Doll Buying Moratorium - a Report
A little over a month ago, I decided that a doll buying suspension was necessary to build my liquid savings back up. Here’s how it’s going:
Wow! It’s been hard. I almost caved and bought a hundred dollar doll at one point, but I managed to resist. I discovered some coping mechanisms along the way. And I haven’t been too strict, I bought some not too expensive doll related items.
Coping: I bought a couple of nice boxes for doll clothes (doll related purchase) and cleaned up all my doll stuff. All dolls on two shelves, clothes put away, that sort of thing. It was a mess before. Interestingly enough, this activity relieved my compulsion to buy more dolls. Seeing them all there on the shelves, I felt a little like I’d eaten too much. Ugh! Don’t buy anymore!
Coping: I couldn’t just NOT look at my web favorite: Dolls > Stores; so I made another web favorite: Dolls > Want. Now I put the link in there instead of buying the whatever. When I want to buy it later, when I have money, there it will be.
Coping: Started a Want List, complete with pictures. A lot of people do this. It’s a good idea. Let’s you think about it a little before purchasing. Sometimes you don’t want the doll all that much. Time will out that.
I have had the experience of getting something and then thinking, “Why did I buy that?” Actually walking into a store that sells dolls is terrible for the “What did I just do?” effect. Stick to the list. Unless it’s just an amazing find.
My non-buying state has not remained pristine, but I have been buying less and saving money. One thing that really helped is the fact that I pre-ordered Re-ments 30 Days of fashion, a set of 10 doll outfits from HLJ, before I swore off. Since they arrived, I’ve been opening one box a day, putting the dress on a doll and taking a photo. This meets the need for a esthetic novelty. An almost daily need now. You can’t buy that many dolls!
I also bought a doll from my list that was on sale. I had to get her! Good deal! And she isn’t that expensive a doll. A Tiny Dru. The very one I wanted the most. She’s on her way!
Other purchases: A bunch of fabric to trade to DollsAhoy for sewing. This is almost the same thing as buying doll dresses. I try to be sure to get enough fabric to be well equal to the value of the sewing. But there is a difference. The cost is not as great as a better doll. DollsAhoy is doing custom stuff for me, which is neat. And I get a big kick out of seeing fabrics I picked out transformed into doll clothes in A’s Etsy store and Flickr photos.
And I bought the boxes for doll clothes, which helped me tidy up, so that was necessary. I think I’ve been doing pretty well. Thank God that Tiny Dru is on her way, though. That’s all I can say.
Tiny Dru pictured on right. I’d like the Betsy, too. These short haired ones came out a couple of years ago, so I was afraid she’d be gone.
Next up: My wish list.