[Pitufo]

Do you think the global finacial crisis we are suffering (it is being specially hard in Spain, believe me!!!!) is having any influence in prices of smurfs?????It can seem a big stupidity my question, but I have been looking last few weeks some prices of smurfs I was watching on ebay and the prices have been always lower than I thought

[Smurfysmurf]

Definitely yes

[bwalters]

Except for my 401k which is shrinking. It is business as usual around here. My town of about 100,000 is anchored by the University of Missouri. We have other large business here also Shelter Insurance in housed here. State farm has a Regional office. And also 3M has a large plant. There are other that are smaller. But most of my town revolves around those four. This thing may eventually get here but for now I don't really see any changes. I saw more business close because the city enacted a smoking ban in all restraunts and bars. Actually some moved out side the city limits. Others put up tents for the smokers. Some also have propane heaters on a patio the give some warmth when you feel the urge. I don't go to bars so I don't worry about it.

[CapriSmurf]

This month is the first month that I cann't afford to buy any Smurfs, Wife's place just made half the workforce redundandant, luckily 'er indoors wasn't one. Even so, I am completely brassick, seems like day to to day things that are affecting me, Gas, Electricity, rates, water, bread, milk and now petrol has gone up 4p a litre this week.. Worst of all Bear has gone up 10p a pint!

[bwalters]

Luckly I don't have to buy gas for my car all I have is a company car. They but the gas. My electricity is a set price. It may go up each year or down depending on my actually usage. But I don't jump from $60 in the spring to $140 in summer. I pay the same all year. My rent has stayed the same so far. But my boss is my landlord. I could afford a better place but I am content here. I have five places to eat within 150 yards 5 more about 2 blocks away. Two grocery stores less than 6 blocks away. Liquor store 50 yard away. What more can a guy need. I have been eating at home alot lately but not becaue of the economy. I just need to curb my eating out. I was spending $30 a day to eat. Now I am spending about $40 a week.

[steveparkes]

Yes definately Joaquin, with the pound being so weak at the moment buying smurfs from abroad are more than DOUBLE what they used to cost me

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Talking about old smurfs, the global financial crisis had a good impact on me, since I was able to get some smurfs for 0,50 Euro each, which I hadn't done for almost nine years. Thus, I think everyone who still has smurfs in his household is trying to sell them to pay his bills. Talking about shops, many great shops have been closed lately and/or are in the process of being replaced by 1 Euro shops.

[Guest]

I recently sold smurfs on ebay and I got a little bit higher prices as exspeteced . So I cannot say they are falling.
they are still increasing if you are looking to rare smurfs.
But for common smurf it is decreasing.

[SmurfingH]

It's a good time to buy if you have the spare cash. Perhaps not a great time to sell.

[André]

Joaquin,

I think the prices will fall. But maybe you will see it more obvious six months or one year from now.

Could be a great opportunity to get more rare smurf, which are too expensive now.

/André

[Smurfysmurf]

A few months have passed since this thread was started and I was wondering how the faltering economy has affected all of you.

Are you still buying smurfs as usual or are you more watchful of what you spend your money on or have you even stopped buying at all.

I think we all have heard of long time collectors selling their collections and some of us may even have been the beneficiaries of that as it gives us the opportunity to find some rare smurfs.

Myself..I have definitly become more careful in regards to what I buy which has resulted in getting a few rarer items but also in some packageless weeks

[SmurfingH]

I think things are starting to improve but it's going to be a slow process. It hasn't really slowed me down but I am thinking twice and only going for the stuff I really want. I've now officially stopped ebay because I have some off ebay deals going on and I need to save for the fair in November. I've only had 2 smurfy deliveries this week and it hurts. Luckily, the tennis is on and I'm getting back into my crafts so that helps.

[bwalters]

I only had one delivery this week. Max got it for me and opened the package for me (see pic's). Max got ahold of a whole plate of Tortino's Pizza rolls probibly 12 to 15 of them. I guess altho he loved them they didn't sit too well with his digestive system. Because he layed around all night long and even yelped a couple of times. He didn't go out to potty this morning so I left him out of his cage. I could live with the mess if he made one he didn't but did when I let him out at noon. Anyway he go ahold of a package that I got from Moey today. He distroyed the package but didn't hurt the contents. So now you know Moey I got the package with the gift you added. Thank you. Bill

[Pitufo]

BANKRUPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bwalters]

I still don't think we have been affected by all this. I don't do anything any diffrent than I ever did. I don't buy Smurfs everyday. If I happen to run into a deal or something that strikes me I will buy it. My company had a $100,000 sales month last month while this is not a record when we reach that mark we all get an extra hour of vacation. Which is great for everyone else but me. I just had my anniversary and I get all my new vacation. What ever I have left from the year before I loose. This year I had 112 hours I didn't take. They fixed that because it was my 10 anniversary with this company they took me from 140 to 160 hours. Woo Hoo. JK Now I will lose more vacation next year.

[Smurfysmurf]

I am glad, Max didn't get to them, Bill

I don't feel anything financially yet of the crises (one of the pluses when working for a corporation is you keep your pay unless they go under or lay you off), but we are losing accounts left and right at the moment, which is a bit unsettling, because you do start to question whether or not there will be accounts left with your company next year (we are being told that some are signing up with us).

Bill....take your vacation...I wish I had your problem..I always run out by the end of the year

[bwalters]

Thats what everyone always tells me. To take my vacation. The only way I take my vacation is if there is nothing else to do, and not enough time to go one line and do some training. About 14 years ago the Department of Labor was investigating my other company and they called me. They asked me about my vac and I told them I get 3 weeks the lady said I was suposed to be getting 4 weeks because I worked at that time on a military instalation. I told her it didn't matter because I didn't take it anyway. She told me I needed to take my vacation, everyone needs it. Well I guess I am one in a million I hate to take off a day of work. That lady made my company pay me $3,500 for my vacation I had not used and lucky for them they only counted two years I had over 10 weeks saved up. From then on they made me take my vac through the year. I hated it.

[stampysmurf]

The economy has definately changed the way I shop, I'm turning into a very good window shopper! I have limited myself to twenty dollars a month for smurfs. I'm glad the new play along smurfs haven't come out yet because I'm still saving for them!

[bradley]

the economy hasn't affected me in any way really. I may have brought less smurfs because of the exchange rate though. But the exchange is starting to get back to how it was before. And I think petrol prices have been low also. Australia had the stimulus package earlier this year and everyone was given 600AU to spend to keep the country going. I don't think the whole impact of the economy really affected us in Australia.

[Cassiebsg]

Well, can't say it has have much influence in our life.... when this thing started, we were looking where it would go... when my bf got fired (but still had 8 weeks of work left)... we decided to stop buying so much LEGO and Playmobil... but we really didn't... Then he got re-hired a week before he should stop, though only every other week and day time (he was on the night shift), so our income dropped a little, but we're still buying LEGO and Playmobil like before (there's these "insane" cheap oportunities for LEGO at the shops... next week it's 50% discount to all LEGO!) And the playmobil, seems like a lot of ppl are selling, and not many are buying at QXL, so I get away with decent priced Playmo!

As for Smurfs, can't say I'm buying that many, but that's cause I'm still limiting my smurf buys at 4 euros maybe 4,5 for regulars and about 6-7 euros for supers... and soon I will only be missing the expencive ones, and be forced to give more if I really want to get them.

You waste vacation days Bill! Wish I was given extra vacation time for when we go good... but no, I only have the standard 25 + 5 + 2 days (these 2 last aren't really standard though).
Though, those 30 days if I don't take them, they're payed off every year. I just rather use my days though. :p I can even find to take extra vacation days (unpayed) in the winter time, when we have little to do. But then again, I don't really like my current job either.