Know Your Hobby Cost: Monthly Budget Tracking for TCG Collectors

Collecting is more fun when you know the numbers#

TCG collecting is a hobby, and like any hobby it benefits from a clear picture of what it actually costs. The new Budget panel in Byndr is designed to give you that picture without turning into a full accounting tool.

Logging transactions#

Every buy and every sale can be logged with:

• Item name — free text, so you can be as specific as you like
• Direction — Buy or Sell, shown in red and green respectively
• Amount in your preferred currency
• Category — Card, Sealed product, Shipping, Grading, Supplies, or Other
• Date and an optional note

Entries appear in a chronological list grouped by month. The month selector at the top lets you review any past period in seconds.

Monthly budget#

Set a monthly spending limit once and the panel does the rest. A progress bar tracks your net hobby cost (spend minus income from sales) against the budget. The bar turns amber at 80 % and red when you exceed the limit — a gentle but clear reminder to slow down.

Net hobby cost#

The key metric is net hobby cost: total purchases minus total sales for any given month. If you bought three packs and sold two singles, your net cost reflects only what actually left your pocket. All-time net cost is shown alongside the monthly view for full transparency.

Why track sales too?#

Many collectors fund new purchases by selling duplicates or graded copies. Tracking sales properly means your budget reflects reality rather than just the buy side. A month where you spent €200 but sold €150 in singles is a very different outcome from a €200-spend month with no sales.

Available now#

The Budget panel lives under Portfolio → Budget. Start logging your next purchase and set a monthly limit — you might be surprised what the numbers look like after a month.