain approach or method.
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Thanks for making this video and the previous one on setting goals for stamp collecting in 2025. I am in that regret stage right now. For the past few months, I have been in that impulse buying stage. Constantly buying new offers off eBay. Then, I sat down and saw the piles of envelopes from various eBay sellers. Right now, I am weening myself off eBay by sitting down, opening each envelope, looking at what I bought, realizing how many duplicate orders I made, and providing feedback to each seller. This tells me just how much I have sitting unprocessed. As I do this process, I am working on the plan and process of putting stamps in albums and stock pages. As I do this, I am trying to verbalize and write down the goals for collecting that you spoke about in your previous video. This is a long-term process and project, just like you emphasized. Fortunately I have an adult son whom I can swap or give stamps to, along with being a part of two stamp collecting clubs where I can swap, trade, and give away part of my horde and impulse accumulation. Thanks for your help.
eBay is soooo easy to get sucked into. My dad also collected and used to get the same stuff over and over again. It was nice for me as I kept getting the duplicates but I felt bad he was spending limited resources and not expanding his collection. I think he had run out of the inexpensive stamps of his country and still wanted to experience the thrill of getting new material.
Hi Phillip. I think you helped me with making this video. It was on my mind to make a video like this, but for some reason didn't.
Like said, it is very personal. There are collectors who are okay with having (a lot of) unorganised stamps. I am not one of them. I can handle some, but not much. Sometimes focussing is acquired by letting go of some stamps or collections. Sometimes you bought something because you liked it or had big plans with it but it ended up being in an envelope for months.
I think swapping is a really good and fun solution. Gaining a friend here and there around the globe also. And a stamp club helps ofcourse.
I am glad I was able to help a bit. Maybe other people in the comments have some nice tips too or inspiring stories.
Thank you for watching and commenting!
Hi Chris. As you know, I have cut down my collections, and they became unmanageable. Now I can concentrate on the 6 countries I have chosen to collect and enjoy collecting again.
Hi Jerry. Really loved your last video. I love them all, but there seems to be more of a focus. No judging here. It is nice to see how a stamp collector developes where they want to be or go. It is a process and not an end result. I have a lot of respect for the way you set up your Australia collection. It is a lot of work, and sometimes hard to continue, to make all the labels for all stamps, whether you have them or not. But it is rewarding, as I set my Luxembourg collection up that way too. It is not a reference I use, since that is how I'd like to collect. So looking forward you taking me (and your other viewers) on your journey into stamp collecting this year! Thanks for commenting and watching!
The main thing here is time. If you have enough time, I don't see a problem with sitting in the evening and sorting postage stamps. Happy collecting!
A lot of aspects have different weights, depending on the person's personality traits. This video is not for everyone, because there are a lot of collectors who don't think this is an issue. Thank you for commenting. I am curious what you think after watching the video. :-)
Hi Chris! Great video. You are really making us think about our collecting habits and procedures.🙂 I have been collecting for about two years now. During the first year I bought large amounts of stamps, and certainly touching on impulse buying. Some of the purchases were not so good, but as I didn't spent huge amounts of money per item - always tried to buy a "bargain" - I don't really have regrets. I really have a large accumulation of thousands of stamps now. It doesn't really bother me, though. I love to have the potential of hours and hours of fun with the stamps. We recently moved, and I enjoyed it tremendously to pack and unpack the packets/envelopes/boxes/stock books and albums with old stamp collections. I don't worry that the stamps are there, unsorted. There is no pressure on me to deal with them in a certain time period. After the first year of buying, I stopped buying, only buying a few things at the stamp fairs, but nothing in excess. So I feel no pressure to buy, either, but I do not go on the stamp buying platforms, otherwise there is the urge to buy some interesting stamp lots and bargain buys.
What stresses me out is things I still have to do, e.g. unboxing gifts on camera!!!!! I am behind and it is killing me that I am letting people down.
Really thanks for he video, Chris. I loved to see some of your surroundings! It is lovely!!! But, brrrrr, snow! It seems to be pretty cold.
Did you fall victim to impulse buying? Or maybe you have never. Does it bother you if you have a lot of unsorted stamps? I would be really interested to know your thoughts on this. Have you developed a way, method, approach to avoid or deal with this? Thank you for watching!
Thank you for a very pertinent video. It describes me exactly until a few years ago. I got "hooked" on auctions. I just had to bid on auction lots that contained countries I collect. Of course, the lots contained countries I don't collect. Even after all this time, I haven't completed sorting all the stamps I purchased. The good news is I did cut back, nearly stopped, buying at auction. I am almost done sorting. Much will be donated. Some of the better I will sell. Thanks again. This was a video many collectors need to see.
I think it is important to have both a long term and day to day plan. How one collects is so individualistic that what works fine for me may not for someone else. The fundamental question remains- am I enjoying philately? I do believe this hobby offers something for anyone.
Thanks so much for the presentation. Best, Bill 😊
Hi Bill. Spot on. It is very personal. I love the journey of discovering what 'my style' is. And I love seeing and reading about how other collectors approach this. That is indeed the fundamental question. And a question we have to ask ourselves every now and then. This hobby is so diverse, that there is something for everyone indeed. Thank you Bill for commenting and watching!
Thanks for the discussion Chris. I think it applies to all collectors, whether they know it or not! I am still trying to get rid of some of my other collections, due to space restrictions and leaving the resell business. Have recently started into stamp collecting which I stopped when I was 12 or so. Always found it fascinating and never got rid of any of it over the years. Right away I bought widely to get all the material I wanted as a child and quickly realized the enormity of what was available. Had a budget from the outset though and kept to it…….. roughly. Ha ha. Now my collecting areas are quite narrow so it’s manageable but I still don’t get purchases dealt with immediately and end up with relatively expensive duplicates. But I love shopping the wide world of philately even if it’s just to look and learn. Thanks to auction catalogs I enjoy the finest of items if only vicariously. If one is wealthy then enjoy! If you aren’t there’s plenty to enjoy also. It should never be a burden in any respect. It is a journey for sure, an infinity of education and entertainment disguised as a hobby. Great topic.
What a great topic Chris! It is so easy to get overwhelmed when collecting and the hobby can begin to feel like a chore, which is exactly opposite to the point. I believe it is very important to be mindful during all phases of collecting and to think about what parts of the collecting process bring joy beyond the instant thrill of buying things. I love what you said about making sure to not just store things after buying them - it is important to deal with what you have before acquiring more. However, I do understand exceptions can be made for unusual or special acquisition opportunities such as something in your collecting area not common that is very under priced... but it we need to be careful and decide if we will see something like that again or whether it is truly unique in that moment.
My approach to collecting world collecting is to take things one step at a time and enjoy all the steps along the way. I was sorting some stamps this morning with magnification eye glasses (sold as reader glasses for older people) and was really enjoying looking closely at all of the designs. I like to at least get to the step where I have removed all damaged, removed any supplies that are not usable, soaked all stamps on paper and get stamps sorted by country and into my pre-collection filing system before acquiring more, and sometimes I go many months before getting new material, and sometimes some crazy good opportunity happens and I get a lot of material in a short amount of time. If I have some material I am not enthusiastic about and it has been sitting for a long time, I will pass it along and free up the space (both physically and in my mind). For long-term collectors, it is fun to say to yourself "I feel like collecting stamps today" and to consider whether you want to soak some stamps, put some stamps into a stock book, look up some stamps by catalog to get better organized, etc. There is always a balance to having stuff accumulate, letting things go and focusing on the joy these things bring. If it doesn't bring joy, it's time to pass it along to someone else that might enjoy it.
Hi. First: thank you for the extensive reply. Being mindful during all phases is really important. It is all a balance, because we can allow ourselves to feel the thrill of buying something. Sometimes it feels that the hunt is more important than the buy. You are right about the exceptions. I think I was doing pretty well when I collected Luxembourg. Although I had not sorted everything, I was able to buy stamps that were not that common because the stamps that were still in glassines I wrote the catalogue number down so I would not buy duplicates. That requires a form of discipline also, but it worked for me. Then again, the time spent on my Luxembourg collection was not spent on the other collections and those were not that organised because of that.
Those glasses sound really good. I might need to look for them. I do wear glasses myself, but I think you can just put the magnifying glasses over your current ones right?
About 'getting rid of some stamps', I do see stuff I want to buy but also that there will be some or quite some duplicates. I have been thinking that that could be good for a giveaway. Turning a 'negative' into a positive.
As you said, it is as simple as 'does it bring me joy, yes or no'. And when that is a no, you can still keep it in a drawer or box and ask the same question later again, and maybe then decide to sell or give it away.
I like the 'free up the space (both physically and in my mind)' part.
Thanks for commenting and watching!
Oh wow, this video is right up my alley. I don't buy a lot, but I buy often. My local club meetings always have a small auction / donation books, etc and I tend to come home every week with $5 - $10 of 'stuff' that goes into a box. At the end of the year I've spend several hundred dollars but don't really have anything more than an oddball mix of stuff. I'd be better off buying a nice collection to build on each year instead, but like you say, the thrill of the small purchase can be overpowering. Hope all is well, Chris! Love the nature shots. 💖
Hi Mark. I can see that adding up. And maybe there is some 'self inflicted pressure' to buy at the stamp club? Because you like to support the club or the seller? Sometimes or often it is not the amount of money spent. It is maybe a few dollars here and there. But you can get a lot of stamps for those dollars. It is the amount of stamps that could become a problem depending on our mindset. Building on or building a collection and getting familiar with it is really a nice feeling. I really like to familiarise myself with a certain country and recognise stamps, what year they are or which series etc. I don't get that when I 'spread myself too thin'.
Everything is well, as well as it can be :-) I wanted tot break the seriousness of the video up a but with some images from around my area. I have tried to make this video a bit more of a podcast, where you might break some sections up with tiny snippets of music of 10 to 30 seconds. Not too sure how that worked out.
How is your podcast doing by the way, Mark?
I love the images of your “neighborhood”; it could absolutely be my neighbourhood. My home looks very similar. And yes, I have glassines of “stuff” and random bits of my collection as well as highly organized parts. I am completely OK with giving away some or trading as well. I also am able to put items in the stamp club auction a few times a year which helps too. But I suspect there will always be extra bits that I will never get to. I have never really regretted a purchase as of yet. At the last auction, I even regretted not making a winning bid on an item😂. Keep up the great work!
That was really helpful, thank you!
Chris, like you said most of us have been there. I too have bought a load of stamps, and fountain pens, on impulse and have some regret. I usually put them aside for a while and finish what I started. I may get back to it a few months later. When I do I appreciate it more and the negative feelings go away. I try to discipline my self to buy only what I need. I do end up with a lot of extra stamps which I have recently started sending to others. As I have recently decided to concentrate on specific areas and topics I will slowly dispose of my World Wide collection. When it gets to the point where I feel overwhelmed, I take break for a few days, go for walks or work on something else. Stay well.
Hi Daniel. Fountain pens are really cool. I don not buy them though. I can see the appeal. I can see what you mean with that the negative feelings go away. Almost like time heals the wound a bit. I am working on that discipline too. I find myself getting into situations where I want to buy a stock book and then end up getting stamps that are in it with it. Sounds like a luxury problem, in a sense it is. But it doesn't solve the problem that I had initially: I needed storage, and I still need storage. I just bought stock book I wanted and got 'free' stamps with it. I have decided to focus more too. Not sure if I am doing well. My spending is different. I spend quite some the last months, but I justify that because I had to buy 'everything' again, because I sold most of my collections months ago. Taking a break is really good, grounding yourself, preventing yourself from getting angry or getting rid of the stamps. Maybe in a few weeks/months there is a right time. Good tips and thanks for sharing your story!
Hi Chris. To prevent what has happened to you (and to a lot of collectors) to buy whatever one get excited for I have a totally different approach which in the end satisfies me much more because I do not have any regrets ever! I made a decision about 7 years ago of what countries to collect and ended up at about 10 to 12 countries. I also decided not to collect them all at once, but start with three countries. So I started with all parts of Germany in history, Great Britain and China. The Netherlands I already had almost complete as I am living in the Netherlands too.
I made a document with all stamps and series there are for these countries (quite a lot of work...) and there catalogue values plus some data to recognize them. Then I set a monthly budget. and that is all I need!! So each month I search the internet for the best sales I can get for some stamps or series I want to buy and when I have reached my budget I stop. And while waiting them to arrive, I start searching a for next month's buys which really gives me a lot of pleasure:)
Of course anyone should do their own way they feel happy about, but I never have laying envelopes of stamps around and almost no doublures which satisfies me a lot!
Hey Piet. That is a really helpful story. That you ended up with 10 to 12 countries gives me hope. I have tried to set on 5 to 6 countries. But I also tell myself I don't need to work on them all at the same time. They are allowed to 'lay dorment' so to speak.
That document you speak of really triggers me too. I like making and tracking stuff in Excel. I hope in future episodes (series) to display the use of such a list.
That you set a budget and stick with it is remarkable, and not easy I can assume. But maybe it is also practise. Just stop buying when you reached the limit of your budget. I think 'shopping' specifically as you said goes a long way. It prevents having a bad feeling from a) not having too many unorganised stuff lying around and b) not spending too much. Additionally, you have time to track and put all the data in the document for the new stamps.
I am sure your comment helped people. Reading how other people approach their hobby is really helpful and insightful! Thank you so much for watching and your comment!
@@chrislovesstamps I too use an excel for keeping track of all my stamps :)
Bonjour Chris. Merci and thank you for this other really interesting video of yours. Although there are a few missing pieces that I am (almost) constantly looking for online, I never have a precise plan nor limitation when I buy online. Well, let me take the last one back as, of course, there is always the money limitation. Each time I browse online, I am looking forward to "falling in love" with a cover. And more often than none, it does happen! Once I did my purchase, I am eagerly expecting my order. I never wait a second longer than needed to open the enveloppe or package received. And then I am like a little kid, filled with joy and amazement when looking at the covers. To me, they are precious time travellers, and I treat them as such. Tomorrow I will make my next video by the ruins of my town's 10th century castle. I hope you will enjoy it. As always, sending my very best wishes from Provence 😊
Hi Laurent. This video was unplanned, as in, that last week I got inspired to do this one. And I found it important to release it as soon as possible.
It is too easy to fall in love. So the only solution for me is browse very specifically. I am glad you are still looking forward receiving what you bought Laurent.
I am looking forward to your new video with the 10th century ruins. I am sure I will enjoy it! Best to you, from the east of The Netherlands.
@chrislovesstamps OMG, WE ARE PRACTICALLY NEIGHBORS, CHRIS!! For some reason, that makes me smile! Looking forward to having your feedback tomorrow. Have a fantastic evening, mon ami !
I was on an impulse buying streak for a few months and I have been happy with my coin and stamp buys but I don't care for having so much. So I started to track how much I spent on coins and stamps each week. It has helped immensely.
I also find doing postcrossing is a great way to use excess stamps and part with some things that you don't really value as much. I also sell some extras on ebay. I do collect some of the post cards I get and once or twice a year I go through them and discard those I feel aren't that special anymore.
I still think I have too much but it is because I have some long-term collecting goals that would be impeded if I keep doing excessive impulse buying.
Hi Chris. Tracking what you spent, and physically seeing what it is you bought for that money can really be insightful. For some reason I am thinking now on the Collecting Stamps on a Budget series. Probably because it is there where I tracked 'all' expenses. (Series is in development by the way, as a side note).
Postcrossing and/or swapping can be a great way. I think swapping is underrated and can not only help trading duplicates or excess stamps and getting something you want in return, it can also built a (life long) connection with someone.
If there is one thing I learned from having my RUclips channel is that people around the world are really alike. We are good people, just dealing with life and helping others.
What are your long-term collecting goals?
Thank you for your comment!
A splendid array of well considered insights and attending views
I'd say; all most interesting and helpful that same.
Over my own collecting career of some sixty years now, I've con-
cluded that our collecting is to be Improved Collecting IF we are
able to craft out of it some GREATER GOOD done ( at-parity at
least ) à propos the pleasure we've derived from it. Plus pleas-
ure and reward even-the-more . . . coming from the very ANTICI-
PATION of that ! )
A fine example of this having been ( and going-still ) your own
series of very personal presentations on "Chris Loves Stamps"
Pro your part as just described, I'd vote 'mission accomplished'
and going-still !!
You inform, uplift and get us all TO THINK !! What more could
there be of necessity than that???
Well, if there might be such, YOU will discover and impart it to
WE subscribers, it surely being only a matter of time.
Hi James. Thank you for your kind reply. I am happy I was able to reach a lot of people with this topic. Stamp collecting is not just stamps, it is a feeling. And that feeling can wane because we inflict pressure, expectations onto ourselves.
Thank you for commenting and watching!
An important subject. I sell off duplication on ebay or trade for items I could use.
Hey Peter. Interesting. Does that mean you cannot avoid (a lot of) duplicates? Do you mind having them? I try to avoid them. But I have found with my Luxembourg collection, which was the most advanced I got with a collection, that I sometimes had to buy bulk because there were a few stamps in the bulk I could use. It feels the trend was with starting that collection: buy bulk, buy specific for a period of time, buy bulk. If that makes sense. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Great topic. I guess it depends on the stage of your individual collection. In the beginning, especially during the gathering stage, it can all feel overwhelming. Balancing life and the hobby can be challenging at times. The way I collect, the process can take awhile. You need to acquire the stamps, buy the album, create the custom pages, buy the mounts etc. I create custom pages and mount, only when I complete a given set and accurately measure each stamp. It drives me crazy when a stamp doesn't perfectly fit a mount because of the selvage. Given the above, it's absolutely normal for me to have unorganized stamps lying around.
Hi Peter. Balancing is tricky and very essential. I think one learns through time and trial and error. For me in the beginning, often I start with bulk purchases. They are fun to go through, and you can hardly go wrong when you start fresh with a new collecting area where you do not own any stamps from. Later I buy more specific. The fun of discovering is gone mostly, because you know what you bought. Then after a while, you find it harder to add stamps to a collection and you might see a few stamps that are part of a bigger collection. So you end up with duplicates again. No problem when you have people to trade with.
I can see how much time your process takes. But you are in control of how the stamps are displayed. I do like custom pages. I cannot find the time for it, and that is okay. Thanks for commenting and watching!
Veel reacties inderdaad. Ik heb dat ook wel een beetje. Voor mij is de oplossing, alle searches op ebay en Marktplaats uitzetten. Op de club zit ik ook meer op mijn handen en bied alleen bij echte interessante zegels. Het geeft me absoluut geen slecht gevoel dat er nog zegels op me wachten. Wel heb ik voor mezelf nu gezegd dat de boeken van andere landen en zegels die ik niet spaar naar de ruilbeurs gaan. De tas staat al klaar. Dan kunnen andere mensen daar lekker in neuzen. Eerst dacht ik: ik moet kijken of er nog iets zeldzaams tussen zit. Maar dat gebeurd toch zelden, ik heb liever dat er iemand wat aan heeft.
Mooie beelden trouwens die je filmt. Waanzinnige omgeving en mooie shots erbij. Vooral doorgaan(Barry Hughes, als je die nog kent).
Hello, Chris! Thanks for this video! At some points I recognized myself) Like!