A Budgetary "What Should I Do" Question

[Alex]

Is this a real world situation or a problem presented just to see a mathematical solution?

Originally Posted by SzczerbiakManiac

• Buy 50 packs, pick two URs and hope I can get the other five tokens I want on eBay.
• Buy 75 packs, pick three URs and hope I can get the other four tokens I want on eBay.

Since you give an eBay price of $10-$20 for the eBay purchases won't these two options almost certainly exceed your $100 budget?

Option 1: $50 + $50 to $150 (over budget unless you get lucky on all auctions)
Option 2: $75 + $30 to $60 (over budget unless you get the auctions at less than your estimated minimum.

So if you're estimates are solid and your budget firm those don't seem options likely to lead to happiness. Since you can't recover from failing to obtain the three R07Ps and you're also in progress on the UUR and you don't indicate any way of getting that other than qualifying to buy it I would say the best option is to just buy the 100 packs.

You're guaranteed continuing your R07P sets.
You're guaranteed continuing your UUR set.
You have a fair chance of getting another UR (though while "probably" is correct it is only a 63.4% chance of getting one randomly when purchasing 100).

The other options either do not guarantee much and have the potential to be wasted saving if eBay costs are higher than projected.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Do you use the tokens after the weekend or do they just sit in a box?

The tokens can be/are used year after year. Some of them are turned in when used (e.g., a potion that is "drunk") but things like weapons & armor are permanent. However, during the year they just sit in a box.

Originally Posted by Alex

Is this a real world situation or a problem presented just to see a mathematical solution?

It's very much a real situation.

Originally Posted by Alex

The other options either do not guarantee much and have the potential to be wasted saving if eBay costs are higher than projected.

The 75 pack option was just included for completeness sake, but I had contemplated the 50. I hadn't done the math on average eBay prices, thanks for pointing that out.