Dolly Math

So if i include my vinyl/ot bjd's I end up at just over 1.5K and apparently i have a new definition of expensive becausee when i added it up I was like "that's all?" oh jeez. I'm gonna stop thinking about this now!

 

Uhh, conservatively, after a moment with a calculator, I estimate about $1000 ... which is horrifying to me in itself, until I ask what else I could possibly have spent that money on that would come even close to giving me so much joy. The amount spent on a hobby isn't proportionate to the enjoyment you get from it, and I feel better realizing that I have gotten a very good 'value' for my money. I also cosplay, dabble in lolita, and have horses, so BJDs are not my only 'big' pastime.

Did you realize until now how much, in total, you have spent on this hobby?
I had a vague idea in the back of my head. Thought it was more around $800, but I suppose that is tracking only actual resin purchases, not eyes/wigs, fabric for clothes/costumes... and that adds up. I don't even buy clothes... oh, gosh ...

I have three more dolls planned, and $1600 is my rather wide estimate of what it'll take to bring them home in completion. Well, time to go fill out some job applications!

 

This is interesting because pretty recently I sold a lot of my stuff and broke even or juuuuuust above even. So what I own now, and including stuff I've used and that's gone (such as faceup materials, shipping costs) comes down to only around $1,300. About $800 of this is the actual dolls (I own one doll, a doll head, and a $0 gift head that came with a previous purchase and that I've hung onto as a practice head), which leaves a surprising $500 of stuff: wigs, eyes, faceup materials, clothing, even a few props... I am amazed and as I looked through my dolly boxes I realized there are quite a few things I do not need and should sell - or rather, probably should never have purchased in the first place! I'd forgotten all about my Quest for the Right Black Short Wig over the years which... well, now I have a lot of Almost Right Black Short Wigs, and I should prune them except I kind of like things about each.

 

Probably a few thousand dollars over the past 6 years. Yeah I knew it would be that much but it's the same as anything, how much have I spent on clothes in the last 6 years? About the same I'd bet.

 

Not such a fun game for me...!

But... if I divide the total by number of years, it's not so horrific!

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)

OK... I've been buying dolls since 2004... so that's about 10 years. Please bear that in mind. Total cost in dolls alone (not counting bits and extras and outfits and shipping and wigs and shoes and all that)... Might be around 20K ... so maybe 2k a year? maybe an extra 1k a year for all those extras...? Yeah... it's a heck of a lot of money... but I don't really have any other big hobbies... (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it).

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

No, but I suspected...

When I first started I went to a doll meet and someone said the dolls in the room probably cost the price of a house. That gets you thinking!

I try to note down the costs of the dolls themselves, just for my records, but haven't added them up until now. ON PURPOSE! Yes, denial is a lovely thing! This hobby is only about the money when we can't afford to buy more. Otherwise, we try to ignore the costs. And that is OK, I think, as long as we aren't going into deep debt or neglecting other responsibilities...

I DO need to stop buying so much, though. I thought I'd slow down years ago, but with the many new dolls and items being available lately, it's been impossible for me. I'm going to try harder, though... not JUST because I toted up the base cost of the dolls. I just need to appreciate the stuff I HAVE for a while. I'll still be spending. I'm planning on going to doll cons, and those cost money!

It's a fricken expensive hobby. We all know that. I mean, my first doll--with nothing else--was around $600... Quite a chunk of change that doubled quickly when I got my second doll... But... what are the joys in life worth? I have some expendable income and no dependents or debt or rent/mortgage... what can I say?

 

I'm new to BJD's & don't have any home yet. I know this won't be a cheap hobby but I don't go out, don't smoke & very rarely drink alcohol so my dolls are my pleasure that will bring me so much joy They may be not so good on my pocket but certainly better for my health

 

Just started on this hobby, and my first doll which is coming soon is bought second hand by my sister. she told me it costs 500-1000 but didnt tell me the exact price.

I started buying accessories and clothes and props and almost spent $200. Was almost tempted to buy more but restrained myself.
For my first doll and a student, I believe $200's already alot just on accessories on my first doll!!

 

I only have two MSD girls. Between the two, their clothes, one face up/body blush, wigs and eyes... and keeping in mind I haven't bought a whole lot for them... I'm closer to like 2k?

I don't really keep track from order to order, but that sounds about right.

 

Around the number of $1,000-2,000 range. I don't feel bad about all of the money I spent. I know I could have had more things if I saved that money. But I love my dolls more than just random stuff I might louse interest in. So I feel good about my dolls.

Update: I just added up all of my dolls... I have spent a little over $4,000, I think I want to cry lol.

 

Unfortunately I track all my purchases on a spreadsheet so it's easy for me to see how much money I've spent through a simple autosum. Which, like april, I had never done until this thread. Living blissfully unaware. So I'm in the 3k + range if you had in materials for props. I just put two dolls no layway and recently bought a head that needs a body and umm....well, crap.....I'll jump onto the rationalizations of others, I don't party or go out much anymore. Lately I've been paying for my doll stuff with things I've been selling on ebay. Which is my continued plan. I have way too much stuff and my deal is pretty much that whatever revenue I generate selling it on ebay can be used for doll stuff. That way I use my doll desire to actually do the ebay thing. Sort of a disciplining device. Hmmm...I think I just alienated myself from my own labor....

 

With only 2 dolls and their clothes and accessories, I've spent more or less, 3k. It's a lot that could be used for something more productive or simply for saving, but I don't mind it because once I had all the essentials I really only buy doll things like, twice a year. I also probably spent more on jewelry or kitsuke stuff. Plus I make sure to have enough for full time school and other more important things first.

 

The thing that doesn't really get quantified on a thread like this is what these amounts mean. A more exacting statistic would be "What part or one's yearly income" or a more sociological take would be "Does doll spending negatively impact other areas of your life?" While to some these figures sound large to others it's not much when you add up their yearly income and what people spend on other things. I know people that spend huge sums on records, books or going to the bar. Far more than I spend on dolls. The important thing is to have good priorities about what you spend money on in general.

 

The only number I know for a fact was the one I came up with on an excel spreadsheet a couple of years ago... I was downsizing, selling three dolls and their wardrobe and after all was said and done a recouped a little less of $3000 worth of stuff. I also have $20 in points over at the Iplehouse website, which means I spent $2000 there - none of which were part of the downsizing.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was another 2-3k I'm not accounting for. Which means that I'm currently at about 7.5-9k after 6 years in the hobby.

As a poor student with a patchy employment history... Um yeah whoops. (To be fair, that's counting how much I spent each time I clicked the buy button. The real amount is a lot lower because a lot of it was from "recycled" money - selling dolls or items to buy others)


At the same time... You know what? That's okay. I don't go out much, I don't party or hit the clubs. I'm not an avid shopper (I buy clothes once in a while, and I can't stay away from books). So I allow myself to splurge when it comes to dolls - I don't cut costs, opting to instead go for the best item, which means I frequently buy $100 wigs or eyes, and several hundred dollar outfits or face-ups. It makes me happy to know I've put together the best doll I possibly could, so I don't really count the expenses. As long as I'm not shirking responsibility to get dolls, I'm not really worried.

 

LOL, yikes I read you had $20 at Iple... I'm a delivery away from $66.... ya like I said... yikes lol... but I am not using my points for now (saving up so afford an extra 'won't get it otherwise' goodie ^^). I did go hog wild to start with (my spending is all since January this year but I have also not spent on any bjd's for nearly 10 while wanting them AND I was still fighting for my disability too... I got it a couple of years ago and my income tippled... which means I could spend on what I wanted without doing without anything I needed. Financial deprivation leads to learning how to meet needs with next to nothing. Even with the dolls, in the last 3 years I got a fancy huge fridge for parents home a new large screen TV for them and other incidental electronics... But ya I know... I've spent oodles at Iple and still have much plans lol. As long as my bills (which are admittedly few) are paid, and if I don't drink, smoke, spend money on theatre/movies... why not? They are more or less my only real entertainment.

 

I've spent around $10,000 on BJD's. I sometimes wish I had spent it on my house but I enjoy it so.
I have friends who have spent that on just one rare antique doll..so I don't feel too bad.

 

WOW... on one doll? I can handle the idea of a couple thousand on a doll but 10? Those amounts make me think dolls like that belong in a museum not someones home! I also look at people who buy 2nd 3rd cars that only get taken out on special occasions or boats that get used a few weeks a year... ya don't look at me for spending a lot less for something I can fiddle with EVERY DAY ^^... I would say for the most part us dollie lovers get waaaay more time/enjoyment out of our hobby items than most. But I still think a doll worth 10k and is an antique belongs where more people could see it O_o. I'd share if I could... and I would have no problem letting my dolls go to a fellow club members home 'to play' so the uber special dolls... wish I could have a chance to see some of them. My bjd love is sort of tied to my interest in antique dolls to start with.

 

one doll, too many wigs she doesnt use (for finding her right one, still no forever-eyes, and not enough clothes. i have spent almost 1,000 and have been in the hobby for a matter of months. but, i am the smart on with money at home. i did slip up once and bought something we couldnt afford at the time but felt so awful about it later. i rarely ever spend money, so this has been like a drug, a shopping addiction. but i budget and dont spend just to spend, and i know i need to wait for things so everything is fine. planning to spend makes it less damaging to our modest income.

 

How much money have you spent on BJDs all together?
Well since March of this year (when I bought my 1st BJD) I have spent about $1,275 on now 3 dolls, clothes and a wig for the first one... and I still have to get clothing/wigs for the 2 that I just ordered as well as a faceup for the Juri plate I'll be receiving. Goodness...

Did you realize until now how much, in total, you have spent on this hobby?
I don't think I truly realized the combined cost, but I did know it was going to be an expensive hobby going into it. I enjoy it, I can afford it, and as long as those two things are true I will continue to love my dollies and spoil them.

 

I'm new so I'm only about $400 in. It is an expensive hobby but I used to spend so much money on like raves and music festivals and other experiences rather than things.... I think it will be nice to spend so much money on an actual tangible thing that I can always sell again if needed.

 

I honestly don't even want to know. The amount would horrify me. I have been in the hobby for only five years and have aquired a huge amount of dolls and accessories. Up until recently dolls were my only hobby, and like a lot of other people have said, I moved around my other expenses and hobbies to afford them. Now I'm starting to get back into other hobbies, so I am being more careful about my doll spending. I still enjoy my dolls, but I'm not able to buy as many as I could before, and at this point, I'm okay with that. But I think I'll keep the total count a mystery for now.