Published October 08, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

We’ve previously explored emotional triggers—how the hardest purchases to resist are often the ones fueled by feelings—stress, boredom, loneliness, even celebration. Those emotional spikes open the door to impulsive spending. But alongside emotional triggers, there’s another force collectors need to watch out for: seasonal triggers.

In gambling addiction, seasonal triggers are some of the most dangerous. Holidays, major sporting events, even paydays—these dates aren’t random, they’re engineered opportunities. Casinos and sportsbooks flood them with promotions, “free play”, and bonus offers because they know our defenses are down when emotion and seasonality collide.

The hobby has its own versions of these seasonal triggers, and they’re just as powerful. Unlike emotional triggers, these aren’t surprises—they’re predictable cycles. And predictability gives us both a risk and an opportunity.

The cycles that drive excitement can just as easily drive compulsion.

Take The National, Fanatics Fest, and other big shows. They’re the Super Bowl of collecting, where FOMO takes center stage. The sheer energy and scale make overspending feel normal, even if you walked in with a budget.

Or holiday sales like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. Just as casinos push offers in December, the hobby floods us with “doorbuster deals”, “limited drops”, and can’t-miss online offers. Pair that with family asking what you’ve been buying, and suddenly ripping more feels justified.

The sports calendar is another trigger. NFL kickoff, Super Bowl weekend, March Madness, the World Series, NBA/NHL playoffs, The Olympics, The World Cup—all moments when the market spikes, manufacturers release “special” or "limited edition" products, breakers run themed promotions, and the crowd energy convinces you it’s the perfect time to spend. And right now, we’re in the thick of it: MLB playoffs, NBA tipoff right around the corner, NFL and college football seasons already underway. The noise is deafening, and the pressure to act can feel overwhelming.

When the game heats up, so does the temptation to chase.

Even new product releases play into seasonal triggers. Flagship sets like Topps Chrome, Prizm, or National Treasures aren’t just launches—they’re rituals. Collectors tell themselves “just one box”, but tolerance creeps in quickly, and “just one” becomes three, then five, then multiple cases.

And of course, there are personal financial cycles—paydays, tax refunds, bonuses, even birthdays. That sense of “extra money” becomes permission to ignore limits, and many collectors watch holiday cash or refunds vanish into unnecessary, unplanned purchases before they realize it.

The point isn’t that these seasons are inherently bad. The point is that they’re predictable. And what’s predictable can be prepared for. By naming seasonal triggers before they arrive, we give ourselves space to pause, budget, or even sit one out. The same way we’ve learned to name emotional triggers, we can interrupt seasonal ones—replacing impulse with intention.

The hobby will always have its “big moments”. But the strongest collections aren’t built in seasons of hype—they’re built in seasons of clarity. And clarity starts with knowing when the calendar itself is trying to pull you in.

#CollectorsMD
When we connect the dots between emotions, seasons, and spending—we reclaim the choice to collect with clarity, not compulsion.

—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel
Read More Daily Reflections

Published August 17, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

So often, the purchases we regret the most aren’t the ones we planned for—they’re the ones we made in the heat of an emotion. A fight with a partner. A stressful day at work. A painful memory resurfacing. Even something as simple as boredom or loneliness.

These are the moments when our defenses are down and the urge to “fix” the feeling with a quick hit of excitement, distraction, or escape becomes strongest—without considering the fallout that might follow once the moment passes.

For many collectors, these emotional triggers precede a slippery slope—one unplanned purchase turns into a spiral of spending, chasing, or gambling-like behaviors. What feels like “just one box” or “just one auction” can quickly become a pattern, repeated every time that same emotion resurfaces. And those moments can start to add up quickly.

When emotional triggers pile up, it can feel dizzying—leaving us vulnerable to impulse decisions we later regret.

The first step in breaking free from these triggers is awareness. Overspending often mirrors the same insidious cycles we see with drinking, drugs, and gambling—each fueled by emotions we haven’t fully faced. When we start to recognize the specific emotions that lead us toward destructive habits, we can begin to reclaim control.

Maybe it’s anger, sadness, anxiety, or even the temporary high of celebration. Whatever the emotion, it’s worth asking: Am I buying because I want this piece, or because I want to avoid or suppress what I’m feeling?

Patterns don’t change overnight, but they can be tracked, named, and eventually interrupted. By pausing to recognize the trigger, you give yourself the space to make a different choice—one rooted in intention instead of impulse.

#CollectorsMD
The strongest collections are built not in moments of escape, but in moments of clarity. Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel
Read More Daily Reflections