Buying a doll when you know you shouldn't.

There any many times when I've bought a doll when I probably shouldn't have for many different reasons. It took a small collection of unopened doll boxes in a cupboard and an escalating credit card balance for me to realise that yes, I had become a doll hoarder I've only just come back to DoA after a 5 year absence...my love of dolls never waned but I needed time out re-align some priorities. Now my collection is pretty small but also probably more appreciated and loved.

I think everyone has a different experience but we've probably all had that buyer's remorse feeling before. As to whether there are times when you genuinely shouldn't buy dolls, well I could only ever answer that question for myself and it took me awhile to be able to answer myself honestly.

Wow....way to deep for me on a Saturday night (my time)!!!

 

The only time I feel it's "wrong" to buy a doll is when doing so means I can't pay my bills because of it. Obviously you have to be practical and pay the rent and that first if you want to have a roof over your head, utilities that remain on, and food. Credit card bills and other bills, they have to be paid and I won't not pay them just to get another doll. But if all that is paid and I have the extra money that month I buy sans guilt. I don't care what other people think, and that includes my friends, family, etc. My money, my decision and so long as I'm not beggaring myself doing it then there isn't a problem.

 

Almost every time I feel I shouldn't buy, but then I think I do not have other habits, like buying expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, dolls brings smile to my face, so I buy.

 

I pretty much instantly get buyers regret anytime I buy something expensive. I have to constantly be reassured by my husband that we can afford it and regret buying it no matter what it is or how much I want it for days afterward usually up until about that day I get it. Then I'm super happy. I'm just never sure if I want something how much it costs. If I went with my gut feeling every time I would never purchase anything and be a sad sack in an empty room with a lot of money that I had no intention spending on anything ever.

 

The only time I bought I doll when I shouldn't have (it wasn't a case of not being able to afford it or other reason though) is when I bought a doll because I was really upset and just "didn't care." If I hadn't been upset at the time - I probably wouldn't own that doll & would be happy to admire it from afar.

 

There was a point a little while ago where I could have scraped together enough money to buy a doll I was looking at, but it would have left me with no margin if some kind of urgent financial need had come up, so I decided I just wasn't comfortable cutting it that close, and didn't make the purchase.

A couple of days later I hit a deer while I was driving home. Insurance covered most of it, but I did have to pay my deductible.

I'm glad that I made the choice I did. There will be other opportunities to get the doll, and I was glad I didn't put myself in a situation where I couldn't afford my car repair. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the doll if having her meant I couldn't get my bills paid.

 

I was tempted a few times but l always listened to the sensible side in the end. I am glad that I did.

 

I'm content with my collection as it is currently. Not just that but I've officially gotten to only the REALLY bad of the spare wigs (the wigs I don't wish on other dolls) If I got another MSD they'd get the choice of the fur wig... Or the impossible to style nightmare that is what I've lovingly named *sarcasm* "Violet Death." So yeah... No. Not anytime soon though I know my mom's probably counting the days until I come to her wanting to get another doll. Which ain't happening anytime soon.

 

I used to all the time. Now I'm being very strict with myself, and thinking VERY hard about my collection and who I want in it. Especially since (at time of writing this) I don't have a full time job, want to own a house someday, and have student debt to pay off.

I'm much less inclined to buy a doll "because it is pretty", and more like, "does this really represent me and/or a character I have in mind?"

So now, (at time of writing this) I'm selling any dolls that were impulse purchases.

 

I have hospital bills I know I should concentrate on, but my floating head needs a body soooo bad and it's driving me nuts. This is what credit cards are for, right?! Must...resist...

 

I have chronic 'buy and regret' as far as my ball-jointed dolls go. It's the only thing I hate in this hobby. I always second-guessing my choices.

My first doll, a Littlefee Leah full-set, was bought on the bay. I had the choice between her and a full-set Littlefee Ante. I couldn't decide and let my partner decide for me. He chose Leah. I was over the moon when I received her. She's perfect and beautiful still but I still long for Ante. I could have saved myself some coins if I had gone for Ante from the start. It's hard to part with her in favor of Ante. I want to keep my collection as small as possible since I don't have a lot of income. I shouldn't have bought her and should have sticked with the two Pullip dolls I already had.

My second girl was bought straight from Fairyland and was a total impulse buy I still regret. I had my little girl which I loved but for some reason I wanted a big girl to take to meets and such. I didn't want to be the girl with a YOSD doll over there. The funny part is I never go to meets. I ordered a normal skin Feeple60 Moe Chloe because she looked like the happiest sculpt out there. Halfway I changed the sculpt to a Miyu because a Minifee Miyu had been a grail of sorts. She arrived and I was dissapointed and impressed at the same time. She is grand and beautiful and doesn't pose bad for an SD at all but her face-up which I paid for on both the sleeping and OE head was horrible. I also ordered all extra hands and when they arrived I realized I'd probably never use them. I shouldn't have bought her because that's a lot of impulsed money I could have used on a doll I really wanted...

Right now I also have several dolls in mind that I really want to buy while I currently have two girls that could use a wardrobe, eyes and wigs. I also said I'd never buy more than one doll. I'm not spending money that I don't have but I feel guilty spending it on ball-jointed dolls and their items. I shouldn't buy any more dolls but instead start saving up for a wheelchair and more pain medication. My partner however said that my dolls are all the pain medication I need. He's nice like that. I won't ever go into debt for a doll though. I'd rather save up for years and hope the doll is still available by then.

 

I am suffering buyers regret right now... Each time I've bought a doll, I am terrified that my parents will find out and kill me. I have my own money, and I still have a good amount of money even after I buy, but I don't know when my parents will ask me for $200 for whatever (orchestra, school, whatever they don't want to pay) or gas or money for family dinner or what have you. I work 20 hours a week (which I think is pretty good for a highschooler with a full day), but I know they think my dolls are stupid as heck and they believe me to be all the more immature. My mom almost killed me when she saw Aya, and nobody knows about my Edwin on the way. If my dad ever knew I have no idea what would go down. Nightmares about dolls being taken away, any one?

So maybe less buyers regret and more buyer's fear. I don't regret anything about my current girl Aya- maybe except not getting her a boyfriend sooner!I think heaven and hell would have to join forces to keep me from getting' my dollies! Ha!

 

I'm on the "sensible" list. I never buy a doll unless I know I'm in a financial position to manage it, and have almost never had "buyer's remorse" about a doll. This is the case for any of my expenditures. I don't make them unless I know I can afford them without damaging my household finances. I'm trying to teach my child responsibility, and how to enjoy this hobby responsibly.

The one and only time I've really had buyer's remorse was over Iplehouse Kamau. I was on the fence about him, and had ultimately decided I didn't want him when I was cajoled into purchasing him by my husband. I never bonded with him, didn't like him at all, wanted to sell him, and finally relented and let my husband adopt him. I've since determined (having seen plenty of pictures of Kamau in plenty of resins and styles) that I really dislike his face, and that was the problem from the beginning. So, as long as I am financially secure and stable, I do not let anyone else push me to get a doll that I have reservations over.

As for my son and when he will eventually have a job, I hope that he will make good choices with his money, but I know he will stumble. It's part of the learning process that is growing up. If he's still making reckless financial decisions as an adult, then I'll be worried. But if he's at this point at 13 years old putting 25-50% of his allowance into savings or his piggy bank or someplace to be saved up, and half into his "fun money" or wallet, then that's something. I can't speak for other parents, but mostly I want to see that my teenager understands that money doesn't just magically happen and that to spend in one area means doing without in another.

 

Everytime I get a doll I think over and over and over about the pros and cons. I avoid at all cost to make rushed and impulsive purchases.

On the other side, I have promised several times not to buy anymore dolls, but I couldn't keep my promises, lol!, even had to hide some of last ones from my family for a while after they arrived and then they just magically appeared on my shelf and no one asked anything about them. Well, at this point and after all these years, my family knows dolls are part of my life, so they can't take them away for me, they even love them now! So, I don't regret getting any of them

(Oh!, I just remember I still have a hidden floating head, oops! x3

 

Yes, though it was because of the amount of money needed rather because of financial worries. I run a pretty tight ship due to uneven earnings and no job security.
It turned out very well and I am happy with the doll and the impact it made in my life.
At the end of the day, something I learnt to my cost, it is better to make well-weighted expensive financial so-called mistake than cutting happiness out of one's life. The latter always comes back with a vengeance and its results can last years and cost more to one's purse and well-being.

 

Let's be realistic here, how can any of us justify spending $1500 on dolls when there are people starving in the world?
But we do.
Do I have buyers remorse?
No.
Will I do it again?
Repeatedly!

 

Buying anything thats not really "needed" is hard for me to buy. I'm kind of afraid to start any hobby do the the fact of "do I really want to? will I enjoy it for a LONG time and not just 'Yay I got... now i don't really care after I got it' kind of situation?" It happened a lot with me to a point I'm not sure I should do anything. But It makes me happy... thats all we really need right? What we all really want, happiness. But will it stay for a long time or only a short moment?

 

Shh~

I have a holiday in late June to save up for...and I really want to order a new doll.

The craving is so strong.

 

I've been mostly sensible about my doll purchases, but I do regret that I am quite an impulsive buyer. There may be one or two now that I did not need to necessarily splurge for, but the fear of the doll being discontinued or the obsession with looking at one's pictures had taken a hold on me. Also, I don't have much space to display my dolls, but that is going to change when I finally move next month. Phew!