Con money: Don't Let family members borrow it!

[OhNoesItsMiho]

Okay, here we go! So, the only reason I'm able to go to cons is because I take money out of my financial aid at school. I just order my school books online because it's a whole lot cheaper. Anyway, in March, I put in for $200.

I got my money a week later and I was going to use $40 for pre reg and I was going to put the rest in the bank until I was ready to start working on my costumes. Unfortunately, I never got to send in my money order.

I know $200 seems a bit much, but Colossalcon is expensive! Some of that was going toward my share of the room, pre reg, my costumes, food, and whatever I had left over was going toward Artist Alley and the Dealer's Room.

Well, mom didn't have enough money for gas to get to work so I decided to be an awesome daughter and loan her $10. She said she would pay me back so I didn't worry. She continued to ask me for gas money and I kept giving her some until I didn't have $40 anymore.

A few weeks later she was freaking out about how she couldn't pay a bill and asked me if I could give her my $200. It was only March, so I had 3 months until the con. No sweat!

Now, I'm still jobless and I'm without a car as well so I can't just work my butt off and get back my $200. (I wish) Anyway, I noticed that she kept saying she'd pay me back on a Friday. 20 Fridays had gone by and I was still without money.

Well, I only have 47 days left til the con and I'm starting to freak out. The deadline to pre reg is May 9th I believe and I don't think I can make 2 costumes in 1 month. She's done this before, too. I would pre reg and I'd have my money, but she would never take me to get fabric until 2 weeks before the con.

My cosplay always turned out like crap because she would always wait too late to take me to get fabric. Actually, I honestly don't think I'll be able to go to Colossal this year because she'll either wait until 2 weeks before the con to pay me or she'll never pay me back.

I don't wanna be annoying and confront her about the money so I just left it alone. I do wish she would stop saying, "I gotta pay you back soon. Your con is coming up." She can always just be honest and tell me that she's not paying me back.

This is just a warning to all you cosplayers. Hide your freaking money or at least don't tell your parents that you have con money and get your friend to take you to a fabric store in secret. >3> Also, hide that costume of yours so they don't ask how you got the money.  

[Lady Cecilie]

This is why my mom currently does not know how much money I have towards that wig I am getting her to buy. She told me she will buy it if I get the money on my own, so four manga books and a pair of shoes later I have sold enough to get it. Now to collect the money on Monday. Anyway I never tell her because she will want it for electric and stuff she buys me at thrift stores and when I need a wig I need a wig but she doesn't care. I have had money for this wig several times in the last two years but she never bought it!  

[OhNoesItsMiho]

Augh, that's so aggravating. That's how it was with me when I had money for converse shoes. I wanted them for my Android 17 cosplay. I kept bringing it up and bringing it up, but I finally gave it a rest because I was tired of sounding like a broken record. I never got those shoes, either.

My sister is willing to give me money, but I don't want to take $200 from her when my mom is the one who borrowed it. I've learned my lesson, though. I still shake my head whenever I think of last year's cosplay. It would have been soooo cool if I had more time to work on it. *Sigh*

I just wish she would take my hobby a little more seriously. Out of all my siblings, I'm the only one who hardly asks for anything. And this is all I do when I'm out of school. Lol, and this is the only time I'm out of the house. It's like, she encourages me to cosplay and go out of town for cons, and yet, she screws me over when it comes time where I have to GO to a con.  

[Lady Cecilie]

My mom does worse stuff then the money problem. She actually never gives me permission to go to the con till a day or two before. So I will have a space for a room and a ticket and then she won't let me go. Hallelujah I turn eighteen after the next con!  

[OhNoesItsMiho]

lol it's a shame because I'm almost 22 XD  

[Lady Cecilie]

Oh my!  

[Gatokari]

Wow. That's awful. I never understand parents like that. My mom actually appreciates conventions. She's not a huge anime fan but she gets a kick out of seeing the cosplayers and going to the panels. She likes watching my brother and I run around in cosplay having fun. We use cons as a family event.

I just think it's sad so many parents can't understand how cool an experience cons are.  

[XxXCursed DreamsXxX]

My parents just look at me strange. -shrugs-  

[Ziporae]

I have not gone to a con with my family (and never will, I assure you). I have gone with my one friend's family- which you think would be cool since they are all into the con scene. But they were also my ride and left abruptly for some reason without my friend and I. Ended up pretty interesting, but overall it was a rememberable experience.

Actually, I intend on going to Colossalcon this year (my first con in a super long time). I'm really looking forward to it.  

[Thalatth]

My mom never does that. Thank god.

smile

 

[foxdeamon ninja14]

I know how that is. Ever since I started out this semester got my student card and scholarship fees back as well as a in school job.My father keeps asking me to buy gas and then at times the family expects me to buy them snacks or food. The other day they pulled up to a Wal-greens and are like "I want some sodas and candy." Later that day they stopped in front of a Little Cesar and just sat there waiting until I asked why they weren't going in. They were waiting on me to go in and buy the pizzas. Now I don't mind paying for gas every now and then or buying the boys lunch, but I am really annoyed by how they just expect me to go and do it when they now I am trying to save money especially since I plan to go to A-kon this summer.
I know he says "I will pay you back for this or that", but it never happens. Don't want to be a brat by saying hey can you pay me back. So it quite aggrivating.

I worry I may not have much money for the con after paying for hotel and such. Especially since my time working at the school's ticket office is now done. I have no other source of income until I find a job.

At least I have hidden away the on hand cash so they don't know how much I really do have that is not coming from my student card. If I didn't do that I may have seriously have no money for the con.
I'm thinking of having them pay my wigs and fabric and tell them I'll pay them back after con.
I rather have con money now and work after to pay them back.

 

[oTrissa]

Ok wait you're in college but wait on your mother to allow you to buy your own fabric? Am I missing something here?  

[Ashachuu]

XxXCursed DreamsXxX

My parents just look at me strange. -shrugs-

Same.
They know it's something I enjoy doing every year with my friends.

 

[SaltyCheerio]

I think it's extremely sweet of you to help your mom out. My mom is not well off financially at the moment and I also had to give her my con money to pay for the telephone bill. Times are tough now in days. sweatdrop She always ends up paying me back in different ways though... Like, she'll randomly buy a piece I needed for my cosplay. Although its not equivalent in price...at least she tries sweatdrop