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Dolly Math

Nov 15, 2009

    1. Attention: If this thread is deemed innapropriate or not suitable, please, by all means have it removed/locked. I am doing this out of curiosity, so if I offend the forums, I deeply apologize.

      This thread is only for those who are comfortable discussing financial things. If you are uncomfortable stating how much money you spend, do not post. I do not want any one to feel obligated to do this, nor do I want anyone to get in trouble over it.

      _________________


      I am just curious about how many of you wish to play a game.

      How much money have you spent on BJDs all together? (estimate to where you are comfortable or simply do not answer this question at all)

      Did you realize until now how much, in total, you have spent on this hobby?

      I'm talking about dolls, faceups, clothes, shipping, wigs, maitenance, protection (stuff like MSC), materials to do faceups or make other things. Shipping for all the things you've bought on DoA, shipping for sending your heads out. EVERYTHING.

      I AM NOT asking you to state the exact number of your spendings. I am more asking you to realize the full expense of your hobby. If you want to state your total amount, feel free to do so at your own will. I repeat that I am not asking anyone to state the total costs of their spendings. I would not wish to force anyone into a situation where they had to state their financial situations.

      The reason I am asking this question is because I just did my own personal add up just the other day. It easily over $2000. (I shall edit that out if needed). This shocked me. I am only 15 years of age, so that is quite a large sum of money. Don't get me wrong, I knew this hobby was expensive when I first got into it. But for some reason when you add it all up, it just seems like more of a big deal. I would never have even thought of it until my cousin opened my eyes.

      I started to think about all the other things I could have bought or done with my money. I started to regret my purchases. Then I realized that these dolls make me more happy then any other material possession could. That I didn't waste a penny. And all of the sudden, I began to appreciate them six hundred times more than I had before.

      So I just wanted to know how other people viewed the hobby after seeing how much money they'd spent. Does it feel wasted? Or do you regret nothing? Or are your feelings somewhere in between?
       
    2. I stopped counting at $5k. I religiously tracked every dollar for the first few months, hit five thousand dollsars, decided I didn't want to know, and stopped. I have expensive taste, I have expensive hobbies, but I can afford it, and as you said - I enjoy it, so I don't worry about it.
       
    3. I added it up once... never again :sweat

      How much money have you spent on BJDs all together?

      On the dolls themselves, without accesories etc... over $1000 but I have not spent that much in reality becuase some I've resold have gone much higher than expected, thankfully!

      Did you realize until now how much, in total, you have spent on this hobby?

      When I last added up I did a spreadsheet including wigs, clothing, eyes: I was gobsmacked :o I'm normally very careful with money but being at University made me lax: now if I buy something new it's because I've sold something old. It makes me realise if I'd stuck with my original 'too expensive at $230' Lati Yellow Coco I'd be a lot better off now!

      It does hit me hard especially when I think of all the thing that I need to buy but 'can't afford' such as a laptop: that's why I continually cycle my collection so the least loved move on and the money raised can be used in part on new dolls, but mostly on things I actually need: I think I'll be slowing down my collecting now as I only wanted six and I now have seven...
       
    4. I think I'm approaching $1000 lol
       
    5. I don't know and don't want to know. it's been lots of fun and I regret nothing.
       
    6. I can't give you an exact figure even if I wanted to (since I've lost count of how many outfits, wigs, eyes, etc I've bought for my dolls XD! ). However, a guesstimate on how much I've spent on dolls alone would be...

      ... somewhere between $3000 and $4000.

      The money certainly does add up after a while, but after running out of money during one uni semester all those years ago, it scared me into never over-spending again >__> Since then, I've been very cautious of my finances and never, ever buy a doll or doll-related item unless I know for certain I can afford it with plenty of money to spare. Although I do remember my initial reaction when I first saw what the price of an average MSD sized bjd was... somehow, while I still feel some dolls are expensive - like a full set Soom MD or a rare Volks SD - the prices for standard basic dolls don't seem to shock me anymore *_*

      Suffice it to say then, I don't particularly feel any regret about spending so much on my doll hobby. For me, it's no different from the hundreds/thousands of $ (or £ over here) that I spend on video game consoles and games, or gaming/anime merchandise :sweat
       
    7. I'm going to do a rough guess and say $1000 including everyone and everything.
      But then again I have 6 I buy things second hand and give myself a limit on everything
      1 tiny
      4 MSD
      1 Sd
      1 sd body only
      And a but load of clothes and wigs >.>
       
    8. Around $700 or $800, but I've only just started too. ;)

      I know that it will eventually cost me thousands of dollars, but I expected it before I even got into the hobby and it doesn't bother me at all. I think of it more as an investment for many, many reasons, whether it be financially, emotionally, creatively, and so forth.
      My only regret is that I have far too many expensive hobbies as it is, so it gets a bit overwhelming at times. ^^;
       
    9. I know on dolls alone I could buy a brand new car. I personally don't want to know anymore.
       
    10. Oooh let me add it up :D

      :aeyepop:

      $950... I only got my first doll 13 days ago haha *quickly converts to £s*

      Around £565. (That's how I like to justify it. I see how many $$ it is, then convert it to ££ and feel much better, so buy it. It works :lol:)

      Almost done though, all I need now is the faceup commission being done in Jan, some going out clothes, a sewing machine (possibly) and then... Then I'm saving for my next doll... Heh :sweat

      ...Only 13 days :doh
       
    11. I just started this September and I've spent well over a $1000. I'm not suprised. When I was into pullips, I realized I had crossed that mark and was shocked seeing as those are more around $100 and fit Barbie clothes etc. So after learning that lesson from Pullips, my BJD spending isn't so shocking for me. I used to wear EGL too and spent plenty there. I'm used to my expensive hobbies, but I've learned how to support them, make better decisions, and enjoy myself thoroughly. :)
       
    12. I only have one doll (AoD Rao), a skirt, hoodie, and socks and I've already spent maybe $300? I'm not really that surprised, I know I really could have spent much much more. But I worked hard to earn every dollar, so I know I haven't wasted them. :)
       
    13. I always get this question at work when I show one of my dolls. Ohh its so pretty that is neat how much is it? Then you answer as vaguely as possible and get told that you are out of your mind that is way too much for a doll and I just look at it as I love this hobby I am happy and it gives me something constructive to do. People get too hung up on the price since it is such a large drop at once never looking at how much their "hobbies" cost them depending on what they do. Rant aside I have easily put well over $3000 into this hobbie already and am willing to put alot more into it since it makes me happy!!!
       
    14. I'd say it's somewhere over $1k, with buying and reselling so many, but I don't want to think about it too much. x-x
       
    15. for me im alot like the others, at first i kept track but then after hitting $3k i stopped counting. But im do recycle my dolls in and out as life situations come up. so I dont really try to keep track of how much money is spent. but i know... i too could have probably bought a new car by now. but then again, i could have bought useless things along the way too. so no regrets. ever.
       
    16. How much money have you spent on BJDs all together? I stopped counting @ $3,000- it's hard to keep track because I'm buying new things all the time...

      Did you realize until now how much, in total, you have spent on this hobby?
      I don't really keep track of it for a reason, my husband is a frugal man, so if he knows an actual dollar amount it might scare him away from the hobby, it's hard enough for him when he sees the price per doll. He knows we have spent several thousand- it's that enough?! lol
       
    17. I would guess I am approaching 2 grand......which is REALLY scary since I just got into this hobby 6months ago......REALLY SCARY

      but like you these guys make me so happy
       
    18. I've kept a very detailed account of my spending AND earning in this hobby. :sweat So yes, from the very beginning I've realized how much I'm spending, how much I intend to spend and how to budget so these things go accordingly.

      I've spent:
      June 23rd 2009 - 4 Hand-knit tops, 3 pairs of sneakers & 3 pairs of black socks. $39.54, including shipping.
      July 11th 2009 - 2 Dollzone MSD sets, skirt & top. $27.00, including shipping.
      October 19th 2009 - 3 Volks tops and 2 Volks skirts, $83.08, including shipping.
      October 20th 2009 - Volks MSD FCS F-18 girl from Nekoiyuzu, $548, including shipping.
      October 21st 2009 - 3 Leekeworld wigs, $82.73, shipping not added yet.
      October 23rd 2009 - Volks MSD Toppi from katsai25/Kris, $723, including shipping.
      That so far is - $1,503.35

      But then add in the things I've sold in the hobby:
      October 11th 2009 - 1 Dollzone MSD Set, $14.12, including shipping.
      October 18th 2009 - 1 Dollzone MSD Shirt, $7.78, including shipping.
      October 23rd 2009 - MSD slip-on shoes, $5.53, including shipping.
      November 7th 2009 - 1 Dollzone MSD shirt, $7.47, including shipping.
      November 8th 2009 - 2 MSD hand-knit Tops, $9.41, including shipping.
      November 9th 2009 - MSD restringing services for a local friend, $20.53, no shipping charges.
      And it's only (HA, only =P) like I've spent - $1,438.51
      Or if you count it separately, I've earned - $64.83

      I've set a hobby budget of no more than $5,000 - I simply cannot allow myself to spend more than that on a hobby, as I know there is more to life than hobbies. Once I spend $5,000 on doll things, I'll either have to stop there or resell some of those things to buy new things, if I want them. If I can't, tough luck for me. :XD: Over all, my goal/limit is 4 MSDs (Would be the best plan - easier for everyone to exchange clothes/wigs) or 2 MSDs, a Yo & an SD; So far, I have 2 MSDs. So 4 dolls is my limit no matter how you slice it. :lol:

      Do I regret it? No, I am a bit disappointed at the moment though because I don't have much in hand at the moment to show for it. :sweat I have a wigless Volks MSD Toppi, 2 full Volks outfits with 2 cheap pairs of shoes, that's it. I have an MSD F-18 on it's way too, and 3 other wigs, which will help, but the fact of them not being here makes me a bit disappointed at the moment because I don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth yet as I don't have one complete doll yet. :|

      Hopefully that will change once everything gets here and I buy a few maintence tools for $51 (shipping included) to have 2 complete dolls. :)
       
    19. I only own one doll and one head, and certainly haven't lavished clothes, wigs or anything on either of them. Add to that the fact that I got both my doll and doll's head at ridiculous steals and I sold some of her clothes to afford her new wig, and my expenditures probably total abooouutt... $350, maybe $400 at the absolute most for the year+ I've been in this hobby. Granted, I have a body and two other dolls that I desperately want to buy, so that number will definitely go up!!

      I try not to think about how much this hobby costs, except for each individual purchase. I try not to buy directly from companies (both my complete doll and Migidoll Ryu head were second and third, maybe even fourth-hand, respectively) or participate in group orders for wigs, clothes and MSC to save on shipping. That makes me feel a little better about the crazy-expensive nature of this hobby, but since it's the only expensive hobby I have, I'm not too worried. I'm careful about what I buy and when I buy it, and don't spend what I don't have. :) Plus it's fun and creative, so I find it all worthwhile.
       
    20. I know exactly how much I have spent. I actually keep track of it down to the last cent, and include designations for items, shipping, and fees. I include all of the following in calculating my total "doll cost," but when I look at what I -own- I only count the items.