When is it okay to buy a doll?

IDK, I think holidays are a great time to buy because of all the promotions/discounts, although the downside is wait time, but honestly this hobby is expensive so I'd be happy to make that exchange.

 

I buy doll when I already had job, my money is enough to buy doll and I like that doll.

 

If I have the money and it's not a threat to my living situation to drop money on a doll. That being said, I usually try to go for layaway because it's easier to drop a little money every month than 550 bucks right at the gate. And nothing is frivolous if it's something you love and are passionate about. You don't need a special reason. You have the means to comfortably buy or put a doll on layaway without losing food or skipping bills? Treat yo' self.

 

I think I have a rough formula for my doll-purchasing: (cost of the doll + sales or promotions - available funds) / (love of the sculpt x availability of the sculpt). Basically if I have the money and I love it, I'll probably buy it.

 

I think as long as it's your money it's okay to spend however you like, if you feel like buying a bjd and you have some money remaining, go ahead!

 

I think that every time is good if it doesn't affect your budget. I bought a doll when I got the job, became independent and saved for a few months. Thanks to it I was able to pay all the price with face-up, body blushing, wig and some clothes. Now I have to save a bit for customs (although I hope I won't get a "love letter").

Once I met a girl who told me that she spend everything for dolls, because her boyfriend pays all her bills and she eats junkfood. I don't think it's healthy - to me it looks like an obsession.

 

Doll money comes out of the fun money pool...so it's often a case of ' do I want doll or ~insert other fun thing~ ?'
But I keep some $$$ set aside to give me the ability to jump on a sale or LE which somfar has made my current doll buying less expensive than hunting them as rarer ones in the 2nd market. I'm probably going to get one less doll this year or next in favor of a dslr camera too. What else I have planned for the year as well as current size and space are also considerations sometimes.

As far as too many, not enough and my enjoyment factor, I am seeking this balance:
Often enough to feed the hunger and keep my interest up in the hobby but not so often that each doesn't feel very special.

 

It's OK to buy a doll whenever you feel like it.

(In my view, nobody else has the right to judge your purchases, even if they perceive them as being "irresponsible." I honestly don't think "irresponsible"--or really any other moralistic judgement--is a determination anybody should feel they are qualified do make, and furthermore, so long as the other person isn't a minor or SO and dependent upon you financially, I don't think it's something they should think they can have an opinion about either.)

Here's my rule for myself (other people no doubt have good reasons for their policies as well, but I tend to choose ridiculous wait times over much higher prices).

Since many of the dolls I want (or bodies at least) are standard, I wait for them to go on sale. This means that I sometimes miss out on opportunities I probably should have jumped on, but the only big one was probably missing out on buying a Venitu when the head/body were discounted on Dollshe's site. I had the same happen with an OrDoll Anderl, Dollzone 61cm body, and FantasiaDoll muscle body, but I was able to find them for prices roughly comparable to the original listing I missed, just after a much longer period of time than I would have liked.

I usually stalk the Marketplace and other places like Instagram and Facebook to see if I can find the doll cheaper, but since lately many of the dolls I've purchased have been from Chinese companies, and the secondhand market is mostly English-speaking and international, usually I can find a better deal on Taobao. (People who buy dolls from dealers or international company websites aren't usually willing to discount the doll to the degree that it would need to cost to compete with Taobao.)

However, buying off of Taobao usually takes longer as some companies don't offer discount specials through Taobao, or some companies only do it sporadically. I usually end up having to check a couple times before determining what kind of policy they have with their Taobao (although often, even with discount, buying from Taobao is cheaper even if they never offer events via that site).

The more expensive the doll, the longer I wait for a deal. I waited almost a year to buy one of my bodies, but my average is probably more like a couple months.

For limited dolls, I order on the last couple days of the ordering period because I usually think about the purchase for a long time. I'm getting up there in the number of dolls I own, so I want to make sure any doll I bring in is for a good reason (even if it's the aesthetics and potential for a character).

 

I understand your point of view, but I can't agree with it. I don't think it's good to ignore somebody who propably needs help. I'm talking about obsessed people who are ready to run into debts, lie to their family (for example you get money to pay rent, but you buy a doll) and steal things to sell them to get money to buy a doll. I know one girl who is obsessed with computer games and figures. She has got many consoles, games, TVs and expensive figures. You can say: "Who cares, she spends her money" and I'd totally agree, but she doesn't work or earn any money. She spends everything for her hobbies and then cries to us (her mates) that she is poor, she doesn't have money to buy her medicines and doesn't have anything to eat.

I think that if you have to hurt yourself to get something, you have a problem. But it's only my own opinion.

 

@Skolopendrokot
I just don't think anyone has any right to make moralistic judgements regarding someone else. You don't know all the facts, because you aren't that person, and you don't have the degree necessary to make their problem (if it is a problem) into a diagnosis (neither do I--certainly not a psychiatrist). I am also very skeptical of the casual pathologizing of people in general (not that you were necessarily implying that an amoral person has a mental or psychologic disorder.)

As a result, while I value your response, my opinion is unchanged. But if we are to agree to disagree, let me clarify my argument, as by my understanding of your response you have misunderstood.

I also am a bit confused(?) You seem to imply that my comment (When you state, "I'm talking about...") is a direct response to you, which was not my intention. I posted my response on this public forum as my general response to the question, "When is it OK to buy a doll?" Where is the response that you think I'm replying to? I thought Viivi was the original poster of this question (?)

And where in the question stem or in my response did I indicate that the money of the specific class of people I was referring to was not their own? I think you might be unintentionally reading a bit into my response and broadening my argument to include a class of people I specifically excluded (when I state: "not financially responsible"--for the people I'm referring to, the money is their own).

It also sounds like the specific individual you're talking about might be coloring your thinking a little bit. In my view, "her money" (whoever you're referring to) does not include "friends/family's money" (stealing). When I use the term "their money" I mean their money, not someone else's. Of course, once you (or anyone) makes the decision to give money to someone else, it becomes their own to use as they see fit. If you have a problem giving "her" (whoever that is) money, just stop doing it, as is also your right.

I’m also confused about the implication (by the offense regarding my response) that one’s ability to refuse a friendship or acquaintanceship with someone hinges first on whether they are moral (and not whether you like them). It seems to me you are free to ditch “she” whenever you like. You could ditch her for chewing with her mouth open (or another minor thing), which certainly is not based on a moral judgement.

As for "ignoring someone who needs help," I don't view it that way. It's not my responsibility to attempt to paternalistically control someone else's life (especially if they aren't asking me for help). In fact, I would argue that so long as they aren't hurting themself or others (and legally speaking, the bar for hurting others is pretty high to my knowledge), it's their decision whether or not they "need help" and not for others to decide for them.

As for lying to others and stealing, it seems like you have a much easier moral argument to make about the person's character than whether or not their shopping habits are moral. Why preoccupy oneself in the subjective determination of whether someone should or should not buy something and instead make the easy call of (in general) stealing = not moral? This seems like a pretty uncontroversial statement (stealing isn't moral).

I also think you might have confused my argument regarding making moralistic judgements with one about disliking the person or disagreeing with their actions. Anyone is free to do that. (I mean, you're free to disagree, as you state you do, with my argument as sated above, but the disagreement part even meshes with my life philosophy.) Even if I'm not morally opposed to someone, I can still dislike them and stop being their friend (everyone is free to do this).

I think that person is moral/amoral ≠ I don't want to be around that person

As for (perhaps unsolicited--? I'm confused because you specifically brought your problem with "she" into the discussion) advice, if I were you, I'd ask myself whether my action (or perhaps lack thereof) of allowing that person continued presence in my life was abetting my own suffering. It seems this person is causing you pain (which for me would be reason enough) and stealing (so morally and legally in the wrong), so why let it continue? Don't enable toxic people (not that their toxic behavior is your fault, but let present you help future you and save yourself the brain damage).

But, as I state above, if by your reply you meant that you wanted me to provide a direct response to your situation with “she,” just link me the post!

 

I still can't agree with you. I think it's really important if you can be honest with someone and tell him (especially if he's your mate) that he does something wrong. It doesn't mean that you are right (and you don't have to be a specialist to do it) - it can be a good opportunity to know someone better or can help someone to open and talk about his problems. Of course I don't mean being rude.

And yeah, being a mate of that girl was a really big pain. When I and my friend met her, she told us about her problems and we gave her some money (and it was quite big sum). She was really happy and told us that she will buy some food, but she bought some new games. When we didn't want to give her any money again, she was angry. I tried to talk to her many times, I even offer her a job (because she told us that she isn't able to find anything), but she refused and aksed if I will give her some money. And some time ago I had similar situation with a girl who sewed a cape for my doll (she's not from DoA). She told me many stories about her poor life: that she doesn't have money for the rent, for food, for fabrics even for sending my cape to me (althoug I've paid for it). But I had soft heart and told her to send the cape and I paid for it by myself. A few days later I saw this girl buying new dolls for 400$.

I am sorry for small offtopic, but I do hope that you understand me better now (it doesn't mean that you have to agree with me, of course).

 

@Skolopendrokot

I shouldn’t continue this, because it’s a really small point, but I never said stealing wasn’t wrong or that you couldn’t or shouldn’t tell the person that stealing is wrong. What I was trying to make clear in my response to yours is that the specific case you refer to is unrelated to my argument as my argument specifically excludes your example.

But I am sorry someone stole from you and your friends and lied to you.

 

I'm retired and on a fixed income, and have limited money to spend on dolls. I'm very careful how I plan my doll purchases.
I always go for layaway, and spread the payments out over several months.

I also take advantage of sale events. Many sites have a summer event and a winter or Holiday event. I've almost always bought dolls during those events. I bought several dolls during 5 Star Doll's summer event. The end of the layaway usually coincides about the time of my birthday, so it ends up being a wonderful birthday gift to myself.

 

I buy dolls when I find doll that I like that are in reasonable price for me without putting me through financial difficulties. I don’t think it has to be special occasion thing, but I definitely don’t purchase whenever I ‘feel’ like it. I have to pay for essential stuffs first, such as bills, grocerys, etc.

 

This topic seems to be a lot about the feeling of guilt. Personally I have my own business n i maintain my family and of course i can permit myself to buy a doll coz this money is fully earned by myself. But still i always feel guilty, coz when u have kids - u always have something important to spend on. ALWAYS. However much u have already spent. This is why i can never be collecting a separate dolly money on a special account or to a especial secret pocket But this is not correct. We have to permit ourselves to be happy too, the whole life cant be dedicated only to the duties. This is why i permit myself to buy dolls when i really want them. Even if my whished doll has to be bought quickly n i dont have free funds, i ask for a layaway or take the money from other necessities spendings. In fact this makes me run faster: i have to do more to get the missing money n yes i move quicker
I dont buy dolls at all only if smth wrong goes with the business or a family member is seriously ill.

 

Wait until you have the full amount of money saved up for a bit so you know you don' need it for somthing important. I say don' do it around big holidays because of delays. When you have the money and find the right doll any time is ok though! Don't think you have to wait for an occasion or you may miss out!

 

It all depends on when you feel like getting a doll.

 

I just placed the order for my first doll, but I had waited till I was a fulltime employee and could make the decision without causing financial stress. It mostly depends on being responsible with your money and that you have enough to settle bills and other needs as these are luxury items and should be regarded as such when deciding where your money goes. Nothing better than a treat yo' self purchase when you can manage it

 

You should buy a doll whenever you want to,as long as you have the dolly funds to get it without going into debt.

 

I tend to buy dolls whenever one that I love is available and I have the funds!