Hello, I’m Natasha. I’m a digital creator from Toronto. In this blog series, I will be sharing my favourite ways to save money on hobby items! 

It can be fairly difficult to find inexpensive sources for collectables. Bad SEO can bury excellent shops deep into Google search results. In addition, people don’t want to share their favourite sources. It can be considered disrespectful to outright ask a stranger where they buy their items. This can be for a myriad of reasons: out of a fear of resellers draining resources, business owners wanting to prevent competition from accessing shops they source from, or out of a fear of fellow collectors getting access to items before themselves.

I primarily collect vintage trinkets and books locally and from Japan. These include fashion magazines, small figurines, cds, and stationary. I sometimes buy clothing as well. Much of my inspiration comes from the items I collect. It is important for me to provide the disclaimer that the recommendations I give are what works well for me as a Canadian with fairly niche interests. Demand for items can fluctuate. What is only $5 today may quadruple in price tomorrow! Or it may be even cheaper! Who knows! 

 It is imperative to maintain limits when purchasing items: many cheap purchases can add up quickly! Additional fees such as shipping and customs/duty can also dramatically drive up the cost of your “cheap” haul. I’ve definitely spent more on shipping than anything in the haul. Always ensure your essential expenses are handled before stocking up on goodies. Shop smart!

In the next post, I will share how I find cheap books and magazines. Stay tuned!