Were You Afraid to Start The Hobby?

This is not a problem, you can always post a wanted in the market place once you have access! even very limited limited's come up after a bit.

 

@TreeLore i really hope so and wait patiently to get access, thank you for that you care)

 

I have a tendency to get bored easily. When I was growing up, there was never a toy that I was attached to for more than maybe 6 months. So I spent a long time looking at BJDs and admiring photos of them, amassing research... But being too scared of wasting money to actually buy one. At the time those years ago, I feel like they were even more expensive and there wasn't any layaway back then, either. So yeah, I was definitely afraid to start!

Now that I have a full-time job and layaway exists, it's a lot easier to justify the expenses of the hobby. Also, after spending all those years being interested, I've convinced myself that it's far less likely that I'll just get bored "after doing one or two photoshoots" like I thought I would back then. If I was going to lose interest, I already would have, haha.

 

Yes it does take patience but it's always worked for me :-) sometimes takes a few months but worth the wait. Also of course you can do a search in the market place as the doll might already be there when you get access. :-)

 

I think one of the most important things, especially when starting out, is to budget your time and money for it. Its a very easy hobby to spend money in and a lot of it. Budgeting and knowing how each puchase will affect your finances later on takes a lot of the intimidation out of it. I bought my first doll a few months ago very impulsively and I've spent a fair amount on clothes and a wig and eyes and whatnot, which really showed me how easily I could drain my bank account. I'm a person who likes to go all out in a hobby, so this one can drive me a little crazy because my disposable income doesn't always match the amount I'd like to invest. At the same time, it's almost a good thing because it forces me to be wiser about throwing money at things. Set a spending limit and always keep it in mind.

As for what other people think, nevermind them. If this is important to you, than let it be. I'm lucky enough to have a boyfriend that thinks my obsession is cute, and parents that think its weird but are interested nonetheless because they know its important to me. I think the trick is to own it; don't apologize for your love of this, use it to show your friends and family that it's something that makes you happy.

Your final problem I know all too well. Starting out in the doll hobby, I think there's two schools of though that kinda tie into the first point about budgeting. You can either splurge on a really expensive doll or buy a cheaper doll to start. Some people are all for getting an expensive full-set dolly as their first, and thats fine! Some people want to spend less on the doll and more on customizing, and that's fine! (It really depends on what your plan is in the hobby too, whether youre looking to play with your doll or have it be a collector's piece!) And that's not to say you can't spend more on a high quality doll and not spend that much more getting them set up the way you'd like!
But if you're not too sure about being in the hobby and the cost of it all is overwhelming, I'd personally say go with the cheaper doll and get more customization options. Then not only is the doll less intimidating because of the price, but it also gives you a chance to learn first hand how to handle and take care of a doll with less worry. Practically a week after I bought my first girl, I kinda had that feeling like "Okay I've bought a doll, what's my next hobby going to be?" And then once her wig and eyes and a bunch of clothes came in the mail and I put her all together and spent some time messing about with her and having little photoshoots, it really drew me back in. I think it really helps to have hands on time with your doll and to be able to play with the versitility of them. I found it really rewarding and it helped make up my mind about staying in the hobby!

Hope that all wasn't too lengthy or wordy, but I hope I helped a little!

 

to be honest, starting this hobby was very intimidating, due to the sheer amount of stuff you need to know and worry about, let alone the price of everything! i wouldnt say i was afraid, just maybe a bit concerned that id make big mistakes and regret everything...haha...
but there is a lot of information out there to help newbies such as myself out, so once you have a good read and really do your research, then starting the hobby should be no problem.
still had heart palpitations when ordering my first doll though... i dont think that part will get any easier x- D

 

Price was my main hesitant factor. I just couldn't justify spending $800 on a doll when I can use that money for something else. Also, that I will be buying things for them that cost more than if I buy for myself. I just end up eyeing and continue to research more until I was ready. Until I got the doll, all I was worrying about was "what if this is waste of money" and "what if it is another phrase of mine".

 

Actually yes, I'm so scared to start the hobby because of the price tag that comes with it. But what to do...looks like I already took the plunge a while ago, so I guess I will just see how this goes for now...

 

I totally agree with you...and I just did what you mentioned, I just hope it won't become an addiction

 

The best thing about this hobby is that our community is so large that if for some reason you figured out that this scene just isn't for you, rehoming the doll/accessories is easy as pie. 9 times out of 10 you can make your money back.

 

I wasn't exactly afraid to start the BJD hobby.
I wasn't hesitant either- It's merely because I had no money to spend on a doll back then. ;;;
That was my main reason for lagging behind other enthusiasts.

 

To be completely honest, my situation is a bit different. I wasn't afraid of making a big spend on a doll. I was in love with the doll and had the money at the time. I had it stashed away ready to pay for a while.

I was scared of other doll owners. XD I had heard so many rumors of name-calling, hate, and scams floating around social media regarding BJD collecting that I even waited a couple weeks after getting my doll to join DoA, because I was terrified that I'd be looked down on as a newbie owner. I was honestly terrified of other people, and not so much about my doll himself. XD Sure, I was scared I might break him on accident, but I think everyone has had those fears when first starting out.

 

I was scared I wouldn't stay interested, because I used to be vary random... gaining interest and losing it a moment later... I had the money at the time, so that wasn't an issue for me. I was also scared of how easily they might break, how fast they might yellow, how bad a lot of things might be, because I read too many horror stories!xD

Turns out they don't yellow fast or even all the easily when your a night owl that only opens your drapes at night, they are very durable (I've always been careful... but I found out just how unbreakable they can be because a friend I had wasn't so careful with hers! :P), and many other stories turned out to be extremely rare cases.

I'm still scared every time I buy one though, the wait makes me imagine all the bad things that could happen that likely never will! xD

 

When I joined the hobby in 2008 (interested as early as 2004-ish, but bought my first doll in 2008), I didn't even know there WAS a community! So that wasn't a fear of mine at all. There weren't YouTube videos or Instagram or Flickr or Tumblr or FaceBook groups, at least nowhere near the extent of what we have now. I didn't know about DoA. I can say I 100% bought my first dolls for me without even consideration that there even were other people who'd care about what I think. My friends, family and husband already knew I was a doll collector, so it wasn't surprising to anyone, and I was working and supporting myself, so nobody could really say anything about me spending my own paycheck.

My biggest fear was that I'd spend so much money, then I'd not like the doll and lose money trying to sell it. Or that I'd get scammed and never receive my doll at all.

 

Well... i dont really care about what others think i said that this time instead of a new computer ill buy Dollfie :P and thats all (now i have 2 :P) as for clothes im making them on my own

 

I wasn't until I bought one and looked into it a little more and saw there is a lot of negativity in this space. But I have wanted to for over 10 years so. Its more for me and if I copy someone on accident oh well. I just look at cloths and see what I like. And for my first I got a factory faceup.

 

The spending and not likeing them was a huge concern for me too. I wanted an MSD size that was mature looking. And I wasn't having any luck and was about to settle for one. Which I was scared Iwouldntlike.eventually I found one now it's just waiting for him to arrive and hope he's everything I hoped for lol.

 

No I wasn't afraid as I knew if it didn't work out i'd just sell the doll.

 

Yes I'm afraid...... cause the price is not cheap, I'm very worried I will broke it.

 

I believe even if you lose your passion that you should still keep the doll. Even for nostalgia purposes, its something to that reminds you of something. EX I spent so much time to buy this doll and she's beautiful. This was my first time saving so much money. I impressed myself.