Only allowing yourself to buy "cheaper" dolls? Part II

I figured I would only ever buy cheaper dolls, because my dream doll was too expensive. But I finally decided that I'd rather have one $500+ doll that I have always wanted than several cheaper dolls who are cute, but not amazing. I still love my cheaper dolls, but I have my dream girl on layaway now and I don't regret it in the least.

 

I bought a doll I love at a price I could save and feel good about spending my hard earned money on. I love this doll. Even if she is a BBB.

 

I think Its fine to get a doll no matter what the price is as long as they like its and could afford it. Some may go for a cheaper doll because they can't get the one they like. It's the individual's decision to do what ever they want with their money so I don't object to anyone buying a cheaper doll

 

Personally I'm only interested in those that are under $400 because of the more expensive ones being way too big for my liking. I want adults at about 30 cm and the younger ones in proportion to that. It isn't just for financial reasons, though that is part of it, I prefer smaller dolls.

 

I originally fell in love with the SD dolls that I had seen on someone's blog, but when I went to purchase a doll of my own, I decided to go cheaper and smaller because of the price (this was the only reason). I found an MSD that I liked, but I was not completely enamored with her. But I was enamored with the idea of having a doll... so I bought her. I was happy with her, but the happiness did not equate to the price I had paid for her, even though she was less expensive- she just didn't match the "vision" I had. I eventually sold her, deciding that maybe the hobby wasn't for me.
Three years of lurking on DoA and other BJD sites has made me realize that I really DO want to be in the hobby, and maybe I just approached it the wrong way. This time, I figure it's go big or go home! I just put in an order for an SD sized doll; when I found her, I said "OMGOODNESS that's the PERFECT Ami!" I will let you know how it goes when she comes home, but I feel so satisfied with the purchase that I really don't feel bad about it like I did even with the first doll.
From someone who has made a decision based entirely on price, I would have to say that's it's not worth it, at least to me. Get something you will love and cherish, because it's a lot of money to just be moderately happy.

 

When I first started looking at them I forced myself to only like the smaller ones because I knew I could never afford the SD size. ^^;;

 

I can't understand the whole expensive=better mentality a lot of people have. I wouldn't trade my $150 Lan for all the SDs in the world. You have to buy the dolls you like even if they're not a popular size or sculpt.

 

I'm lucky, cuz the doll I want is fairly cheap ^_^ well..theres other parts and things I'd want for it that are like..WOAH but I'm absolutely happy with the one I chose!

 

Buy what you love. Love what you buy.

Never let popularity, price or someone else influence what you want. If you want it badly enough and work to make it happen, anything is possible.

 

My sister is trying to talk me into getting a cheaper doll since I'm new to the hobby and she thinks it would be better if I got a feel for it versus jumping right in and spending all that money on something I won't like. =/

 

I wouldn't say I only allow myself to buy cheaper dolls.
Maybe I should consider it as I don't earn that much, but if there is an expensive one I really fall for I would buy it, given I have saved enough. XD
So far I've bought two 'cheaper' sds around 400$ and an msd around 400$ which considering my 'pocket money' isn't really cheap, but coparing them to other sd prices that go up to arount 700-900$ ... well. X'D
I really don't go after the price though. There is a cheaper sd for 180$ that I'm planning to buy in the future, not because it's cheap but because I really love it as much as the 700$ one that I want.
So I'd say it depends. There are a lot of really beautiful cheaper dolls, especially from the newer companies that often seem to start at a lower price and raise it from time to time. There's nothing bad about looking for cheaper - or I'd prefer saying less pricy as cheap sounds ... well, bad quality cheap - dolls.

 

It's funny, because I don't see many people say "expensive = better", but I do see a whole lot of people say that you should buy what you love, regardless of the price.

I know that there are less expensive dolls out there that are nice quality, but I also know that I have a few specific BJD's in mind that I would like to own someday, and those aren't among them.
For the past few years, I didn't make enough money to justify buying a doll, so I haven't. I'll wait until I have room to save up and then go for the ones on my wishlist. I know from experience that if I settle for some other doll, I'll most likely sell him again in a few months time. To me, it isn't worth the hassle and that's why I'll wait.

 

I haven't seen such people on this forum,but there are those who think certain dolls aren't good enough or whatever because of their low price. It's like they don't even look at the beauty of the dolls. There are a lot of SD sized,expensive dolls that I think are beautiful but wouldn't buy no matter what they cost because I'm more into MSDs and Tinies.

 

I keep to the inexpensive dolls because of my love for the hobby and my financial situation, if one day I find my self in a position to buy a higher end doll ill do it. But for now I am exceedingly happy with my under $300 dolls.

 

^ This Completely this ^

The price, size, company, skincolour of a doll does not really matter as long as it is a doll you love.
I say "a doll" on purpose. during this thread I see a lot of people mention things along the lines of
"you should just safe up for THE doll you love" which is true in the sense that you should not settle for a doll you do not like over a doll you love (this can lead to great hobby disappointment)

But lets look at it in a different way:
When you are new to this hobby and shopping around for a doll for the first time it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the options.
It is also easy to like/want or even fall in love with more than one doll.
especially once you have been in the hobby a while and know a bit more of what you find important in a doll (posability, body proportions, big/small nose, more /less realistic and so on)

I can understand if you love a few dolls equally and maybe at that moment your finances are not that great, that you chose to get a/the cheaper doll (that you DO love) first. and then when you get more space to safe up get back to the more expensive dolls that you also love.

 

I'm still in the hunt for my first doll and the factor of price has played a huge point until it got to the point maybe I had become annoying about it? My boyfriend advised me to not worry about price and just get one I really like, which is what a lot of people here advise. The doll that I've seen from the start that I really like is $600++ but fortunately for my wallet she is currently sold out. I do like the inexpensive RS sculpts like Mei, but I'm hesitant because of their slender bodies and the 'you get what you pay for' although many people are happy with them.. but I might consider them as a second doll if I ever feel the need/want later on.
The current doll I'm looking into is around $300 even after shipping which is more comfortable of a high end for me. I told myself that I would not buy clothes for my doll because I have a sewing machine and can learn to make them, so not looking at fullsets and extras knocks down the price thankfully!

 

This thread makes me laugh because anything over 200 is crazy expensive in my eyes :p

(You know in the end clothes+eyes+wigs+furniture+props+faceups always add an extra few hundered -_-")

 

I've never seen someone dislike a doll only because of a low price. It's usually the flaws in said doll that become acceptable at a low price which wouldn't be acceptable in a higher priced doll that put people off. (this being dolls that are low priced for their size, and not SD vs MSD vs Tiny) If I buy a doll for $600 I expect it to be sturdy, to not flop around like a fish after being restrung, to not have its legs flop around backwards no matter what I do or its knees flail out like it has to pee when sitting, to have gorgeous and detailed sculpting especially in the hands, to be well engineered etc...If I bought a doll for $600 with those engineering problems and lack of sculpting skill, I would pitch a fit! I would want to return it immediately. For $200 it's like "well maybe I can deal with it, because what do you expect from a $200 SD?" Only to get so frustrated a few months down the line that you sell it for like half its' original purchase price. If that doll had been $1000 instead, I wouldn't have suddenly been in love with it. It has nothing to do with the price. If someone else is just fine ignoring those flaws, then more power to them, because I just can't.

I've limited myself to lower priced dolls MANY times, because I can't justify spending the money on a doll that I love and will settle for a doll that's "pretty cute" or whatever but I always end up unsatisfied and end up selling the cheaper doll at a loss. I think I've done it like 5-6 times and I never learn! From all those transactions I sold at a loss, so I've lost at least $500-600 on dolls I didn't even enjoy having. D:

 

I am really struggling with myself over the idea of paying $400+ for a fullest doll. It is hard for me to accept that they are really worth as much as they are being priced at. Luckily I prefer only tines, but with accessories and clothes, the price has usually skyrocketed by the time I have finished with them. So even when I go cheap and buy a basic doll, the price is probably already above $500... it's impossible to stay cheap T_T