1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
Neither. I get what I want, though I often talk myself out of things. Either way, my total rarely reaches $100. My to-read pile is tall enough that I tend to cut things I feel I can get later.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I order from DCBS by month.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when they ship?
When ordered. I don't even pay attention to when they ship.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Sometimes I talk myself out of monthlies to wait for trade, otherwise the comparison never enters my mind budget-wise.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
I almost never buy statues or anything other than reading material.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
I just go by gut, but my DCBS order almost never reaches $100 per month.
All comics purchases outside of DCBS also almost never reaches $100 per month.
In all, it is probably $100 to $200 per month total.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Romita Jr Spidermans. But I have all the early ones, and the later ones are not expensive. I have many multiples of his 2000's issues, because they are only a dollar a piece at Half Price Books. I'll probably bind a set.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
Fortunately, I don't really have to think about budgeting.
If I had to cut back and only buy Walking Dead and whatever Romita Jr and Rick Leonardi were drawing, I would be happy.
Comic Budgets vs. Comic Readership
Moderator: JohnMayo
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Lord Shaper
- Special Reviewer
- Posts: 364
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:20 pm
- Location: Somewhere Dark and Wicked
- Contact:
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
My Budget is mainly driven by money and I usually go over it... My wife wants me only spending $100 a month but I generally come out close to $200 but I've found ways for her not to notice.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Neither... I try to keep a balance of how many titles that I'm getting so if I have to cut something to try something new I will.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
My trade buying is separate as I usually get them on a whim when I get into Sydney or go to a show or find a cheap deal online somewhere
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
I only Budget single issues and then get other things again on whims when I find deals or am talking to someone who talks me into it... Bob and Brian have been culprits to me doing that!
6: How much do you budget for comics?
$100 a month which unfortunately is alot less that what you would expect for the money
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Doktor Sleepless Alternative covers which I have some places I get them from online. Yes I know that I'm nuts for getting all the covers but it's only 1 title!
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I push it but it all depends if the wife catches me getting more than I should.
My Budget is mainly driven by money and I usually go over it... My wife wants me only spending $100 a month but I generally come out close to $200 but I've found ways for her not to notice.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Neither... I try to keep a balance of how many titles that I'm getting so if I have to cut something to try something new I will.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
My trade buying is separate as I usually get them on a whim when I get into Sydney or go to a show or find a cheap deal online somewhere
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
I only Budget single issues and then get other things again on whims when I find deals or am talking to someone who talks me into it... Bob and Brian have been culprits to me doing that!
6: How much do you budget for comics?
$100 a month which unfortunately is alot less that what you would expect for the money
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Doktor Sleepless Alternative covers which I have some places I get them from online. Yes I know that I'm nuts for getting all the covers but it's only 1 title!
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I push it but it all depends if the wife catches me getting more than I should.
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BobBretall
- Master Reviewer
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:44 pm
I know the feeling/addiction! I was buying all the Red Sonja alternate covers up to about issue #20 when I dropped the series altogether. Tapping me for 4-6 covers per month (especially with all the rare variants) was not something that could be sustained....Lord Shaper wrote: 7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Doktor Sleepless Alternative covers which I have some places I get them from online. Yes I know that I'm nuts for getting all the covers but it's only 1 title!
The collector in me says "If I cannot collect them ALL, I may as well drop it and get NONE!"
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Lord Shaper
- Special Reviewer
- Posts: 364
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- Contact:
The good thing about me getting multiple covers for DS is I get the wrap from my LCS and then get all 3 cheaper from somewhere else so I'm building up a stash of the Wrap ones to give away heheheJLAFan wrote:I know the feeling/addiction! I was buying all the Red Sonja alternate covers up to about issue #20 when I dropped the series altogether. Tapping me for 4-6 covers per month (especially with all the rare variants) was not something that could be sustained....Lord Shaper wrote: 7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Doktor Sleepless Alternative covers which I have some places I get them from online. Yes I know that I'm nuts for getting all the covers but it's only 1 title!
The collector in me says "If I cannot collect them ALL, I may as well drop it and get NONE!"
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
Dollars a very loose budget
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Pre-Ordered thru DCBS
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Yes (DCBS a soft budget of 85-150 every month) + (IST every 3 to 4 months 75 bucks to 100 bucks) + (Amazon and/or Books A Million to look at the book on the shelf or via PDF a few pages, every 4 to 6 months (25 bucks to 100 bucks mostly indies or stuff I am curious about).
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
Other than a Tomorrows book no.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
85 bucks on the low end (during the heat of the summer) & 250 bucks on the high end (birthday & X-mas) the average is 100-135 bucks usually.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Just Ult. Spidey HCs because I am hooked on that book.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I try best not to go over 175 a month (inc. Amazon/IST purchases) ubless it is birthday month or in January after X-mas.
Matthew
Dollars a very loose budget
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Pre-Ordered thru DCBS
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Yes (DCBS a soft budget of 85-150 every month) + (IST every 3 to 4 months 75 bucks to 100 bucks) + (Amazon and/or Books A Million to look at the book on the shelf or via PDF a few pages, every 4 to 6 months (25 bucks to 100 bucks mostly indies or stuff I am curious about).
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
Other than a Tomorrows book no.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
85 bucks on the low end (during the heat of the summer) & 250 bucks on the high end (birthday & X-mas) the average is 100-135 bucks usually.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Just Ult. Spidey HCs because I am hooked on that book.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I try best not to go over 175 a month (inc. Amazon/IST purchases) ubless it is birthday month or in January after X-mas.
Matthew
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
By dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
By month.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
I pre-order through DCBS.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Nope, everything is lumped into one comics budget.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, I only purchase floppies, trades, and hardcovers.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
It used to be $80 a month, but has gradually decreased to around $50 a month.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No, if it looks interesting and I have some budget to spare, I'll pick it up.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I go over budget more than I go under, usually due to a nice trade or HC being solicited.
By dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
By month.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
I pre-order through DCBS.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Nope, everything is lumped into one comics budget.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, I only purchase floppies, trades, and hardcovers.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
It used to be $80 a month, but has gradually decreased to around $50 a month.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No, if it looks interesting and I have some budget to spare, I'll pick it up.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
I go over budget more than I go under, usually due to a nice trade or HC being solicited.
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jon carroll
- Visitor
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:50 pm
- Location: MEMPHIS
1. My budget is strictly by dollars. If the cost goes up to 3.99, I will have to make big cuts in what I get.johnmayo wrote:I think that I've heard that both newspapers and magazines are having similar problems. If print isn't dead, it sure seems to be dying.RickM wrote: Book publishing and comics have so many similarities -- struggling industries, shrinking readership, a handful of big sellers surrounded by a sea of material that reaches only niche audiences, and competition from other industries like video games, film and the Internet.
I've got few questions for all of you guys about comic budgets:
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
6: How much do you budget for comics?
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
2. My budget is strictly monthly.
3. When ordered, the above answers are due to DCBS, I get everything weekly. If comics went up, I might have to switch to bi-monthly or even monthly i order to keep a couple titles that might otherwise be cut.
4. Everything is one budget. If I have to cut, the first thing to go is my trades, I do keep a list of what trades I want, that way I can still get them when it could fit into my budget.
5. No.
6. 150-170 before shipping. I am going to change this in the next couple of months and work down to 125 before shipping. I am going to have to drop some indie titles is the down side. But, with several minis ending soon, it will be easier.
7. Not really. I do have a core of 40 comics that I buy no matter what, 30 of which are DC, 10 are Marvel.
8. Fairly hard. I go through my order around 3-4 times adding and subtracting to stay in my budget. As I mentioned, I am more likely to cut something I know I can get at a later time either in trade if its a floppy, in a discount bin in a year or so, or just something I was going to get for giggles.
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BuffDaddyBill
- Visitor
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:15 pm
- Location: Oakdale, Mn
- Contact:
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles? Budget? What's a budget. My wife would kill me if she knew what I spent on comics.
2: Do you budget by week or by month? By month, only because I order through DCBS. (Another gem I discovered because of the Comic Book Page Podcast.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship? When they ship. Gives me time to come up with the money I need.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers? No, just started getting trades, so this may change.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting? No.
6: How much do you budget for comics? Every month it grows, as my taste for Indies grows as well. I have a cap of $120.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting? Amazing Spiderman, subscribed to it after local comic shop closed and before I knew about DCBS.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?) It's fuzzy, if a line at all.
My budget may seem small but as a stay-at-home dad with three young kids, I am pushing it to the limit. If comic prices should rise it might be end of my comic days.
2: Do you budget by week or by month? By month, only because I order through DCBS. (Another gem I discovered because of the Comic Book Page Podcast.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship? When they ship. Gives me time to come up with the money I need.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers? No, just started getting trades, so this may change.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting? No.
6: How much do you budget for comics? Every month it grows, as my taste for Indies grows as well. I have a cap of $120.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting? Amazing Spiderman, subscribed to it after local comic shop closed and before I knew about DCBS.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?) It's fuzzy, if a line at all.
My budget may seem small but as a stay-at-home dad with three young kids, I am pushing it to the limit. If comic prices should rise it might be end of my comic days.
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
Dollars
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I order from DCBS so monthly.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When they are ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
I mostly buy floppies. Anything other than new floppies such as trades, hardcovers or back issues would not be included in this budget.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No
6: How much do you budget for comics?
Around $60 a month
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Nope
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not
It's not an absolute line. But if I go over one month I'll try and cut back a little the next month or the month after that. I'm going over budget with my Aug DCBS order, but fortunatly it's the last month for Secret Invasion, so it should go down next month.
Dollars
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I order from DCBS so monthly.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When they are ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
I mostly buy floppies. Anything other than new floppies such as trades, hardcovers or back issues would not be included in this budget.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No
6: How much do you budget for comics?
Around $60 a month
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Nope
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not
It's not an absolute line. But if I go over one month I'll try and cut back a little the next month or the month after that. I'm going over budget with my Aug DCBS order, but fortunatly it's the last month for Secret Invasion, so it should go down next month.
Hi all. New member, First Time Poster.
"1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?"
I budget mainly by dollar amount.
"2: Do you budget by week or by month?"
Monthly.
"3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?"
By order per month.
"4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?"
I try to never buy trades/hardcovers. Make Mine Monthly =)
"5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?"
Strictly comics.
"6: How much do you budget for comics?"
I try to stay around $50 per month. Crossovers, Limited Series, and ramp-ups ala ASM cause me grief, LOL.
"7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?"
Nope. I pre-order everything at once in order to stick to my budget.
"8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)"
I'm flexible. If I feel like I'm getting my money's worth, I'll make room for Events, Crossovers, and certain Limited Series. And I also tend to follow my favorite artists, so I'll pick up any title if a guy like Ramos is pencilling it.
I would like to mention that since I've recently started to listen to the Comic Book Page podcasts, and I've switched from Westfield to DCBS as a result, I'm actually spending slightly more money overall every month than I used to! The 40%-50% off from DCBS has been like a windfall, LOL! I'm much more willing to try out new titles than before.
So anecdotally, I would say that a future price increase could be a huge bust for the comics industry as a whole. Speaking for myself, I would be very (negatively) responsive to a $4 price point. Even with an average of 40% off through DCBS, that's still well over $2 per book. I would definitely cut back and I'd be very unwilling to try out new titles.
My advice (for what it's worth) to publishers would be to REDUCE both their cover price and the amount of titles they offer every month.
Just my $.02,
Foe
"1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?"
I budget mainly by dollar amount.
"2: Do you budget by week or by month?"
Monthly.
"3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?"
By order per month.
"4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?"
I try to never buy trades/hardcovers. Make Mine Monthly =)
"5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?"
Strictly comics.
"6: How much do you budget for comics?"
I try to stay around $50 per month. Crossovers, Limited Series, and ramp-ups ala ASM cause me grief, LOL.
"7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?"
Nope. I pre-order everything at once in order to stick to my budget.
"8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)"
I'm flexible. If I feel like I'm getting my money's worth, I'll make room for Events, Crossovers, and certain Limited Series. And I also tend to follow my favorite artists, so I'll pick up any title if a guy like Ramos is pencilling it.
I would like to mention that since I've recently started to listen to the Comic Book Page podcasts, and I've switched from Westfield to DCBS as a result, I'm actually spending slightly more money overall every month than I used to! The 40%-50% off from DCBS has been like a windfall, LOL! I'm much more willing to try out new titles than before.
So anecdotally, I would say that a future price increase could be a huge bust for the comics industry as a whole. Speaking for myself, I would be very (negatively) responsive to a $4 price point. Even with an average of 40% off through DCBS, that's still well over $2 per book. I would definitely cut back and I'd be very unwilling to try out new titles.
My advice (for what it's worth) to publishers would be to REDUCE both their cover price and the amount of titles they offer every month.
Just my $.02,
Foe
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
Dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When ordered. I use a debit card, so the money is sitting in my checking account waiting for DCBS to process my order.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
One lump sum. I guess, the money isn't so much as "comic book money," but "DCBS-ordered comic book money."
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
In theory, that money is supposed to cover all of my discretionary/non-essential purchases from comic books to action figures to video games to toys/books for my daughter. The reality is that that money is specifically for items bought through DCBS only and I pull together what I can for non-DCBS purchases; the DCU Infinite Heroes and the small DC Super Friends figures from Mattel were released this month and it has really hurt trying to find the money to spend on them. Most months, after the discount, I actually have not met limit and I let the excess sit to help build a fund for going to Wizardworld Chicago.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
$400.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
Since I rarely go over budget, when I do I can justify it by drawing from the excess from previous months. In theory, I should never have to worry about the cost. Howevere, law school loans, the cost of daycare (screw healthcare costs, universal daycare is my hot button topic), and increased food and gas costs are forcing me to consider making large cuts from my mainstream purchases as soon as Final Crisis and Secret Invasion are complete.
Dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When ordered. I use a debit card, so the money is sitting in my checking account waiting for DCBS to process my order.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
One lump sum. I guess, the money isn't so much as "comic book money," but "DCBS-ordered comic book money."
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
In theory, that money is supposed to cover all of my discretionary/non-essential purchases from comic books to action figures to video games to toys/books for my daughter. The reality is that that money is specifically for items bought through DCBS only and I pull together what I can for non-DCBS purchases; the DCU Infinite Heroes and the small DC Super Friends figures from Mattel were released this month and it has really hurt trying to find the money to spend on them. Most months, after the discount, I actually have not met limit and I let the excess sit to help build a fund for going to Wizardworld Chicago.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
$400.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
Since I rarely go over budget, when I do I can justify it by drawing from the excess from previous months. In theory, I should never have to worry about the cost. Howevere, law school loans, the cost of daycare (screw healthcare costs, universal daycare is my hot button topic), and increased food and gas costs are forcing me to consider making large cuts from my mainstream purchases as soon as Final Crisis and Secret Invasion are complete.
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
I budget by the dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I budget by the month. I'm currently buying everything from my local comic book shop. I'm transitioning over to a online service like DCBS. I'll get my first shipment in September. I'll still go to my LCS though to check stuff out in person but I'll spend a lot less there.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when they ship?
Whey they ship. I've been going to the LCS to get the majority of my comic books except a few subscriptions.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
I include all these together.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, this is all I buy at that the local comics shop. I've been buying trades and a few hardcovers at Amazon until I recently discovered InStockTrades.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
Between $75 to $100 per month. Less is better.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Yes, I have a Marvel subscription to Spider-Man, Hulk, and Astonishing X-men that I exclude from my budgeting. These are already paid for up front so I don't think about it.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?) Yes, it's ok as I've been going over a lot lately to buy some trades that I want to check out.
I budget by the dollars.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I budget by the month. I'm currently buying everything from my local comic book shop. I'm transitioning over to a online service like DCBS. I'll get my first shipment in September. I'll still go to my LCS though to check stuff out in person but I'll spend a lot less there.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when they ship?
Whey they ship. I've been going to the LCS to get the majority of my comic books except a few subscriptions.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
I include all these together.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, this is all I buy at that the local comics shop. I've been buying trades and a few hardcovers at Amazon until I recently discovered InStockTrades.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
Between $75 to $100 per month. Less is better.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Yes, I have a Marvel subscription to Spider-Man, Hulk, and Astonishing X-men that I exclude from my budgeting. These are already paid for up front so I don't think about it.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?) Yes, it's ok as I've been going over a lot lately to buy some trades that I want to check out.
This is my first post on your forum and i'd like to say thanks to the guys for the great podcast you put out. My faves are the monthly sales figures. Listening to one of those I heard them mention this questionaire and figure'd I'd put my two cents in.
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
I do my budgeting by dollars. I've got a pretty tight budget, specially right now and can't really afford to get everything I want.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I started using DCBS about 6 months ago and based on that I do my planning on a monthly basis.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Again, due to buying to DCBS, I do it based on when they're ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
It's all budgeted together. I only have a finite amount of money to spend and I don't really like buying TPB, much less hardcovers. I think in the 6 months I've bought comics online, I've bought one paperback and no hardcovers.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, nothing at all.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
It hovers around $50 a month. Give or take $5.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Sadly yes, there are tons of books that I'd like to get, most of them being indy books (ie, half of the Image books, books from Radical, Avatar, Boom and the like).
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
In a particularly good month I might go a couple of bucks over, but not much. Can't really afford any extravagancies.
So, thanks a lot for all you guys do.
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
I do my budgeting by dollars. I've got a pretty tight budget, specially right now and can't really afford to get everything I want.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
I started using DCBS about 6 months ago and based on that I do my planning on a monthly basis.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
Again, due to buying to DCBS, I do it based on when they're ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
It's all budgeted together. I only have a finite amount of money to spend and I don't really like buying TPB, much less hardcovers. I think in the 6 months I've bought comics online, I've bought one paperback and no hardcovers.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
No, nothing at all.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
It hovers around $50 a month. Give or take $5.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
Sadly yes, there are tons of books that I'd like to get, most of them being indy books (ie, half of the Image books, books from Radical, Avatar, Boom and the like).
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
In a particularly good month I might go a couple of bucks over, but not much. Can't really afford any extravagancies.
So, thanks a lot for all you guys do.
1: Do you budget by dollars or number of titles?
Until this month, my answer would have been a demonstrative "NO, I don't budget." But with closing on our new home and carrying two mortgages until we sell our current home, I'm imposing a new budget on myself. $300 per month.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly, correlated with placing my monthly DCBS order.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When they're ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Again, I've typically not budgeted. I would typically spend $500-$600 at DCBS and then would order trades, eBay, back issues, etc...serendipitously. Now I'm attempting to curb all back issue and trade buying for at least the next six months while we have two mortgages.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
I'm not a toy collector but certainly any original art or commissions would factor into my budgeting.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
As I said before, I haven't typically budgeted. But for now I'm imposing a $300 DCBS limit and trying to completely eradicate purchases of art, back issues and trades (outside of DCBS pre-orders) for now.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No, a comic is a comic is a comic.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
Tough question because it's a new imposition. But I'm very disciplined so I suspect I'll be able to do this with ease. I hadn't really spent much money on back issues for years until the podcast world re-ignited my passion two years ago; so it'll just be like going back to how I operated three or four years ago.
Until this month, my answer would have been a demonstrative "NO, I don't budget." But with closing on our new home and carrying two mortgages until we sell our current home, I'm imposing a new budget on myself. $300 per month.
2: Do you budget by week or by month?
Monthly, correlated with placing my monthly DCBS order.
3: Do you budget based on when the comics are ordered or when the ship?
When they're ordered.
4: Do you budget separately for comics versus trades versus hardcovers?
Again, I've typically not budgeted. I would typically spend $500-$600 at DCBS and then would order trades, eBay, back issues, etc...serendipitously. Now I'm attempting to curb all back issue and trade buying for at least the next six months while we have two mortgages.
5: Do you include things other than comics/trades/hardcovers in your budgeting?
I'm not a toy collector but certainly any original art or commissions would factor into my budgeting.
6: How much do you budget for comics?
As I said before, I haven't typically budgeted. But for now I'm imposing a $300 DCBS limit and trying to completely eradicate purchases of art, back issues and trades (outside of DCBS pre-orders) for now.
7: Do you have any particular comics that you exclude from your budgeting?
No, a comic is a comic is a comic.
8: How hard of line do you put on your budgeting? (Is it okay to go a little over or not?)
Tough question because it's a new imposition. But I'm very disciplined so I suspect I'll be able to do this with ease. I hadn't really spent much money on back issues for years until the podcast world re-ignited my passion two years ago; so it'll just be like going back to how I operated three or four years ago.
Do "On-line comics" distort the numbers?
I am not sure of the economics of comic book publishing... Marvel has a subscription service to read their comics on-line. That has to help defer the costs of creating a comic. I read the annual report of Warner Communications (the parent company of DC) and DC is such small potatoes to them that the revenues aren't broken out at all.
I keep thinking that they must be making money by offering an insane amount of titles. If you look at the 50's and 60's there were very few titles per month and large sales.. Now there are so many comics coming out that no one gets them all (I'm sure there are one or 2 exceptions but you know what I mean). If this model didn't work for them, then I would expect an emphasis on fewer offerings.
When I was growing up in the 50's it was very easy for an 8 year old to buy all the DC superhero comics every month with money from an indulgent Mom who wanted to encourage me to read... I read this thread and we have working adults talking about making hard decisions about what they get from either a time or budget (or both).
I realize this is the same with all collectables... There was one set of baseball cards in the 50's, now it seems that there are multiple sets being issued every week.
So it looks to me like it is a matter of trying to maximize the revenue from each active comic book reader... making sure that he has enough choices so that he runs out of either money or time but never runs out of comics to buy!
I keep thinking that they must be making money by offering an insane amount of titles. If you look at the 50's and 60's there were very few titles per month and large sales.. Now there are so many comics coming out that no one gets them all (I'm sure there are one or 2 exceptions but you know what I mean). If this model didn't work for them, then I would expect an emphasis on fewer offerings.
When I was growing up in the 50's it was very easy for an 8 year old to buy all the DC superhero comics every month with money from an indulgent Mom who wanted to encourage me to read... I read this thread and we have working adults talking about making hard decisions about what they get from either a time or budget (or both).
I realize this is the same with all collectables... There was one set of baseball cards in the 50's, now it seems that there are multiple sets being issued every week.
So it looks to me like it is a matter of trying to maximize the revenue from each active comic book reader... making sure that he has enough choices so that he runs out of either money or time but never runs out of comics to buy!