[lloyd]

I too do a 'cost-benefit analysis', it isn't like I buy everything. Because I have most of what I want to own now, the things I miss are the rare ones. I look everywhere on the internet to buy them. I'm not involved in a lot of biddingwars but have lost most of them because the others use snipertools (last second automated bidding).
There are still a lot of bargains at ebay to have, patience is your friend.. and bidding tactics is something you learn. I have a little more budget then most because I work in shifts, but still I won't pay topprices. Most I won at ebay was for normal or even low prices.
In the chat we point eachother to nice items for good prices, currently I'm helping Geo to build his collection of 12" and rare(r) cds for instance, he wins them for very low prices a lot of times.