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How much do you spend on this hobby?


abigaille

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So I've been going a bit crazy with my spending on my dollhouse and feeling a bit guilty for spending so much money. But I am guessing this is pretty normal for this hobby? That's why I ask because I want to know if I am within normal budgets for this, or if I'm just insane. :p

I haven't been keeping track at all, but if I roughly calculate, and this is being very generous on rounding down :)

60 mini items at say average 5$ each: $300

Greenleaf doll house kit: $100

High quality dollhouse furniture, 8 pieces at average $25 each: $200

Decorating supply (wallpaper, rugs, lighting, flooring, baseboards) 10 items at average 10$ each: $100

Crafting supplies (paint, glues, paintbrushes, exacto knifes): $100

That's at minimum $800!! Yikes. This is spread out over a couple years... so I haven't noticed as much, but still... haha anyone else this nutty? :D

Butt, I guess if I put it in perspective with other hobbies, like skiing, you have to pay about 1000$ on gear alone, then $80+ per trip... so maybe it's not so cray?

Edited by abigaille
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The first kit is the most expensive to build. Once you have the tools and supplies, the next house is cheaper. But that's when you realize you have a stash of inventory that you may or may not ever use. In my case it's wood and wallpaper and all colors of paint/stain and furniture and....

To answer your question I think I spent about $1,200 on my first large build but I purchased some expensive tools. Now it's about $150 max per house.

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The investment for the hobby is really front loaded, as described above. I bought nearly everything when I was a newbie. Now I use what I have, make a lot and invest $$ in special furniture or accessories. I think if we counted every dollar and every hour spent, many of us would not be here. :D 

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Gadzillions. I'd hate to know how much I have spent over the years, but I have less money now, so I spend less now. Still, as you say Emily, you are not spending it on other expensive hobbies. I don't drink a lot, I don't smoke (horrifyingly expensive in Australia).

FYI, a 2 day ski lift pass at the mountain nearest us is $217au per person ($161usd) and entry to the mountain is $46au per car per day ($34 usd). So minis not too bad really.....

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It's a hobby.  I don't spend the house payment money, nor the grocery money, nor the insurance money.  DH's hobbies are more expen$ive than mine.  I spent a lot more when I began, because I was also in Nursing School and later working as an RN, so I had more to spend.  Since then I have retired & live on a fixed income, so I make everything, and find a lot of supplies at thrift stores, yard sales and parking lots.

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WAAAAAYY too much!  LOL  :crazyeyes: 

I don't do much of my own projects anymore- mostly working on client projects, but now when I do work on my own stuff I try to use what I have accumulated in my stash and limit myself to "big ticket items" (special pieces) only once or twice a year....or if it's a bad year, I skip it and wait for the next Philadelphia Miniatura.  :)

 

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I'd probably be appalled it I added it all up, although I think I'm pretty frugal on my furnishings.  I mostly build from kits or my own designs.  I also use a lot of charms and beads, because I work in half-scale.  That said, though, the nickels and dimes can really add up over time.  I'm forever finding something small and inexpensive, then adding more to the order to make it worth the shipping.  

I do agree that it gets less expensive over time.  I still have a large amount of Yes paste left, after papering two houses.  I have enough tape wire to wire another house.  And I am now at the point where I have enough of a stash that I can often find what I need. (All that fairy lace I purchased to pad my order?--well, I can just go grab what I need now.)  And I never throw anything away.  If it turns out I can't use it on this project, I'll likely be able to use it on the next one (or the one after that).

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When I first started, I thought I would save all the receipts and keep track of my expenditures. Well, I decided not to spend my time on accounting instead of working on the houses, because that's what would have been needed, a CPA! Like everyone says, you spend more to get set up in the beginning. Now I toss the receipts. It's like the ads say, this hobby is priceless.

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19 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said:

  I'm forever finding something small and inexpensive, then adding more to the order to make it worth the shipping.  

 

I do this too! Such a scam... lol

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It's best to claim the 5th Amendment on this one!  I started "investing" - yes, that's the word: investing - in quality dolls a few years ago. The good ones are quite expensive! But oh, so worth it!  I lower the average by picking up the $10-$15 resin dolls.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  :hehe:

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I've challenged myself to make as many things as I can myself because this is my first house and I don't want to invest to much in it.  Even so, it does add up!  :) I usually feel guilty for spending money on myself but when I think of the hours of entertainment I will get from building, painting, furnishing and styling my house, I think it will be well worth the expense.

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Initially more...now less. But I also periodically purge and resell items I'm not using.  I now sell houses and handmade plants and accessories I've made. The money I make from sales I use to buy more minis! IMO you can never have too many minis!

Seriously though, keeping track of the values of your minis is a good idea. I do it for insurance purposes and also in the event something happened to me my hubby will know what my collection is worth. Because that's what it has become...my hobby has also become a collection.  It brings me great joy beyond its monetary value. It's the cheapest form of therapy I've found yet, LOL! :D 

So when you are adding up costs, don't forget to tally the benefits! :ohyeah:

 

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21 hours ago, KathieB said:

The investment for the hobby is really front loaded, as described above. I bought nearly everything when I was a newbie. Now I use what I have, make a lot and invest $$ in special furniture or accessories. I think if we counted every dollar and every hour spent, many of us would not be here. :D 

I am not really wanting to add things up.  I'm afraid I will have a heart attack!  But most definitely the first is the worst, because you most likely don't have any of the tools you need.

I most likely don't need anymore tools.....oh wait.....maybe there is something.  LOL

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I really have no idea what my total would be, but I know it's more than I spend on pretty much anything else: books, clothing, other hobbies, etc.

I have alot of houses and I'm always working on them- I don't see any of them as ever really 'finished.'

I haunt the thrift stores in the area, and I try to find things that can be repurposed or transformed into miniatures rather than buying them all new. I think what often costs me the most investment is purchasing the dolls, or figurines because I havent been able to make them myself.

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OMG. He would drop dead if he even had a clue.  Good thing I can honestly tell him I have no idea what I have spent.   I retired 3 years ago,  all my time as $$$ is spent on minis.  I think the most expensive kit I gave purchased was the contemporary ranch.  Most I get off ebay at a low cost  (under 100.00).  I don't spend on much else.  Example. ....after 6 years of no oven, I finally caved and got a new stove.  Only because it was on a crazy sale at home depot.   A 900+ gas convection for under 600.

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Way too much and I'm not stopping! I love the planning and searching as much as the building and it makes me happy! Like Holly, I pay all the bills first, and then I play. Besides, I am planning for my future, too. I have to accumulate now so when I retire I'll have a stockpile! I might have to eat cat food, but at least I'll have minis!

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I do a lot of yard sale/thrift shop/flea markets, and I pick up inexpensive stuff whenever I can find it.  I'm also a decorator, rather than a builder, and it's pretty easy to come across a doll house already built (I usually see at least three per year, sometimes more--I don't buy them, I see them...). I have 6 now.  But I've never spent more than $20 on a single dollhouse.

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On 12/6/2016, 9:20:43, LadyGunn said:

 

:does a Jedi hand wave: These are not the receipts you're looking for. Move along.

 

lol...thats how I feel about it...

I still dont use many tools other then what I first purchased...I like the challenges of making from as little as you can...using scrapbook papers for wallpaper...buying it 4 sheets at a time when on sale....build the inventory...sometimes I can do a whole build and need nothing more then some fresh paint...the Orchid I did earlier this yr was done finished with stuff I already had but the 98c paint...

this really is a hobby where you can spend as little or as much as you like....sooooo many tutorials and books on how to do most anything in miniature or go crazy wild and buy only the bestest hand crafted items... I only care about the money part of it when I dont have it for what I want!:rain:

 

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I just realized that my last acquired house kit will most likely cost more to finish than what my car is valued at......... hahahaha - and I'm not even talking furniture, just the build with the electrics..........

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I don't keep track, for all of the above reasons. I build and decorate as a creative outlet, a way to indulge my architectural dorkiness, a way to improve my woodworking skills, and as a wonderful stress reliever. I find doing things like working on some tiny detailed work, the endless sanding, the hand/eye work of painting, the repetitive cutting, etc. is all very, very soothing to my soul. One of my habits has been to spend Sunday mornings working on a mini thing. I look forward to it all week, even if it's something tedious or boring. It's my time to be quiet and still and creative.

I don't buy extravagant things (although I think the Yellow house will not be complete without a crystal chandelier), and I try to find bargains on ebay, use the coupons, shop the sales, repurpose things, and make things myself. I'm thrifty by nature, so don't spend much on clothing or household things, and I drive an old car.   

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On 12/6/2016, 10:42:04, abigaille said:

So I've been going a bit crazy with my spending on my dollhouse and feeling a bit guilty for spending so much money. But I am guessing this is pretty normal for this hobby? That's why I ask because I want to know if I am within normal budgets for this, or if I'm just insane. :p

I haven't been keeping track at all, but if I roughly calculate, and this is being very generous on rounding down :)

60 mini items at say average 5$ each: $300

Greenleaf doll house kit: $100

High quality dollhouse furniture, 8 pieces at average $25 each: $200

Decorating supply (wallpaper, rugs, lighting, flooring, baseboards) 10 items at average 10$ each: $100

Crafting supplies (paint, glues, paintbrushes, exacto knifes): $100

That's at minimum $800!! Yikes. This is spread out over a couple years... so I haven't noticed as much, but still... haha anyone else this nutty? :D

Butt, I guess if I put it in perspective with other hobbies, like skiing, you have to pay about 1000$ on gear alone, then $80+ per trip... so maybe it's not so cray?

I am so new I don't know if this is where I post responses ? ? Help, please!

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