I was watching a Panini Select Football Hobby Box review when I came across a comment that piqued my interest. The commenter explained that they were quitting the hobby because products were becoming too expensive. I sympathized with them. The prices for Select Football Hobby Boxes are well out of my range, and there are other products in the hobby that I cannot afford. However, many ways exist to collect sports cards without breaking the bank. 

Here is how to continue participating in the hobby without going into debt.

Avoid Overpriced Hobby Wax

We do not have to spend $1,000 on a hobby box to collect sports cards. In fact, if you want to save the most money, avoid wax altogether.

Buy Single Cards

Single cards are the fastest, most inexpensive way to build a collection. Instead of spending a fortune on opening 50 or more packs, you can simply search on eBay for the card you want. If eBay isn’t your thing, visit your local card shop or attend a card show. All of these options allow you to negotiate the price of the card, ensuring you get the best deal.

Retail Wax

Like me, if you enjoy opening packs for fun, you can always try retail wax. Your odds of getting a hit are significantly less, but you can still find your favorite players and some cool parallels. 

Base Cards

Learning to appreciate the lesser-valued cards can save you a lot of money. Start collecting base sets, insert sets, and numbered cards that maybe everyone else is overlooking.

Value Section

Plenty of local card shops and shows have value sections. These sections contain cards for as low as $1. It can be a lot of fun sifting through the bins and looking for cards that catch your eye or ones you need to complete a set.

Graded Cards

Having your cards graded is a great way to protect them and add extra value, but it isn’t necessary. The process is time-consuming and can cost you a lot of extra dollars. Buying already graded cards is an option, but the best choice for saving money is to put your cards in top loaders or magnetics. Magnetics are my personal choice because they add great protection and keep your cards looking nice.

Budgeting

Create a budget that is going to allow you to purchase sports cards without affecting your everyday life. Make sure your bills are paid, you have a rainy day fund, you have a retirement fund, and you are taking care of your relationships. Any money left over can go into a card fund that you can use to purchase sports cards. (Not intended as financial advice).

Patience

Practice patience and save your money. You do not have to buy sports cards every day, every week, or every month. Save your money for that special card you really want. Do not get upset if it has sold by the time you are ready to purchase. You will most likely be able to find a card you are just as interested in or perhaps more interested in. (Not intended as financial advice).

Have Fun!

Last, try to focus on collecting for fun and less on profit. When you collect sports cards for enjoyment, not getting a highly valued card isn’t so bad, as long as you aren’t spending $1000 of your hard-earned money on an overpriced Hobby Box.


Everything in this article is a suggestion and not a rule. At the end of the day, collect the cards you want to collect in the way that best suits you.

For transparency, I do purchase hobby boxes and graded cards, and sometimes, I am impatient when I see a card I want, but I still try to follow these guidelines the best that I can.