More $$ Than You Expected?

I was bit by the exchange rate a few weeks ago, but I still feel like I got a deal. But, I'm prepared. I typically expect to spend $100-200 more on a doll than the base cost.

 

I always check this Universal Currency Converter site before I buy or bid on anything. http://www.xe.com/ucc/ .. to avoid any nasty shocks.

But YJ! can get me in trouble when I watch an auction end. Its best to bid your max and check back after the auction ends that way you won't be tempted to bid more than you should.

 

I got my first boy Kaito at a reasonable price, but he got into trouble with the Aussie Customs so i ended up paying a significant amount for tax and GST just to get him out of that place safely. Then because he's my first doll, we got very carried away buying clothes, wigs, eyes, and more clothes

When my second boy Taku arrived, i wasn't so obsessed about getting so many outfits for him as both boys are willing to share their stuff. But it was very hard to get him settled on a 'default' look, so i ended up buying many many wigs and pairs of eyes just to try them out

So yea, it's always more money than what i've expected

 

Actually, I'm having the exact opposite happening right now. I'm Canadian, and the US dollar is worth a lot less than ours right now, and all these websites sell in US dollars. Where before I used to lament getting bit while shopping, right now I'm practically dancing over it, because I will figure out a price for something, buy it, and it turns out to be several dollars cheaper than the actual listed price, instead of several dollars over like it always used to be!

However, I know the experience of ordering a doll and thinking, well, they need that set of clothes they're wearing too, and an extra wig... and by the time you actually go to pay for it, it's hundreds of dollars more!

 

When my first doll arrived in Holland I ended up paying almost 300 dollars custom-taxes. =_=... I knew I had to pay, but I never thought it would be thát much.
But that was the only time they were asking this much, mostly because now I buy heads and bodies seperately (I like hybrids ) and this helps tremendously!

 

I never buy anything before using an Currency Converter site, but the dollar is lower than the euro now... so it's always a lower price than what is marked on the site, which is cool The customs fees are a pain though. When you think the doll was expensive enough they charge even more before you can get it... and even make you wait longer! It's just plain cruel!!!

 

Nope, I knew going into this that it was an expensive hobby & that I'd easily end up paying the same or more for clothes, wigs, shoes, etc. But all those pricey extras are worth it to me as they can change the look of the dolls so much. And I'm careful shopping around. Whenever possible I try to buy in the US or go in on group orders to avoid high shipping rates.

 

IT'S ALWAYS THE DAMNED SHIPPING.

Even if I expected the items to be expensive and all, whenever it comes to checking out the shopping cart I always had to swear a bit at the price that shot up way high due to the $30+ shipping fees =_=.

 

Souldoll Hye is on her way... and I already spend *counts* 80 euro on stuff for her XD and I still have to pay 40 euro worth or shoes and I commisioned a dress to D: my bankacount isnt happy atm

I never thought I would spend so much on assecoires for a doll >.<

 

It's shipping that's really getting to me now I hate having to pay so much for international shipping, even if it's just a flat rate. Something like a pair of eyes that cost $9 really costs $30 when you figure in the shipping/handling. I try to buy from the US dealers as much as I can because I can no longer see myself paying $70 shipping - that's almost 1/5 the cost of most dolls. Group orders are a blessing!!

Although I have finally found myself satisfied when it comes to my actual doll count, I can't stop buying the little things like clothing and accessories. However I have set a limit on how much I will spend on one particular item, which helps me a lot. For example, I never spend more than $20 on a single pair of eyes because the acryllic and the cheaper glass eyes are good enough for me.

 

$900.00 for my first doll.

 

Me too! At first you never expect it to reach that amount
And then **POOF!** you add a pair of shoes to your shopping cart and you realize the total is well over $800 USD!!! (at least that’s what happened to me )

 

My first doll last January is an example of this. Not bad by himself, but by the time I got him a few wigs, eyes and outfits to try and make him less girly The only good thing is I've either been able to use it all for my other dolls or been able to sell it. But keeping the price down seems more reliant on luck or timing

 

Yuni-Ki
Lol, yeah...
Mine was the doll, wig, eyes, and a set of clothes... But the phenominal shipping and handling!
Btw, you have beautiful dolls!

(I'm already planning and budgeting my secound one! xD This one -should- be a bit cheaper. And by cheaper, I mean... 100 less xD Lol, I'm alreayd a starving ollege student, and I'm saving every penny I make at my job for... DOLLS XD

I plan on three total. I don't think I can take care of more then three.

 

Definitely.

I desperately tried to save money this year, but I am a sucker for a good deal. I have spent over $1000 on G.O. heads only cause for the same amount of heads I will spent twice as much on my own!!

I am however a stickler for budgeting, so I bought them knowing I would not be put in the negative.

But now that I think about it, I will have a multitude of heads and then I would have to buy them bodies! Eyes, wigs, clothes, and you can’t just buy one outfit/wig and be happy!

Having options are the most fun, and I think the most expensive part of this hobby!!!

 

The clothes that came with Lillith cost me almost as much as she did! She was my first doll and she had *nothing* so I bought her a couple of outfits, a couple of wigs, and shoes. $275 later...

I think I'm finally set on a look for two of my three dolls, though, so I'm happy. Fewer wigs and eyes to buy! And fortunately, I have two girls so they're sharing clothes for now. My boy is quite happy in his jeans and leather jacket.

 

Weell. I just recently purchased a Yugiri. Yugiri is a limited Volks angel, and is only available at their headquarters, Tenshi no Sato, in Japan. Now, because I was quite unable to fly to japan to buy him myself, I had to use a service and get someone to purchase him for me. And.. considering the doll only costs 73,500 yen(around $675), I still ended up paying a total of $947 after shipping, service fees, and paypal fees were all factored in. Yikes! However, I don't really mind at all, because Yugiri is quite my dream doll~

 

I just ordered my first doll.
He was originally $270, but with sanding, face-up, and shipping, whent
all the way up to $420~! ! Just think, if you were to get a doll that was $400,
the extras would be phenomenal! ​

 

ah... well yes. I remember ordering my El. Then i decided i wanted an El-ss. Then a face up and then all the bits and bobs for him... So a doll that is worth $550 initially, i now have spent near $1000 on him alone... Rae and Roy much less simply cos i love sewing for them, but Cain... yeah so he doesn't get defaults anything. I get him stuff cos i feel like i'm lacking some bonding time with him.

Currently the british pound is 1:2 towards the american dollar so everything is half the stated value for me. Still it's expensive ^^ just look less. But i don't think it makes much difference, i always convert the value back into pounds before i buy anything. I reckon it's just an extra step before the 'check out' button so it's no big deal.