I borrow money from Bernie Madoff.
Offshore UBS account!
Gunnny
I'm in cahoots with Al Capone.
Actually I run a very small pike, so there's no need for anything super extravagant, or anything even extravagant. I like old tinplate Marx, which is plentiful for cheap and reliable. Occasionally I'll buy something but it usually tends to get funded by working my butt off for unappreciative tw@s.
I sell the wives jewelry for my purchases. She's blind and won't miss them.
The FEDS send me money each month, and I use it, cause they told me it was my SS money, and to spend it like the Government would, on foolish, expensive things. Wow, I feel like a politician.
I respond to all of the "I have 5 million dollars I would like to share with you" emails.
Aside from my regular job, I provide consulting services to several megalomaniacs. My services involve bringing parties together for supplies, services and logistical support for their plans for regional and/or global domination. Some of my clients have included:
- Max Zorin Semiconductors
- Karl Stromberg Marine Laboratories
- Auric Goldfinger
- The SPECTRE Group. Bloefeld is a great guy to deal with, by the way.
- Draxx Aerospace
They've paid me small commissions in exchange for my brokerage services and my strict policy of confidentiality with respect to their plans.
It has worked well for me; not so well for them, though. Apparently, along with the megalomania comes an over-inflated ego and the need to tell a certain British agent everything they're planning to do. He promptly escapes and destroys all of their hard work. That's why I get paid up front.
Daughters college fund and second job for the wife.
NEVER ask me about my business!
Creative financing? No adult should be buying toy trains for his or her own pleasure unless they have discretionary cash to pay for the purchase and informed consent of his or her spouse.
What, me worry?
Lottery tickets?
Las Vegas?
Belmont Race Track?
Work for a living?
Unfortunately. it's the last!
Every thing on this thread has to be specious. I am a well renowned tight wad. When I got into the hobby it was because I realized my aviation hobby was coming to a close. So saving the $5.00 per gallon for avgas left a lot of disposable income, But after spending thousands getting started and making mistakes, I decided I should limit my expenditures. I now have a rule of thumb to only buy from funds made available from the sale of stuff I have bought over the years and not used, don't like or have no affinity for. EXCEPT, for items I just can't do without.
BTW the "rule of thumb" comes from old English law that provided you could beat your wife with a stick no bigger than your thumb. How 'bout that girls!
I trade services for models with my favorite manufacturer ....
I refuse to answer the question because I might incriminate myself.
Larry
Bookmaker and part time Shylock.
Most often I stand just outside of a train show holding a sign that reads:
"Please spare me a few dollars for my wife's serious operation!"
When the proposed donor asks (and they always do...)
"How do I know you won't use this money for 'Train Money' ?"
I angrily reply..." 'Train Money'??? I've got Train Money!"
After the donation you figure out what happens next!
Mark
Simple. Semi-monthly, my employer deposits copious amounts of money directly into my checking account. I then go forth and buy trains.
Originally Posted by Alfred E Neuman:
Creative financing? No adult should be buying toy trains for his or her own pleasure unless they have discretionary cash to pay for the purchase and informed consent of his or her spouse.
Jerry
The LHS accepts food stamps.
One of the funniest threads I have ever read on here! 
BTW... My finances come from Steve Jobs....he included me in his will.
I've augmented my train budget by doing commission work, and occasionally by buying trains on Craigslist, cleaning and repairing them, and selling them on eBay. I don't do that as much anymore because I kept finding shakey justifications to keep them.
I have this really awesome color printer.
I quietly steal a little cash from the guy I work for
Wait a minute
I own the business
OK---I'm fired 
Don't tell my wife---she's the bookkeeper
With the economy doing so well and my CD's at all time high interest being paid out...I have plenty of expendable cash for trains.....I must be dreaming....
Work my my behind off and and then ask permission.
My new project requires some new tools so no new trains until March.
The tools on my list are a FesTool circular saw, Dewalt 2 speed planer, Dewalt or Bosch biscuit jointer and finally a 4" or 6" jointer and that basically blows my train budget for a year (I have not made any train purchases since last March ).
I sell $150.00 worth of stuff for every $200.00 I spend....
Jeff c
"Butch, you know that if it were my money, there is nobody that I would rather have steal it than you. But, you see, I am still in the employment of E. H. Harriman of the Union Pacific Railroad!"
Originally Posted by leikec:
I sell $150.00 worth of stuff for every $200.00 I spend....
Jeff c
Your ratio is better than mine. I average getting about one for every two........maybe!
I am a redneck living in the Deep South, and make my railroad money selling
embridered toilet tissue holders which the misses sells at flea markets to folks
from "up north".
I duped my wife, and Married for Money..
K.C
K.C
I run a high-end and very successful prostituion ring.
"I am a retired investor living on a pension", with apologies to Lee Strasberg in The Godfather Part 2.
Very quietly, shhhhh...
I go through a considerable in depth court procedure. After a detailed process of documentation and testimony being provided describing the justification and the inherent need of said item and cost, The Judge (my wife) will determine the feasibility of said request for purchase.
.Talk about a hot button topic. I opened up my inbox to find it wall papered with responses which were so huge in number I lacked the ambition to read every one of them. This happens from time to time, especially here. A proverbial deluge. Almost too much of a good thing..like my former purchasing habits.
Slush fund 
My collection is pretty much mature sizewise, so my buying is pretty much limited to a couple of pieces every York and Allentown show. That gives sufficient time to save for nothing in particular (and to figure out where I'm going to put it ). One year that "nothing" turned out to be my first (and only) scale articulated. I don't see that happening again (unless someone decides to restore one of the two remaining Alleghany locos).
On the odd chance I want something that requires plastic (say online/phone order), I typically make certain I have the "play money" available to pay off the card balance before I place the order. Haven't paid a dime in interest in over 5 years that way.
---PCJ
Originally Posted by david1:
Beings my retirement income is very limited, I just upgrade now. If I buy something then something must go to pay for the item I just bought. It works for me.
While I am working until retirement I just buy when I want. I have enough money to do pretty much what I want at this point. Both my houses are paid off and my kids are grown up and out of the house. However, when I retire next year I will be cutting back as David1.
Steeling hub caps, some things never change 
Sell off what I do not need or want any longer to finance any future purchase(s).
I have a separate (from family) hobby checking account). I ditched PayPal for lack of self control.
