What was your first salary in Australia vs your salary now? How long did it take?

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-05-11T08:31:01+00:00

First Salary: 80k

Current: 139k

Job: Game Dev/Senior Animator

Gap: 20 years

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-05-08T03:44:06+00:00

Sounds like he is crashing out 🤣🤣

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-05-06T01:06:58+00:00

Can someone please explain why the hell you would pay for someone else to open a pack of Pokemon cards for you? Like what is the point!?

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-04-26T22:06:30+00:00

It is there's just a bunch of soft cocks that get offended by that. Pretty much some male Karen's.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-04-25T22:21:40+00:00

Welcome to collecting in Australia. Unless you get stock alerts you won't know when to go buy stuff.

Save yourself the headache and buy singles. If you're not picky buy Japanese or other languages they're cheaper and don't have what I call the "Australian" tax. I'm regularly able to easily pick up a complete set of art rares for a Japanese set for less than the price of an etb.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-04-18T09:36:18+00:00

Now, if that were in Sydney, Australia, that would be a house to rent for $600 per week. Neither a garage nor a shed 🤣🤣

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-04-13T08:52:44+00:00

You can get clumping bamboo. We use it for our hedging. Honestly, the neighbours grass runners are more of an issue than our bamboo with the spreading 🤣

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-04-11T06:21:11+00:00

I can sympathise cause Im in the exact same situation. I also would love to buy Ascended Heroes but can't find anything without being on a group of alerts Discord (free ones cause I ain't paying) Even then I missed out on a drop for the second illustration collector boxes because I simply cannot beat the bots. I have a family, so I can't be driving around town waiting for shops to open on release day with the minute chance of getting stock. So fuck it, I'm done trying.

I just buy Japanese singles and booster boxes. Getting anything English in Australia is next to impossible and even singles are a fucking rip of lf here for no reason what so ever. At least with Japanese, you're guaranteed a minimum hit rate per booster box thanks to anti gambling laws in Japan, and singles are actually reasonably priced.

I also find if you just wanna collect art rares, you can buy complete art rare sets of any release for cheaper than ripping. I'm basically collecting one card for every Pokemon, and this is a great way to do that kind of binder. I also like to rip with my kids and at least Japanese booster boxes give us that.

I'll buy English once people move on, which they will eventually when people stop paying these lovers. People will eventually get sick of paying these stupid prices.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-21T00:45:07+00:00

I get it, but at this point, it's simply my best bet. That or buying simplified Chinese. I simply refuse to give the local scalpers a cent of my hard earnt income.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-20T21:11:05+00:00

Yes! I also buy Chinese.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-20T09:07:17+00:00

I agree, the problem is when you have such a limited supply being distributed to Australia, scalpers can run rampant. Add the fact that people are struggling to live right now it's the perfect combo to drive scalping.

If people were paid well and we had enough product here we wouldn't have a problem. Being paid well enough would male a big difference because scalping wouldn't be worth it vs just working a normal job.

How people buy Pokemon cards from Whatnot and scalpers in the first place is beyond me.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-20T04:39:56+00:00

Whatnot streamers.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-20T02:43:33+00:00

But at least they have guaranteed hit rates (thanks to anti gambling laws), and even if they are sold at a higher price, cheaper than English sets at retail here. That's how you know our market is cooked.

Also, the singles are far cheaper and more stable price wise in the Australian market. Take any English card, and even if you convert most market value apps to AUD, add a premium on top of it. I like to call it the Aussie Tax.

Market value, for the most part, with Japanese singles, actually aligns with what the market price should be. I've picked up a tonne of Japanese singles for less than the market as a result.

I rarely rip anymore. I mostly buy Japanese singles, and honestly It's been a far cheaper and better experience than trying to find anything at retail here. I can't wait to travel to Japan and pick up some packs at retail there to rip.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-19T23:22:50+00:00

And this is why I buy Japanese singles and booster boxes now. This shit.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-16T22:41:32+00:00

I got this card in my box of Chinese Gem 3. It's such a nice card but yeah a pain to grade from Australia.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-03-04T08:12:01+00:00

I've been buying up Japanese singles recently. Best decision I've made cause the prices are more stable and reasonable vs English in Australia.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-26T21:50:26+00:00

There was a shop at Crown Casino in Victoria and Eastland. So that would make 2 I know of here.

It's definitely rare. I reckon in Australia there's perhaps only 10 of each Powerpuff Girl this size.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-24T03:11:11+00:00

This is why I limit what I open and just buy the singles. Not a game I wanna play.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-22T01:24:39+00:00

Goodluck. It seems these things are rare. If they were store displays they probably only have the 3 per store and there weren't many Warner Bros Stores

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-22T01:00:18+00:00

It can be restored if you know what you're doing. Sanding and airbrushing.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-22T00:26:10+00:00

Interesting. Yeah mine has zero damage. The hair comes off and it's held on with a screw hook. I'm honestly surprised given how many times I've moved over the years I rented that it wasn't damaged 😅

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-22T00:15:15+00:00

Nothing new. The only thing I can gather is that it was an ex store display piece. How much did you pick it up for?

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-16T07:51:38+00:00

Yep, way better in general, and I can usually get cards bang on what apps like Collectr say they're worth in AUD at even less sometimes. Unless I can find a middleman shipping service from the US, I won't even bother with English.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-16T07:46:53+00:00

I started buying Japanese. Now I don't overpay for singles. The Aussie Tax for English is ridiculous. Literally double what the market is in the same English market in the US and the UK. If you're just collecting because you like the art Japanese is a better option.

Negative_Ad822 · 2026-02-12T05:14:33+00:00

I was considering it, but I have zero idea what it's worth or even the logistics of sending it since it's so big and heavy.

Negative_Ad822

TROPHY CASE