As a 45 year old hoarder I have enforced four questions upon myself: -Do I really want it? -Do I really need it? -Will I still want it in 2 years? -What else could I do with that money?
48 yo LEGO hoarder here: Yes Yes...at least the minis Probably, might sell the tower for 250ish in 2 years without minis Nothing important as life means well with me atm.
@@InfiniteZamasu I get what you mean and you are right but my interpretation of "need" is ment like this: At some point while collecting I decided to stick solely to star wars spaceships as those were the sets I adored above all. Yet sometimes I get enticed by another kind of set like Barad Dur in this case. At that point, when I ask myself if I need this set the answer would be "No, cause you only do ships and your saving for the Venator" for example..
I'm not a hoarder, but I do enjoy buying Lego. For me question 4 is the most important, I can do a whole lot with that money, including buying other sets, or tons of bricks and parts to build with. Also, the fact that I can say no to the first three questions really helps silencing any doubts.
Thank you for voicing this. I feel overwhelmed mostly about "where am I going to put this" and how I play into consumerism, over-consumption and why I have FOMO. Thank you for showing this real aspect of things!
overconsumption...oh pleas. no need to feel guilty for buying things you want and can affort, and insadentally helping to provide jobs for others. NOt saying buy everything just that if we have the spare cash we shouldn't feel guilty for using it. also i do agree that it gets really hard to pick and choose with so much goodness out there!
The 'Where am I going to put this?' question is probably the most pressing one for me at the moment. That is a good thing, it means I can still afford the odd big lego set once in a while. I have no FOMO, but a little bit of pressure to get everything I really want is there, especially since sets go up in price an inordinate amount when out of print.
@@Dreadwolf3155 Even though you are right and there is no need to feel guilty about buying quality products like Lego that last a lifetime or longer, I don't think you are incidently providing jobs for anyone by doing this. Yes, Lego has people working for them, but if you really want to responsibly spend your money, you should buy from your local enterprises, the people in your own hometown, preferably your same neighbourhood. Investing your money locally is not just a great way to give people jobs, it will enrich your own life as well, as the people around you have the most impact on your wellbeing and you can have the most impact on theirs.
Adulting is THE worst. But it only makes sense to be sensible! We will still be here for your “boring” (not even close 😊) videos. Always love hearing your thoughts! Can’t wait to see/hear your shenanigans come June 1st!
You are not boring, you are refreshingly honest. All your thoughts and points are 100% valid. I used to get hyped with new releases but now I try to be more sensible. I’ll get a few sets for sure but now I’ll wait for a good offer or a gwp I want. Any new sets should make sense with my current display and plans. If I cannot integrate it or it goes against my plans I am not buying it. Of course I feel inspired by so many new lines and ideas but there is not infinite money or space. I will not get Barad Dur, I prefer to extend my Rivendell and hope there will be a BagEnd set sometimes. I’ll concentrate on my city, Hogwarts and Ninjago and even here I am not getting any of the new Ninjago or MK sets. I am looking forward to some Lego Ideas sets and BrickLink sets. There is a reason why I subscribed to your channel and enjoy my membership in discord, this is it. To see and hear about your mocs and changes big and small of your city is perfect, no need of weekly videos. Whenever you have something to share is perfect.
You're definitely not alone. I am a die-hard Lego fan but lately I've had to focus on free activities like reading or hiking or learning new songs on my instrument, which are still rewarding of course, but also a result of not having much disposable income. I don't even order from restaurants anymore really. I just bought the 42179 Technic orrery set this week when I found a good price on it but before that the last set I bought was the Bookshop last October. It's just not easy having enough money for Lego nowadays. I was planning on asking for Barad Dur for Christmas but honestly there are so many other things I need/would rather have for that kind of money. I think I'll make a mid-scale Barad Dur MOC with my own parts.
Don't worry about your rambling thoughts, with all the show us your haul pressure and new videos of new purchased sets it's good to hear someone speaking out loud that it's not as easy for everyone to pay the price and at the end of the day there are bills of everyday life to be paid. The last and only time I fell for purchasing at day one release was the Boutique Hotel and - it still isn't build. So you're absolutly right, there's no pressure for day one releases to be bought asap and sometimes the excitement even grows while waiting for a good price and then to say: yes with full joy. Never boring to hear your thoughts. Have a great time with your city and the fun you have to develop it in your own way.
As someone that bought the Boutique hotel for my girlfriend, I can tell you the set is amazing and a good choice. It even is pretty compact for display, but granted: We still are clearing out more space to have enough display room.
I really appreciate this video! I have been having similar musings to the rising cost of LEGO, changing priorities as a new parent, and what really brings me joy from this hobby. The first thing I did was to sell off a lot of standalone sets, and sub themes. I am naturally a collector and I started focusing on collecting more than the joy of building. I am now down to primarily modular buildings on a new city shelf and Lord of the rings themes. What I found by setting these boundaries is I am enjoying and appreciating the builds I get to experience more, and I am creating my own modifications in the studio software and modding sets. Orson Welles said that the enemy of art is the absence of limitations. I have certainly found that by lessening my input, I am enjoying the hobby even more! I can tell I’ve been watching the channel for a while. When you said you had one favorite set from this release, I said out loud “the bed and breakfast.” 😆 Sorry for the long comment. Really agree with your thoughts and thanks for the inspiration to start a custom shelf city!
Great video Johanna! Really appreciate you discussing this real topic that most of us are also experiencing. Lego collecting is definitely overwhelming after you have a decent size collection. There will always be a limit to space and money. I get the hype but 99.9% of the time, I will not buy it day one. Especially now, I find there are always deals and offers so it pays to wait and you might not want a set anymore after the hype. As for creating space, it’s hard but selling down definitely would help with space and getting some money back.
I've been feeling this so much lately, I'm so burnt out and overwhelmed, the sheer amount of output and especially high price sets has been a lot. As you say, life is expensive, I just lost my cat leaving me with 3k in debt from vet bills, food prices are insane, vehicle upkeep, phone bills, rent, it all adds up quickly. At the same time I don't want to stop enjoying lego, and if I miss out on anything then I'll just end up paying even more on bricklink in a few years. 😮💨 Its all just a lot and I appreciate other people talking about this, its nice not being alone in the struggle.
Condolences to you for the passing of your cat. Loosing pets is the worst. I hope you will manage with your finances going forward whilst still having little pockets of joy in whatever shape they may come ❤️
I really appreciate your honest and thoughtful conversation about this. You brought up excellent points, and they were wholly your own thoughts without pressure from any outside sources. Bravo and cheers! P.S. You weren't boring at all.
I think discussions like this are very important, in order to enjoy a hobby like lego you definitely need to keep within a comfortable spending amount. As you say thats different for everyone.
A great conversation starter. This addresses issues that have come up in the Facebook Lego Group i am in. And you have articulated the issues so very well. Yours was the first Lego RU-vid channel I followed and while I always look forward to your posts, i hope you never feel pressured to do so. ALSO, Friends Castle B & B is also my priority for June 1st. It’s gorgeous. Thanks for all you do.
Aaaand subscribed. A real human, down to Earth conversation where life is a reality for most of us (lol), and that means that a set this expensive and grand may be great, but it's not what I need to have FOMO over
A few thoughts: 1. You don’t need to justify your decisions to us, but it is nice to hear your viewpoint on Lego priority spending. 2. Barad Dur is a nice-to-have, but not required. Rivendell was much more expensive and much larger than it needed to be, but it is a Lego masterpiece, so yeah, goodbye money. Also such a great build experience. 3. Agree on that little Friends set (did I really say that?). It looks like a charming addition to your city. 4. I don’t really watch your channel for set reviews/hauls, but for city development. More content in that area would be great. 5. And randomly, Amazon has a knockoff Gringott’s for $36. Sooner or later, people are going to start taking more advantage of non-Lego product.
Judging from what she said, I think she needs to justify some of these decisions for herself. She did feel the need to put her thoughts into the video, which I think is good to do. Other than that, some good points!
Once they introduced the fancy black boxed 'adults' concept...I felt they took some of the magic away 😔. I am a city builder, far far smaller scale than where you're at, but Lego's steadily increasing prices have drastically slowed down my lifelong enthusiasm. I feel that if they follow this trend, they are shooting themselves in the foot.I think your reasoning makes sense. Great chat!
I for sure think they could midground it a little more. I'd love to see detailed 'adult' sets, i.e with display value or panorama effect, in the 30 to 100 $ price range for castle, vikings or LOTR. I'd be open to sets that are more vinyete like, that feel more 'closed' and complete. I think the botanicals line have a perfect pricing for adults, it's that kind of set that you can pick up and build with someone and justify it as a social experience, something to do instead of going out to have dinner essentially. I think people would love to have things that are chopped off versions of really good adult sets, like Riverdale, the A frame cabin, or the blacksmith. A 4th to an 8th of a set like that, parts and price wise, but with the detail and beauty still there which is lacking in some cheaper themes like creator 3 in 1.
Both of you are touching on some important things, the 'focus' on adult sets with the ugly black boxes and the fact that there is a gigantic lack of cheaper options of some of the most important themes. I don't see any cheap options to go with the expensive modular buildings, nor anything for Castle, Lord of the Rings or Vikings. Even Classic Space gets completely ignored in a year where space is suppsed to be their focus. Sure, there is the city space sets, but that is more like science than science fiction and looks normal rather than fantastical. There are some bright spots though. I love the city explorer sets as ways to introduce new animals. The sets themselves aren't great for display, but having new animals come in with the Polar, Ocean and now Jungle explorer sets is a great idea, especially when the animals come to PAB and the aftermarket at reasonable costs. Also, I'm not a fan of it, but Minecraft of all things has pretty affordable sets that offer reasonable value, especially at the cheaper end. Also, some of the botanicals and spots sets, while not exactly in my wheelhouse, are quite affordable parts packages if you look at them like that.
Great video Johanna. I have been having the same thoughts over the last 6 months. All the great new sets were just becoming overwhelming. I now really have to justify what I am going to get and where I am going to display it.
I find myself running out of space for my Lego builds so I've had to become more choosy of what I buy. Sometimes it's enough for me to just enjoy watching youtubers like you build a set I thought I wanted, but it's also good of social media influencers to not simply encourage wanton purchases plunging viewers into unnecessary debt. Thanks for your video.
Great video, share your views on baradur. and really its not the worst video you could have made. And its nice to just see someone talk about the reality that most of us have reached with lego in the last year.
Loved the video - the city looks amazing behind you. I think the lighting must be different? Also, you’re such a good influencer - passionate about Lego but realistic about the cost (and space needed). I think you’d be an amazing LAN ambassador - you’d be truthful and authentic
I tilted my overhead lights towards the city so it looks a little brighter on camera now. I don’t think I’d ever want to be a Lan ambassador though. As much as I really appreciate Lego as a company I don’t think i want to be an extension of their marketing team. There are enough things that I’m not a fan of and when you get sent sets for free it’s easy to loose perfectieve of the reality of the cost of them. Don’t get me wrong, free sets would be great 😅, but so much lego to review and talk about it would be way too overwhelming.
The LEGO company is catering for Bricksie and DuckBricks who needs to buy everything. While the rest of us watch in awe. It really feels like they are releasing to many sets (The sets are so good), and some goes for insane amounts. There is no way an average person can buy everything they like.
That's so true! Yes some can afford every single set but not most of us. I've never been able to afford a modular, and there are some that are just awesome! I just have to try and forget about them. Shame sets are so expensive these days. I wish Lego would make in general more pocket money sets and only a few large sets. I often wait for sets to be reduced now
This is all part of your Lego and building journey so it makes perfect sense. I waited on the Gringotts set but when it came out at 633 CAD (taxes in) 😮 it simply was a NO especially since I really did not want the bottom part. So I did my own build making it somewhat similar to the first Gringotts bank from a few years back but much larger to go with the DA set. Very satisfying and now filling in the interiors. The HP obsession has gotten a little out of control so am also really evaluating all purchases and selling a few that I really don’t need. Difficult yes
Lego is a hobby. Hobbies can be expensive. You can't buy everything. I'm not badly off at 55, and can afford some nice sets, but even I can't buy everything. I accept that. I would love to buy a massive haul every month, and build them in my massive basement, just like some well known lego vloggers. But for most of us, that's not reality. I wish I could, but that's just not going to be possible. I don't have the room to display them all, even if I could afford everything. I collect for me. But the bills still have to get paid. It's not a competition to see who can buy the most and biggest sets...
Glad to hear you discussing these topics, as I personally believe they need to take more precedence within the community. It is something I've spoken about on my Instagram recently: we need more de-influencing. With the amount that LEGO has double, or tripled-down on influencers, I have LEGO set fatigue. It is constantly in your face. And I genuinely have to ask the question: do we have a hobby, or do we have a low will-power spending habit? You are exactly right, when you wait beyond the 'release' day, FOMO subsides rather quickly, and then altogether you come to the conclusion you can live with less.
So very true. I saw you talk about it actually and really appreciated it. I’ve found it quite difficult to find the right tone. I am very aware of my situation if already owning a ludicrous amount and possibly making people feel like that’s normal or something they ‘need’ to feel valid in the hobby. I guess moderation is always the key. I won’t completely stop buying things, but I’m being way pickier. Moc ability is key.
Relatable. It's better to learn this lesson earlier in life rather than later. I also find that becoming brand agnostic helps to alleviate the pain to one's wallet. I'm not suggesting that you seek out bootleg sets, but bricks are bricks in many cases. I still buy Lego sets, but now it's almost always done while looking through a filter of what parts I can use for MOCs. You're transcending to a higher plane of building. :)
this is a good video for younger people to see and realise you dont have to have everything to be happy. Sadly to many of YT lego channels are so large and sponsored so heavily they can buy/be given everything they want and its not realistic. Lego is a premium product and it should be treated like that. Btw, did you say "hallo" at the end of the video?
Yeah, I have to be quite restrained, I do buy expensive sets but maybe only two or three a year. And that would be sets around £200 normally. I did buy Rivendell last year (and felt a bit sick about the price) because I am such a LOTR fan, and I just loved the fact that the fellowship minifigs were included. I like Barad Dur but I don’t love it. I don’t have anywhere to put it on display, so I am pretty sure I will be passing on it as well. Budgeting may not be fun, but maybe then you can appreciate the sets even more.
You always speak from your heart, with sense and direction. Totally agree £400 is a very high amount to spend on a set. I still love Rivendell, but not got the expenditure for that just yet, I do think some of these sets are so over priced. All the points you've raised are extremely important. Also Never ever try to justify to yourself about having the need to spend on a certain set.
I've cut back on my purchases but kind of opposite from you. Instead of buying all of the smaller less expensive sets I am mainly buying the larger more expensive sets that come with exclusive gwp's on day one. Believe it or not it's been saving me a lot of money. Besides it's just a matter of time before the smaller sets are discounted. Hell wait until November for super discounts. Plus the larger sets are better for display as opposed to lots of small sets. I've just decided I don't need every small set and it frees up the money for the more substantial sets. Just a different path to the same end.❤
This is a great 'ramble' about many subjects in a relatively short time, so I have to use a lot of words to go into the things I want to point out. As someone that is a fan of Lord of the Rings, that also happens to have missed the entire earlier Lord of the rings series, I can really relate to how you decide to forgo Barad-Dur. It is a little easier for me, as I don't like the Orc minifigures a lot and the whole building isn't exactly my style. There is some very sweet lava at the bottom that contrasts with the black of the tower, but overall I think it is not the most interesting piece to have. Meanwhile Rivendell, I was very close to buying that one. The only thing holding me back was the fact that it didn't fit with anything else that I had at the time. (I had mainly Castle themed Lego and some space and city) Just as a value proposition, I think Barad-Dur isn't great, while Rivendell clearly is. Even just the amount of recognisable places in the set and having the entire Fellowship included makes it almost like the one and only set that you need; One set to rule them all so to speak. Also, as to the releases of June first, there is a lot, but nothing for Castle, which is one of the most popular themes with a massive following for quite some time. I do think you make a great point about the sets that you can re-use for other projects, multiples if possible. That is great value for your money. As someone that recently finally found two creator 2 in 1 castles for a reasonable price, those castles can get you not just 3 builds from the box, but also a ton of awesome Mocs that people built with these sets and eventually the ones you design on your own. Finally, Lego is not required to make their expensive products cheaper -even though it would help-, but I think they are almost obligated to diversify into cheaper sets as well. Especially for themes like Castle and Lord of the Rings, there is nothing under a 100 dollars and that makes no sense. It is bad for the fans, but equally as bad for Lego in terms of longevity and probably bad for their brand as well. And yes, life is expensive. But it is not our fault, it is not even Lego's fault. This is bankers and politicians printing money into oblivion.
I think quite a few of us are coming around to this way of thinking, I know I am. My buying and building sets has slowed significantly since I got into LEGO in 2017. Now I'm spending a much less on them and more of my budget on parts for MOCs. Do what makes you happy 😊
As someone who is fairly new to the hobby, I had the same discussion with myself about six months ago and came to surprisingly similar conclusions. It was painful to the inner child to cut things from the wish list, but it is the reality of life.
I know exactly how you feel. My first thought was to buy Notre Dame, then I saw the Friends castle hotel and couldn't stop thinking of how I could modify it to a full modular. This is more exciting to me at the moment than buying a model to then set it on a shelf. Great video, thanks 😊
I have Rivendell and I love everything about it. The build and then lighting it later were both delightful. My first thought on the reveal of Barad Dür was, where would I ever put that? It was cool but didn’t excite me. Sparking joy, that’s the key I’m finding. I’m pretty new to the hobby and I’m learning what kinds of sets spark joy, both in the build and later on as I place them in scenes, or on displays. Thanks for getting real with us.
You hit the nail on the head. I have to pass on many sets because they are out of my price range. I would love to have the castle and the orient express but don’t have 700 dollars to spare. I feel LEGO is setting their sights on the upper middle class. There are other RU-vid videos where all the sets are sent to them from LEGO. I don’t believe you have had that happen. Having to sacrifice and save your pennies to get what you want makes your collection much more meaningful. You are doing things right.
Adulting IS hard, and you're not alone in your priorities or your challenges. It's a pleasure to watch your videos -- and there's no need to justify your very reasonable actions. 😊
Hi, great discussion. For me, I limit my collecting to specific things within a genre. For Lego, it’s favorite book related. I have multiple editions of the six Frank Herbert books, Crysknives and Duncan Idaho’s sword. The same with LOTR. Special editions of the books, a Sting replica, the One Ring. I’m 48, I work a lot of overtime to fund my hobbies. I’m pretty new to Lego building. So far I made a Brick Sandworm diorama, that came with the Blu-ray Dune Sci-fi Channel miniseries collection. After making that, I made the Ornithopter. I’m currently finishing up a Grendizer Gunpla style model kit. My second Gunpla model. I think the Barad-dur set looks sick. It’s just the right size for me to display. It will fit nicely on a small end table. Once again, great video. Love this kind of discussion.
Well said (15:12), if you spend it on the one or two things we like, they're gonna be much dearer to us. On prices I've seen sets go immediately on sale through the retailers, such as the Castle Bed and Breakfast (42638) with 15 percent discount.
Oeh Ive not seen that on offer yet. But yet exciting. I think I’m just a little tired of seeing more, bigger, larger around me on the social platforms.
Lego has in a way become the new plastic cocaine, the addiction is real. And this will be talked about more and more as people feel the urge to just get that new shiny set, no matter what the cost is. Lego management has already figured it out and will keep releasing more adult sets for even higher prices to milk every single penny from you. They know you can't stop and they are delighted about it.
I just want a smaller LotR set like Minas Tirith, in the scale of Hogwarts Castle & Grounds. I'm actually in the process of selling all of my minifigure scale sets and I'm just sticking with what originally got me back into Lego - Creator Expert / Icons scale vehicles, and microscale / architecture style sets. Like many, I let it all get a bit out of hand and it's time for me to stop and give greater consideration to where I am spending my money.
I really enjoyed this!! I agree 💯 As a whole, being selective is very important. That's why I feel it's important to stick to certain themes, and not just buy a set because it's a nice set. LEGO makes SO MANY products, it's not financially realistic for us to buy everything we like.
One needs to face the ice cold reality of Lego. I got the Avenger's Tower this year and it will be my only big set this year. Tough to get many of the big sets due to the prices since Lego is a desire, not a necessity.
I feel this this was very therapeutic for you and I think it’s a great video! I feel the same Johanna, I get more joy from designing and building my own detailed creations than spending £400 on a set! Gutted that you don’t like Barad Dur because knowing what a Lord of the Rings fan you are I was really excited when it was revealed to hear your excitement but you’ve opened a great conversation! ❤️
For me since I started watching RU-vid and other social media sites, my expenditure on lego has gone up 500% over 2 years. This is a problem as I have the exact same lack of space now as before. So pretty much everything I have bought, has yet to be built or even opened. Most of it is either fear of missing out when it retires or getting it for a good price. I am never inspired to build anything because of not knowing where it will go. Rivendell for me was perfect. It just displays so well, but that still took me 6 months to finish it. I want to get Barad Dûr, but I don’t know whether that is me wanting it, or the fact it’s everywhere and I have been heavily influenced into wanting it. I’ve always wanted all of the LOTR sets, but now it just feels like I am bleating along with the others. ( went on a bit there, apologies)
I totally understand the feeling. Fomo is real and it’s hard to prevent whilst you see lots of people getting gorgeous sets and being happy with them. But we can’t have it all sadly. Wait to buy until the hype dies down, honestly helps a lot. It clears your head as you need to withstand all that. For me I find often that, yes, I would still like the set. But it’s fine if I don’t get it. I don’t miss it if I don’t. I understand that doesn’t work for everyone but most my joy comes from building and then mocing sets. Not just simply owning. If you like having all the sets that’s awesome. But it’s okay not to get some. You don’t need them per se. I do hope you get the chance to build the once you already have though! I hope you get where I’m coming from. I would hate to think that collecting lego is a burden to you. But it can be hard as fomo and being a completionist can really play havoc with budget and intentions.
This is a great take, nice to see this side of a creator. The only thing I would say about buying friends sets is that they go on offer so quickly after that I wouldn't buy them on day 1 knowing they'll be so much cheaper soon!
I think the answer for me will always be balance. Yes there’s going to be 20-30 sets I want on June 1st, so in order to capitalise on the adrenaline I’ll pick 2-3 to buy Day 1. I absolutely love being at the Lego store on June 1st, the hype and just going round the store picking up the new sets looking at the boxes and the displays fills me with so much joy. So I think there has to be balance struck, pick up 1-3 of the must buys on that 1st of the month trip then I’ll wait for minimum 20% discounts on the rest. It works for me, I never get FOMO and always value setting myself a budget and sticking to it. Thank you for your thoughts, it’s so refreshing to hear ❤
kind of agree on BD....i dont like micro scale but for thomething like this you kinda have to do it that way. also wish Sauron had 'avatar' limbs and we needed more figs!
I'm on the fence. On the one hand I am trying to budget as much as I possibly can and I really dont have any room for it, but on the other hand, I still live with parents so I absolutely can afford it with my disposable income, and I will finally be able to display it whenever I get my own place.... I can always wait for sales, but then I'm missing out on the Fell Beast, which doesn't really look good on its own, but paired with Barad Dur (maybe with a stand for it to appear flying around the tower), I think it would look very cool.... but again, I have no room for it right now.... but again, I dont have bills to pay now so shouldn't I take advantage of that fact and get it while I can afford it???? So many arguments for and against.
now if next year they bring a Bag End set, then that is a day one purchase for me. I agree with you about the location. Barad Dur is iconic, but I dont have an emotional connection to it unlike Rivendell and the Shire (those are my favourite scenes in the movies and some of my favourite chapters in the books). Barad Dur is great iconography, but Rivendell represents what we all love about Middle Earth
Absolutely agree about relative costs and priorities. I think TLG and the hobby in general got a huge boost from lockdowns and people staying in, plus their marketing and set design making LEGO 'acceptable' for adults. But as people's priorities and interests swing back to socialising and travelling, plus (as you say) the rise in other costs, I agree that TLG are going to find the huge sets, 'collector' sets, 'ultimate' sets etc. with a huge price tag a much harder sell, and those sets will provide a much poorer return on their considerable investment in their development and licence fees. If they perceive that, they may swing back to more smaller sets with 'play value' or at least those with more interest than just 'build and display'. When I am attracted by the look of a new LEGO set I often ask myself "would I buy that if it was a plastic model kit' (which is fun to build but sits on a shelf when done) and that usually tells me whether the building experience and/or play value makes it interesting enough.
I don't buy sets that are over $100 USD. Normally. I have used points to buy a good portion two of them. I think this year will be the year of bricks and pieces for me.
I agree with you. Lego is producing some amazing sets, but the reality is the amount space and needed to accommodate what I would like is not practical. Prices in the secondary market can also be prohibitive. Will be carefully considering any future purchases against other demands on my wallet.
For this price it needed to have a new torso and face designs for frodo and Sam and Isildur and elrond not being in here is an actual crime. Those are characters we could have only gotten here and will probably never get now.
Don't worry I about worrying if this is a boring video. What you say is the truth! If you release a video every few months I'll still watch and have enjoyed watching what you produce. Are you creating a Moc to take out to shows again? Last year's was amazing! It was also a fun geek treat to meet you in Swindon last year! Keep building I know some American RU-vidrs that reference you so you're definitely doing something right 😁
Great video, Im feeling the same, lack of space and finance means Im in a position of MOCing using what I already have rather than buying new stuff - this has the added benefit thatvi can use the money saved to do and display at shows instead! tbh even though I've spent the last year saving up for Barad-dur Im still not entirely sure I can justify it :/
When I was a kid, I actually preferred for my parents to buy me the big tubs of assorted pieces instead of the sets, which often had small, hard to use pieces. Now that I'm older I do enjoy collecting sets, but just building something new with the parts I already have is still fun (and free).
Couldn’t agree more re having to prioritise. Building Together did a similar video a while back about the exact same topic. Lego just seem to be releasing more and more sets which are getting bigger and more expensive. It’s just not realistic for the average fan to get every single one. You really need to prioritise to a few key themes. For all the reasons you’ve said (costing of living etc) I’ve had to cut back myself over the last 12-18 months. Even themes which I love (e.g. speed champions) I’ve had to be more selective. In previous years I’ve just bought all the new releases as soon as they’ve dropped, but this year I’ve only picked up the two I really like (McLaren F1 car and Audi e-tron). I also have a real dislike for those content creators who put a lot of content out there like ‘£500 Lego Haul, ‘£1,000 Lego Haul’ etc. It just paints a false picture of what it’s like to be a collector.
I very much appreciate someone who starts many videos with “Hello fellow addicts” taking a moment to say “We all know these are toys, right? They are not worth sacrificing your financial well-being and they’re definitely not worth sacrificing mine.” This is all supposed to be in good fun and I’m glad you’re working to keep it that way for yourself.
I haven't been able to justify the prices of lego for a long time with my discretionary spending. Best decision I've made it not to buy day one, the senastion of "I need it now" really diminishes. The sparkle of new fades quickly. Reducing the scope of collection to less themes and doing less with lego in general. I feel burnt out with lego.
I don't know why people get so overwhelmed by this stuff you don't have to get every single set straight away. People putting themselves in debt to get every big lego set every month it's madness
❤ great video! I am trying to buy sets with a purpose. And just getting the sets that bring me joy. However the fomo is real 😅. Thanks for sharing all parts of your Lego journey 😊
Same thing here. You speak from the heart. I still would love to buy the Rivendell set if I can get a used one. Since it is too expensive new. But probably have to postpone that for quite a while because I’m creating a MOC from one of my favourite video games NieR Automata. That is probably all I can do this year due to how much it costs to get the special parts from Bricklink and committing to get mini figures printed.
Thanks so much for this video. It’s what I am feeing about the hobby right now. I just got animal crossing sets (discounted) and had so much fun creating a little island. I love LOTR but just can’t justify the cost for this massive tower that’s just going to sit in my room.
Well said, thank you for your honesty. I try to buy only a few sets a year, and moc them into something that fits with the couple modulars I have. The hardest part is definitely resisting the hype of new sets, and focusing your money onto things that fit your vision for your collection. I've filled up my display case, so now I'm taking a breather until I decide whether I will expand or revise what I have.
You’re not boring and it’s not the worst video you could’ve made. It’s actually very validating to me. I love Lego and I love to build, but it’s not my only hobby and it’s not a priority in my life either. Things are getting expensive, bills need paying and time is not infinite. It’s getting harder and harder to justify paying full price for sets when I know they’ll eventually be on sale. Plus, the reality is that if I buy a set on release day, it’s very likely to end up in my pile of joy. By the time I’m ready to build it, i’m likely to be able to find it on sale somewhere. Ultimately, they’re plastic bricks meant for my enjoyment. They’re not supposed to make me feel overwhelmed or worried about money. There’s only one set of the summer wave that I’m likely to buy on release day and it’s the City tram (August 1st here in NA) and that’s because I really like it, I have use for it, I know how i’m going to use it and I will be building it as soon as I get it. The other ones can wait.
I do think that for me personally collecting us not the cherry on top of a well managed life. I think that would be healthier. For me collecting is kind of escapist. I sometimes treat myself with lego for happy reasons and also when I am down or stressed. I leave my future self to deal with the financial repercussions. Not good. Either way something has got to give and I am starting to turn my attention to the lego I already have rather than always buying new sets. My focus is shifting toward organization and display rotation by necessity. Good topic. I could probably watch a lego video from you about ANYTHING. Even if it is a discussion/podcast video about new sets and budget. Or a travel vlog. But I also know that private lego time with no pressure of output is good too.
I have been having similar feelings about Lego and my spending. Thank you for helping me give myself permission to pass on Barad Dur right now. I appreciate you doing this video.
Honestly Adulting is the worst. I haven't really brought much in the way of lego in the last couple of months because I feel the prices for piece count for sets has really gone up. Its fine, Lego can do what they want there a business and I will still love the lego and the sets and I am not going to not buy lego. I also still have a few sets sitting in boxes waiting to be built so I am not buying any lego until those are built and I organise my display.
I agree with you. I feel LEGO is supersaturating the adult market, and I feel that many of these larger sets will begin to sell less. If people don't run out of money, they will run out of space. For people that live with families in the average sized homes, space is a premium. I really wanted the DnD set, but I had to pass because I have nowhere to display it. Barad-Dur and Rivendell are even bigger.
As always interesting and honest and it’s a relief to hear and watch this. I love anything The Lord of The Rings and get so excited to see the new sets, however I won’t be getting Barad-dûr it’s $700 AUD. I can’t justify or want to spend that money, bills, food, roof over my head and holidays. I used to get FOMO but I’m a bit meh about all that now. I want to get the Friends B & B at some stage maybe 2 probably not straight away and I think in August the City Tram, I love anything rail, I feel I can make both these sets my own, will fit with my existing collection, or a vision for Christmas display perhaps, or no doubt find an awesome MOC and they have a good price point and will bring me joy. Space is an issue for me as well. Sites like Rebrickable to me are a valuable resource of great cheap/free options and inspiration to build something new or change up an existing set I do own and save money but still get a the new building feel Lego fix. I’ve been getting into the castle/medieval theme a lot lately. Recently got the new village, then I wanted the big castle, but can’t spend the money. So I’m working on a plan and locating pieces from my stash to modify the 3 in 1 castle set I do own - portcullis I’m obsessed with trying to add one to it. Have a great weekend, look forward to the next update and if you did end up going shopping.
I also have an ungodly amount of lego lol but you don't have to have everything just buy what you really love . I really love UCS star wars sets but I don't buy them all just the ones I have an emotional connection to but I have been playing with /collecting Lego for nearly 50 years and I love my classic space from when I was 9 in 1979 (which are mostly small sets) more than anything including my UCS AT-AT . Buying the biggest sets doesn't make you a better collector ! just buy what you love ❤ great video
To be fair $460 is a really good price for a lego set with 5.5k pieces and 11 minifigures. Also considering its an IP that usually inflates the prices of these kind of sets (just look at star wars and harry potter).
Excellent articulation of what a lot of us in the hobby are experiencing right now. I absolutely loved being apart of your discord server and you have done an amazing job cultivating that community, however no matter how wonderful the community members are, any LEGO group fosters a certain amount of peer pressure to buy, even indirect pressure such as haul shares and product news and reaction to product news posted within a group. For that reason I had left your wonderful community, deleted my Cheeky Bricks IG account, stopped following most LEGO content creators here on RU-vid(I’m still subscribed and will continue to subscribe to your channel) and unfollowed all my LEGO Facebook groups. I still build and plan to buy a few sets this year, but I am only buying sets I really want, that add value to my existing collection and will all be purchased on discounts. I refuse to purchase any set on day one release and ignore GWP promotions. I love your content Johanna. You are balanced and realistic in your approach to creating content on the hobby. There are so many prominent RU-vidrs that create LEGO content that I feel do foster irresponsible spending habits such as Bricksie or Emmasauris, but I feel your content is more grounded, honest and gives value to the hobby. Cheers and thank you for being real about your situation and feelings about the hobby.
Totally agree with you, it’s a great looking set but the price is just ridiculous and the minifigures are weak considering we get 4 generic orcs… I worry that this isn’t going to sell well and Lego will axe the theme for not bringing in enough revenue and deeming it a ‘failure’
I think many are reaching the same point you are, people were spending way more on Lego during covid, but now have other priorities for spending, and I am not seeing sets sell out, as they were during the pandemic, TLG has to factor this into their spending as well or they could fold overnight like other companies that expanded way to quickly. Now I feel Lego is not putting in the quality and thoughtfulness in sets they once did either. Imagine what they could do as a UCS Shire, or Smaug in Lonely Mtn, or so many other locations, or how about smaller scenes???? with more figs? Did someone vote for another massive tower set for LOR? I see a future where TLG has to scale back the number of sets released, and the price they charge, to match the new reality of the economy and their consumers.
If you want to see a great Barad Dûr, check out the recent Beyond the Brick video about the Bricks and Minifigs store in Richmond, Virginia. At the end of the video is a Barad Dûr MOC from a person in a local LUG. Definitely puts the Lego version to shame.
4 месяца назад
I put up a new shelf just to have room for Barad Dur... But I'm not buying it day1 because when resellers get a hold of the set the price will drop around 20%.. I have no idea why sets are so much more expensive from Lego than other resellers... I'm converting to dollars but as I'm typing this Rivendell is 566dollars from Lego, but resellers are selling it for around 456 dollars? that's a 110dollar difference
I'm trying to look for older sets that I like and then either buy those sets used or collect used bricks to build them. I've been mostly using Bricklink and visiting local thrift stores off and on. Buying used appeals both to my cheapness and to my wanting to be envvironmentally friendly. It's a long game of patience, though.
Love hearing your thoughts. My spouse and I are buying Barad-dur day 1, but only because we've been following the leaks and have saved up for a year for it. For me, Rivendell was a 10/10. Barad-dur looks to be about an 7-7.5/10. I share your disappointment with the Frodo and Sam figs. Them not being in their Mordor look is a huge opportunity missed. Sauron is a miss for me as well, he simply doesn't look imposing. A better Sauron and Frodo/Sam should have been here, and having zero Nazgul seems like a miss aa well. When I saw the pics and how huge the base was, I was really hoping it would have the Mount Doom bridge over the fire to cast the Ring into there. Not canonical correct, but when else would we have gotten that set? Again, seems like an opportunity missed. We will be buying it, Lord of the Rings and LEGO are basically our favorite things. Here's hoping we get Edoras next year, we're already saving up! Love your vids, don't get discouraged, Jo. Your City is amazing. NEVER feel guilty for enjoying the things you do.
Finally, it's not just me who's disappointed that Sauron doesn't get the Woody/Avatar arms and legs! I thought the entire reason those molds were made was so lego could do taller characters justice, and then they make the dark lord only marginally taller than a hobbit? Where's the sense in that?
Have seen some video where they put those legs and armor on the sauron figure and it looked kinda weird, so i changed my mind on it and prefer the small one. What im bummed about though is the helmet pieces as im not a fan of not being able to take the helmet off alone.
Did they really need all those pieces? Why not make it more accessible at around 150-200. Their target audience is adults and rich kids, everyone else is left out and they don't care. Lego is a artificial scarcity business. It's getting worse and worse.
Thankfully, in north america, the majority of the sets you showed aren't coming out until august 1st. So I'll have a couple months to save up after barad dur for some of the other smaller sets Edit: also 9:35I believe the lego boxes in this set are printed, not stickers. If they were/are stickered, I wouldn't/won't be buying the set
