Struggles

I had a $500 car repair that I could have made work while keeping my dolls, but like you're asking I felt more comfortable selling some to fund it rather than get uncomfortably low in my savings. I ended up only selling one, kept my favorites. I also sometimes plan which would go first should a higher bill arise. Generally I say bodies go first, keep heads since I have quite a few I don't think I'd ever find for sale again. Part of it as well was I'd been expecting a doll event, and wanted to stay prepared to order the doll I wanted.

 

I've never personally had the thought to sell all my dolls, but I have put some up for sale just because I didn't really want them anymore. I like keeping as much money saved as I can, because you'll never know when you might need it, so I don't hold on to the dolls (and other things) I have that I don't really like or need anymore. It's a different situation from yours, but I think the point is that if you still love your dolls and want to keep them, then go ahead and do so.

I mean, financial situations are different for everyone, and if it's a choice between keeping your dolls and eating or paying rent then maybe you should let some go, but no one can make that decision but you. If it would really upset you to sell them and you don't absolutely need to, then keep them. If you really need some money, maybe sell the ones you don't like as much and keep one or two favorites. And most of all, don't buy anymore! You don't seem like you're planning to make any new purchases, so I probably don't have to say that, but you see a lot of people in more expensive hobbies like this that sometimes put their hobbies before necessary expenses, and that's baaaad.

Bottom line, if you'd regret getting rid of them, then don't. Unless you absolutely need to. Which doesn't really help much, but...money is a complicated thing. Odds are though, if you sell them and regret it, you'll want to buy more, and that's more money spending, and it all keeps going in a gross money circle. It's probably better to keep the ones you love if you can and just not spend anymore money on dolls for a bit.

 

Financial recovery is always such a long journey. It's taken me nearly 20 years out of college to finally be able to afford some nice things, so I really empathize with you. My doll characters have really grown and though they're inanimate objects, they're still really important for me to keep around. I'll sell when the doll just doesn't fit with me anymore. But I'll take on a third job before I let my best dolls go. You can always dig up more money somewhere. But you usually can't repurchase the exact same doll. Once it's gone, its gone.

 

I suffer from terrible low self worth which manifests itself as spend guilt. On top of that we don't have much money, I have three kids and my husband has been out of work since November which makes the guilt extra hard to stomach.

However, I grew up with my mother being a financial advisor, so some of that rubbed off on me and how I manage money. We have five bank accounts.
main account is where earnings from job and benefits and all that go into, it's also where all the outgoings for house, lifestyle and kids stuff comes out of.
Once a month a small amount comes out of the main account and is siphoned off into two accounts. My personal one and husband's personal one. This is our "completely guilt free spending money" to buy frivolous non essential things like a new video game or a doll or whatever. It's "fun money" as it were.
The other two accounts are long term savings. One is the "omg the oven broke, we need a replacement" account. The other is intended to be the "saving up for a deposit for an actual dang house" account but that one kinda relies on husband having a JOB and an income.
Anyway,

When he's actually employed the small amount we take per month as fun money doesn't leave any sort of dent in our finances, but it is money that has to be saved up if we want a large purchase (like a bjd). I need to save for 4 or 5 months in order to afford a doll and that's fine, it means I have to really really focus on saving.
Any money I make selling my dolls and other bits and pieces also goes back into that account, it's my money that I earn selling things I bought with that money so it's this sort of recyling effect. I sell a few older dolls to fund a new purchase or whatever, but only because I WANT to, never because I NEED the money.

We haven't hit a point yet where we have to stop the monthly stipend, but we will get there in a few months time if he doesn't get a job, and yes, I stress about it and yes, I do look at my dolls and wonder "hmm, could I sell these to keep us afloat" but at the end of hte day, the amount i'd make would only keep us afloat a month or so more and it would do serious damage to my mental health having to part with things I love just to make ends meet.
I'd sooner find other ways, do some commission work, go try to find a low paying job doing something menial and so on.
Because I know that 1: I'd regret selling. 2: i'd start to resent my husband for making me get to the situation I had to sell my beloved possessions and 3: I couldn't replace them because they're all uniquely MINE and i've invested so much of myself into them.
I mean I own several ot dolls that are literally one of a kind, as in, there is no way they can ever ever ever be replaced. (a thought that terrifies me honestly)

Generally, when money gets tight, I sell things I know I won't miss. accessories i've used once, outfits I bought on whim and never actually used much, wigs i'm just stashing for no real reason.

I'm pretty realistic in my financial goals, though i'd sooner buy a doll than a new pair of shoes or a dress for myself lol. And because we're fairly frugal without being seriously coupon snipping penny pinchers, we do have a decent wad of savings propping us up. We should be okay IF we get the housing benefit we need, otherwise it's a £600 deficit per MONTH we're running at after everything and that's an awfully large amount of money to recoup. Even cancelling all our internet, our phones, it wouldn't even make a dent in that. So I see no point in denying ourselves things we need to keep ourselves from sinking into utter depression if it won't even stop the deficit. It'd be a different story if knocking our broadband down and stopping the "fun money" would actually put us in the black at the end of every month but it won't and our mental health is equally as important.
Until such a point as we're literally facing homelessness, i'll do just about everything else possible to avoid having to sell the things that distract me from the financial situation.

 

At home we're very tight with money. Over spending on groceries usually guarantees not being able to pay a bill (or two) at the end of the next week.
Sometimes I feel like selling some of my stuff (figures, dolls) would help, but then when I really think about it it wouldn't.
Selling my stuff wouldn't solve the problem and they actually make me happy and give me something to work on/look forward to other than work and sleep.

So even though the thought sometimes crosses my mind I would probably never sell. :P

 

I have sold dolls for responsible things. Most recently, I sold a doll to put a bed in my spare room. To pay bills...it really depends. I have to consider a few things first, like is this a one time bill or will selling the doll pay a monthly bill, but next month I'll be right back in the same situation? If it's one time, and I have a doll I'm not too upset to part with, I'd probably do it. If it were a case of paying a medical bill for my dog, like if she were in a situation that called for immediate attention, I'd sell them all! If it's a regular recurring bill? Probably not. I'd rather keep my doll that sell it and end up in the same situation anyway. That, and there's no guarantee you'll sell the doll in time, and even if you do, you may have to sell it at a loss, then if you regret it and want to rebuy in the future? You'll likely pay even more money to get it back.

 

I've thought of selling some dolls before when I'm in a financial bind but the market sucks for sellers right now so by the time I sold the doll that situation would have passed.

 

I've never sold any dolls because of a financial pinch, but I have let go of other things not related to this hobby. Whenever you're feeling unstable, just remember that dolls are just objects. You may be sentimentally or emotionally invested in them, but getting your basics back together is always more important.

Another thought that others have brought up: is selling the doll really going to help?
That $300 might seem like a lot when you're in a tight spot, but unless it's a one-time kinda of deal (need new tires, broken laptop, etc) where you're basically trading the doll for another item, you might just be treating a symptom. If you're having trouble keeping up with debt, bills, or you're just cutting it too close each pay period, something else needs to be addressed.

 

sometimes I am thinking of selling one of my dolls, my tiny but every time I see her big eyes and sweet smile I just can't xD I just end up selling some of my stuffs (not doll related).

 

We were in that spot. I had just started with the hobby, and I was working as a translator on-call. Meaning that I had not regular income at that time. We decided to buy a house, the general calculation of the bank was done. According to that, everything should have been okay money-wise. Sadly, the amount I got out of my "job" got less and less - less to do, so less money. I managed to keep us afloat for some time, as I sold the tack from my horse (even used, you still get some money from high-quality stuff). But as things go, one time all was sold, and we still had 4 years to go to pay off the house.
I very seriously considered selling the 2 dolls I just bought for financial reasons. My husband just said "NO". He said this was of no use, and that we had to find another solution.

At that point, even if I did not want to, I started looking for a regular part-time job. I found one literally at the very last minute before my car could not have passed the check-up it has to pass to be still allowed on our streets. It made a wreck out of me, and I put on 20 additional kilograms. Today, I do not like this at all, I am starting to feel the consequences of that weight.

But I am so happy to have been able to keep my dolls (as you can see, they have even multiplied). We still are a bit tight, and hardly any trips are affordable, but we have leared to live with that. Next year our house will be paid off, and I can consider leaving that awful job.

 

If you do have to sell them because it's the best decision for you, don't feel bad! It's okay to make wise decisions when you need to, and when things are going better you can often buy new dolls or versions of the ones it might turn out you miss having.
You're still welcome here on the forum whatever you end up doing.

 

It's fantastic to hear that you guys are doing worlds better from such a terrible situation! I wish you the best of luck in greying everything back to a comfortable state. Remember, most dolls can be replaced if need be!