This question comes up every so often, and I 
usually ignore it because for me the context of 
my answer would not seem so obvious.

I have "used" over a thousand dollars for a cel 
on a few occassions. Looking at my collection you 
can see that immediately. But it would be wrong 
to assume that this is coming directly from my 
pocket, salary, or credit card in whole.I have 
spent that much money on those occasions,
through the redistribution of cel sales from 
prior cels that I have owned. Breaking down 2 or 
3 (at that time) expensive Dragonball cels that 
shot up in price on auctions and turning that 
profit and using it to buy one high-end cel from 
a series that I like better. On a few occassions.

I hate using my salary to pay for cels ..period. 
Lately I have though, and it has caused me to 
reconsider what I need to sell again ^-^. And not 
just cels, I collect other things that can be 
converted into funds for my other hobby. 
(computer junk) Like routers, software, 
networking stuff,,anyone interested? 
(see..hustling again ;-)

I follow the market of cels very closely and I 
will toss in a misc. cel ruthlessly if I see that 
the value of it rises and I can make a profit 
from it, so that, I can turn around and get 
another GUNNM cel or whatever I like more. That 
is just me. I don't have a limit at all. I just 
don't consider the use of "real money" as much as 
you might think to buy cels with. I try to keep 
cel money and life money separate. 

I even work a part time job teaching English on 
weekends and at nights around 5 hours a week at 
25-30 dollars per hour, just for hobby
money;cels, movies, vids, games, or whatever.
My real salary, remains that..I might dip into it 
every now and then for a few,three hundred bucks 
but that is about it.

Even when I use a credit card, it gets paid off 
exactly the same way. I give my wife(bookeeper) 
the funds for the card before the bill is due so 
that she won't think money is being used from 
work related earnings.

That is also a part of collecting that I like is 
the hustle of coming up with money without 
spending my own money. It's "magic" or "tragic".

That is like a hobby, inside of a hobby ^-^  
(That little "wanna-be" dealer inside of my blood 
somewhere)

But lately I have decided to take a long break 
after I clear all outstanding accounts around 
Feb/03 or so. 

So, my hustle and bustle days are coming to an 
end. For a while anyway...^-^

E