How is the hobby affecting you financially? [Poll]

None of the options really apply to me.

I live in a country with high wages but also a high cost of living. Until 5 months ago, I was an intern, so it's not like my wages were terribly high. And I have work and study expenses.

But I still live with my parents, which saves on rent (though the almost entirety of my savings account went to them to make our house bigger so we can rent it out, so you could say that I paid like 5.5 years of rent at once lol), I automatically save a good chunk of my salary in a separate account, I don't smoke, I only drink alcohol in social occasions and those are pretty rare nowadays, I go to movies perhaps twice a year, I don't own a TV, I drive one the family cars (so expenses are shared between the four of us), I didn't travel much, I shop at charity shops for my shoes and clothes (except underwear), wear pretty much the same things all the time and I don't have dependents.

I tend to immediately give up on what I can't have or that is so expensive that I know I would freak out at the mere idea of having to care for it (that's why I don't have "grails": if I covet something, it is reasonably in my reach and not so expensive that I would only dare to keep it in a box and barely touch it). I gave up BJDs when I discovered it as a high schooler because there was not way I had that kind of money or could justify the expense. But I became more liberal with my spending while I was doing my internship as it was a very stressful time for me (lots of my colleagues in the profession burnt out or quit, so as long as my basic expenses were covered (food and study expenses) I spent pretty much all I wanted on hobbies because it would help me to hang in there longer. Now that my internship is over, I notice myself slowly returning to my stingy self. XD

Basically, while I do have some hobby funds and live in a country with a fairly strong currency (which helps when you are buying overseas), I try to make choices so that I can comfortably spend within my means: no layaway, no coveting unobtainable or expensive grails, no "settling" because of a sale or a good price tag, fewer dolls, no unreasonable financial commitments for a hobby (so for me no layaway and no buying on credit) and no allowing the hobby spending to take a toll on my work/study expenses, the expenses that I incur for having a normal social life, or my saving account.

Besides, I probably won't enjoy the hobby if I had to stress about it, so it's better for me not to put myself in such a situation.

Adjusting your choices and expectations is (IMO of course) always better than pining for things that are too hard to reach. Less frustration that way and less chance to make poor decisions.

 

Please don't feel ashamed for having a good job. You work hard for your money, so you've earned it.

If the friends you have are good friends, they also won't hold your financial stability against you. Being on benefits, all of my friends make more money then I do, and some of them have have so much, I can't really wrap my head around that. It doesn't bother me. We're friends: I want the best for all of them. I'm glad they're doing so well, and I'm happy with my life.

As for strangers... Some people are jealous and dissatisfied, no matter how well they are off. That's their problem, not yours. Please don't feel guilty on their account .

 

Being in college, I have to first pay those expenses and then I can start to save for my next doll. I'm still very new to this hobby, but I'm putting a rule on myself to only purchase one doll I really want per year. That way, I can balance my college expenses and hobbies because it can be overwhelming all at once.

 

I'm a senior citizen living on social security and a pension so my budget is very limited. I did very well and saved up to buy my doll. I have only 1 so far. My problem is the little stuff... wigs, shoes, sewing fabric, etc. $10.00 here and $30.00 there individually don't seem outrageous, but because of that I find myself buying multiple things, and boy does that add up! My only justification to myself is that she's my first doll and needs some basic items that I won't need to buy again. But... I seem to have a slight problem with wigs! Lol I want to try them all!

 

I don't have a big income because I am an student, so I start saving up for a while (months or a year).
If I don't have any issue spending that money, I will buy a doll or I buy it by parts. I don't buy a lot of BJD-related stuff and I am patient so it's fine.

 

Similar to @laquaza I have a great job in the tech industry that allows me to buy whatever dolls I want without touching my savings. My doll hobby doesn't impact my finances, though I do have quite a few restrictions on what I buy from the perspective of taste. That said, I don't feel particularly guilty about it - when I started this hobby I was a broke college kid using bits of my student loans to pay for dolls. I'm also a minority in my country, and experience very high rates of discrimination in both my personal and professional life, so the fact that I've managed to succeed in my work is something I'm very proud of.

It wasn't and isn't easy, but it does afford me the ability to help others in my group overcome some of the hurdles and barriers placed in our paths. Dolls are how I de-stress from all of this. I'm very firm about collecting only brown dolls for the forseeable future. My resin gang reflects the strength and beauty that I see in my people, in a way that I never experienced growing up. Seeing our features and our skintone represented as normal and beautiful is a huge breath of air in a world that stifles our ability to simply exist as we are. It also feels in a way - like the hobby is 'paying me back' for my early investment with more representation of different features and darker resin tones. I want to support that more than anything, so that more non-white and non-whitepassing collectors can find themselves here.

When I started, event talking about this stuff would result in a barrage of hatred, so I'm honestly happy to see where things have gone, but I do hate the thought of anyone feeling judged for the work they've done to earn what they need to participate in a hobby like this.

 

You have no idea how much this resonates with me. I just had to kick out a former friend/flatmate (I've taken in out of kindness) for being a racist...
And similarly I have originally decided to only collect tan skinned dolls but as it stands now I do have a WS vampire girl and some NS dolls . But focusing on tan dolls also helps me curb impulse buys.

I do know that I do not really have a reason to feel guilty. It's more of a result of my low self esteem I guess. It took me like 10 years to finish my bachelor's degree in Mathematics due to severe depressions. I am very proud of how far I've come but I guess I am still uncomfortable with displaying my sucess .

 

@laquaza I'm proud of you too!! People never know the real story behind so much of what we work for and earn. I hope you don't feel like I was judging you - instead, I wanted to make a statement against the thought that anyone should have the right to judge others for what they do to get into and sustain a hobby that gives them joy.

And those of us who can buy without worry or regret, have our own stories of struggle and strife that got us to this point. We should all be proud of what we've overcome! And extra kudos for working through depression - it's awful and it's so hard, I see you and I support you friend!

 

At first it was hard. VERY hard.. I worked at bath and body works and my checks were like 200$ If lucky. By November I had made the request to have two dolls made for a total of 1200$+. I was paying 200 every 2 weeks. It seemed like forever but then around January I got a better work from home job with a paycheck of 1,300 before taxes with a take home of about 900 everyone 2 weeks. I live with my mom but even paying my rent which is 200 plus my phone bill which is about 120$ I still have a decent amount left. But even now it’s still expensive :/

 

I'm only now getting into the hobby because I have extra income. Prior to that, I just checked in every now and then from afar.

 

I scrimp and save. I hate buying on credit and have no credit cards. I never use layaways. I have the money to buy extras or I don't. I don't worry about 'having' or 'not having'. I know there will always be 'a better doll' than the last one I bought and it doesn't bother me.
I cannot work at the moment, so the last doll I bought is through selling the oldest I had and a few heads. I sell things through ebay and use the money to buy myself 'extras'. It isn't much but it gives me a sense of purpose.
I was lucky with my last doll as a few clothes and shoes that didn't fit my other 1/4 are perfect for her. I had cheap eyes that turned out to be exactly the thing. The only purchase I made was a pair of knickers .

 

I've been thinking of trying wig making. I used to spin wool on a spinning wheel to make yarn and have quite a bit of wool roving left. I thought I might begin with that.

 

I don't do layaway because I don't like the feeling that I'm buying something I can't afford. I do sometimes buy stuffs impulsively then spend less on my other living costs, but never buy out of debt. Nowadays I'm trying to be more organized with my spend and to set yearly amount of money for my hobbies.

 

I primarily buy on layaway and I try to be careful about how much is outgoing in any given month. Once in a great while, if I find a good deal on the marketplace I'll splurge. But that's rare and it has to be a doll that really catches my eye.

 

Fortunately my income is steady and I’m a very frugal person by nature. I’ve run a busy household all my life so I know how to keep the bills paid. What made the most sense for me was buying on layaway and folding those monthly payments into my regular budget. In this way I could bring home about 3 dolls a year without any pinch on my finances. That may not sound like a lot, but after 15 years in the hobby...well, you do the math!

 

I try to save a little sum every month especially for buying BJDs so i have money if one of the dolls i want gets a preorder. (i only buy artist dolls)
If there is a doll i want that I can’t buy in one go and i really want it i just order with layaway if that is an option.

 

I find this a somewhat awkward question...but when I first started in early 2006 I was a teen, and therefore bound to my part time job income, or what was leftover after paying my car bills (I came from a lower middle class bg, so parents instilled a healthy hardworking work ethic on me)

Now that I'm an adult working full-time, I'm "comfortable," and can afford dolls with a bit of frugality involved. Though not always and not whenever I want. But I've been building up a lot of doll items recently since, thanks to the pandemic, I haven't been able to travel abroad as I would have planned to do

 

When I first started in the hobby, I had a relatively stable job. Unfortunately, due to COVID, I was laid off and tried really hard to avoid DOA and looking at doll sites because it's really hard to avoid buying. I have managed to find a part time position at the moment, which allowed me to splurge more than I should on dolls and doll clothes. I do find that due to shipping/customs/exchange rates that I quite often cheap out on doll clothes and accessories, which I then regret because I now have a number of clothes, wigs, eyes I got on sale but never use. Other than my intense occasional splurges, I do try to keep an eye on my spending. It helps that I have limited space and I like 60cm-70cm+ dolls, because then I always force myself to think about whether or not I really need to add more to the collection and if I have the space for them.

 

I don't like layaway and I'm saving money for my hobby. I list what I want on a google sheet and calculate the price of them. I have to save money for a long time because most of them are limited. Considering the slow speed of rerelease, it's still acceptable. I know I will finally get most of them. The most despair thing is that there will always be 'a better doll' makes my wish list growing.

 

I tend to buy on lay-away because I am often buying a doll with all the works. That is a big purchase so I try to spread the payments out. I would say I have some debt but nothing I can't handle. The pandemic isn't helping because I feel like I am shopping more.

 

My spouse has a good job and I have enough income to justify spending a little on dolls but what I buy is usually under $300 including shipping. I budget really well and spend very little on anything else, besides dolls I’m very low maintenance.

 

I've answered 'I bought in layaway' and 'I live from ramen and water' even if it's not completely true.

My financial situation has changed a lot since I first joined the hobby. I used to be student when I begin in the hobby (and I couldn't afford a lot of dolls or accessories). Then I've been some years in the situation 'I have a high paying job' and half of my collection comes from those years. Now I scrimp, I sell dolls for buying new ones, I sometimes use layaway. But basically I buy nearly nothing else. My boyfriend has a good paying job and he pays most of the bills.

 

I try to buy when I am certain I have the money saved for that exact doll I want and so I try to do layaway. But sometimes I can't wait and buy the whole doll upfront. Now I am trying to do everything with layaway. I am not drawing in debt or anything but I have definitely spent a lot of money on dolls.

 

I definitely have to mull a purchase over for quite a while, which is sometimes hard if something is on the secondhand market since those dolls tend to sell fast, haha. I don't overspend, but I also still live at my parents home, so I've no bills to pay -- though I do save most of my paychecks so I can move out someday, haha. One thing I am short on is space...

 

i stopped buying myself clothing and stuff that i always used to but I've started separating my money into 3 separate funds accounts so i manage my money much better

 

I have a high paying job but I still only buy maybe 1-2 dolls a year. I have plans and just stick to them, I spend months deciding on a sculpt so I'm not swayed by preorders. I miss out on a lot of cool dolls(and cheaper prices) that way but I just buy them secondhand here later on. I don't want to have doll regret from making an impulse purchase.

My husband found out a long time ago that I prefer dolls instead of jewelry so he buys me dolls, too! I'm also showing him the ropes because he wants his own collection of his characters and we all know how hard it is to buy legitimate secondhand.

 

I am still within my initiation year into BJD hobby and so far, I've put 3 dolls and clothes on 3-4 months' long layaways.

I'm in my mid 30s and something of low middle-income. But I live with my parents and pay a small monthly rent as well as pay for my own car insurance and gas. And the thing is, when I go out, I don't spend much if at all. I still wear clothes I've worn since high school and own exactly two seasonal footwears for the greater of 5 or 10+ years. My laptop is my sister's hand-me down, and my last two phones were purchased secondhand. Except for travelling and education, I could never justify spending over a thousand dollars CAD. Until I came into BJD hobby, my most expensive possession was an upgraded pair of speakers costing $400 after my old 10+ years $250 pair -- that I bought with my very first paycheck -- finally gave out.

The older I get, the more I start to realize I've been "scrimping" all my life for no other reason than being told I should save money -- choose a less favourable item on the menu if it will save me 50 cents at the restaurant, my dad would insist. But I don't have any dependents, and owning a home is a pipe dream I don't even care for. So what then am I saving for besides retirement and emergency funds? Should I then not treat my mental and physical health -- my happiness and longevity -- as my one true dependent at present?

So this is where I am right now -- working on my own self-esteem by learning it's okay to treat myself. After a year or two, I will likely have finished my doll projects, and preferably move onto self-improvement in other areas.

 

I'm fortunate I was not where I was when I started the hobby (a broke preteen). My job allows me to live comfortably, but I think I would spend more if I wasn't particular about the sculpts and accessories I liked.

 

I scrimp and save until I'm certain that I have enough to afford it comfortably.

^ Pretty much this. Certain things come before my dolls, Family Needs, Pets, Bills, Necessities. But If I want a doll I put a bit aside after the important things are taken care of. I don't scrimp of the above things.

But I will scrimp on my own stuff. For example t-shirts, jogger shorts and sneakers are my clothing. I don't buy fancy stuff to wear. I could care less about name-brand clothing and objects. I like to decorate my own t-shirts even. I am thinking about making my dolls a few t-shirts to match my own.

I also don't care for luxuries that a lot of my family members live for, mani/pedi hair salon - forget that I can do it myself. Travel all around everywhere - been there done that I'm comfortable at home. Purse of the month - I'd rather have doll of the month. Going out for dinner and drinks every weekend - nope, I'd rather pop a frozen pizza in the oven and take pictures of my dolls.

So, I'm one of the weird ones in my family, but I just don't have the same priorities that most of my relatives have. I want to comfortably purchase my dolls without worry or stress. My priority is my dolls and that makes me happy.

 

I'm on the scrimp and save kind of mentality right now!

I think this is the first hobby where I can genuinely say things are very expensive even at entry point. I have a few blind box dolls and a hybrid doll I got second hand, but I only have one doll I've bit the bullet for and bought at full price. It took months of saving, planning, and I can't bring myself to admit to my family that I spent that much money on a doll even if she's on the cheaper side for a BJD (about $270). I'm a student, and still new to being active in the hobby, so I think only having one doll and saving until I find one I really fall in love with will have to do for now until I get a big girl job and move out of dorms lol

 

My income is not big and irregular as my work is project-based, so I only buy dolls paid in full, when I have the necessary funds for it. Sometimes I have to save up a bit, and sometimes sell doll stuff or something I no longer use, but I'd never take on layaway or debt of any sort. I wouldn't say I'm scrimping as I'm perfectly happy treating myself in other ways as well, and what I wear and eat definitely comes as a priority before dolls, but I'm not living lavishly at all and of course there are times when things are tighter financially. And it's not an unimportant perk that my dolls have all been on the cheaper side also!

I was afraid dolls would become a bigger influence on my finances initially, but when I look at the hobby budget as a whole, it's also the only actively-spending-on hobby I have, and for all other interests and hobbies I've already made the initial investment on tools or parts needed to enjoy them, so I don't need to constantly keep putting money into them any more (aside from buying a PS game like twice a year or a bit of craft materials). I sort of hope this also happens to dolls - that I'll have a collection I'll enjoy without needing to add lots of stuff to it - but we all know this is not really how things go mostly

All in all, yes, hobbies obviously influence my finances, it's something they've always done since I've had disposable income. BJDs are my hobby d'jour, so right now I spend on them more... but maybe in some years I'll spend on another interest instead. And yeah, surely I could just save that money for something else or put more aside, but I don't want to have to wait until retirement to enjoy what brings me joy either ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ I do agree it can be an expensive hobby but I've constantly surprised myself by how budget friendly it can be as well these days.

 

I answered "I scrimp and save" and "I settle for dolls I don't love"
So- I started the hobby 15 years ago and my economic status has been on a steady decline overall. Most of my money was spent into this hobby earlier on when cost of living was more comfortable for me. Two people working and splitting rent, still making a tidy few hundred a month on Etsy, etc etc. I never had much of anything else I spent money on for leisure. (Unfortunately I had some preexisting issues which lead me to severely neglect myself in ways that inevitably saved money too) But I could afford rent and groceries when I wanted to eat and to buy a new piece of clothing for myself from time to time, so things felt good. Many of those early doll investments were recycled for years to come, sales of dolls funding new purchases. The second hand market tanking like it did and my life becoming more desperate mostly ruined that too.

Anyway, at this point I could not afford to enter the hobby like I did in 2010, (partly using credit cards too, we'll bear that in mind) and I think I just wouldn't because I feel less security for the future now. This past year I worked full time supporting myself and partner until I burned out and bought only a couple wigs and eyes, occasional bargain fabrics and then at the end of my employment after talking with my partner about it I bought one doll and a couple wigs from a small amount of my remaining savings. I felt interested in working on her (but if money was not an issue I wouldn't have chosen her specifically) and this was my little reward for that gruelling year. While I was working everything I was earning went to us and if there was any thought to spend on myself it was discussed and we would look at the upcoming bills written on the refrigerator etc.

So sometimes early in the hobby I financed with credit cards. I did layaway once or twice but that was just to delay gratification actually. After the age of 25 or so I never bought a doll unless the money was really there for it. I try not to bargain much with my future self. I like to buy dolls I am spontaneously interested in and I don't mind that I settled a lot for what I could afford because I love the project aspects, choosing budget doll finds helped me to see some interesting variety and I bond with the dolls I have through activities.

I'm extremely grateful for what I have and I don't know if I'll always have it. Actually think it's kind of a miracle i am lucky enough to still have these dolls I carefully collected to bring me comfort and joy! I too, often wonder how people afford this hobby, of course I wonder about a lot of "how do people do x" because the fact of the matter is just that I'm very low income and I don't see how that is likely to change in my life. We get used to our own experiences.

 

I also, spent most of my life skimping on expenses while trying to establish a little bit of financial stability. Now I'm at a temporary opportunity in life where most of my income isn't towards necessities and I am able to feel comfortable buying my first bjd's. I built up a small savings specifically for doll expenditure that can cover the cost of bjds I liked but I do still tend to choose layaway payments, mostly as the thought of spending all the money at once gives me anxiety. But I've never bought a doll I didn't have the full cost already in hand (figuratively).

 

I plan my purchase wisely and only buy one at a time. If im not playing with the dolls that I curetly have I don't buy anymore. I try to not buy on impulse for anything, it's dangerous .

 

I don’t buy a lot of other things. I don’t have a car, so no car/insurance payments. I forgo fancy clothes and repair things as well as I can, when I can. I’m lucky that dolls my “style” are fairly uncommon, and even then I’m very picky. If I don’t love it, it doesn’t get bought.
Also the style of dolls I prefer don’t really require clothes, wigs, shoes, maybe accessories but you can usually salvage that from other things.

The end result is a highly curated collection of fairly expensive dolls but also dolls that I 100%, truly love and get all my attention.

 

I sell some when I want another one.

 

I have a well-paying job and I'm not afraid to sell items that no longer bring me joy. My biggest hurdle is that I just don't find many items that I like or that will fit my doll (or another doll I'd want), so it's really curbed how much I spend overall.

 

Knowing me, I'd struggle to sell something even after it had been years. I tend to get heavily invested with hobbies, so I'm trying to keep a safe distance otherwise I might be living on ramen and water if I didn't control my impulses. Given how my job is going and other financial responsibilities, 'I buy them on layaway because the payments are within my budget'. The smaller payments really help, and I'd much rather that option than to pay full price. However, I also have savings set aside, if in the future such a doll does come along that I'd be wanting to immediately pay in full for.

 

My sister tells me that I, like her, am a little rat, because we tend to save every penny that fall into our hands xD
We've always been very cautious when choosing to spend money mostly because we come from a home where the income was enough to feed and dress us but not for anything else. And, while we tend to spend our money on others to show love, it is a very rare occasion when we purchase something expensive for ourselves, so that's how I go about spending in this hobby.
Nowadays, I can only save painfully slowly when I feel like I'd like to purchase something due to how hard life is, but I would never choose a layaway for that same reason.

 

Honestly I'm in a weird position of both being very privileged with the resources I have vs what expenses I'm responsible for, and also knowingly being careless about my spending.

Without meaning to be too boohoo about it, I'm in a palliative care track for an illness and am extremely unlikely to be alive in 10 years time. That combined with a situation that took my finances from next to nothing for fun stuff, scrambling to manage medical expenses to "not bad" = pretty indiscriminate buying habits. If something seems like it'll give me a moment of dopamine or physical/mental help in some way, I'm just carelessly buying it. If I outlive my father, there is no one to inherit my resources, so I almost feel like... don't know, if I'm not in a consistent financial deficit, hardly matters. Carpe diem or whatever.

Which is not terribly responsible but that's where I'm at with it now. I've been interested in BJDs for 20 years and could never afford/justify one that whole time, so might as well go for it while I can.

 

I'm quite lucky with that - my fiancee has a high paying job and good responsibility, while myself I'm not rich, but my job is stable and if everything goes well, I'll be making good money too. We don't have problems that would financially drain us, so yeah, I can allow myself to borrow money from my savings without afftecting them much. If I asked, I'd probably be gifted a doll, but I wouldn't feel good with making my partner spend such amount.
Of course, probably it would be wiser to save up specifically for a thing and then buy it, but I'm not really a patient person and I have a reasonable barrier of how much I'll spend at once, so I just take what I need from saving account and then repay it to myself.

 

I sacrifice other leisures and hobbies but it's a comfortable situation. I save up and only buy one doll at a time, sticking to full payments or short layaways (2-3 installments).

 

I used to be quite impulsive and buy heads on a whim as soon as I had money to do so or do longer layaways for full dolls. It was a bad habit and most if not all of those heads/dolls are sold now.
I set up more goals for myself and my collection and started being more mindful of what I actually want. Also started counting how much each doll would cost to "complete". That was a real lightbulb moment. Now Im alot more comfortable working slowly with my collection and only buy things I like when I have saved up enough so it wont affect my other hobbies or day to day life

 

I bought my first doll when I was a student at university many, many years ago (how time flies ). At that time money was very tight and while I was living on toast, cheese and cola (almost like ramen and water ) I could only spent very little on dolls and had to carefully select what I wanted to buy. But with saving and the help of my family (christmas and birthday money, yeah!) I was still able to collect more than five dolls during those years. I know I was very lucky to have so much dolls as a student -maybe an exception - and I am still very thankful for the support of my family.

Now I am in the fortunate situation of having a well paid job and when I see some nice things for dolls that I really like, I am able to buy them without thinking too much about the money. I also became very picky about dolls over the years, so overall I don‘t spend too much on this hobby.

Somehow layaway for a hobby makes me uncomfortable, so this is not an option for me. So even if I don’t have spare money right away, I would rely more on saving in advance.

 

I buy on paypal credit, but only if I currently have the amount to pay it off, just in case. This allows me to pay it off at my own pace, which could be a small amount here or there, or a larger payment, or immediately. I'm also lucky that most of the dolls I buy are lower in price, so it's a lot easier to pay off.

I also have found that I'm not overly interested in most sculpts these days. I'm really picky about the size of the doll, the head size, the body measurements, etc, etc, which means currently most of the purchases I make in this hobby are on accessories for the dolls I already have.

Luts sideswiped me this year, though, I'm ngl, so I'd really like to get my spending under tighter reigns. It's not hurting me atm, but financial situations can always change, so I wanna get to a point where I stick to my guns.