[leesteht]

Here's a formula:

$$$ buys the "better" cards = "Better" cards help you win = Wins bring $$$

the more competitive magic becomes, the more people chase the same cards = supply demand

It's really NO different than people searching for the newest piece of equipment for "real" sports that are in short supply or even the newest Iphone or videogame system.

[AlexCombs]

I think I have figured out the perfect formula for me to buy cards and I only invest about $1400 into magic a year. (Not much money in my opinion, though it may be to some.)

I plan to spend $250 on each set which is Enough to get me 2 booster boxes and 1 tourney box from my local game store. Thats the equivalent of 108 boosters which should get you a good enough pool of that set (especially since sets are smaller now.)  Then I just go to all the FNM events I can go to and thats a tad over $1000 a year, And someday I hope to build me a good enough card pool to go to a Grand Prix and if I ever get as good as Lee (Doubtful) I may be able to make my investment pay off.

[BassmanARW]

No one has suggested this one:

Get a job lol.

Basically, start out a little at a time. Its not like people always just blow the full price of a deck on a whim. People who go to FNM even can win there and make out with prizes. You can either open the packs and take what good rares there are or sell the packs and make $.

You can also scour sites like ebay to get good deals. You can just get cheaper cards in general for your deck or you can just buy good cards for cheap and then trade them away at top $. For example, I always end up getting playsets of Ravnica duals at $20-25. I then trade them high to get the cards I want. I do this with lots of cards, but Rav duals are just an example.

[leesteht]

THE best way to earn cards is to win drafts. Take the extra $$$ Rares you earn or win you sell or trade for more stuff. Take the packs you win and redraft. Which is why I NEVER randomly open packs. The other is to invest in the "best" deck and win tourneys

[imachampion]

I think I have figured out the perfect formula for me to buy cards and I only invest about $1400 into magic a year. (Not much money in my opinion, though it may be to some.)

I plan to spend $250 on each set which is Enough to get me 2 booster boxes and 1 tourney box from my local game store. Thats the equivalent of 108 boosters which should get you a good enough pool of that set (especially since sets are smaller now.)  Then I just go to all the FNM events I can go to and thats a tad over $1000 a year, And someday I hope to build me a good enough card pool to go to a Grand Prix and if I ever get as good as Lee (Doubtful) I may be able to make my investment pay off.

Why would you buy booster boxes? If you stick to drafting you will have more commons and uncommons than you will know what to do with. On top of that...you will have enough rares to trade around for whatever you want. No offense...it just doesn't seem like the best way to manage your "Magic Budget."

Even if you don't win drafts...drafting is the best way to stay ahead of the game. By the time PTQs start for the Standard or Block season...you will have at least 12-15 drafts under your belt which even on a losing streak will give you a good portion of the cards needed to compete. If you are wondering where I figured 12-15 drafts...Starting at the release party for a set...then 2.5 months of FNM = 1 Release + (4 Drafts per month * 3 Months) = 13 Drafts. What you don't "pull" you can trade for to put together a good deck.