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How did you convince yourself it was worth it?

Jan 26, 2017

    1. I have the same concerns as you. I'm stuck at that spot of wondering if I should buy my first BJD. The details of the doll have been planned as much as possible but actually spending the money for the physical BJD is something that seriously scares me. The money is definitely a big part of why I'm hesitating. Is it worth it to spend that money for this doll? How worthwhile is it?

      But I think if it brings you joy, it's worth it. When you're dealing with something like mental illnesses, a little something that can bring you joy can definitely brighten up your day. I'm not sure what mental illness you're dealing with but I have my own mental illness I'm dealing with. And taking joy from something to brighten a not so joyous day would definitely be worth the money. I know that's part of my shopping mentality at times (I think it's why there's some enjoyment for shopping therapy though you do have to be careful).

      I hope you found the answers you were looking for. I don't know how much you can rely on me since I'm still hesitating on buying that first doll too :) But I'm really new to this and only had a bit of exposure to the BJD world through my friend so I still have no clue what's going on. I'm just trying to learn more and see if I can delve more into this (though I already have a few doll accessories so I'm sure I'll get into the hobby a bit more)
       
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    2. For a long time I admired dolls, and not even bjds, I started loving monster high dolls. But I felt like I was too old to be able to enjoy them anymore so I would just wistfully look them up every once in a while. But then I heard that people customize them and I started watching videos of artists and fell in love. Through this excuse of art, I convinced myself that it was okay to get a few dolls and customize them myself. But once I was in the door I started collecting all kinds of dolls and toys and figurines and discovered that it was just something that made me so happy.

      The way I see it is that everyone has a hobby or two that they need to be happy which is an important part of life. One way or another, these hobbies cost money, and usually a decent amount. Some people like video games, or painting, or whatever, and with those you're also spending a lot of money, but it's just more spread out (usually) With bjds I am slapping down a big hunk of money at a time, but then my spending on it will pitter out a bit.

      In the end, this hobby makes me really genuinely happy and excited and that is worth the cost.
       
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    3. I already enjoy many aspects related to the hobby, such as face-ups, sewing, art, and character creation... so all of those things kind of lead into BJDs. Plus I've always liked how beautiful they are! >< I started watching some youtube videos about BJDs and I just couldn't resist finally getting into it! I sold some other collectibles that I wasn't very attached to and bought my first couple of dolls! ^^
       
    4. They make me happy, and that's worth it to me. The hobby costs a good amount of money, but so do most hobbies. As long as it brings you joy then I'd say it's worth it.
       
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    5. For me to convince myself i just think to how long I've wanted them and now i can finally get them . I do sometimes go overboard though and i feel bad about it for a little while if im honest. after all Im married and my husband doesn't have such an expensive hobby. But I just LOVE them. when i come home from a draining day of work i have something( besides an awesome husband ) to do they help me with my anxiety and depression by giving me something to focus my energy on.
       
    6. I've wanted and looked at these dolls for so long, I pretty much knew that if I did ever get the chance to buy one, I was going to do it and I did! I feel kinda bad for spending so much money on a doll at times, but if it makes you happy in the end then I would say go for it. Life is too short to go on dreaming forever, so if ya get the chance would it really be so bad to take it?
       
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    7. If it make you happy you can always start of cheap or small and then expand I waited at least a year before even looking at dolls now two year after I brought one the thrill of waiting for it to come is enough for me to know that this is for me
       
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    8. For me i was watching videos of people unboxing BJDs or doing doll stuff and i knew i wanted one i remember someone saying that their dolls made them happy and that was a good enough reason to buy them.
      So after hearing that convincing myself i wanted one was pretty easy! As long as they make me happy then that's all that matters!
       
    9. When I started saving money for my first doll, I was very clear and honest with myself about what the money was for. It didn't effect my day to day life to set the money aside, so when I was ready to purchase, I just reminded myself that this was the decision I'd already made.
       
    10. I don't spend money on cosmetics, clothes, wellness, cigarettes or other harmful passions. I don't have to have fun, etc. I work hard for my money, I do chore myself and take care of our daughter ... I need some happiness too! This is not selfishness!
      My dolls and all related stuff (face - up, sewing ...) relax me.

      Guilty conscience? Yes, I felt guilty from the beginning. :pout:

      Worth it? Yes, completely. This hobby is no worse than other hobbies. It's not even more expensive or eccentric than some hobbies. ;)
       
    11. I ended up with some unexpected money that didn't really need to be used for anything. A few weeks before that I had been looking at BJDs again since someone I follow on social media had posted photos of theirs. I started looking a lot harder when I realized I could actually afford one if I wanted to haha ^^ It still wasn't a snap decision but a) I had the money b) I've wanted a BJD since...probably like 11 years ago? c) I scaled back my dreams a bit and got MSD instead of an SD. The huge factor for me is that I spend so much of my day on a computer and really wanted to get into a hobby that doesn't involve a screen and does involve working with my hands and crafting and such. Dolls are definitely that, in many ways ^^
       
    12. I guess the way I convinced myself was a combination of a "treat yo self" sort of mentality and how active the secondhand market is. If you ended up needing the money back or not liking the doll, or even just change your mind I'm sure there's a buyer out there somewhere.
       
    13. If it’s something that makes you happy and helps you focus on something positive and makes you feel better than it’s definitely worth it. To me this hobby is therapy! It’s art and an outlet. I suffer from anxiety disorder and when I’m painting my doll or focused on the art it calms me down and lifts my spirit. Too me those things are priceless. Who says you can’t pay for happiness lol jk
       
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    14. I spent 100s of dollars on limited edition Disney dolls so I figured it was time to create my own. <3
       
    15. Recently, I justify it as the answer to “why do I work?” I have a job that I have recently been feeling less than enthusiastic about, but I have tenure (or the equivalent, anyway) and no other jobs make me feel any more excited, so dolls have become the answer as to why I keep going in every day. They also give me something to obsess about that isn’t work :D

      Also, my husband has an entire cabinet of award-winning whiskey that he doesn’t even plan to drink, so... to each his own XD
       
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    16. I lusted over the dolls for yearsssssssssssss before finally deciding I should get one. I knew that it's an extremely money-consuming hobby since I can't sew or draw/craft so I'd have to purchase everything. I ended up convincing myself it's worth it after getting into kpop this year and spending ridiculous amount of money going to concerts that I realized, if I wanted dolls I should've gotten it because otherwise I'd just be spending that money on other things anyways.
       
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    17. I have a portion of my income that’s just for entertainment and nonessentials. I do tend to think of things in terms of “This item costs x number of hours of work to afford” which can be a pretty daunting way of thinking about it haha... I think what pushes me to buy is that unlike other nonessential I buy (like special food treats or movie tickets) I’m really proud of my dolls. When I look at them I just know it was money well spent in my heart. I don’t really have to convince myself of anything at that point.

      I’d recommend just making sure everything else is covered before you buy a doll? If you know you’re only spending money intended for spending you might feel more confident.
       
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    18. My first "real" bjd is still in transit, so I guess technically, I don't know yet if she's worth the time, effort, and emotion that I've already invested. But the decision to purchase her was pretty easy, in context.

      Like a lot of people, I had sticker shock when I first looked into bjds. But then I spent some time (and significant money) in another doll hobby. Buying a brand doesn't guarantee quality, and I have largely left that community for that reason. However, when I started selling off pieces of my collection, I realized that I'd spent many times over the cost of a bjd on stuff that really isn't worth it. One of my biggest complaints in the other community was that people weren't willing to put their money where their mouth was, and I figured I should take my own advice.

      So, I'm collecting small (out of necessity), and going for what I truly love. I'd rather have a tiny collection of pieces that I truly enjoy rather than the same money invested in a massive collection of stuff that stays perpetually stored, unused, and consequently unappreciated.
       
    19. Round the time when I decided to budget myself, my father passed but I don't really think it has anything to do with that really?

      What really is about my current budgeting is that I decided that it was worth it to aim for my first doll was because it would actually be the first step for what could be come collection if time and funds permit.
       
    20. I just joined the hobby earlier this year and dove in head-first. I was already aware of the costs since I collected Disney dolls before. Being able to handle the dolls instead of keeping them in their boxes gave me a tremendous amount of joy and my significant other is so supportive of my doll purchases since we have a good chunk of spending money. The dolls are also a bonding point since my SO enjoys listening to me talk about my dolls.

      Customizing and coming up with doll backgrounds is also therapeutic for me. As I live in Alaska, I struggle with seasonal depression and having my dolls help immensely. They're all super worth having in my life.