Robert is 37 years old. He’s single and lives at home with his widow mom. He works hard for his money, and makes about $2,000.00 a month take home. Rather than put anything back for a rainy day, he uncontrolably blows almost every dime he makes on model railroading items. I’ve tried reasoning with him, but he won’t listen to me or anyone else. At this point and time, he probably has a collection worth at least $10,000.00 to $12,000.00, and that’s just what he’s bought in the last year and a half. I think the reason he does this is because he’s hyperactive, doesn’t have much of a life to speak of and gets bored real easy.
Doesn’t this belong on the addiction topic? Kidding…
I spent a healthy amount of money getting back in, but I am not living at home. Now a days it doesn’t take much to accumulate a lot of money on RR stuff. Is he doing anything with his purchases? Maybe he is stocking up now while he has the money to spend???
Yup…At the club I am a member of we have one such member except he is a bachelor and owns his home…He spends at least $200.00 a week on the hobby…Of course that is his business…He is of age…
I use to spend anywhere between $2.00-100.00 a week now it s about $200.00 a month and as far as I am concern its nobodies business but my very own…
No. He’s just one of those guys that goes overboard every time he gets into a new hobby.
I think it’s turned into some kind of a compulsive disorder with him…
I agree with you BRAKIE. It’s the man’s business and yours too. But the guy I’m talking about always has money to blow on train items, but never to pay for his car repairs or other more important things. It’s as if his priorities are all out of wack - like a little kid…
Well, if somebody else is paying his bills for him, they are enabling him in his addiction. Talk to the mom. If she is supporting him at home, paying his bills, etc., she needs to stop doing that. Mom needs to get tough about it. It shouldn’t take Robert long to find out that HE is responsible for his own expenses, including model railroading. If mom always bails him out financially, what reason does he have to change?
I have a friend on disability and his wife works a pretty good job. Money is always tight, yet over the last few years, he has been able to buy 9 (NINE) RC gas trucks and ALL the attending accessories. He says it’s from money he earned himself and he has a right to use it as he sees fit. His wife got sick and the doctors thought it was a stroke. Right away, my friend started worrying about how they would pay their bills on time if his wife weren’t able to work. I suggested he sell some of his trucks and he said, no, they were his. This is a good friend of mine, but I wonder about his thought processes sometimes. Fortunately, it appears his wife didn’t have a stroke, but I doubt he will learn enough from the experience to change in any way. Makes me sad.
Believe me Darrell, this guy and his mom are the two most dysfunctional people I know. I think I’d rather just stay out of it and let nature take its course. Besides, his mom told me a while back that if anything ever happened to him that she was going to give me all of his train stuff…
.
So how about directing some of Robert’s energy into building a layout. Just think, Mom will pretty much turn over the whole house to him, you can ‘help’ him build a huge layout (exactly the way YOU want!) and money will be no object. Not too many of us get an opportunity like that.
Just don’t try to teach him how to do 110v wiring (at least until the layout is nearly done [:-,][}:)]).
i am glad he is spending it on something that gives him something to show for his money.
you only need to look at the people luying in a gutter on a friday night that have spent exactly the same money but all they have to show for it is a hangover!
when i was at uni. spending modey at my LHS was a form of retail therapy. having a new loco to take down the club raised my spirits when things were going badly and was my reward when things were going well.
the problems come when you spend money you dont have.
Question…Why should you worry about their affairs? I sense this is your brother perhaps? If so leave it between Mother and Brother let them take care of the problem if there is any.You see butting in could only make things worst in the family and do you really want that??
If he is just a friend so? Why is it any of your concern after all he’s not a drunkard or dug abuser which is far worst.
I don’t mean to be cruel or harsh I just don’t understand your reasoning for becoming concern in their affairs.
I’m way ahead of you dgwinup (Darrell). I’ve already built a couple of layouts for him, and though he stood over me and watched everything I did, he didn’t learn anything… ([V])
No BRAKIE. I’m not related to this guy. I met he and his mom while doing a house painting job in their neighborhood a few years ago. They came over and asked me about doing some work for them when I got done with that job, which I did. Somewhere along the way, I started talking to Robert about model railroading. The next thing you know he gets interested in it and starts buying up everything he can lay his hands on like a wild man, and he hasn’t let up yet. That’s all well and fine, and it’s his money to do with as he pleases. The problem is that he blows all of his money on model railroading,then doesn’t have money to pay his bills and so forth when things come up.
We’re not talking about a 12 year old kid here, we’re talking about a 37 year old man with a serious priority problem!.
I’m not going to say anymore about it. Just thought you guys might enjoy knowing that there are some people out there that get as carried away with trains just as they do anything else - like my Aunt Barbara and her $50,000.00 a year compulsive shopping disorder that finally resulted in sh
Javern, I want to go one step further, live free and have free and complete access to the Walthers N scale bible, and maybe all on the Horizon Website. Ah… to dream…
That’s really a sad story. Having left home at 19 years old, I can’t fathom living at home with a parent. A sick parent living with you, now that’s different. Something’s not right about that situation. I hope he get’s it together.
Not much we can do about other people. Despite all the train stuff, I doubt the guy is happy. No life outside his hobby.
Hopefully, if he is spending that sort of money he is spending it on brass which tends to appreciates in value. That way if things go belly up he will be holding onto a solid investment.