Quitting your hobbies because dolls are expensive

I was the reverse. I left the BJD hobby because it was to expensive for me for a time. I've naturally phased out other hobbies due to life so I was able to come back recently.

 

Before I began saving for a doll I was collecting Re-Ment. I will still purchase them when I find a relatively cheap set because I think they compliment the 1/8 and 1/6 size BJDs I want. I am however focusing on my first doll purchase!

 

Before I began collecting dolls, I used to collect Build A Bears. I have always had an obsessive trait about myself and when I'm not collecting one thing, I immediately begin to collect something else. Before Build A Bears, I collected hoodies. Lol. Ever since I began collecting dolls, I've stopped obsessively collecting anything else because I don't have the extra money! In fact, sometimes I won't even buy thing I need, like new clothes, because I think to myself "that's like 1/4th of the price of a doll It's too much!!"

 

Wow I completely relate to you! I have that obsessive trait as well. That’s what makes dolls so fun because there’s a lot to learn, a lot of photography, and endless amounts of customization! I actually have four build a bears and a lot of clothes for them too.

 

You are totally right about dolls being so fun because there is much to do with them! With other hobbies, I'd spend thousands of dollars over period of time, then get bored or run out of things to collect and then I'd find something else to collect. If feel like there is always something to do with my dolls. Even as simple is buying them new clothing and switching out their outfits can be fun!

Dolls definitely cost more than other hobbies, so it would be difficult to sustain any other collecting hobby AND dolls at the same time lol.

 

I was almost going to quit action figures before even I knew about BJDs . But I'm more into stopping also BJDs collection, as this hobby is the most expensive I had, 10 dolls are enough for me... I usually use dolls just to create outfits now ^^

 

I don't quit. I just maintain the way it is and learn to be contented.

 

Since I started collecting BJD's I kind of let my other doll hobbies fall to the side, except for the crafting hobbies that I can use with them.

I've still picked up a few Barbies, for that collection, and I made a couple of reborns, because I still had the kits. I want to do one more of reborn, it is going to be one of those child sized ones, and it's not that I don't like the reborn hobby, I am just kind of out of room for all those toddler sized dolls. My Barbie shelf and my Monster High shelf has overflown to the max. If I had more space, I would maybe get a lot more of these dolls, as well as a bunch of other dolls like Madame Alexander, that I have.

BJD's have just taken the priority of my doll collecting. I can mix them into even more crafting hobbies.They are the best thing since sliced bread for me. I love sewing, but there are only so many clothes I can make for myself and my daughter before I run out of clothing room. I can sew for them. I have incentive to do this, because with the other dolls store bought clothes are easy to come by. I can crochet/knit hats for them. I can make them wigs. I enjoy taking pictures of them. They are great for practicing photography. I can make them furniture, there is just so much more to do with them for me, then there is with the other dolls.

 

I quit collecting Nendoroids and Anime Figures after getting into the doll hobby. I sold almost all figures, except one I got from my husband about 10 years ago as a christmas present. Now I am collecting Pullip and Bjds and wearing Lolita.

 

I haven't exactly quit my other hobbies, but I'm definitely taking a break from fashion doll and stuffed animal collecting while I buy the BJDs I need for my current set of characters. But part of it is that I like collecting more expensive things now because when I let myself have too many cheaper hobbies, my house gets cluttered really fast, so part of it is just that BJDs create less clutter for me since I can only buy so many per year, unlike stuffed animals, where I could probably buy 100 for less than 10 dollars if I went to the right thrift shop.

 

I use to collect and build gundam models but the prices have gotten out of hand.
Now I just focus on my bjd and r.c. car hobbies.

 

Last year I wanted to stop cosplaying because I didn’t really have the time for it and I was just not happy with it anymore. I wanted to get into BJDs for years but didn’t really know where to begin. When I was at my last convention last year I met a girl with a doll there and I decided to buy my first BJD then. I feel so much happier in the BJD community than in cosplay.

 

All my hobbies are all art related (Art and cosplay)! I have always been inspired by dolls since I was a boy, so when I found BJD's in the late 2000 (When Dream of Doll was popular) I knew I had to start collecting!! Because my preference isn't whats popular in the market I still cosplay sometimes and do art, but I always take a break when a sculpt I like comes out! Though I'm loosing interest in cosplay and hoping to focus on my art and dolls! (Maybe use the materials I have to make cosplays for them lol)

 

I never really had money-reliant hobbies before getting into BJDs. I spent money here and there, but never came close to spending anywhere near the amount I spend now.

I haven't quit any old hobbies, but I definitely have scaled down my video game "hobby" since getting into dolls. I used to be able to play games for literally hours on end almost every day, but since getting into dolls I play them only rarely. Strangely enough I also keep finding myself passing up $60-100 games because they're "too expensive"... b**ch you just bought a $200 doll!!!

 

I try to make my hobbies dovetail if I can, so I have very few things that I only use for one of the three (antique dolls, BJDs, and historical costuming). My acrylics are for antique doll repair and BJDs; ditto my airbrush. My dolls all wear homemade clothes made from scrap fabric. But there are definitely ways I have to compromise to make things happen, like only buying BJDs secondhand and infrequently, getting only damaged antique dolls that I can fix, and finding my sewing materials at the discount fabric store.

 

I don’t think I’ve ever quite a hobby to afford a new one. I’ve definitely scaled down, but I don’t think I would completely drop a hobby since I’ve invested so much into them. I also look for opportunities to combine hobbies such as making accessories out of clay for my doll.

 

I used to collect games but to be honest I was paring down that collection before I started getting into buying bjds. I had a lot of nendoroids and rare manga though and I’ve been selling those to get more into the bjd hobby. I am keeping a small collection of nendos and there are a few more being released that I’m going to add to my collection at some point. So I can’t quite say I’ve quit collecting them but I will be sometime soon.

 

I chose my doll collection over comics, action figures, anime/manga. I then bought less fashion dolls and imports to focus more on BJDs. I also read much less and do less puzzles than I used to. I play less video games too. Only my crafty hobbies survived so far. I sew, crochet, and scrapbook.

 

I used to be an avid thrift store shopper! Like, I'd buy tons and tons of clothes so much so that I had no more closet space but once I got past doll number 2 I stopped so I could buy my dolls more clothes and items and begin attempting to give them face ups. Honestly, it was a smart choice because I've been able to channel a lot of my negative emotions into my dolls and they make me happier than clothes that may or may not fit me in a year.

 

I collect too many things so I really don't buy that many bjds. I like to let my hobbies coexist since I have a habitat of falling in and out of enjoying certain ones.