Does anyone keep track of how much they spent on dolls?

I do! I keep track in case I need to sell one of my dolls and also out of curiosity. I use AirTable and have not only set up expense tracking but general doll lists, measurements, modifications, and sculpt info too.

I think it's a good idea to at least keep track of some of your doll stuff. Once you get a big enough collection, it's hard to keep everything straight.

 

I don't keep track, never had the desire to do so, never saw the reason for it.
I have friends who do it religiously, i.e. they have Excel files with pretty much all their doll related expenses inside, when they bought something, for which doll, even listing shipping costs and links to the shops.
Honestly, if I had wanted to do that I would have become an accountant

I've been in the hobby since 2008, and I really don't see the point of a list that tells me I bought a pair of eyes in 2009 that cost 10 bucks + 2 bucks shipping.
As long as your finances are okay, you can pay your bills/put some aside for savings, having such a detailed list really doesn't matter. And knowing how much a doll once cost when I want to sell it is also moot, it makes more sense to look for how much it goes now/in a used state vs. how much did I pay for it six years ago.

 

I keep track of what I spend on the dolls themselves. For instance, I know that I've spent around $320 at the most for my minifee (head and body were purchased separately at $130 and $190), while my first Lati was only $100.
I dont account for clothes or accessories because I very rarely spend more than $20 on individual items, and I always complete dolls before buying anymore so my monthly hobby expenses are very low.

 

I'm with Ara, I don't bother. I do have email receipts if I ever get curious or want a reference of price, but I've never needed to look yet. The only tracking I do is for things I want to buy, to fit them into the budget, but the past ones are... past.

This goes for all the collector hobbies I go in too. After the point where I've purchased an item, the price I paid is irrelevant compared to the actual market price when/if I sell which is rare.

 

i got a spreadsheet keeping track of the dolls. i only use it to keep track of the cost of the dolls, and dont bother with shipping or additional things like clothing or eyes.

i went spreadsheet route so i could add more details so if i ever plan to sell them i can know things like year and resin color without having to track down reciepts. i also got any dolls hanging out in order land chilling on the list with the date ordered.

 

Yes and no. The household budget keeps records of purchases, but once that money is spent and accounted for it's gone.
Tracking company, sculpt name, body type, year of production, and resin color is much more useful. Should I want or need to sell a doll those things and what prices comparable dolls/items are currently selling for would be the needed information.

 

Yes, I have a spreadsheet in Excel.
I'm a crazy person, but it also has a lot of other basic information on it as well. Like where/who the doll was purchased from, what day I purchased it and when it was received, and any attributes that would help identify the doll if it were ever missing. This makes for a quick reference for myself if I ever need to know anything about the doll's history for selling purposes or any other reasons.

As far as in my day to day purchases, no.
I do tend to move money aside like someone would do to save up for something like a car or a large purchase, so if a doll were to come up that I want; I can easily start the process in buying it. Since I've been around for a while, I also have accumulated a lot of doll stuff that I can pretty much sell at any time that I decide I need a little extra money. I don't bother with keeping track of my accessory purchases, I know that I typically spend about $100-$150 every time I make an order of clothes or accessories, but I don't do that often enough to budget it in.

 

I'm firmly in the "don't know, don't care" camp. All I know about my doll spending is that I always take care of necessities first and don't ever spend anything I can't afford, and as far as I'm concerned that's all that matters in regard to money and dolls. I have no interest in tracking expenditures and so on.

 

Well, I started collecting (very slowly) years ago when I was a teenager, a lot of the prices have been lost to time and bad memory. It certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to go back and try to find aproximate numbers and try to keep track for the future though!

 

Ok I'll be honest: my life operates on a terrifying seesaw of avoiding spending money and trying to forget what money I did spend. I pretty well remember the amount I paid for every doll I ever got, and values in traded goods when applicable, and for things I order new like shoes, wigs, eyes, the approximate retail. Now I do not intentionally record it in a place where I can easily and immediate see a large cumulative number because I don't think I would benefit from that much. So my answer is kind of yes and kind of no.

 

Yes, I keep a digital text document where I list basic information for each doll I buy (company, sculpt, skin colour, who did the face up, if there were additional parts, when the doll was made and how much it cost). I've found it very useful to not only have the information on the dolls for my own interest but also for when I sell a doll. I've found that i'm picky about my dolls and end up selling the ones that don't quite work for me so having that information on hand makes it easier.

The only other things I keep a record of is resin parts, full outfits or notable accessories, again in case I want to sell them later. I don't bother with basic stuff like eyes, wigs etc or with shipping costs. I haven't used the information to track my spending as it would probably make me cringe too much

 

I do not but I probably should for insurance purposes at a minimum.

 

I keep track of information about the doll like you said, but I don't keep track of how much I've spent. I don't think I want to know how much it's totaled at this point and I only have two bjds proper. My minifee is pretty spoiled in the wardrobe department and I only see that growing in the future.

I use one person's fancy looking cards they posted here a couple months back to keep track of that basic information. I stick the cards in their respective box. For more detailed information I use a personal discord server to keep track of things such as company measurements for the rest of the information I deem particularly noteworthy. It's come in handy so far!

 

I saw those! They look really nice! I sound so organized but one of the many reasons I am here is to have a central place for doll information : ) Putting physical copies of the doll's info in their box sounds like a really good, easy to implement way to make sure it will stay with them.

 

I somewhat keep track. I keep track of what my dolls are and their general value (in the event of my passing and my loved ones will know how much to list said doll for sale for). But I don't always put how much I paid per say. If the doll was a recent purchase, I'll remember how much I paid and how much I'd want to get rid of it. Or there's been many dolls I've traded for so for those I search for market value if I eventually sell then substrate what I think condition lessens if. I once did count up the value/cost of my entire collection once and there's a pretty big disparity between how much I've paid and how much my dolls are valued. Like for example I have one doll I found at an online thrift store and was able to purchase it for less than half of the going market rate for said doll. I really should start putting my purchase price in my notes.

Also once a year I submit new dolls (hobby items) to my hoke insurance plan and put their market value for replacement value. I could probably see how much that section is valued at total. But I'm also lowkey afraid to. ;u;

 

I should... I know the ballpark prices, but most like receipts I've lost to time.
Like.. honestly now that I'm thinking about it I really don't know how much I've spent I know for a fact though that I've at least spent 1.000 combined on the both of them....hm...

 

I keep careful track of what I spend for dolls and everything doll-related (wigs, wig-making supplies, eyes, clothes, etc.). I don't use a spread-sheet, but the list isn't that long yet.

I do this partly to help me control impulse spending, partly for re-selling purposes, and partly because I hope to make some money back with these dolls (selling clothes or accessories or similar) and I'd like to see how much the investment returns in the future compared to the original cost.

I never spent this kind of money on myself before discovering bjds. Sometimes I don't know if it was a good thing haha - but I do try to stamp down the anxiety about spending when I know I have taken care of necessities. Even though I don't make very much (self-employed mostly and working only part-time otherwise) and I have expensive tastes in dolls, I choose carefully and try to make the spending count. I also don't want a huge collection. Ten or fewer dolls would be ideal, and then I can focus on establishing a wardrobe/character for each of them and also try making my own dolls (or at least heads).

 

I know ballpark figures for all of my bjds, but the clothes wigs eyes and other accessories, not so much. But then quite a bit of them I've made myself or received as a gift so the costs for those things aren't so bad.

 

Hello! US collectors - you should keep track!

1. For insurance purposes. If you have homeowners' insurance or renters' insurance (you should have renters' insurance - the landlord is not responsible for your stuff in the event of fire/etc.), you will need a rider for your doll collection. A rider is a separate policy for items that cost more than what your insurance policy budgets for household items - and I guarantee that your dolls cost more than what your insurance company has budgeted for your personal items. If there was a fire or flood, and your dolls were destroyed, your insurance company is going to balk at replacing your doll collection - especially if it's valued at $1,000 or more. Check your policies and get replacement cost insurance. Discontinued sculpts are frequently harder to find and more expensive, too. Replacement cost insurance will cover the amount increase.

2. For tax purposes. If you plan to sell any of your dolls or doll accessories in the future, there is a new 1099-K reporting requirement in 2022 for PayPal Goods and Services if you receive $600 or more in one year. Even if you sell your doll or doll stuff at a loss, you need proof of your basis (the cost of your doll/stuff) so you don't pay taxes on a sale when you didn't make any money!

3. For estate planning purposes. Who is going to inherit your dolls when you die? If you have an inventory, it will be so much easier for an administrator (if you don't have a will) or an executor (if you do) to figure out what your dolls are currently valued at. This will be important to your beneficiaries, who will need to know their own basis when they receive your doll - and when your administrator/executor has to fill out an estate tax return for your stuff.

Disclaimer: this is totally a do as I say, not as I do thing. I have receipts and such for my stuff, but I don't have any sort of inventory. And the thought of trying to make an inventory of just my Barbie collection makes me want to hide under the blankets and cry. I have less than 10 BJDs. I don't even know how many Barbies I own.

 

Oh wow! Did not know about that tax change it used to be $20,000 per year. That's massive! Thank you for sharing the info.

 

I keep track of my dolls and more expensive accessories mainly for tax purposes. I also started taking screenshots this year of what I paid for each doll/item to show what I paid vs. what I sold them for.
I started keeping a spreadsheet about a year ago that I put the doll/items name, when purchased, who I purchased it from, who made it etc.
Once I sell something I remove the doll/item from the list, but keep all the screenshots for taxes.

 

Kept track when we were younger and poorer and had to save up enough to purchase anything not just doll related stuff. Once we started having good financial sense and habits and had jobs that were more stable, we started to loosen up on tracking as we didn't have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck and seeing if family was willing to feed and house us anymore. That being said, a lot of what others are saying here are really great ideas and good advice (like what @MaleficentMrsofEvil has said).

I think it all depends on what kind of spender you are, if you know that there might be a danger of living outside your means, and if you have debt or not. Also, being honest if you might have an addictive personality or have a tendency to be a compulsive and/or impulsive buyer, then yeah, definitely track yourself. There are some older Newbieland threads that talk about this with some great advice on how to track your spending, what apps/programs to use, and all that if one does have an addictive/compulsive spending tendency or one realizes that something has started that might be a deeper problem. The good thing about being on here is that you can ask about such things and people tend to give great advice and be good sound boards because they've been there before.

 

Since the ones I was thinking of are most likely a couple months old by now (so buried deep in Newbieland), here are some ideas that might work that I've seen others use on DoA and in real life (try to pick free ones that fit your lifestyle the best as any suggested one that has a cost is only a suggestion and not necessarily a strong recommendation) for keeping track on BJD hobby spending:

• Excel - Yes, it's an old one but it's still used for a reason. Excel has been mentioned a lot on DoA from other members anywhere from saving up for a doll tracking, spending tracking, collection tracking, reselling tracking, shipping times and costs from different BJD companies, the price of Grail dolls on the secondhand marketplace, which companies/dolls to buy/stay away from, seeing if you have an addiction/compulsive spending problem, and more. This is probably the #1 program to use that I've seen from various DoA users recommend over the course of 15 years being in this hobby. Doesn't necessarily have to be Microsoft Excel as long as it is some sort of spreadsheet that you find easy to use and most likely to use.
• Bullet Journal Habit Trackers - If you are more tactile/visual/manual, this might be a good thing to try. You can Google "Bullet Journal Habit Tracker Layouts" and find something that you find visually appealing to look at, something you are willing to replicate (whether by printing it out, drawing it yourself, or simply buying), and something you are most likely wanting to keep track with instead of feeling obligated to track on. Youtube and Google searches offer lots of free ideas to help you figure out what to do, how to do it, and various step-by-step guides to go by. If looking at the different types of trackers get overwhelming/over stimulating, here are some versions that are ready to go for you to get inspiration from as they all have aspects that are helpful for tracking:
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Jumbo Sticker Debt Tracker"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Jumbo Sticker Bill Tracker"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Jumbo Sticker Savings Tracker"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Jumbo Sticker Online Shopping Tracker"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Online Order Tracking"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Jumbo Sticker Sinking Funds Tracker"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Habit Tracker Overview - 12 Months"
  • Sweet Kawaii Design "Weekly Spending"
• Budgeting Phone Apps - If sitting in front of computer/laptop or bullet journal isn't for you, find a household budgeting app that fits your needs. A Google search for "Best Budgeting Phone Apps of 2022". If you do have alerts, make sure alert ringtone/sounds are not the same as your texting/email/other regular phone alert sounds.
• Bank Budget Tracker - Did you know that some brick and mortar banks have online banking budget trackers? This is good in a number of ways: one, you can visit your physical bank and talk to an associate on how to use the online banking budget tracker especially all those fancy features such as overdraft alerts, savings for retirement, savings for seasonal breaks in your job (like with teachers), saving for a high price item, and more. Just make sure whatever bank you are with is actually a well reviewed bank. Any major bank not only will have an online feature, but even phone apps so explore what format fits you best.
• Insurance Checklist - Using @MaleficentMrsofEvil 's suggestion of "replacement cost insurance" idea, check out this "Protect Your Belongings With a Home Inventory" link from a major insurance company. There are step by step ways of making a checklist, what to document, and other ideas that are practical and straight forward. Check out other insurance companies' ways of doing the same thing and you'll have a good idea of what to look for and how to use such information. Just like with banks, most insurance companies will have both online and phone apps for such things so give them a try.
• Pokemon card style - Pretty much, get generic index cards, take a picture of your doll/BJD collectible item, write down the stats (company, sculpt name, cost including tax, if it came as a fullset or not, S&H cost, wait time from company to you, condition it arrived in using standardized terms like "mint"/"used" condition, still kept or sold, date bought, date sold, resell cost, modded/not modded, if first owner/second owner/uptenth owner + previous owners' names, where/who bought from/sold to, etc), and store somewhere where you have easy access/reference to.
• Wedding Budget Tracker - Okay, sounds weird, but a lot of those bridal magazines, planner books, and websites have really good ideas, layouts, and pre-made pages for doing budget tracking. You will start to see patterns of what are good budgeting strategies that are used over and over again, and there's a reason why for them all such as price comparing between companies, reading reviews, seeing products in person and in owner pictures instead of just relying on company promo pictures, common pitfalls, and so much more. Even takes into account splurges like you want to upgrade to a LE doll instead of a basic doll, then the budget for clothes, wigs, eyes, and shoes has to be diminished. Always stick to a budget!
• A combination of any of the above - I personally use a bullet journal, a online banking budget tracker, online banking income/expenses tracker, text alerts from the bank, and a checkbook that's like a journal for keeping track of my finances and expenses. I have a friend that uses Excel, other kinds of spreadsheets, and phone apps. Another friend uses spreadsheets, Ramsey's 7 Baby Steps, and online banking. It's trial and error for sure as becoming better at tracking your finances, budgeting income versus expenses, and all that is so personalized.

If all of the above is still overwhelming, figure out what style and methods you kind of like and want to use that are your top 5, reduce it to 3, then pick one to start with. From there, sit down and start documenting on a daily basis for like a month at least the following:

• BJD hobby expense for the month (cost of doll + tax + S&H + accessories you want to buy or have already bought that month) that is either an actual number or rounded up number.
• Your monthly income (document when you get paid or were given as an allowance, recognize if it is once a month on consistent dates, twice a month on consistent dates, or under the table randomly/inconsistently). Calculate a real number, don't round up.
• You monthly expenses - What you spend on a daily or weekly basis for a total of one month (include dates, what the item is and where it's from, debit card/cash/credit card used, if reoccurring like a bill or subscription, etc.). Actual number or rounded up number fine here.
  • Up to you to do this, but maybe use different colors to designate categories for expenses as an easy quick visual. For example, RED could mean have to pay/mandatory expenses like bills, gas, prescription medications, therapy/doctor visits, groceries (that are not fast food or restaurant), tuition/student loans/school supplies, etc. GREEN could represent consistent/set dates income. ORANGE could represent other expenses such as fast food/sit down restaurants (not a necessity but convenient or a luxury depending on the situation), gifts for friends/family (a want but not a necessity), new clothes/shoes (not a necessity but depending on job/school situation might be), hobby related stuff, etc. And BLUE could mean an inconsistent/random income (like birthday cash or income tax refunds).

Pretty much, if your in the positive, treat yourself. If you are in the negative, hold off and save up.

 

An older thread about money and spending plans with some good advice:
/threads/how...nding-all-of-your-money.736417/#post-12127685