Is it too expensive?

I probably justify the expense of dolls by telling myself "you can't take it with you [money] when you die, might as well enjoy it!" like some kind of mantra. I don't think its spoiled to enjoy spending money if your able to, on the things that you love. My hobby, bottom line, keeps me sane in our world - and I consider that priceless.

 

I think its both.
Initially, the dolls are very expensive, but there are also very cheap ones that are just as beautiful. I personally think resinsoul and bobobie dolls are more beautiful than any and all of the volks dolls, and thier price doesn't make my jaw drop. I am willing to pay the price for what i like though, hence why I am buying a pipos charlotte. If I want to pace myself on my spending, I do layaway. Shes going to be my most expensive dolly, which really scares me a tad. But! I am willing to pay the price for her. ;DHonestly, I was my money on stupid things. And food. and other crap I really don't need. Why not save t for an art project like my lovely bjds?

Other hobbies can be just as expensive, if not more so, as bjds, its just a matter of what you are willing to spend. I know people who have spent hundreds and thousands on items for online community games where you get little clothes or something for your avatars or pets. Think of how many nice dolls they could have bought instead of those pixels, but who are we to judge? We all have our vices. Ours just happen to be made of resin xD

EDIT: I agree with glitterbee ;D Yay for rationalization!

 

Luckily we have a choice wether to pay the amount for these dolls, or not. They are expensive yes, but if they give you joy then I think it´s worth the money.

 

I completely agree. I think if it's up to us then there really is no issue.

 

Its as expensive as you make it, but its also based on how much money you have to spend. But lots of hobbies are very expensive. Take sail boating or car collecting. As with anything you need stay within your means, and if you cant then maybe its just not the hobby for you. After all no one should go broke or have to skip meals for a hobby.

 

In the beginning, I found the molds I like are quite expensive. But, I paid for it thinking that it was the Xmas bargain and I was flew away by the look of it. Later, when I got the dolls and I found the price is totally worth of it! I do save up to travel and invest in arts and good crafts for hundreds so the cost of the doll isn't really that expensive for me. I made the accessories and clothe myself (or sometimes invest in a few good pieces from dollheart and souldoll). So I really don't find the hobby very expensive~

 

For me it is expensive. I am in full time employment and not on too bad a wage but when comparing the price of a doll to other things in my budget I find it very hard to justify it. I budget £25 a week for food and if a Soom doll I like costs £1000 then that is also a lot of food. Or a holiday in europe, 2 weeks at Ragdale hall health spa, a whole series or two of manga or graphic novels or a big art shopping spree. I have a lot of creative hobbies and they don't revolve around dolls.

Luckily though I saved for my first one over a year, and my most recent was only £170 (thanks ResinSoul) which I saved for in a month or two.

So yes I think they are expensive, specially if you then have to lay out extra expence to customise it to the way you want. You can't help which dolls you fall in love with so if you fall for a £170 then great, but if the only scuplt that meets your desires costs £700 - £2000 then there are problems. Though full sets are probably worth the money if you want to keep all the parts.

 

I think 'expensive' is in the eye of the beholder... If you earn $800,000 p/a then this prob doesnt seem like such an exy hobby... If you earn $20,000 p/a, its more exy... so I agree with both

 

Hmm, a lot of hobbies which are not too common, are expensive. Like golf, or playing tennis in a club, even a music instrument can be really expensive.
And if you earn enough, it isn't too expensive.

 

I think each hobby can be expensive. For example, my boyfriend is keen on guitars and sometimes it's a lot more expensive to get a good guitar, than a limited doll

 

To me it's extremely expensive compared to most things I buy...I would say it's pretty reckless but then again I don't often spend so much every single time so it's fine for me. Also, I'm kind of the person that if I have one thing than I'm pretty satisfy as someone who has 20 of the same thing. Such that if I have one BJD then I'm just the happiest as someone who collects many BJD's and adore them the same way. I also have a tendency of keeping one thing until it becomes dysfunctional then I would go look and seek out a new one :3, and plus as a student I need to control my indulgement against certain things : D.

 

I wouldn't say this hobby is NOT expensive......Yea definitely there'a many lower end choices and tinies are at a much more affordable as compared to the big ones( unless you're talking about volks or soom....-.-").but no matter how affordable the doll is it is still above the 3 digit range! Compare abjd with other dolls,i mean, plush toys?Those are definitely much more affordable!You can make accessories and outfit for those dolls too!
Maybe like what most concept artists would say,humans are usually more attracted to a design which is more human like in nature,and so,here we are.XD
The price of getting a doll is almost the same as getting a branded handbag,the only difference is we can customize,decorate and dress the doll to our own appeal.I think the price is also another factor ,we earn and save to get one,the effort made us a step deeper into this hobby and treasure the doll even more,that's why owners often over-spend on the doll by his or her subconcious O: Thus,leading to a flattened wallet or bank lol.That is what happened on me,I only came to realize this as an expensive hobby when I noticed the amount of savings was left in my bank OTL...Yet Im still uncontrollably spending on my boys >_< Maybe it's me that think too much,I felt that they looked sad when they are sitting in a corner,happier when I have something for them and play with them xD.I feel really happy dressing them up anyway It may sound exaggerating but I'm really starting to treat them as my family,especially after giving him his own unique character and name.So I think,even if it's a costly hobby but I wouldn't stop too!

 

I was shocked at the prices when Dot begged for one for her birthday and told her it would have to be bald and naked.

Then I thought about what I'm getting Com for his birthday next month without thinking twice about it - a PS3 that needs games at £40 each!

so she got her doll for £150 plus 3 pairs of shoes, face up, eyes and wig for about £25 but I also had great fun making it a complete wardrobe and I love the challenge of finding bits and pieces cheap - a tissue box sofa, just the right size; mixed bags of clothes off ebay; toddler socks (pack of 5 pairs in the £ shop) means I have 10 knitted wig caps just right for hand hooking (just finishing my first attempt and it's looking pretty good); pack of 5 cheap and lacy umbrellas that I can take apart and recover to match outfits for £4, remnant packs of silk and lace off the market ................... the list is endless!

I also spent £250 on a new sewing machine because I really, really needed a better one to make all this stuff

not a cheap hobby whichever way you do it but not nearly as expensive as some - my dad flies model aircraft, he has over 50 of them, some of which cost £1000s!

 

You know, if it were TOO expensive then I wouldn't put my money into it. :P But as it is I'll save up as long as I need to to get the dolls I want, and if I'm responsible I think I should be fine! Better to spend money on art than on overpriced video games (not that I don't like them!) and anime (watching online saves me a bundle >>), not to mention alcohol and the like. I can't imagine how much money I save not buying those things as often as some people--and it goes to dolls now :P For me it's all about saving, and spending only when I can afford it.

 

Whoa, be careful what you say there. Video games are NOT overpriced. Just as it takes time, effort, skill etc to make a $600 doll, it takes skill, effort, months to years and a relatively large team (all who need money for mortgage/rent and food) to make a videogame. I know this is off-topic, but the "they're overpriced" argument is used too often to defend illegal download practices and it's frustrating.

 

just saw those nasty little lace umbrellas advertised as BJD accessories on ebay at £4 +p&p each - I paid less for my pack of 5!

 

I think they are expensive but I think spending $20 dollars on a comic is expensive. It's just the way I was raised. >.<

That being said...Well taken care of dolls can last years. I've had both my girls since '05 and they're still in good condition. So spending an initial $400 or so is an investment in something you'll enjoy for years makes less expensive then it appears to be to me.

I think the clothes and accessories are more expensive then the actual dolls sometimes...I know small scaled things can get expensive because of the work evolved but has anyone else ever wish they were like "My size barbie"? I feel like I should be buying myself the clothes sometimes! >.<

 

hehehehe..anything over $20 for me is expensive. But you know what, it makes us happy. A friend's mom told me one time that I should just buy jewelries and diamonds instead of dolls. In my head I was asking.."what am i going to do with jewelries?"

 

My opinion is that the most expensive part is buying a doll itself. Yes, this part is expensive. But after that, there is nothing you need to pay for a lot. For example, changing the string by a professional will cost about 3$ in Russia, as well as putting glue on the joints, ect.
But if you are really in to this hobby, of course it'll cost more, lol.

 

Kurharai, I like your analogies. But then again, I have a lot of "main pieces"! With the BJD world though, you can satisfy your need to buy another doll by acquiring a new outfit, wig, eyes, accessory which makes it fun and less money.