Tips for saving up for your (first) BJDs?

[Opalwhisker]

Hey! I am a 16 year old high school student and I would love any tips anyone has on saving up for some of your first BJDs!

you know, Do's and Don'ts, Things I could possibly make for dolls to sell to people, wether of not layaway is a good idea, general tips and such. How did you save for your first BJDs?

[OkamiKodomo]

I <3 layaway, but only ever put a doll on layaway if you know for sure you'll be able to make the payments on time. If you miss a payment with most dealers, not only will you not be able to place another layaway with them, but you'll forfeit the money you've already paid! Some places will work with you within reason, so long as you communicate with them, (a lot of dealers are small businesses, with only a handful of people working there, so there's the benefit of dealing with 'the human touch' rather than an automated system) but don't abuse the system.

As for saving your money, it's been suggested to me by..... DollyKim, I believe it was, to print out a picture of the doll you're saving for, and put it in your wallet, wherever you keep your money or bank card. Then, every time you go to buy something, you have to explain to the dollieh why buying that item is more important than they are. Or you just feel guilty. It's a great help to prevent impulse buys.

Another thing I do when trying to save, is when cashing checks, I always get cash back before depositing the money into my bank account, and put it in a little metal box at home. I never bring it with me when I go out, so that way I'm not tempted to spend it. Essentially, it functions as a piggy bank.

[EAB]

This is very good advice.

[Opalwhisker]

great idea! I'll be sure to do that yay for guilt tripping myself! XD;

[Alopecia No Hime]

And whatever you do don't settle for it just cause it's cheaper then your dream doll. It also helps to do chores like in the winter months shovel snow for your folks so they don't have to, sell some possesions on ebay, any extra doller you have lying around put it in a safe place so others cannot access it and keep adding to it over time. Even the 'chump' change will work. If coins often fall out of pockets in the wash see if your parents will let you keep any found change for yourself. And calculate the costs of that dollieh and if you have a birthday coming up ask for money from reletives or save any gift money or a portion of it to go to that dollieh and whatever you do fight the urge for a 'cheaper' solution because you'll just have buyers remorse from not getting the one you really wanted.

And torture yourself a little now and then reminding yourself of that goal by looking at dollieh items, read photostories, look at owner pictures of that doll and if you believe in the law of attraction do energy work to will that doll to you. It may take time but it'll be worth it in the end when you feel that wonderful moment where you see that doll for the first time.

And layaway is good but find a retailer that's fair with shipping and usually has only what they have in stock listed like Junkyspot. If I may ask what sculpt are you saving up for?

[Lily]

Do you buy lunch at school?

What I do is keep a picture of the doll I'm saving for with a lot of little circles, each representing $10. Every week that I bring lunch and don't buy it even once, I tick off a box. That way, I spend less money overall - and I get a doll at the end, instead of ending up with nothing.

Before I worked, I used to do that when I had the temptation to buy expensive coffee or bubble tea out. If I resisted, the equivalent money went into my savings. It adds up really, really fast.

I am kind of aware that at my current rate of bubble tea consumption, I could buy like twenty dolls, but oh well.

[Lamia of the Dark]

I sell things on ebay and try to keep my impulse purchases to a minimum.

Recently, most of my impulse purchases have been doll-related, so I actually had to set down a rule that February would be No New Doll Month for myself, because there are some books coming out that I have been dying to read...

[Opalwhisker]

@ Alopecia haha that would be a good idea!....if it snowed where i lived XD; but i do do chores and get paid.... maybe bi weekly even when it should be weekly :/ (i'm worried to press my parents about it, I don't think our financial situation is too good and I wouldn't want to keep pressing them like that)

hohohoho I am so torturing myself everyday XD; i've a bad habit to impulse buy XD;;;; so i'm looking at the doll EVERY SINGLE DAY. yes.

Ah.... I'm saving up for a Gray Pipos Charlotte doll <3 i love her so much! And I'm constantly on the look out for a Male SOOM Yrie. So I can make a doll version of my character Pidge, whom I love very much <3

@Lily

Nope! I never buy lunch. It's always from home. So i never get any money for school lunches anyways XD; and that's a neat trick! maybe I'll try it!

I <3 bubble tea ;o; <3333 but we don't have a store that sells it near us ;~;

@Lamia

Hmmmm I would sell things on ebay.... but as a 16 year old i really have nothing of value XD; I have been thinking about making some dollie accessories though, I mean.... I can't make MUCH but I can knit little scarves and I've been thinking about doing miniature top hats for dolls like this kind here: http://www.tinyhatsweekly.com/2011/02/happy-valentines-day.html but for dolls <3

[Lily]

Pipos Charlotte is SO CUTE! Good choice!

Haha, I see books as non-optional purchases. Fortunately ebooks tend to be inexpensive or free.

There are like seven bubble tea places, if not more, within comfortable walking distance of my home in Adelaide - and that's not even trying to count the Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants, sushi bars and Harajuku-style crepe bars that also serve it. (Guess who lives just outside our tiny bu busy Chinatown? Yep.) It's my besetting sin. And it's worse since I liked four years in Bristol, UK, which didn't even have a single bubble tea bar that I could find. *weeps* It honed my obsession.

But better an icy cold wintermelon and lemon green tea or a hot black sesame almond milk tea than alcohol or cigarettes, right? It might be full of sugar, but it's still healthier and cheaper! And vegan!

[Opalwhisker]

@lily
I know I'm so excited! <3333

Aw lucky! the nearest place that sells bubble tea is like, 1/2 and hour to an hour away depending on traffic XD (and in CA traffic can be bad)