Mr. Frugality: Keeping Track of that S^#*

Model building is a fun hobby. I feel it is also important to track what is purchased and what is in my shop. There are over 137 individual items in my shop, and probably a lot more unaccounted for. It can be tough to remember "do I need more yellow paint?" or if you need more tape. That is why I created an excel spreadsheet with filters that tells me what I have, when I purchased it, and I take notes to cross things off the database if they are out, and set a reminder to go get some.

The filters let me organize by item, location (if it is in a box, which I label with a number), quantity, type of object, manufacturer, and condition. Lately I have been putting in the date of purchase in the condition to determine if something is old enough to be thrown out and/or disposed of.

For example, before going out to my hobbystore, because I knew I needed paint, I checked my current inventory to see what paints I could use in the shop so that I didn't buy something that I didn't need. For my Wing Gundam for example, I needed a white, red, blue, gunmetal, black, and a primer. Checking the database for paint, acrylic and paint, enamel, I saw my options available. The royal blue I have is a little too dark, so I made a shopping list and put down "blue". Next, I saw I didn't have a white, so I wrote that down. I found X-7 Red in the list, so I did not buy that color. I had insignia yellow in the list, and it is close to the color I want, so I didn't write that down. I have gunmetal and a black, so that left primer. Finally, I needed an X-6 Orange for Heavyarms.

I picked up those paints at the store and also bought a new pair of tweezers and a new file (needed both). I got both a discount (after you spend so much money on your points card) and a birthday discount (yay!), so the tweezers were essentially free. Signing up for the rewards card has saved me around $80 USD so far at the store.

Someone emailed me the other day asking what manufacturers I buy from. Here is the list:

3M (tape)
Arii (kit producer)
Badger (airbrush parts)
Bandai (kit producer)
Black and Decker (hardware tools)
Craftsman (hardware tools)
Dewalt (hardware tools)
Dremel (dremel parts and bits)
Elmers (glue)
Hasbro (toys, screws and parts)
Hobbico (tools, knives, files)
Italeri (kit producer)
Lindbergh (kit producer)
Model Maker (air compressor)
Pegasus (kit producer)
Plastruct (plastic stock, glue)
Minwax (wood stain and finish)
Pollyscale (out of circulation paints)
Revell (kit producer)
Rustoleum (paint)
Safeway (q-tips, alcohol)
Scotts (rags/towels)
Tamiya (paint, kits, tools, everything conglamerate)
Testors (Model Maker) (paint, kits, tools, everything conglamerate)
Trumpeter (kit producer)

You can use this excel spreadsheet to inventory anything- it doesn't have to be just a shop. I organize my games in the same way, by system, value, etc.