Convincing yourself to press the order button

I like to buy on layaway if I can, but mostly because most of the time that's the only way I can afford a doll. I have good, steady employment, but I rarely have a big chunk of money ready to go, so...

But if I have the funds free I'd rather just do it all at once! It's stressful hitting that "pay now" button, but I just do it quickly and then take a big breath afterwards. Like "it's done now! No take-backs!" I have done several long layaways before, though, and I've never had any problems completing them. I just calculate out how much I need to set aside from each paycheck and make it part of my bills.

I guess if you DO end up regretting your purchase, you'll have the doll in your possession to sell off that much faster if you pay it all in one go.

 

I have a different way I look at things when I am looking at dolls that I want to purchase. I guess it's easier for me because I buy dolls to shell my characters first and foremost.

I have a list of dolls that I need in order from rarest to basic easily accessible. So I always have the money set aside to buy the ones that I know are harder to come by. Example is: I recently bought 2 heads that I wanted for 5+ years and I spent several hundred on! For me it was worth it and it was just a single payment. However, sometimes I find a new body or head that perfectly fits my existing doll. I found a thousand dollar body that I needed for my main and favorite character so I sucked it up and paid for her on layaway! I only set limits on dolls when it's not a main character that doesn't need it. A thousand dollars for a character that I'm absolutely in love with and invested years in is worth it to me, but a thousand dollars on a side character with no plot that I rarely think about isn't.

If there is a doll that I fall in love with though (that I don't have a character for) I sit on it for a week(s), if it's still available I'll probably buy it after debating. This actually happened recently to me! When the Souldoll Junia with the 4 arms came out I fell in love but I didn't have a character for her, so this past week I was debating it and making a character. But then Dollshe released that Manga line and the body is perfect for a floating head I have that already has a character. So I'm choosing the Dollshe over the Souldoll, but I'm still waiting a week to think seriously about it.

For me in this hobby the way I think about all dolls is "if i'm meant to have it, I will get it." So, if I'm thinking about a big purchase and it sells out then that's okay because it wasn't meant for me to have it at that moment and I'll find something better in the future!! Lastly, I actually have a credit card just for doll purchases that I'm constantly paying off to just build my credit. So I'll use that to pay for layaways and then I have 10% of my paychecks going for doll shenanigans.

 

I prefer to pay all up front. If that's MY doll, money will just appear for that.

 

I spent nearly an hour staring at the order now button for my large layaway for the new Fairyland mermaid doll. I decided to go with the full set instead of just the basic because it will give me more options for photography and such. It was honestly the hardest choice I ever made, and did come with a lot of guilt. In the end it was my mum who helped me make the choice by pointing out that I had the money spare each month to pay her off (and sometimes pay a little extra).

I think in the end there will always be slight guilt when it comes to such large orders, but if you fall in love with a doll and have that money then go for it. There is nothing worse then doll regret (I have it so bad with a Soul Doll I didn't order because of the price tag ).
As for the wait, I'm using that time to help save up to pay the custom fees for when she finally arrives. And I'm keeping myself busy by making a custom enclosed shelf for her and the other characters in this story to be displayed in.

At the end of the day it's such a hard choice to make, and the fear that something we love even more will be released is always there.

 

I buy only a very few dolls, and convince myself by waiting. I fell in love with the Imda 1.7 Anne over a year ago. After a few months I started watching the secondary market. By the time she finally came up for order the only decisions to be made were skin colour and face up. And I absolve myself from guilt by ensuring I donate at least the same amount to charity - I have always found it hard to buy myself stuff that is purely self indulgent!

 

I prefer to buy outright, but if I want something limited at short notice, I'll do layaway.

 

If it's an affordable head, then outright. If it's a more considered price-tag, then layaway.

I'm not earning all that much, but enough to keep myself afloat and treat myself to a couple of dolls over a few months. If I had the money, I probably would buy that dream doll in one fell swoop. Once all other payments have been made and necessities bought. But, if I can make things easier on my bank account, then I will do. I like having that commitment of a layaway because the money saved is always available to go to something else.

I try not to look too much at sites, to limit the 'wanting'. I'm trying, at the minute, to focus on two existing characters from an already existent story of mine. I've become so attached to these two and would love to have them as dolls. I have him, I'm just waiting on her. There are other stories and other characters, but it'd get too expensive and too crowded. So, just the two. For now. If I'm still 'in the hobby' a few years down the line, then I might have a couple more of my characters in doll form.

 

I prefer paying in full. I'm worried if I do layaway, I won't have the cash for one of the installments. I only purchase dolls if I already have money set aside.

 

I prefer paying up front! I'd rather start saving money after I bought a doll...for a new future member using Layaway. And if I can't then I can't buy it. Sadly enough.

For justifying a big purchase...I had my mum pointing out to me, that if it makes me happy I should go for it (as long as I can pay my bills). I think it is kind of a YOLO thought :3 I don't drink, I don't smoke, I am not overly fond of shopping. To put it simple I have no other places where I spent a lot of money (Cosplay might be the only one...but even there I don't overdo it) So I feel at liberty to spend my money on dolls

 

When I first joined this hobby, I was in grade eleven and I had to do layaways because my pay checks were about $350 Canadian, which does not buy SDs. Now I prefer to do little 'self layaways' and buy out of my savings and pay myself back for it, or buy it outright using funds from my doll fund. That's largely because I'm impatient though, and I want them to start making my dolls aaap. I'm about to throw a lot of money at doll chateau (like, a doll and a body. My cart is like 1350, plus a head from dollzone and a dress for free shipping...) but it's coming out of my Dollie funds, so it's totally justifiable.

 

I've never done a layaway longer than 3 months. I've used layaway when I know wait time is four months anyway, like ordering through Denver doll. my largest doll purchase was my Volks fcs. I flew to Los Angeles to order and I paid up front. I suppose I've never had to consider a scenario of paying on a doll for nearly a year.

 

I prefer to pay for everything at once when I make the purchase. Doing that makes it a lot more simple for me. I would only put a doll on layaway for three payments or less.

 

I think I have the opposite problem . Although I do only go for it if I'm sure it's a doll I -love- and will keep forever (or a long time, at least).

 

i prefer to pay all at once, because i would rather not wait 4-5 months to pay off a doll if she'll be ready in 3 months. however, i do think layaways are good for when you know you'll have a very long wait. in june i ordered a minifee through denver doll, who lists the wait time as 12-18 weeks. in that case, yes i absolutely did a layaway, because i know i'd be waiting for him for quite a while—might as well spread out the payments!

 

If it is not a limited doll, I save up until I can afford it. However if it is limited and only available during a short time period I order on layaway so I do not miss out on it. That being said I only do that if I really want that doll

 

I have only paid in full for all my purchases up till now, but if I come across a limited doll that I really want and don't have enough money then I would go for a layaway.

 

I prefer to pay up front I think of it as if I don't have the money it is not meant to be. Things happen and i don't like the idea of what things would come to if I'm not able to meet the layaway deadlines

 

I prefer to pay up front and be done with it. For me an expensive purchase is 300+. This is because my income is solely based on orders, I can't predict how much I will make each month. I've been self employed for seven years and this still drives me crazy! I chose layaway so each month the payment is low, but I won't buy a doll at all if I don't have enough in savings in case I can't make a payment. Buying a doll is a real financial commitment for me so I am super careful and really try to avoid limited releases. Still I have quite a big collection, so I'm not deprived in any way.