I already posted this on your weblog, but I will post it here too because I think its relevant to a lot of collectors, especially the new ones (a group that I still consider myself a part of). I think most of us, if not all, have been there before.
Just a little background about my financial situation: I don't have much $$ right now because I am in school - I make like $75 a week, but I also live at home, have no kids and go to school so I don't have any expenses. I don't even have a car payment - its paid off. But I do have some credit card debt that needs to get paid off this summer. So, even though I love cel collecting and I am addicted, I always have a little bit of nagging guilt when I buy high end cels. I buy most of my cels over the summer when I am out of school and working full time. I am a big fan of over-looking some cels that I want and saving my money for the wishlist cels as much as a can because I always feel that the next wishlist is right around the corner...
But this is what I figure: Ya, the economy sucks and we should all be saving our money and trying to get ahead, BUT you have to have some pleasures in your life every once in a while too, so I think spending some of your money on a cel or two doesn't hurt. Plus, its not like you are "wasting" your money because in the long run, they will only appreciate in price. So, buying a cel is a splurge but its also an investment.
The key is moderation and spending your money on the RIGHT cel. I agree with hajimenokizu on your weblog. You should try to figure out which cel(s) you could absolutely not walk away from. I would try to visualize each cel that you want in your gallery - whichever one gives you the the greatest feeling to know that you own it. I usually use this test as well: If I can see myself selling the cel later on to purchase a wishlist I usually will not go for it. That way, most of the cels in my gallery will reflect what I love the most. Also, that perfect cel might not always be a higher-end cel. For example: Even though there are a bunch of high end cels (some wishlist) on Ebay and on dealer sites that I want right now I decided to pay extra on my credit cards this month. But to satisfy my craving for a cel, I recently bought a cheaper cel of Scooby-Dum (but still a great shot) and it felt really good. Sometimes this is the better way to go.
In this hobby there will always be cels that you miss out on. There is just no way to get around it: either the timing was wrong or you had no money or someone outbid you, etc. And it really is painful to miss out on cels. I actually keep a hidden section of my gallery where I list all of the cels that really, really hurt me to lose. I have a picture of the cel, where it was being sold, its price and the reason why I couldn't purchase it. I really recommend doing this because it helps you to better understand your buying habits and to understand what makes you the happiest as a cel collector. I would also recommend having a hidden section of your gallery where you list all of the cels that are on sale that you want (kind of like a "live wishlist"), complete with photos, price and where it is being sold. That way you can also keep track of your desires and figure out what you want to spend your money on next. When you see all of the cels you want together in one section, its a lot easier to make choices. Together, with your wishlist, I think its a great tool to help keep you on track, so you don't spend your money on cels that you won't value as much later on. Right now, in my hidden section of cels that I want, if you added up all their prices, it would be thousands and thousands of dollars. Of course I can't afford them all and some I will lose. And if I miss out on some of them and am really sore about it, I just move them into the "lost" section, pout for awhile and then try to get over it.
When I loose out on a cel, this thought usually comforts me: not always getting what I want in this hobby is one of the things that make it so exciting and fun. It is also what makes each collector's gallery unique. We are all limited by our budgets in some way so our galleries only reflect our greatest values. When I save my money for a wishlist, it is that much more satisfying because I know that I've worked hard to get it.
Also, if you start to get too upset or overwhelmed by all of it, remember, its a hobby and it is suppose to be FUN. Don't torture yourself for missing out on cels and don't overspend to the point where you don't even enjoy the cels anymore. I almost got to that point in January when I overbid on Mandarakes BWA. I sold some nice cels from my gallery to save my butt, but just the stress of it almost ruined my enjoyment of the moment. You know you made the wrong decision when you've won the cel and you have a sinking feeling in your gut about it, instead of feeling like celebrating.
I think thats a worse feeling than missing out on wishlist cel.
So, if you need to ignore the cels for awhile and focus on other expenses, its ok. You will get better at understanding what is important to you as a collector.
And remember, no matter what happens, there will always be great production art that will come along in the future, so there is always be something to look forward to. 