Torn between two phases of my life

I posted my collection last august! that the most recent picture I have, I bought more since then the AJ 9 White/Black. In order to see my collection now you would have to add me on facebook.com, Antoine Peay
 
I posted my collection last august! that the most recent picture I have, I bought more since then the AJ 9 White/Black. In order to see my collection now you would have to add me on facebook.com, Antoine Peay
 
To the OP, I know all too well what you mean, but for me it's about being in a different chapter in life.

After being laid off from a 6 figure job in early 2010, my shoe buying slid down to the bottom of the priority list and hit a near standstill. I still bought a couple pairs here and there, but I've gotten rid of much more than I've bought the past year and a half.

I also have gone back to college, have a new baby girl, and have moved into a new place with my baby's mom. Moved in, with the exception of my shoes. They're a HUGE pain to move 20 miles. So they went less than 5 minutes across town to my mom's place where they now sit.

My mostly size 13 collection, which began in earnest when I started making "a little more money" back in '97-'98, ballooned to well over 400 pairs at one point with lots of multiples. In the past few years I've gradually sold several dozen pairs. But it's still somewhere in the high 300's/low 400's. I lost the exact count a long time ago. It took me a LONG time to realize I have entirely too many sneakers.

I never bought to resell, I always bought primarily for the love of the shoes. The feeling of being able to vicariously relive memories of more youthful, happier days. And I used to buy multiples to be able to pull out something pristine 5 years after it was released. But being in this game so long (among my other pursuits), I've never seen as much selfishness and greed as what is often displayed by many of my fellow sneaker "enthusiasts." It got to be like, "What was the point in trying to get a shoe if you had to go camp or fight for it almost every time out? Or otherwise pay 3 times retail?" It's not that serious. It's not fun like it used to be. Over time, watching that kind of thing began killing my passion for the scene. Above all, the different life changes altered my priorities for good, but the diminished passion became a factor even before the changes started.

I do intend to sell at least 200 or so pairs of my collection. I figure if I get hit by a bus tomorrow it's not like they're coming with me, but there are some I want to keep for sentimental value (like many of my 60 plus pairs of V's). Providing for my daughter is definitely NOT a problem, nor is keeping the roof over my head, so I'm not hurting for money. But I also don't need to waste the space they're taking up, and there's no way I'll ever actually wear them all.

The problem I face is efficiently being able to sell that many of them. It's never been about just the money for me, but at the same time I'm not trying to get robbed and give stuff away for free, either. But the eBay route jacks a chunk of money in listing fees. Craigslist brings flakes and lowballers. NikeTalk's Buy/Sell Forums have notoriously thrifty lowballers, who have no bones about throwing out insulting offers (I was once "offered" $120 shipped from an NTer for a pair of DS size 12.5 midnight navy Olympic VI's. Seriously.). I wouldn't try to screw someone, but it's not like I don't know fair market values. In the end, I hope to find a workable solution for myself and any potential buyers, even if it takes time. I suppose there are worse problems to have.

Anyway, good luck OP with whatever you decide to do.
 
To the OP, I know all too well what you mean, but for me it's about being in a different chapter in life.

After being laid off from a 6 figure job in early 2010, my shoe buying slid down to the bottom of the priority list and hit a near standstill. I still bought a couple pairs here and there, but I've gotten rid of much more than I've bought the past year and a half.

I also have gone back to college, have a new baby girl, and have moved into a new place with my baby's mom. Moved in, with the exception of my shoes. They're a HUGE pain to move 20 miles. So they went less than 5 minutes across town to my mom's place where they now sit.

My mostly size 13 collection, which began in earnest when I started making "a little more money" back in '97-'98, ballooned to well over 400 pairs at one point with lots of multiples. In the past few years I've gradually sold several dozen pairs. But it's still somewhere in the high 300's/low 400's. I lost the exact count a long time ago. It took me a LONG time to realize I have entirely too many sneakers.

I never bought to resell, I always bought primarily for the love of the shoes. The feeling of being able to vicariously relive memories of more youthful, happier days. And I used to buy multiples to be able to pull out something pristine 5 years after it was released. But being in this game so long (among my other pursuits), I've never seen as much selfishness and greed as what is often displayed by many of my fellow sneaker "enthusiasts." It got to be like, "What was the point in trying to get a shoe if you had to go camp or fight for it almost every time out? Or otherwise pay 3 times retail?" It's not that serious. It's not fun like it used to be. Over time, watching that kind of thing began killing my passion for the scene. Above all, the different life changes altered my priorities for good, but the diminished passion became a factor even before the changes started.

I do intend to sell at least 200 or so pairs of my collection. I figure if I get hit by a bus tomorrow it's not like they're coming with me, but there are some I want to keep for sentimental value (like many of my 60 plus pairs of V's). Providing for my daughter is definitely NOT a problem, nor is keeping the roof over my head, so I'm not hurting for money. But I also don't need to waste the space they're taking up, and there's no way I'll ever actually wear them all.

The problem I face is efficiently being able to sell that many of them. It's never been about just the money for me, but at the same time I'm not trying to get robbed and give stuff away for free, either. But the eBay route jacks a chunk of money in listing fees. Craigslist brings flakes and lowballers. NikeTalk's Buy/Sell Forums have notoriously thrifty lowballers, who have no bones about throwing out insulting offers (I was once "offered" $120 shipped from an NTer for a pair of DS size 12.5 midnight navy Olympic VI's. Seriously.). I wouldn't try to screw someone, but it's not like I don't know fair market values. In the end, I hope to find a workable solution for myself and any potential buyers, even if it takes time. I suppose there are worse problems to have.

Anyway, good luck OP with whatever you decide to do.
 
I am 31 & currently own about 70-80 pairs myself. At one time I had about 150 but slowly but surely I trimmed the fat so to speak. I still do buy releases, but only ones I really love. For every release I buy, I sell of something that I don't feel the same way about.

I have to wear a uniform to work (carpenter/construction/etc), but for any activities I do after work or on my weekends off, I always try to break in a pair and wear them while I am around and about.


230 is somewhat excessive. Sell off the ones you can do without and put that money toward something else...a car, a vacation, etc.
 
I am 31 & currently own about 70-80 pairs myself. At one time I had about 150 but slowly but surely I trimmed the fat so to speak. I still do buy releases, but only ones I really love. For every release I buy, I sell of something that I don't feel the same way about.

I have to wear a uniform to work (carpenter/construction/etc), but for any activities I do after work or on my weekends off, I always try to break in a pair and wear them while I am around and about.


230 is somewhat excessive. Sell off the ones you can do without and put that money toward something else...a car, a vacation, etc.
 
230 pairs does seem like a lot.  I have about 40 and I always felt if I approached 100 then I would have to seriously evaluate myself lol.

But, with that being said, don't feel bad OP (or anyone else).  Buy what you love.  Buy what makes you happy.  Buy what makes you feel good.  Buy what brings you that nostalgic feeling.  As someone else said, I hardly worry about buying sneakers because I know that, even if they're worn, you will be able to recoup AT LEAST 50% of what you spent on them (it's probably more like 75% to be fair).
 
230 pairs does seem like a lot.  I have about 40 and I always felt if I approached 100 then I would have to seriously evaluate myself lol.

But, with that being said, don't feel bad OP (or anyone else).  Buy what you love.  Buy what makes you happy.  Buy what makes you feel good.  Buy what brings you that nostalgic feeling.  As someone else said, I hardly worry about buying sneakers because I know that, even if they're worn, you will be able to recoup AT LEAST 50% of what you spent on them (it's probably more like 75% to be fair).
 
I definitely understand where you are all coming from, seeing as my buying of sneakers has started to diminish as well, but the question that I ask all of you is: What keeps you coming back to this site? Is it the love for the shoes? Is it an addiction? Me personally, it's the love for the shoes and what Mike had done in them that I can't let go, being able to re-live your childhood through sneakers is never a bad thing. I also have started to respect more and more what Jordan Brand is doing, retroing the same shoes only a few years apart. It enables you to wear the shoes and KNOW there is going to be a chance to purchase the same pair later down the road and have the same joy. When retros first started, you didn't know if you were going to see it EVER come out again and that is where the need to purchase more and more pairs came from.

My 2 cents.
 
I definitely understand where you are all coming from, seeing as my buying of sneakers has started to diminish as well, but the question that I ask all of you is: What keeps you coming back to this site? Is it the love for the shoes? Is it an addiction? Me personally, it's the love for the shoes and what Mike had done in them that I can't let go, being able to re-live your childhood through sneakers is never a bad thing. I also have started to respect more and more what Jordan Brand is doing, retroing the same shoes only a few years apart. It enables you to wear the shoes and KNOW there is going to be a chance to purchase the same pair later down the road and have the same joy. When retros first started, you didn't know if you were going to see it EVER come out again and that is where the need to purchase more and more pairs came from.

My 2 cents.
 
Sell some and keep the ones you wear most often. I recently scaled back on buying shoes and wasn't wearing the ones I still had and finally put them on the buy/sell forums here.


I sold most of mine or gave them to kids at school who will actually wear them and appreciate them. I don't miss them at all and it's nice having the room in my closet now.

I recently sold my Space Jams which was a tough decision, but I thought about it and had only wore them 2 times and bought a new Taylor Made Driver that I now use multiple times a week.
 
Sell some and keep the ones you wear most often. I recently scaled back on buying shoes and wasn't wearing the ones I still had and finally put them on the buy/sell forums here.


I sold most of mine or gave them to kids at school who will actually wear them and appreciate them. I don't miss them at all and it's nice having the room in my closet now.

I recently sold my Space Jams which was a tough decision, but I thought about it and had only wore them 2 times and bought a new Taylor Made Driver that I now use multiple times a week.
 
Had a discussion recently with another NT'er regarding this so called "game" and wondering why people call it that??

They are shoes fellas and ladies, nothing more, nothing less.  I don't look at it as a game, investment, or something that is going to either bring me financial freedom or cause me financial distress.

If I like 'em, I get 'em.  If I don't, I don't.  Some shoes certainly spark a nostalgic feeling.  Some remind me of when I was young.  Others remind me of the players that I have grown to admire or respect for whatever reasons.  Most of them I wear or will wear, but I few I won't.  At some point, I'll pass 'em down to my kids and perhaps they won't even care.  What I do know is that they'll have a piece of "me" in some sense, because they know I enjoyed wearing them and having them around.  They may grow to like shoes the same or even more, but that's not really the point.  For example, my father collected coins, and passed them down to me.  I don't much care for collecting them or get really into them, but I probably will never sell 'em because I know what they meant to him and the fact that he gave them to me makes them special.  I collect some diecast cars for my kids that they like to play with right now.  I keep some DS, and just tuck them away.  When they are 15 or 20, they will be in awe that we still have a few unopened and be shocked that they were so into such things.  Maybe they'll tuck 'em away and give them to their kids when they have some.  Who knows.

My point is this.  Every family has things they spend money on.. Shoes, clothes, homes, cars, vacations, pictures, sporting events, fine art, entertainment... you name it, there are so many other things too numerous to count.  Shoes are just an extension of some of these other things.  For those of us who truly love and are "into" shoes they are much like the things I listed above and provide similar enjoyment.

If you love your 60, 160, 260, or 560 pair, then stay with it and don't over analyze. If they become burdensome, troublesome, and or boring to you, then unload or begin to sell them off.  However, I think that you will find that regardless of what anyone else thinks, the time, the effort, and the enjoyment you had finding, buying, wearing, and enjoying them is something you will cherish long beyond the actual shoes themselves.  Just like pictures and videos, the shoes only begin to represent part of the bigger story that exists.
 
Had a discussion recently with another NT'er regarding this so called "game" and wondering why people call it that??

They are shoes fellas and ladies, nothing more, nothing less.  I don't look at it as a game, investment, or something that is going to either bring me financial freedom or cause me financial distress.

If I like 'em, I get 'em.  If I don't, I don't.  Some shoes certainly spark a nostalgic feeling.  Some remind me of when I was young.  Others remind me of the players that I have grown to admire or respect for whatever reasons.  Most of them I wear or will wear, but I few I won't.  At some point, I'll pass 'em down to my kids and perhaps they won't even care.  What I do know is that they'll have a piece of "me" in some sense, because they know I enjoyed wearing them and having them around.  They may grow to like shoes the same or even more, but that's not really the point.  For example, my father collected coins, and passed them down to me.  I don't much care for collecting them or get really into them, but I probably will never sell 'em because I know what they meant to him and the fact that he gave them to me makes them special.  I collect some diecast cars for my kids that they like to play with right now.  I keep some DS, and just tuck them away.  When they are 15 or 20, they will be in awe that we still have a few unopened and be shocked that they were so into such things.  Maybe they'll tuck 'em away and give them to their kids when they have some.  Who knows.

My point is this.  Every family has things they spend money on.. Shoes, clothes, homes, cars, vacations, pictures, sporting events, fine art, entertainment... you name it, there are so many other things too numerous to count.  Shoes are just an extension of some of these other things.  For those of us who truly love and are "into" shoes they are much like the things I listed above and provide similar enjoyment.

If you love your 60, 160, 260, or 560 pair, then stay with it and don't over analyze. If they become burdensome, troublesome, and or boring to you, then unload or begin to sell them off.  However, I think that you will find that regardless of what anyone else thinks, the time, the effort, and the enjoyment you had finding, buying, wearing, and enjoying them is something you will cherish long beyond the actual shoes themselves.  Just like pictures and videos, the shoes only begin to represent part of the bigger story that exists.
 
Originally Posted by roly2345

I feel you my friend, I have been collecting since the 90s, and a couple years back at the peak my collection was 260+pairs. I went thru the same thing a few years ago when I turned 30 myself, I just felt like my priorities started to change and I started selling my collection back in 09, when I first started it was hard because I had some heat that I was letting go and I didn't want to part with certain pairs, but after realizing that I could go a year or two before getting around to the same pair in my rotation and years of ongoing quality issues with JB I just thought it would be wise of me to sell my whole collection(while the shoes were still in one piece) and take that money and actually invest it in something that will be beneficial for me in the long run. After I saw all the money that I had put into my "collection" I could not believe it and could not justify the 260+ pairs I had. I now have about 60 pairs left and counting down. I have officially retired and once I sell or donate the last 60 pairs I have left, I will never own more than 5 pairs of sneakers at a time. I was very naive about finances in my late teens and early 20s, and would spend most of my disposal income on shoes and other crap never thinking about the future, now that I am 30+ I have to think about the future and how I am going to prepare myself for retirement. Looking back on it now I wish I would have take the tens of thousands of dollars that I gave to Nike and Phil Knight and used it to start investing back in the 90s and I probably would be looking at retirement in a few years instead of still having to work later into my life. I now have a couple pairs that I wear on my casual days and thats it for me. I'll leave this "shoe game" to all you all out there, good luck and hopefully one day you will all see this just another addiction like smoking and drinking that wastes you time and money. The only good thing is some Nike's are sought after and if DS or well cared for you may have a hope of reselling it. That's the only thing that has kept me half way sane is that I have been able to recoup at least more than 60-70% of what I paid for most of my collection and reinvest into actually securities.

So If I can leave you with one last thought, stop throwing your money away and making the CEO's and Millionaire Athlete's even richer than the are, just buy ONE pair of shoes because you need them not because you want them, and if you need something to do with that money thats burning a whole in your pocket then put it in a saving acct or invest it, trust me you'll thank me later.
Click to expand...
That was deep and truly hit home. Im currently a senior in college and just as naive as u probably were, and i need to stop. Sneaker collecting is addicting and the select few chase the high. Really good to share your story
 
Originally Posted by roly2345

I feel you my friend, I have been collecting since the 90s, and a couple years back at the peak my collection was 260+pairs. I went thru the same thing a few years ago when I turned 30 myself, I just felt like my priorities started to change and I started selling my collection back in 09, when I first started it was hard because I had some heat that I was letting go and I didn't want to part with certain pairs, but after realizing that I could go a year or two before getting around to the same pair in my rotation and years of ongoing quality issues with JB I just thought it would be wise of me to sell my whole collection(while the shoes were still in one piece) and take that money and actually invest it in something that will be beneficial for me in the long run. After I saw all the money that I had put into my "collection" I could not believe it and could not justify the 260+ pairs I had. I now have about 60 pairs left and counting down. I have officially retired and once I sell or donate the last 60 pairs I have left, I will never own more than 5 pairs of sneakers at a time. I was very naive about finances in my late teens and early 20s, and would spend most of my disposal income on shoes and other crap never thinking about the future, now that I am 30+ I have to think about the future and how I am going to prepare myself for retirement. Looking back on it now I wish I would have take the tens of thousands of dollars that I gave to Nike and Phil Knight and used it to start investing back in the 90s and I probably would be looking at retirement in a few years instead of still having to work later into my life. I now have a couple pairs that I wear on my casual days and thats it for me. I'll leave this "shoe game" to all you all out there, good luck and hopefully one day you will all see this just another addiction like smoking and drinking that wastes you time and money. The only good thing is some Nike's are sought after and if DS or well cared for you may have a hope of reselling it. That's the only thing that has kept me half way sane is that I have been able to recoup at least more than 60-70% of what I paid for most of my collection and reinvest into actually securities.

So If I can leave you with one last thought, stop throwing your money away and making the CEO's and Millionaire Athlete's even richer than the are, just buy ONE pair of shoes because you need them not because you want them, and if you need something to do with that money thats burning a whole in your pocket then put it in a saving acct or invest it, trust me you'll thank me later.
Click to expand...
That was deep and truly hit home. Im currently a senior in college and just as naive as u probably were, and i need to stop. Sneaker collecting is addicting and the select few chase the high. Really good to share your story
 
Originally Posted by Peay21

Wearing sneakers to my office isn't a issue! I choose to wear suits! I guess as I get older im seeing life differently besides working in the office I also Model, My issue is my addiction to just get almost everything, I have sneakers that I forgot I bought and is brand new from 2005 smh.
Click to expand...




okay, i had the same thing with comic books back in the 1990's. i'd hunt hard for all the alternative covers and signed editions, getting stacks signed at conventions, you name it. i had the biggest ongoing account at my local store and would leave each time with a heavy bag of that stuff, most of which was never even read. i just had to stop, and i did. cold turkey. i picked up an occasional "blade of the immortal" as it was the only story i was still pretty enthused about, but that tapered away eventually.

the addiction eventually paid me back later on when i sold as much of it as i could (for bargain prices on ebay) in order to pay for the $10K pink diamond wedding ring for the missus. i probably could have made more if i took the time, but it was just clutter at that stage. i felt that it was just weighing me down. it was time to share the collection with people who would actually USE it, and really appreciate it.

i know the compulsion you speak of. it's easy to justify when it isn't impeding on your life's essentials. but what is it really doing for you?
 
Originally Posted by Peay21

Wearing sneakers to my office isn't a issue! I choose to wear suits! I guess as I get older im seeing life differently besides working in the office I also Model, My issue is my addiction to just get almost everything, I have sneakers that I forgot I bought and is brand new from 2005 smh.
Click to expand...




okay, i had the same thing with comic books back in the 1990's. i'd hunt hard for all the alternative covers and signed editions, getting stacks signed at conventions, you name it. i had the biggest ongoing account at my local store and would leave each time with a heavy bag of that stuff, most of which was never even read. i just had to stop, and i did. cold turkey. i picked up an occasional "blade of the immortal" as it was the only story i was still pretty enthused about, but that tapered away eventually.

the addiction eventually paid me back later on when i sold as much of it as i could (for bargain prices on ebay) in order to pay for the $10K pink diamond wedding ring for the missus. i probably could have made more if i took the time, but it was just clutter at that stage. i felt that it was just weighing me down. it was time to share the collection with people who would actually USE it, and really appreciate it.

i know the compulsion you speak of. it's easy to justify when it isn't impeding on your life's essentials. but what is it really doing for you?
 
Originally Posted by AIRRON

Originally Posted by roly2345

I feel you my friend, I have been collecting since the 90s, and a couple years back at the peak my collection was 260+pairs. I went thru the same thing a few years ago when I turned 30 myself, I just felt like my priorities started to change and I started selling my collection back in 09, when I first started it was hard because I had some heat that I was letting go and I didn't want to part with certain pairs, but after realizing that I could go a year or two before getting around to the same pair in my rotation and years of ongoing quality issues with JB I just thought it would be wise of me to sell my whole collection(while the shoes were still in one piece) and take that money and actually invest it in something that will be beneficial for me in the long run. After I saw all the money that I had put into my "collection" I could not believe it and could not justify the 260+ pairs I had. I now have about 60 pairs left and counting down. I have officially retired and once I sell or donate the last 60 pairs I have left, I will never own more than 5 pairs of sneakers at a time. I was very naive about finances in my late teens and early 20s, and would spend most of my disposal income on shoes and other crap never thinking about the future, now that I am 30+ I have to think about the future and how I am going to prepare myself for retirement. Looking back on it now I wish I would have take the tens of thousands of dollars that I gave to Nike and Phil Knight and used it to start investing back in the 90s and I probably would be looking at retirement in a few years instead of still having to work later into my life. I now have a couple pairs that I wear on my casual days and thats it for me. I'll leave this "shoe game" to all you all out there, good luck and hopefully one day you will all see this just another addiction like smoking and drinking that wastes you time and money. The only good thing is some Nike's are sought after and if DS or well cared for you may have a hope of reselling it. That's the only thing that has kept me half way sane is that I have been able to recoup at least more than 60-70% of what I paid for most of my collection and reinvest into actually securities.

So If I can leave you with one last thought, stop throwing your money away and making the CEO's and Millionaire Athlete's even richer than the are, just buy ONE pair of shoes because you need them not because you want them, and if you need something to do with that money thats burning a whole in your pocket then put it in a saving acct or invest it, trust me you'll thank me later.
Click to expand...
That was deep and truly hit home. Im currently a senior in college and just as naive as u probably were, and i need to stop. Sneaker collecting is addicting and the select few chase the high. Really good to share your story
Click to expand...
This thread and especially these two comments definitely were a wake up call for me. I'm just about to graduate from college as well, and as much as I love sneakers, it's becoming clear that I need to slow my buying down. It's great hearing the stories of the older dudes on this forum and being able to use their advice to keep myself from going down paths that I would rather avoid.
 
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