Keeping from buying another doll?

Tee hee, I know how S---L----O----O---O---w---L----y the time goes when you are waiting for the doll to arrive, that part never changes

 

Unless the doll you want is limited or you want it in time for a particular event of some kind, I think it's always wise to sit on a decision like this. It's somewhat easier when you really don't have the money and are forced to wait, but if you give yourself some sort of timeline (I won't buy another doll until such-and-such date, or until so long after my first doll arrives) you can be more sure to get the doll you really want. Looking at user pictures if they're available, look at other dolls to see if you find something else that catches your heart a little more, and just coming back to the doll you want, familiarize yourself, see if you can see it with a different faceup and different hair, and if it still does it for you.

 

I've started to do the same thing to curb impulse spending. I'll look at a doll/arcade board/other expensive thing, or heck, even started doing it with smaller things. Asking myself if I'll even watch that movie or read that book before opening my purse. It really has helped.

 

I haven't figured out the way to keep from buying new dolls. Ever since I bought my first doll, I've been constantly purchasing one after another but I do it via layaway and try to only have a minimum of two layaways at a time. I'm a huge doll collector so even if I did take a short sabbatical from purchasing BJDs (a few months ago), I was purchasing other types of dolls elsewhere. >.> It can't be helped. I dream of opening up a doll shop someday just so I can do what I love and help other people get the doll of their dreams. xD

 

To avoid impulsive purchases, I have to clear all of them with my husband. The money is "my money," and ultimately I'll decide if I'm going to buy it or not, but it really helps me avoid making purchases I would regret if I have to explain what I want to do to someone who isn't as infatuated with the idea of the purchase. Before I was married, I used to do something similar with my best friend or my mother. It can be so tempting to see something, think "Oooh! MUST BUY!!!," and instantly purchase. Stepping back and not buying right away gives me time to think about it more clearly. Did I really want that item, or did I just feel like buying something? Was that a good price, or can I find it somewhere else? Is there something else I should be spending my money on instead?

If a week passes and I still want that doll, then I don't feel so bad about buying it. If the doll in question wouldn't be around in a week, at least a day or some amount of time helps avoid an impulsive purchase that I'd be kicking myself for later.

It also helps to a) not check the Marketplace here and b) not check doll companies and doll shops. If I don't know it's for sale, I won't want to buy it.

 

As i dont have much income to more then one expansive purchases, i need to think carefully.

 

Well, I'm one of those people who over-thinks everything and I also don't want to drop that amount of money more than once a year, so if I see a doll I like, I'll bookmark the page and let myself forget about it for a week or two. Then I'll check again and if I still like it, then I can just assume it's a doll I want. But then I'll wait months before actually ordering it and if I've only just got a new doll, I'll probably end up waiting a year. (I only have two dolls now so it might not stay like that, but y'know)
There have been times where I've really loved a doll but because I don't want to buy a new one just yet, I've refrained from buying it and then, a year or so later, I find that I actually really hate that doll. xD

I say spoil the ones you have now and mull the particular doll sculpt over for a while to make sure you really want it. :3

 

For me I've set a limit and I'm refusing to go back on it. Five tops, that's it. Though I have moments where I think i might be able to just get a few more, but I know I won't be able to handle any more then that. If I can't carry them all at once I have too many.

 

You know RyanosaureusRex, I'm in a very similar situation to you. I have a big savings account because I live extremely frugally and have few expenses and a good job. I buy clothes only from Target about once a year, I always clip coupons and get things on sale, and I don't have any other expensive hobbies. I don't ever eat out, and I don't have any consumption habits like drinking coffee or smoking. I play paintball, but always go on Sundays when women play for free!

So I wind up with a ton of "fun money" left over and just put it all in the bank. I don't know what I'm saving it for, so I sank thousands into getting my doll collection started earlier this year. Even though that didn't make a huge dent in my savings account, it still feels utterly stupid to waste a couple hundred bucks to resell a doll (you almost never recoup your losses considering the shipping/customizing expenses aren't something you can get back easily.) While you may feel that having deep pockets gives you a bit of freedom, I feel it almost hinders you more because you're more likely to just impulse-buy a doll that won't ultimately suit your purposes. Then you'd just need to get a different doll to replace it anyways, and you've lost tons of money in the transition.

Wait as long as possible, see owners pictures, learn about all the doll companies out there, and make a confident, long-term decision about every single dolly purchase. I like to only make doll purchases if I have the funds in my Paypal to afford them. If I don't, I transfer the funds, and if at the time the funds are finally there I make my final decision. Even now I have made one dolly decision that I truly regret, and it cost me $600! I could have bought a couple other dolls with that money... *sigh*

 

The only thing really stopping me from buying another doll is that I'm going on vacation for a week.
I have to force myself to not look at doll sites unless it's for clothes lol

 

Dont browse the marketplace/doll companies, when I do, I click 'sent money' on paypal

 

The only way I see is to use a computer without internet, lol. So many influences everywhere. I can pretty guarantee every bjd collector has this site or something else related as a favorite on their browser. Maybe even their homepage.

 

Have set characters before you buy dolls? That works for me, I find I don't feel the need to buy any other doll because I don't have any characters that will fit them. I have no idea how else to help tho, perhaps sheer willpower? X3

 

When I'm very busy with work it's hard for me to keep up with the new dolls/ new clothes then I don't have as much desires for them~
But oh boy it's really painful when I DO look at those websites...>_<
So I guess...just don't look at them? @_@ I know it's hard..

 

I actually have this issue myself. I really wanted to buy myself this one doll because I had the money and she wasn't that expensive. But I wanted my first doll to arrive first before I decide to get myself another one. To prevent myself from doing so, I actually psyched myself up for my first doll's arrival, whenever she does get sent. Like looking up pictures of her and watching box openings. I also avoid looking at the one doll I do want to get next and only concentrate on my first doll. So avoiding looking at the doll is the best option. I actually decided to ask for the one I want to get next for christmas, since she's so cheap and my parents might get her for me for christmas. And I'm saving money for a boy doll that I want so badly. And it'll be a bit before I can get him, which is nice because it prevents me from buying anything else. XD
But like I said, I try to avoid looking up other dolls or the cheap doll I want to get. It helps.

 

I have no tips because I just freaking failed at it.
I just bought a doll, my first, like a week ago.
Then my friend ShiShintai messages me saying "I wanna sell my Flo" which is her Kara Klum, because she wanted another doll.
Thing is though, she offered him to me for only 350 plus wigs and clothes and shoes, so it was a sweet deal. Plus, I didn't want her to have to sell him to someone far away where she'd never see him again.
I -am- far away, but I visit her, or try to, whenever I can.
So I totally stole away that deal.
If it wasn't for that, I'd find it to be really easy to wait. I'm planning on treating myself to like, a doll a year until I have like four. Then I'll be happy. x3

 

Lack of money keeps me from buying more dollies.

-_-' I want the rest of my crew home but I'm broke and Shi is expensive.
Darn NotDoll for retiring Belladonna and the A's

 

This fall is going to be very stressful for me, so I'm trying to disuade myself from buying my next doll by telling myself I'll wait until I've gotten through this fall and order her at the end as a reward. So, maybe you could set a time limit on how long you want to go without purchasing a doll, and then reward yourself with that doll when you meet the time limit?

 

Willpower, responsibility and being an adult?

 

I'm a bit of a shopaholic too, though in my awesome weirdness I have quite a lot of self-control

When I'm looking for dolls I always find many that I like (who doesn't...), so I usually check a few things:

1 - First and foremost, "how much". Before I buy a doll I need to check that it's worth the money I'm investing, and for that I need to know the price.

2 - The house. I try to inform myself of the quality of the house I'm planning to buy from. I've heard of a few houses making the client wait for months (and I'm meaning eight months for a floating head...), for example, so if the house has too much negative feedback, it's a big negative point in my list.

3 - The sculpt itself. I myself am more inclined to buy an sculpt if it's available for a limited time (proven I really, really love the doll), because I might miss my chance and be unable to find it later. When chosing a sculpt I spend a lot of time checking every picture I can find of it, box-openings if I can find them, and feedback from buyers regarding quality, posability and such.

4 - My free time. I am usually unable to work on my dolls during working/studying time, so, unless a limited edition as I said before, I limit myself to buying during the summer. That usually ends with me buying two or three dolls in a couple of months. The good point is that it keeps me from looking for more dolls during the school year, when I'm too busy to worry about web browsing.

5 - Fullset vs. Basic set. There are very few fullsets that I like enough to buy, and if they're really expensive, it usually stops me from buying them.

6 - Price-Size. As much as I love Pukipuki, I find them reeeeeeally expensive in comparison to, say, MSD.

7 - Pre-made characters. I've got a lot to turn into dolls, but I'm a bit weird and most of my already bought characters were conceived AFTER buying the sculpt. I'm pretty imaginative, it takes me ten minutes to come up with a story, so I don't really care. It's not a deciding point for me.

All of this refers exclusively to dolls. I may buy some eyes, or a wig, if I need one and I'm looking for them. But, for dolls, I mainly try to control myself. I decided that, for me, it worked better to buy several together rather than rationing them along the year. To me, it's somewhat like by the time I've finished bonding with my dollies, they're completed or simply well loved, it's already time to buy again. It helps me against waisting my money in sculpts I don't like.

I'm not sure I'm of any help with this. I'm the kind of person who never regrets a choice taken or a decision made. If I don't like the result, I stand it all the same. So it's not really difficult for me to decide on a doll, and the process I wrote about (except the investigation part) doesn't take long.

Since you're new, as you said, I'm sure you're going through the "OMG, I WANT THEM ALL!!!!!! *faints and drolls*" phase. When the "novelty", so to speak, wears off, you'll find your own system. So, don't worry. It's best to spend the money in something you know you'll love, than be left somewhat bitter because you didn't get the One.

The fact that you cannot, in good conscience, spend that muhc money even when you have it, shows you're responsible enough. If you're truly sure about the second sculpt, my advice is "Buy it". At least you'd have spent the money in something that you know will make you happy.