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Author Topic: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?  (Read 5383 times)

Positive

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How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« on: June 08, 2010, 08:01:28 am »

In view of all this forecasting of financial doom and hardship coming from the British Government, I wonder how it is going to affect our ship modelling activities? On the surface of it, we will all be affected to some extent at least.

Will kit builders still be prepared to pay large sums for kits and will scratch builders find their markets falling away as buyers and collectors “tighten their belts?

Will it make you slow down, or even stop. I can’t imagine that I will stop, but I have certainly slowed down and am amusing myself more with less expensive activities such as writing.

Is this sort of thing just confined to Britain or is it world-wide?

I am not asking for political opinions or blame or anything like that. Simply how it will affect your future in building models.

Just wondered what others opinions are?

Bob 
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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2010, 08:17:01 am »

Odds-On for VAT @ 20% and most retailers will increase their prices, as an extra 2.5% is hard to swallow. I'm also taking bets on a pension freeze, bye-bye to free bus passes and the winter cold weather payment (maybe it'll become means-tested). I guess how it affects your modelling depends on a) how much you value your hobby, and b) how much spare cash you'll be left with. I can see expensive kits and radios staying on the shelves and Mr Giant Cod being run off his feet (fins?).
Yippee.....................
FLJ
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2010, 08:23:16 am »

Well, I hope the free bus passes don't go!    In that direction, they may put the age up to 65 or even 70, but leave the ones who already have them with them to save a major backlash.
Yes, agree VAT will probably go up.
My own type of modelling (miniature scratchbuild) costs very litle, but my problem will be if they stop selling.    There is a limit to how many can be stored in a small house!
I would think R/C and that sort of thing is very expensive and club membership fees etc.
Bob
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Rex Hunt

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2010, 08:36:36 am »

I will probably spend more on modelling,
 :-))

and a lot less on travelling costs for other hobbies and interests!



Coz the beggars are bound to hit the motorist harder than anybody else ....as usual. >:-o


Rex
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2010, 08:39:36 am »

Since getting the bus pass a couple of years ago, I have almost phased out driving, but do the weekly shop in the car.     
Bob
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snowwolflair

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2010, 08:54:17 am »

Unless they tax superglue like booze, then I have enough hulls, wood motors etc in my loft not to care.  Having said that I do expect the cost of transport to go up, with petrol tax and the government subsidy to buses and railways going.
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nick_75au

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2010, 09:08:32 am »

Its definitely affecting my activities, from 5 months ago hours reduced to 4 days a week to now working 6 days and 10-12 hour days, from not having the money to not having the time %%.

The luxury boat market is booming here at the moment

Nick
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snowwolflair

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2010, 09:29:58 am »

I like the idea of sending the government suggestions of what/who should be cut. 

All traffic wardens for a start, and if they will accept individual names I can think of a lot of useless local authority and civil service workers I would happily see the back of. 

My wife is already making a (long) list. :-))

As long as they leave the nurses, doctors and teachers alone.

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chingdevil

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2010, 11:57:51 am »

I do not worry about the free bus pass the last bunch of idiots in whitehall changed the rules so I will not get mine until I get to 65.
I think people will slow down in their building but I do not think they will stop, if your wages/pension does not cover basic expenses then something has to give and that will be non-essentials like model boats. I still see modellers wanting to carry on they might change what they model. At the moment I am a bit like Nick_75au I have the money but not the time, mind you as the daughters wedding approaches I am sure that will change.

Brian
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gondolier88

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2010, 11:59:15 am »

This works both ways- while us mortals who live in the real world struggle- those with money who also slow down their spending may view a RTR scale handbuilt model at £2000 a better investment than a classic car at £20,000+- after all, it's unlikely the government will ever directly tax our hobby- unless British Waterways starts buying boating ponds and charges boat registrations in inches not feet!!!!

As with every financial situation we must make the best of it- if you have something somebody wants and they have something you want, why not swap- who says money has to be involved?

Carboots could be a good place to look for models as people clear their lofts in a bid to get some spending money.

Perhaps the larger clubs could do more 'group' models- different members building different parts for models etc.

Look on the bright side- we still get to complain that it's getting more expensive, unlike some countries (greece!) that are in the bottom of a very very deep pit.

Greg
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2010, 12:07:13 pm »

Quote
How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?

  As a Yorkshireman, not at all   O0   {-)

  Regards  Ian.
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Bryan Young

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2010, 12:44:32 pm »

I think it will affect kit buyers more than scratch builders. Most of the outlay for a kit comes in one great lump, whereas a scratch built model can take years, so spreading the cost over a long period. Presumably most people already have a transmitter so the only extras that are needed are servos, a receiver and speed controller(s)..and probably a motor or two, but perhaps birthdays and Xmas can take care of a lot of that. BY.
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2010, 12:48:20 pm »

I like the idea of sending the government suggestions of what/who should be cut. 

They're going to get a move on the budgets the week after next.......................

or is this talk of asking us just window dressing????
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tt1

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2010, 01:12:50 pm »

I do not worry about the free bus pass the last bunch of idiots in whitehall changed the rules so I will not get mine until I get to 65.

Hello Brian, (chingdevil),  re the above is this likewise for all? I've recently clocked 60 and was about to apply for a pass. :((

                              Regards, Tony.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2010, 01:26:42 pm »

If you were born after 6th April 1950 you cannot get your bus pass until you state retirement age.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/dg_10036264

Colin
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2010, 01:38:13 pm »

Thanks Colin, pupped on 6th February 1950!  :-))

                  Cheers, Tony.
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2010, 01:45:36 pm »

I fall outside all the above.   My scratchbuilding costs next to nothing.     But if I can't get rid of them, I will run out of space by the end of the year as I build about 9 annually.
At the moment, I don't really know if the demand for them is dropping off as one was sold last month and only have two in stock at presenty, the last one only being completed on friday.   I suppose I could always build smaller one though!
Bob
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Colin Bishop

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #17 on: June 08, 2010, 02:07:18 pm »

You could give them away Bob, we'd all be queueing up on your doorstep to alleviate your storage problems!

And you'd know that they'd all gone to good homes too.

Colin
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2010, 02:19:34 pm »

I don't know that they would go to good homes.     Not all that long ago, someone phoned to say he had a model ship I had built.    I reccognised the name as a small model that I gave an ex-girlfriend years ago and asked him how he knew my phone number and how he came by it.   He said my address sticker was on the bottom (which I remembered it was) and that he got it in an Oxfam shop in Bristol!    Nothing had happenned to her either, because we met her shortly after, at a reunion in London (She was ship's surgeon on my last ship, but one) Another one that I gave away because someone "really wanted it" appeared in a local junk shop shortly after with a huge price tag.     I fear I would just be taken advantage of.    I know I can get rid of them at the London auctions, but the financial rewards have plumetted so low, I may not want to be bothered any more.    Only time will tell.      I am even stopping giving plan copies away as I rarely even get a simple "thank you" from the recipients!
Bob
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gondolier88

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2010, 02:40:26 pm »

Were not all like that- I've just been given a lovely model for cost of postage by a fellow mayhemmer, and I couldn't be more grateful, but I have had my skills taken advantage of before and it isn't a nice feeling, however I think the lesson may be- trust mayhemmers, we tend to be an honest lot.

Greg
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funtimefrankie

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #20 on: June 08, 2010, 03:03:45 pm »

If you were born after 6th April 1950 you cannot get your bus pass until you state retirement age.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/dg_10036264

Colin
Not right there's a calculator that tells you, for instance my mate's 60 in a couple of weeks , it says he gets his in September 2010
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Colin Bishop

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #21 on: June 08, 2010, 03:20:39 pm »

Sorry, yes, it just says you have to check if you were born after 6th April 1950. If your mate had been born in 1952 he would have had to have waited until 2014 acording to the calculator.

Colin
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #22 on: June 08, 2010, 03:36:09 pm »

Greg
I build 9 or 10 models a year, but I do like to have an income from them.    The thing that puts me off giving things away beyond anything else is that I seldom get even a simple word of thanks.       If I won the lottery, it would not matter, I would let them all go to the auctions and the entire proceeds could go to charity, but in the present financial state of the country, it is as well to have an extra income.     At present, I am simply slowing down on production until the situation becomes clearer,  but am a long way from desperate straits.     Storage will be the biggest problem if the market drops off.
Bob
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gondolier88

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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #23 on: June 08, 2010, 04:25:16 pm »

Hi Bob,

I didn't mean for you to go giving away your models- far from it- I wouldn't give away something I build for an income. The point I was making was that, while you've had bad experiences in the past, not everyone is unapreciative of someones hard work.

Evidence shows in fact that recessions tend to bring the best out in people- did you know that charity donations go UP by about 20% in a recession!

Good look with the business, and just think, if it is a problem now, you'll have a house full of stock when people have money again- this could be the time to do a bit of speculation- or find a couple of people with money who will commission you to do something for them, as I said, they will still want to invest, just not in the same things for the same money as before.

Greg
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Re: How Will The Financial Crisis Affect Your Modelling?
« Reply #24 on: June 08, 2010, 04:26:31 pm »

No increase from the Paymaster General this year already
I hope you guys don't use buses to get to the pond with
your boats unless you are all sailing springers.


Yours Aye

Ned
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