I apologize for the long post since it's a bit of a story, but I'll answer your "problem" question first. It's a problem if it consumes your life and affects your relationships with friends/family negatively. If you enjoy collecting and everything about sneakers while keeping all other aspects of your life outside at a solid state, then you're good! It's really a matter of balance that some people have certain preferences to. Something not a lot of people will see/mention is to remember why you enjoy shoes. If you're doing it just to flex on IG and you need to keep that high going, there's a bigger problem beyond shoes itself.
For the financial part: I'll be completely honest and open (enough) about it and say that up to a certain time in one way or another, yes.
CliffNote version: from when I started collecting to mid-2017, yes. 2017-2019, kinda, and then 2019 to now, barely. I won't front - for many years, I sold shoes because I couldn't afford to keep it and wanted other shoes at the same time, but I didn't sell it because I had to sell to maintain any of the Four Walls (food, utilities, shelter and transportation)... other than overdrafting once.
I sold a chunk of my collection in mid-2017 because I felt what being at peace was like before I got back home to my 60+ pairs of shoes sitting in my room being a mess and space-hogger, but money was starting to become a lesser reason.
It wasn't until I went unemployed for 7 months straight from late 2018-2019 and I still spent money on shoes, leading me to lose half my savings like crazy. When I finally got a job, I was chillin and chattin with my coworker one day about how I was trying to get out of shoes and she told me about this thing called "decluttering" and how exposure encourages spending money on shoes. After that and doing it, it then led to personal finance lessons, and all that changed my life.
Now because of what I learned, my rule of thumb is "one in, one out" - one new pair means one current pair has to go. Money mattered WAAAAY less since then, because finance literacy just took it up a whole new level for me. Financial goals became the forefront and I was saving like crazy since learning from her, which is now what I sell my shoes for if money was a reason. After what I went through while unemployed, I was like "this is not happening to me again." It's also insane and scary as hell how many people do not even have savings, which is something I learned early this year.
, did anyone take advantage of the CentreTX's offer for 50% off for their Black Friday delays? I saw the Ironstones and Honeydews for $80, but I got caught up with work. Now, they're sold out.
