Only allowing yourself to buy "cheaper" dolls?

Personally, I would prefer to save for the perfect doll if I had my eye set on one. Especially since they are really over priced commodities in my opinion, might as well have the one you want since you will be paying a lot for it regardless. xD

 

I'm surprised at the people that seem to be able to buy whatever doll they want regardless of price. I just can't imagine that... However, I would rather save all my spare money for years and get my dream doll than be able to afford 3 less ideal dolls in that time. Part of bonding is in the waiting planning and saving. Restraint adds to my delight in my doll.

 

Honestly, either way is a legitimate way to enjoy the hobby.
Sometimes the doll you love proves to be far too expensive, something which can ruin its enjoyment for because you're less likely to play with something that costs so much. A cheaper doll is more readily available and one would be more likely to feel free to handle it and take it places.
But, this is just my take on it. I'm sure others don't necessarily feel the same.

 

I don't get dolls that are extremely expensive just because that isn't in the price range at the moment....(won't be for several years probably) but that doesn't mean I don't plan to do so after things start chugging along...
Still, there are some cheaper dolls that I absolutely adore.

 

I'm more for "affordable" vs cheap or expensive...
There are nicer ones at lower prices if you try hard enough. I wish I was skilled to do face-ups or sew clothes on my own to save more and have a doll with a unique look too..

 

Personaly im not very good at setteling for for second best. Id rather save for years and get a doll I really loved than buy the only one I could afford at the time.
But that been said my dream doll was rather reasonably priced in comparison to many others not gona compain.

 

I'm not very good at saving up, which is surprising considering that I am over 40. However, I am good at budgeting and compromising. For my first doll I waited a long time until I found one used. Being my first, I couldn't justify her at full price but could at half. I lurked, waited, watched and searched until I found the right combination of a BJD that I loved and could afford. I bought a used SOOM Gena. Her name is Ilana Moresca and she is still telling me her story.

 

Sorry guys deleted this i read it over and it didnt really make since to me

 

I would say as an owner of both "cheap" dolls and expensive ones it all comes down to taste. I actually bought my first doll, a BBB Bao, because I fell in love with the mold, it was in stock, and it was a cheap price. I always look at the price in the end because I also have a family to support and I can't always justify paying $500+ for "just a doll". One thing I have noticed though is just because it's expensive doesn't always mean it is better. I noticed that when it comes to pose ability and overall look that expensive does NOT always mean more options. I can't for the life of me understand why some companies charge so much for a single jointed doll when I can get the same type body for $100's cheaper. It's all marketing to the consumer and trying to get them to bite.

 

Hmn, this is interesting for me - all three of my first dolls will all be ResinSouls, and part of it is because they are cheap.

When i first started looking at bjds I thought the prices were outrageous (I still think they are outrageous, but thats just me. I know, I know handwork and resin and all that) So I immediately went to find the cheapest ones and was at least somewhat relieved to find some that I would be able to afford at some point. And then you know what? I realized I actually really, really liked the RS sculpts. All over DoA people post "don't go cheap, buy what you reeeaally want." And I felt like "am I really just picking RS because its cheap?" But I looked at all the other sculpts and for the most parts, the ones I like are either on the same level of the RS for me or below.

Are there expensive dolls that I would like? Yes. But I also want my RS so why wouldn't I buy them first and then, once I have some dollies I want, go and save up for a more expensive doll? Thats what I plan to do at any rate.

 

I swore I'd never pay over 500$ for a doll, but I'll be damned if I did! My dream-boy just showed up on the Marketplace one day, and he should be on his way home now!

 

I find it hard buying a 1/6th or smaller for more than $150 and that's why I really love BBB and other companies that sell their tinies at that amount. Although just recently I put a LTF on layaway and that was so hard because it is $260 bucks.

 

I always thought dolls were very expensive.. and if you had told me three months ago that I would pay over $1000 for a doll... I would have told you that you were out of your mind! How things change when you see "the one"... unfortunately in my case, "the one" has a high price tag.... LOL!

 

I think that you should buy the BJD that you love, without paying attention of the price. Well, not that radical, but considering that a doll of 100 USD is not a cheap one, so you must be sure of what you want, and if you truly love her/him.
In my opinion the art does not have a price.

 

Hmmm. I hope this all makes sense! At first, I didn't know that there were "lower priced" BJDs. And then 3-4 years later when I decided that I'd get one, I learned more about the different price-ranges.

I said that I'd only get the more affordable BJDs (I couldn't imagine spending $500+ on a doll--never-the-less even $300!) but because I worked and saved up, I got one--two, haha--that I was happy with (and luckily it was still within my budget that time).

Recently, I almost got another BJD because there was this special free shipping promo (at a dealer I usually get my BJD things from) and it was a more affordable company but I hit my senses when I could "wait" and work hard again and save up and get that dream doll I've been thinking about for almost a year.

So I say that I try to limit myself to "more affordable" BJDs but I try my best to find a way to go and get the ones that I fall in love with (if they are the higher priced ones).

 

I think that it's probably practical as a first doll or an introduction to the hobby. Unfortunately I haven't seen any cheaper dolls that I like -_-

I dunno, though. I kind of think you should go all the way with the dolls. Get what you like; it'll be worth it when you have finally saved up.

 

To be honest, I'm not the type to spend a lot on something that isn't INCREDIBLY useful >_> I know the general agreement is to "save for what you want even if it's $1000+" but I... can't see myself spending so much on a doll. I usually try to limit myself to falling in love with the dolls on the cheaper side, and just looking when it comes to hugely expensive ones. I've said it before, but I'd prefer to spend $500 on a $250 doll and $250 worth of something else I like, or college funds, or something, than spend all of it on a $500 doll.

Anyway, yeah, I usually only save up for cheaper dollies, and I'm fine with that ^_^

 

Most of the dolls that land on my wish list are under $300. It was kind of half planned that way and half not. I like to keep myself on a budget and I tend to be a major tight wad. My doll vollecting habbits will probably refect this.
I started with a $42 Hujoo Wing because I was nervous about spending a lot of money on a doll to find out I didn't like ball joints period. I figured he was cute and would give me an idea what I was getting into, and gave me a "practice doll." I ended up bonding to the little puk faster than I could get a face on him. My second was a Bobobie Isabella and I love her to pieces. I hadnt planned on getting her right away, I wanted an MSD, but meetup season was getting close and I wanted a resin to go with. She got bumped up on the list. It wasn't a case of "I just want a doll" but more "I was gonna get her later, but.... oh well!!" ^~^
As for that planned MSD that I hadn't decided on yet, I dug through all kinds of companies, expensive and not, looking for the right mold. I actually avoided Bobobie/Resinsoul because I didn't want to look like I was just buying cheap dolls to have them. Finally I relented and looked at owner pictures of An. *points to signiture* you can guess the rest.
It comes down to: I don't think price determines how much a doll can be worth sentimentally. If someone sticks to cheaper dolls, then thats how it goes, and more power to them. If someone finds themselves with expensive tastes, thats just fine too. These dolls are a way to express yourself and no one should be able to tell you how much your expression should cost you.

 

I started out looking at cheaper dolls, such as those from Resinsoul or BBB, and I realized that I was trying to make myself love the sculpts when frankly I didn't and still don't (but I don't want to come off as bashing BBB and RS, so I won't go into details). My fiance talked me out of settling for second best and admitted he didn't like any of those sculpts either. So we waited and waited until I found Iplehouse. Now, my dolls fit in the $300-$400 range. I have found dolls from companies below that tend to not be up to my standards (especially aesthetic standards), and while there are many dolls I love above this price range I'm pretty content where I'm at. My fiance won't "allow" tinies (I use quotes here because while in reality no one tells me what to do, I like having his support for my collection), as he sees these as a waste of money, and would rather me pay more for a larger doll. So, in terms of limiteds, there are very few MSD or larger limiteds that I would consider buying, but lots of tiny limiteds.

I did consider buying some more expensive dolls, like a Soom Breccia I found for a ridiculous price on the MP but couldn't justify shelling out $800 for her. So I guess I have set limits for myself and I stick to the middle-of-the-road prices.

Besides, what is cheap by one person's standards may not be cheap by someone else's, etc. I think people can enjoy the hobby however they want and set limits if they want.

 

My 'grail' doll for the time I've been in the hobby, has been the Volks SD Kun. Since actually having my doll, and thus learning about just how many doll companies exist, I've actually found myself turned off by a doll that costs anything more than around $300-400. It could be a really beautiful doll, a doll that I might think about having - but once I find out that this particular doll costs more than what I'm willing to pay, the doll has lost its sparkle. I realize that I don't need *that* doll right now, when there are many other, equally awesome dolls, that don't cost as much as this one.

Since being in the hobby, I've always said I liked the SD Kun, but now I'm not so sure.