We are in an unprecedented era when it comes to spending money on Magic, and next year will be even wilder. 

Seven sets planned for 2026, and that’s without the inevitable Secret Lair/Chaos Vault offerings that Wizards gives us. Right now, we’re in the middle of three superdrops within a month of each other: Secret Scare, Playstation, and Avatar: the Last Airbender. Things are wild and they are only going to get worse. 

I write about Magic finance, but really, my budget isn’t unlimited. I have to decide what to buy and what not to buy. I’m here to give you my general guide, and give some examples/counterexamples of why I’m following these guidelines. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of everything that’s done well, but instead is a set of rules that I follow when spending money on Magic cards that I plan to resell.

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Cliff (@WordOfCommander at Twitter and BlueSky) has been writing for MTGPrice since 2013, and is an eager Commander player, Draft enthusiast, and Cube fanatic. A high school science teacher by day, he’s also the co-host of the MTG Fast Finance podcast. If you’re ever at an event and you see a giant flashing ‘CUBE DRAFT’ sign, go over, say hi, and be ready to draft.