How is the Economy Affecting Your Workbench?

[Bri]

With gloomier and gloomier economic forecasts being delivered on an almost daily basis these days, I have to wonder, how is this downtrend affecting your side of the hobby? I have heard alot of modelers complain saying they are getting to the point where they can't afford buying many kits anymore and they are cutting back across the board.
Myself, I have cut WAY back on buying kits, especially kits I know I won't build in the immediate future. I liquidated hundreds of kits to facilitate my purchasing of the drag kits I recently acquired. If not for doing that, I would have never been able to afford the kits I did get.
I am resigning myself to the fact the days of me buying kits just because I might build them someday has come to an end. Unless I have a definite and immediate plan for a kit, it will sit on the shelf at the hobbyshop for someone else to buy. There are many kits I would love to have, but I am not going to buy them just for the sake of having them anymore.

So, how is the economy affecting your side of the hobby?

[phoneguy]

I must say that I am not as worried about the economy as others are, or maybe as much as I should. I am fairly well secure in my job and I have capitalized on a few modelers liquidating for one reason or another. (and it wasn't the economy that caused them to liquidate).
It's not that I have a carefree attitude, but the way I see it, I contribute the ways I always have and will continue as long as God permits me to do so.
Just my pennies worth.

[41chevy]

Pretty much the same way as you. I find the up side is my skills are improving! I will now scratch build a part insted of pruchasing a kit for it or an after market part. I used to buy 3 or more of each kit that interested me...one to build, one to use for parts or build and one to "save"..Those days are ending, I now find myself asking if I'll ever build it or do I need an other reissue in a different box. Paul

[78KW]

Mostly right now I'm just stocking up on supplies and aftermarket parts. I will be doing my best to cast copies of some of the parts I have which will save money and delays, although I have found 2 great vendors to deal with. And I do have my scratchbuilding projects as well. As for kits, though, I haven't purchased any for awhile. Minus any kits I've REALLY wanted, I'm keeping a lid on kit purchases. I know I'll build mine. It's just a matter of finishing my display areas in the house. This house has needed work for some time(it reminds me of my Kenworth), but at least it, the car, and my pickup have been paid off for quite awhile. I am fortunate in that respect, but I know that things could be much worse.

[455 Rocket]

I'm one of those fortunate ones with a job that's very secure, law enforcement. Since I've got back into building about 2 years ago, I've bought about 20 truck kits, plus I still have 35- 40 car kits I need to build, not including the rebuild I want to do. At the rate I've been building, 4-5 a year, It will take awhile to clear my closet. For the last 6 months or so I've been trying to buy aftermarket parts so I have them when it's time to build. You never know when a company will close down.

Either way, I have at least 6-7 years of kits to work on. Craig

[78KW]

Nov 17, 2008 0:27:40 GMT -5 455 Rocket said:

For the last 6 months or so I've been trying to buy aftermarket parts so I have them when it's time to build. You never know when a company will close down.

EXACTLY!! That's why I've been stocking up. During my absence from the bench, quite a few came and went. I don't want to make that mistake again. If not for companies closing down, it ends up being that engine or other part that I put off buying that becomes unavailable b4 U know it.

[Deleted]

With the Economy the way it is it makes me no difference. The economy is cutting into the LHS's in this area and making them smaller. One shop I frequent alot is now after 40 yrs. is slowly closing up. Thank god I bought in the past to get a surplus of kits so I will have enough to build in the future. With everyone getting the old kits reissued are also in a limited supply. Including the company that can do AMT is only issuing a certain number of kits. So the economy is putting a cramp in the hobby but I will survive.

[dieseldoc]

With the economy slowing down I will be buying less but building more because we have drasticly slowed down at work. So any purchases I make will be far and few. It doesn't help that the wifes work (factory) only works 4 days a week now.
The purchases I do make will be for supplies and aftermarket parts. Should I happen to run out of kits (fat chance of that) then I to will only pick up what I will build.

[kodiakmodeler]

I'm not having any problems. I'm still spending between 100.00 & 200.00 a month.