Buying dolls on credit?

I don't use credit cards. However, I do put dolls on layaway. Technically, the doll isn't mine yet. It does bother me that it's not paid off right away, but this process allows me to get more than one doll at a time that may soon no longer be available.

 

I really wouldn't advise using credit card since the interest rates on those can get up to about 24% if you're late which is bleeding ridiculous and you can't always take into account when you might lose a job or laid off/fired from it due to economic downturn and the like. A lot of companies are 'downsizing' and hiring out jobs on contract which makes holding onto a job a lot harder than let's say 20 years ago. Not to mention that some credit card companies go out of their way to make sure that you 'forget' to pay your bill and charge a $35 late fee. I personally would rather save up and purchase in full with saved up money than to 'borrow' money that has interest tacked onto it. CC's alright if you can strictly keep amazing track record of your scheduling + know when the CC company is going to ask for money and if you have a very stable job that doesn't have the issue of contracts ending or a company downsizing.

 

I can see why saving up is more rewarding, as you have all that time to think about what you're buying and all that, but some dolls are just too expensive to wait for >_<

 

I think saving and waiting is the way to go.

I see BJD's almost as prized musical instruments. You cherish them more because you only have a few. Because you only have a few, you end up playing with them more often.

If you start buying them with CC, eventually the focus could evolve into an obsession of the thrill of anticipation for the new purchase -- and not the actual doll. And you end up with a lot of them....like a closet full of shoes that you never wear, but you feel you must keep them all.

 

Well, both of my dolls have been paid with CC, because that's the only way I can do online shopping. My PayPal is CC connected and I like it since it gives security in online shopping. Mind you though, I've got the money for my dolls and I pay my card off immediately so no interest rates. Besides, the way the legislation is going in this coutry, every plastic card is bound to be a Debit and/or Credit card in a few years. If however a person has trouble managing his/her finances using CC is unadvisable but for me it is quite convenient and has no relation whatsoever to my 'bonding' with my dolls.

 

I have saved up/spent windfalls to get my two current dolls but I'm thinking of getting my first credit card soon and I'll probably use it to buy my next doll with. I'm wary of credit but I'd like one to build up a credit history for myself and I would make sure I had the money to pay off the bills as soon as they came in. Mostly though, I like the buyer protection a CC gives.

I know we don't know what's around the corner but I would never buy dolls if I thought I wasn't totally financially secure to do so, so I wouldn't feel worried about not completely owning my doll. And like others have said, whether you save up specifically for a doll or just decide to blow a lump sum you've still worked to earn it.

 

If paying for a doll with credit card is the only way to afford it, then that might be OK. It is just that credit card companies charge crazy interest payments on remaining balances, and I'm wondering if there wouldn't be a more cost effective way to afford that doll. I mean, just think of all those interest payments you are making on the remaining balance that you could be using to get some nice accessories, wigs, eyes, outfits, etc. for your BJD! And it is so easy to slide down that slippery slope into debt.

Personally, I like using my credit card BUT I pay off the balance every month. I use my credit card for everything so I can get airline mileage points. That being said, I never have cash on me. If I want a bottle of diet coke, I'm gonna have to bust out that credit card.

I got my PukiPuki from DDE on layaway. Sure, it took a while to bring her home, but it didn't put me out of pocket too badly.

 

I charge mine, primarily because I feel nervous about using PayPal for international transactions, particularly when there's a giant language barrier. I never really thought about the difference between the two dolls I paid cash for and the three that I charged. I work hard to pay my credit card bills, so I earn them no matter how I pay for them.

Hell, by the time my GloryDoll gets here, ALL my credit cards will probably be paid off. :-\

 

I may use my credit card to buy my dolls, but I only do so because it's the only way I can make online purchases. I always make sure I have the cash to back it up though. I never leave balances on my card when it's due no matter what I buy. Those interest rates are killer!

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with using a credit card to buy a doll, and I honestly think it's kind of odd to even ask that. In the end, what matters is whether or not you have the money for the doll. If you will have the money by the time your bill comes up, that's what counts. When I get ready to buy my next doll I will either use my debit card or my credit card but I won't use *either* until I have the money for him all tucked away in the bank.

EDIT: Now if you're somewhere like a convention and the doll you want is physically *right there* and can be yours in a matter of minutes, then I'd use cash and get it over with, lol.

 

I take it that layaway is similar to buying dolls on credit? >.<

Because I layaway alot... and usually so much so that I have so many dolls to pay for over a period of time. I think it's really bad and it's like an addiction... Because you do not feel as though you are parting with a huge amount all at once, you tend to buy abit more here and there which also amounts to the same thing. Being in debt is never a good thing though.. you'll just keep falling deeper.

 

I don't think layaways can be compared to a credit card at all. Firstly, there is no interest on a layaway purchase, you are simply spreading the payments for an item over a longer period. This is a good thing, as it helps a lot with budgeting. If you don't miss the money you are paying on your layaways each month, then you can obviously afford it. You're not spending money you don't yet have. Also you don't actually GET the item until you finish paying, so essentially its not considered a 'debt'. Lastly, if worst case scenario happens and you're broke, you don't *have* to continue paying it. Yes, you could lose previous payments if you cancel, but that is all you lose - no mark on your credit rating, no interest to pay, no bank on your back, no desperately trying to sell the doll at a loss because you are behind on your CC payments.

I think getting into the habit of putting dolls on credit could be very, very dangereous for the young and inexperienced. These dolls are beautiful and do retain value (however, that might only be short term...) but to me, they are not worth getting into debt over.

 

I am with Cauldroness, I save money just for the sake of saving money. I actually don't have a "real" credit card. I use my debit/mastercard/visa card provided to me by my bank so I can spend only what I have inside of my bank accounts. It instantly draws the money from my checking/savings accounts so I don't need to worry about interest. I also can't overdraw from my accounts so I don't need to worry about those types of fees. I guess I am with the "saving up" people since any money i spend is money I have now ^^ .

 

I save up money, but I really want a credit card. But, I know that if I get one now, I'll get myself into debt because I don't have a steady income.

But, even in the future when I have a job and a credit card, I'd like to maintain the habit of saving up. It feels rewarding to save up for something you love.

 

I have a credit card, I just paid it off from all the silly buys I did when I first got it like 3 years ago (I havent used it in like 2 years >_>. This year I use it regularily - but only if I have the cash to put down that same day to pay it off - this counts for dolls and anything else. I don't get charged interest if the payment is within 12 days of the charge and I also get airmiles. Spending what you don't actually have is very dangerous indeed. It's very easy to say "I'll pay it next paycheque" and then keep pushing it back. It's important to build credit but do it realistically. If you were paying by cash or debit - would you still be doing the transaction? No? Then you probably shouldn't be doing credit card. That being said, some people have more self control and training than others and can use theirs on a regular basis safely.

 

I buy dolls using credit cards because I buy them through the internet. Credit Cards have coverage such as chargeback in case anything happen. You can never be too careful because I've read threads of companies who never deliver the dolls after paying. However, I am against layways or paying minimum every month to the credit card companies. That just accumulates debt. I always have to have the money on "hand", so to speak.

 

I have a points system on my credit card that earns me gift cards for items I buy often. I buy everything on credit, but rarely anything that I can't pay off by the next paycheck. I don't think its a matter of whether or not I have the right to the item, but more I don't want to get gouged by the credit company.

 

I kind of agree that, at least when it comes to not having paid it off, buying with a credit card is similar to layaway. It's just a way to ensure that you're getting the doll you want (especially if it's limited) and paying it off in smaller chunks. I have a steady job, but I got into such a deep credit debt hole because my husband didn't have a job for a while and I was supporting both of us, that I am no longer able to use my credit cards. I enrolled in a credit counseling program which means that if I use my cards it cancels our contract. Sometimes I wish I had the ability to charge some things just to have the luxury of paying it off in smaller amounts over time, but I guess it's better this way. So, I am in the same boat as many others that are saving. Just makes me sad when I see opportunities for dolls pass by because I just can't afford to even do the layaway option for them Oh well, it'll make it so much more worth it when I can afford my first doll.

 

Having previously lived off credit cards and overdrafts and was always juggling my finances every month, I finally reached a crunch point and decided to change. I paid off all my debts, cut up all the credit cards and decided to only buy what I have the cash available for. When I want a doll I save for it. I enjoy watching the cash mount up and knowing I will soon be able to get the doll I want. For me that is the only way now and I would never go back to living on credit.

I think it has made me appreciate the things I have so much more than I used to

 

It's bad of me I know, but I find it easier to use the CC or overdraft and then pay it off because I have to, rather than try to put money aside but never save up enough because I'm forever dipping into it.