The 25mm Warrior

Our chosen hobby if fraught with overpriced merchandise. No one needs to be reminded of the cost of their armies. Being in a blog ring united by our common love for Warhammer 40k we see first hand how much money we all shell out to do what we love. It seems a bit strange that a guy who is about to start an Death Corp army is writing a blog about money saving tips. Actually it makes perfect sense. I have to pinch pennies where I can. A Death Corp Army runs well over two hundred and fifty bucks per four hundred points! In a hobby that tries to shake us down of all our cash they force us to cut corners, mind every nickel and pinch those pennies hoping we can get more bang for the buck.

I have four tips that I use when looking to save a dollar or two and I hope they'll help you all out there in the Warp.

1. Never Buy Direct From The Manufacturer...

It's true, they have it all. The manufacturer is never out of stock, has all that you need and is always willing to send you stuff right when it becomes available... for a price. By buying direct you end up paying the the most that company is trying to get for their product. If you got the cash then great but if your looking for a deal check out tip 2...

2. Find a Good Online Store...

Ahh these are great and can be a true friend to the gamers wallet. Usually most internet dealers cut you a deal by shaving off 10,20 sometimes 30% off the "suggested" price since they know you got to shell out at least 5 bucks for shipping. The War Store.com is a great example of an online dealer who cuts deals constantly. Another great example is The Discount Games Store on ebay. This guy sells discounted 40k swag with free shipping. Usually bidders end up with a great deal saving about 5 bucks off the price since he only ships the sprues and not the box. Shop around you'll be surprised what you find.

3. Pet Store Terrain...

I'll never forget the night Opiewan came over to game with a bag full of desert terrain pieces. To my surprise he told me he got all of them at our local pet store. Surprise turned to shock when he mentioned he got all of it for 50 bucks. We've gotten tons of complements From The Warp on our terrain set up. None of it came from a game store where you may end up paying 20 bucks or more for one piece. Never has putting a good looking board together been so easy and affordable.

4. Buy Krylon Matte Varnish

My wife shakes her head every time I come home with name brand cans of painting supplies. So one day she hands me Krylon Matte Finish from Wal Mart. At first I objected. I stated how "gamer" painting supplies are made for what we do specifically, how they are tested and true, that to use anything else is a risk to my precious minis. Sure enough it worked like a charm. Anyone who uses The Army Painter knows you need tons of matte varnish to take away the shine the dip leaves on the mini as it dries. I've spent 15 smackers on cans of brand name matte varnish. My wife spent 3 bucks on Krylon Matte Finish. Yeah, she said "I told ya so ya dork."

Now we can't save a lot of money on our hobby. It's high prices are the nature of the beast. However there are alternatives, short cuts and other ways we can "stick it to the man" for shaking us down. No matter what they may charge nothing beats the imagination of hobbyists. The passion alone breeds original thinking which is characterized all throughout the Warp here. I hope my little tips help you out and save you a buck or two so you can super size your next meal or have enough gas to get to the tourney.

Cheers!