Do you keep the cost of your BJD's from your non BJD friends?

The only person outside of my hobby who knows how much I spend on my dolls is my partner, and I feel he has a right to know since we're going to be living together and it feels wrong to waffle over telling him about major purchases I might be making. He gets cross when I call them ' ____ dollar hunks of vinyl,' though-- he says that people in different hobbies spend similar amounts of money on the things they're enthusiastic about, and that this is no different.

 

I hide the cost. Because people around me do not understand my hobby. I just share with my friends who have the same hobby. That will make thing easier. Share somethings about bjd with people who just ask because they are curious is not necessary.

 

I don't go blurting the price of any of them from the rooftop by any means, but I don't hide the price, either. If someone's curious enough to ask, I'll generally give them a ballpark rather than specific prices (and not just because I don't always remember specific prices), basically "The cheapest ones in here were $100, the most expensive was $829, and that's unpainted with no wig, eyes or clothes for either of them."

Most of my friends have some awareness that I have some sort of dolls; some know more specifically what they are or have seen them and tend to have a better idea of the pricing. One friend came by for the first time since I got them back on display, looked at them, and asked, "Wait, where are your American Girl dolls? I thought that's what you collected, these are different!" (I told her I wished I collected American Girl dolls, they're a steal compared to what I actually have.)

He's right, you know. I often explain it similarly, but my go-to phrase is "Everyone has an expensive hobby, even if they don't realize it."

 

To the OP, I can see that you posted this back in May, but I'm sorry you received judgement about your hobby from someone you trusted.

Not having purchased my first BJD, but having other dolls (mainly American Girl) that are $100+, yeah I do keep the cost secret, because people can do the math and say, "Wow why would you spend $1000+ on toys?"

I've learned the hard way to be choosy about who I share my hobby with.

 

Haha no one knows my secret hobby. But my friend would probably think I'm rich till I don't know where I should be spending on. But I'm not rich. It was solely based on attraction and impulse.

 

Hey everyone! I came across this thread and I find it interesting because this is something I've been debating with. I am just about to purchase my first BJD. I am what I can people could call a struggling artist at this point in my life where I'm still learning crafts and not making a lot of money. I never really intended to buy a BJD untill my dream BJD became available to pre-order and for some reason I had been so good with money that I had enough for her. BUT I am going to dig deep deep - to the point of extinction - on my savings. However, it's been 10 years since I discovered BJD's and that I have been wanting one so it's like the planets aligned for me.
I do feel like a lot of people would judge and ask why am I not keeping more savings and why don't I invest on something else. For the time being I haven't told anyone - boyfriend or family - about the actual cost of the doll I'm planning on buying, but it's because I'm embarrassed myself really, and having constant second thoughts in the process of oficiallizing my purchase. However, I don't have vices, I don't smoke or drink, I buy cheap clothes, I am very cheap usually with my spendings, and I have helped out people before using my savings, so I think I deserve this massive splurge on myself. Granted, I did not chose a cheaper end doll to start with, so I'm not even sure when the second one may come, if it even does. I just know I wanted a BJD and it had to be perfect so I might as well grab her when I can.

(See I just overanalyzed my situation to not feel bad about getting her hahaha)

Regardless, I have been collecting fashion dolls - not BJD though but plastic, actual toy, ones - and I guess collecting in general is pricey. If I tell someone how much I have worth of plastic fashion dolls they will for sure be shocked but ultimately it's none of their business. A lot of people get into debts for all sorts of purchases - I've heard of people going in debt for dolls too - but while that's not the case I don't think people should be ashamed. I am because I never spend a lot of money in one go and just don't want to be judged. But it's still not fair of people to do it anyway. I still fall in love with the dolls I have every time I look at them. I would imagine with BJD's this is even a more intense feeling =)

 

@ultrapandachan yes, it really is the fear of needing the money in the future. But at the same time since the doll I ordered takes a long time getting to me, hopefully by then I will have made some of the money back.
I am ordering a Tender Creation Ivy doll =) I am beyond thrilled and beyond nervous!

 

I am really really new to the forum so I didn't know you could have a BJD journal =P I have some ideas for her. I will be making her outfits only, since she will come with a wig and facepaint by Tender Creation artist herself. I can't wait!! I still have to officialize my order but paypal is being dumb T_T So how about these journals? =P

 

@ultrapandachan thank you for the message, I will check it out! What do you mean only the 5 dolls? I don't understand what you were talking about =p

 

I never tell the value or cost of my dolls, just like I don't tell what I paid for anything else I own. I consider it pretty tacky to tell what I pay for things, unless someone asks. I'd need to know why they're asking though.
The only friend who knows what I spend on dolls is my best friend Cory, but she also has a BJD.

 

Ah @ultrapandachan I know what you mean. The first 5 dolls are complete sets and come as they were shown. They have shoes, clothes, wig, bodyblush, face and wig. However when you order a doll, you can chose to add any of this but the outfits, which are very limited in this case =)

 

All the time, I always say it cost $200, when it’s like a $600 doll. Haha :P

 

Sometimes I will point at my Resinsoul Feng and tell people he was about $200. Not my fault if they then think that the smaller dolls are cheaper. LOL!!!!

 

If anyone asks, I'll tell them. I'm not exactly a frugal person, so pretty much none of my friends have been absolutely shocked or anything about me spending hundreds of dollars on a doll. They're mostly curious about why the dolls cost so much, but they can tell BJDs are in a different ballpark than something like a Barbie haha.

I don't understand people who get upset by how others use their money. It's not like you not spending $700 on a doll would have made them $700 richer, you know? I always thought that was such a weird thing to be judgemental for. You don't have to be your friends' #1 cheerleader for their expensive hobby that you don't quite "get", but at least have the decency not to be a jerk about it.

 

I don't technically have my first BJD yet, but I've been collecting expensive-ish dolls for a while -- I remain vague about it unless the person asking seems genuinely curious about the hobby. It's less to do with shame and more to do with the fact that I've known some very judgmental people and I don't like to give such people an 'in' if I can help it. I think somebody else said in this thread that asking about money is crass, and I agree; again, unless the person is genuinely interested in dipping a toe in the hobby, I find it really strange that they'd look at something their friend/acquaintance was obviously passionate about and the first thing that they'd be interested in would be: "yes, but how many monetary units exchanged hands?"