Budgeting for dolls: How much do you spend a year?

I wish i could budget my doll spending but it will never happen lol though i have for the first time made a plan (stuck to it so far ....sort of lol)
But since the first of Jan this year i would say i have spent ....roughly $1200 (that includes two MSD dolls, a head and a crap load of clothes lol)

 

Hm, I'm spending at least 70$ per month for doll-stuff, like clothes, fabric, shoes, accessoires, eyes and wigs. I already have one medium sized ikea box full of stuff and still have the feeling I need more.

Because I want my doll(s) to have both steampunk/ victorian and also cute and cool street style wardrobe.
Actually I own just one doll: a SD Boy, but I have lots of girlies in all kinds of sizes on my wishlist, and I think, like in real life, girls just want to have a lot more of cute and stylish clothes...
So yeah, currently I'm buying lots of clothes for my future girls (MSD & Yo-SD size).

For the savings: Sadly I wasn't really able to save money lately, because like I said, I buy doll clothes right now, and I don't wanna spend more than 70-100 $ per month for doll stuff, or to be precise on any other hobby as well.

But, I have to admit, when I bought my SD-Boy I payed the full price of him at once, and this was way more than my "limited amount". But I did have savings back then so yeah... don't spend money you don't have is my opinion.. it's still just a hobby and shouldn't ruin you financially...

I think it also depends on your budget in general. But I also think it's no shame to put money aside for several months to buy one doll, because if you still want it then you'll not regret it, or better said the probability you won't like the doll will be minimized.

So, summarized, I spend 840-1200$ a year into budgeting for dolls.

 

I think I know roughly how much did I spent last year-_-but I don't want to know too>___<
My budget is rather easy=_=
I usually saves a sum for myself .
Now I use the money on my boys instead of myself OTL to ensure i don't see extra money flowing out of my piggy bank XD

 

I do, and I dont.

On average (rounding out prices + shipping and such) in the two/three years? I've been in the hobby, Ive already spent nearer $4000 on the seven (soon to be 10 >>) dolls I have (will have). I got bored one day enough to figure it out. (Waahhh!)

However, living at home and working just this side of part time, with few other hobbies, it's been pretty easy to say, okay, I'll put so much of the next paycheck towards bills, some towards dolls (unless there's something else important) and what little is left for minial things during the two weeks between paychecks. Soo..I end up living on average about $150 or less for 2 weeks (Not great budgeting on my part!)

That's more so been the last two years though, as I decided to expand my collection beyond the minimal two I set for myself (oh the days of two dolls..). So it went from about, $700 a year the first year, to more then $3500 in the next two years. And now three more kids are on the way rounds it up to nearly four grand. (It doesnt seem that much when I look at them though! )

I blame it on the "creating" bug and an extensive imagination. There's somewhat of a exciting rush in putting them together rather then buying things for myself, and as for wigs/eyes/etc, its usually what ever creeps up on the marketplace GO section and whether its possible in the alloted time..

But, now that I'll soon have all the resin I need.. so it should just be clothes, accessories and savings!

 

I wish I could stick to a budget! I don't know how much I have spend so for this year and it's better I don't or
I will probably not sleep well at night.
I sold three dolls recently, that money was ment to last the whole year so that I could spread it.
But I used it up on new dolls already.. I will probably never learn as I am an impulsive buyer

 

I budget according to a formula: income - bills - fixed amount for savings - groceries and the like = fun money. This is ofcourse a very simplified representation and "fun money" is also meant for things like travelling to friends and birthday presents. I used to have a lot of "fun money", but right now my bills have increased and I save more money each month for two important events next year. This means a smaller amount is left for hobbies. I could save up enough "fun money" to afford a new doll at the end of the year, but considering the events I'm saving money for, it would feel odd to spend several hundred dollars on a hobby in one go.
So my budgeting for this year says: "No new dolls, but a wig or some clothes here or there is okay."

 

Honestly, I try to not think in the whole amount I´ve spent during all the year, because my inner McPato can get rides of myself and I could get a heart attack . Of course I always have an aproximated idea of the total of money from all the purchases I´ve made, but I just don´t use to look for the *exact* amount. I use to buy anytime if it´s on my possibilities at the moment when I see something I like and I want to have.

 

i tend to go over the board when i buy doll clothing. Right now im trying to budget my money and cut down few items that im not going to get.

 

Oh, I don't even want to know how much I've spent altogether.

I've been wanting BJDs for near forever (okay, maybe more like 10 years) and now that I've finally caved in and ordered my first one 4 months ago - it's been a veritable tsunami of spending ever since! I already have 2 SDs, 1 MSD and 1 YoSD. Plus there's all their clothes/wigs/eyes which I ordered while in anticipation of them, soon followed by the additional clothes/wigs/eyes I had to get once I found out the company website suggestions for wig and eye size were erroneous. Then a couple of them changed character/clothing style on me. Oh, and then there's the minifee on the way...

Thankfully, I've always lived on the frugal side so this uncharacteristic explosion didn't utterly decimate my savings as it could have. Other than some basics for my incoming minifee, I think that'll be it for the year. I hope that'll be it for the year. (That BETTER be it for the year!)

 

I *should* budget, but I don't...

-I'd rather not know (bad, bad for the bank account)
-I love doing spreadsheets but I overexert myself and end up abandoning the project

I'm not planning for any new dolls anytime soon, nor clothes nor wigs. I've got two dolls right now and esthetic supplies a-plenty, and another doll on layaway, plus lots of outfits. So I have everything I need/want, in theory. I'm hoping to build up some funds for accessories, (possibly) a new camera, and props for photoshoots in the upcoming year. And non-related expenses of course. But who knows what those doll companies will throw at us next year. XD

 

I don't "officially" budget, but I have this wonderful guilt trigger inside of me that goes off whenever I spend more than $150 in one go! *laughs*

For the dolls themselves, which are most obviously higher than my "guilt trigger" allows, I have two rules of internal justification. One, I have to really and truly love the doll, usually proven over a series of a few months. That way, if I keep coming back to the same face, I know I'm not just stopping by and saying, "Oh, that's a nice mold" but really insisting that "This is the mold I want!". Secondly, I have to save for them myself, even if I have the money already. I just bought a Junior Delf from LUTS (quite an expensive purchase!), but I refused to buy him until I had earned at least 75% of his worth from working babysitting/tutoring jobs, despite that I already had sufficient funds to pay for him in my account.

Other than that, my characters don't rack up crazy expenses in accessories. Usually they have one set of eyes, one wig, and (at the moment), one pair of shoes (though I know that each of them will NEVER have more than 3 pairs at any given time). Considering I buy dolls to represent characters I already have, I know that the look I'm giving them the first time is the one that will stick.

Other than props that I have no idea how I would construct myself, I really don't buy much. All of my doll clothes I sew myself, which makes use of my cosplay scrap and saves me a ton of money in the end!

 

Oh dear xD I don't really have a budget. More of a list of things I want to get for them then cross of the things they really wouldn't use. Other than that, I have no budget xD But I know I need to save for other things > <;;
But I do only focus on one doll at a time, unless I'm buying them presents, then it's all three xD

 

I need to budget, because of other priorities..a limit of 2 dolls a year..but from time to time, i spend on clothes, shoes, wigs..but I still budget my money on this items....

 

I terms of clothing I think I spend less, as I seem to have aquired everything I needed for them over time. I think whe/if it comes to dolls I spend more because my dolls cost more and are bigger than they were when I started.

 

I don't budget as well as I should, but I also don't spend the money on dolls unless I know for sure it won't cut into any of my expenses, or I have a fair amount saved up already.

I'm really trying to figure out what the best method would be to spending on just clothes and accessories, though. I'm not sure how spread out that stuff should be on my list.

 

I don't budget either. I usually fall in love with dolls/clothes... then I wait for 2 weeks + before ordering. If after 2 weeks (for clothes) or 1 month (for dolls), I still want them, I go for it. Safe to say, after going back and forth on my shopping cart, only a few of the initial want remain. So those are things I really want? That's how I negotiate with myself. Haha
On clothes and their shipping (excluding dolls), I've spent $984 this year. And they don't even seem so many! Mindblown. BJD clothes are too expensive.

 

I don't even want to think about how much I spent this year^^
I don't really budget, I just try to buy something only with sales or commissions money, and I manage it quite well. Most of the things I bought this year were all financed by my wigs and the few items I sold (eyes, wigs, clothes, one head...)
I really have a hard time spending a lot of money at one time, so working like this really helps not to feel guilty, so that my dolls don't stay naked xD

 

Im just starting out so my opinion may change but I don't have a budget. its more of a choice and obligation for me with a bunch of planning. Like moving money around. For example omg those shoes would look awesome for my doll! I check the stock (If the website shows it) I then ask myself if all bills are paid for, I then check too see if I need clothes food gas art supplies etc. Then I go cray with my left over money. But if its a limited doll like the two I just bought all reason goes out the window. big purchases are where I calculate and portion paychecks and put them aside specifically for that big project.

 

I've never had a specific budget for dolls... I just put aside regularly into a general "fun money" fund and use that for dolls, or game stuff, or camera equipment, or art supplies, or new garden plants, or fabrics, or books or whatever other hobby-thing I want.

 

Wow I wish I had your incomes to spend more on dolls!
I'm not working right now so I usually get like 200€ to spend in fun stuff (dolls, videogames, manga...) for the whole year, but I often spend more if I end up buying a doll XD
Fortunately I have some money from quilt sales and commisions and I get to save some more money.
So I don't really have a budget, issues can appear, and I always consider each purchase for a long time before buying, so I make sure I'm not wasting my limited resources.