How do you motivate yourself to save for your doll?

I'm a disaster when it comes to saving money. I had the money to buy my dream doll and of course I went to england right then and spent it all. However, when I came back, got my money from work and decided to start over. I save up with her in mind, whenever I want to buy something else I think of her, when browsing on the internet, looking at books, music, anything, and I get tempted at all I go to the website I'll order her from, stare at her pictures, go to the MP here, look at her if she's there, and the temptation to spend my money is completely gone.

And I have a money-box that I can't open without a can-opener and whenever I have change that's 1 euro or bigger I put it inside.

 

i need motivate to stop spending on dolls +1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1) I work... a lot. By the time I get home from work, I usually have housework to do, or I just want to relax.

2) Since I'm usually busy or tired, shopping is not something I do often.

3) I gave up cosplay. I was losing interest in it, and it's another expensive hobby, so I just stopped, to the dismay of almost all my friends.

4) Saving up for me isn't quite as hard since I do work full time so, after bills, I have enough money for a doll after about 1 month of paychecks if I don't buy anything else. Granted, I don't want a doll a month, and I like to save money, so that's not realistic for me. Plus, I still go to anime conventions a good amount, which is crazily expensive.

In all, I just don't have the time or the interest in buying many other things, so the money usually isn't hard to come by when I want something.

That being said, the Rosetta Stone language program is something I'm considering buying right now, so it may put dollies on hold for awhile.

 

I want my doll, that's all the motivation I need. I don't really have the desire to spend money on other things (except books, my only true weakness besides my dollies) when I'm saving up, I guess.

 

I haven't found a way yet to get me to save money. I have been trying to save for a LF Ante, but then another doll comes along at a good price and then thats that. But I think I will be trying layaway soon - that is the only thing I can think of that might actually work. :P

 

The only motivation I need is the Puki Puki Darjeeling picture that comes up every time I get on the computer. ...And I suppose the fact that I can't access my funds without assistance (Due to a glitchy online bank account password. >>;;;; ) is a bit of a blessing in disguise, haha. (It just totally doesn't help when you have to buy your best friend a birthday present and can't get to your money to do so.)

 

I know if I have the money left in my hands, it'll get spent, even if I don't intend to, so what I have done is set up a separate savings account that's hard to get in and out of, and it has an auto-draft feature so that every paycheck, it automatically yanks X amount of money and keeps it there for me. And when it's time for the next doll, then and only then do I let myself access the account and make my withdrawal.

 

When I'm trying to spend less, what I've found works well is thinking what hobby-related thing I could buy for that amount of money. For example, for that $30 I want for X, I could get a wig, for the $13 Y, I could get a can of MSC. It helps put in perspective that "Oh it's only $30" thing. I'd been doing this for the cosplay hobby too before I got into dolls, neither hobby is cheap!

 

To motivate myself I print pics and hang them up. I stopped going to the mall so often cause I absolutely love manga and take advantage of the "buy 4 get the 5th free" deal they have every couple of months (they got like 100 from me within two months once, I swear!) And I stop myself from going on ebay and randomly searching for general things I know will eventually come up with stuff I like. Also, I set a budget for myself. I average out my paycheck, figure out all of my bills and such, then break down the leftover money. I usually put away most of it to my doll fund give myself like $20 for spending for two weeks. Not a lot but it'll get me to my doll quicker and gives me less reason to go out all the time.

 

I always lock that money into a metal box and lose the keys

 

My motivation is the pictures on the internet. The doll itself is my motivation. Though I was tempted a few times to stop saving for the doll and get other things.

 

I've found that putting things on layaway is the only way I am going to be able to get dolls. I simply do not have the willpower to save, so putting it on layaway takes the motivation aspect away from me. I have to put aside money! I don't mind epic waiting times either, so it all works out.

If you really are struggling with having a large portion of money around, layaway makes it so much simpler.

 

I kept my dream doll photos in my wallet, phone, laptop, anywhere..it helps..much.
Oh and asking other people who have your dream doll and listening to their stories help too..a lot...just make sure they are not annoyed with our questions..^^

 

The doll itself is a big motivator for me. I'm ocd and crazy meticulous, so I see the doll I want and I start a spreadsheet with name ideas, back story concepts, price break downs with regard to layaway possibilities and then I make myself wait some absurd amount of time before I actually buy the doll while I make absolutely sure I really want the doll and I'm not being affected by some sort of momentary insanity, lol.

I must say, the ability to put a doll on layaway is a wonderful thing! I definitely have the ability to save, but I almost prefer a layaway plan. I commonly pay the layaway off a lot faster than initially anticipated and I still pay all my bills and take care of priorities and such. Once in a while I'll use something like a tax return to buy a doll or I'll sell doll clothes and only use money in my paypal account to buy another doll once it hits a certain grand total.

 

I have found the best way to save... if to take a sealable box and pop all your loose change in it. I tend to put anything below £1 in it... and when it's full change it up at the bank ^D^ usually end up with £40+ a time~ ended up with enough to pay off a dolls final layaway this time~ (£80+)

 

I'm a terrible impulse buyer, so i feel your pain. There's a few things I do to help with that problem. The biggest one is having two stashes of money. One is a piggy bank I use for spendable money. Anything less than a dollar goes into it, and if I want something random I open it up and see how much is inside. if i can afford it, i spend that money. If not, I don't. My doll fund goes into a savings account I created for that purpose. Because I actually have to go to the bank to access it, the money is very safe.

 

I'm alright at saving money, as long as I can't see it, it's usually fine.
I actually have my doll as my background currently, though I won't be able to save for him for a bit, due to needing food and such more

 

*(shrug* i mainly motivate myself by looking at their pictures and chanting "i want you" XDD creepy eh?

 

I was able to get a great deal on ebay 1 full doll with face up and a free head with face up but no I'll have a dismembered head so therefore I gotta start savin' for girl #2

 

o Ao This is informative. *just looking around in place*

I have a slight problem with saving money myself. And, I've seen how much these dolls cost and it's daunting to me. But, I want one because they're just so precious and beautiful. I'm new but still looking into what size I want and at other companies (is there a list of them out there?)

I always spend money on food and all that. I guess I need to cut down on buying food out and start cooking things inside...because I know that is cheaper. *sweat* I hope nothing awesome comes up like video games I want. *sighs* >.<;; I want a doll. Maybe, when I find the doll I want...it'd be motivation enough to try to go for it. So, it just seems unsure to me right now. D: