7/4/09 - "Money Problems" - Part I

[Guardian Ou]

Hey everyone.

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!


Well to put it short, my family is getting extremely low on money.

For about three years now, I've been paying special attention to the intake and outake of money for my parents. Things were pretty bad back then, but now, with me at a private school that costs roughly $7,000 a year and my upcoming trip to Otakon, which will end up being a grand-total of $500 or so, I am not sure what to do.

My mom wants me to take a three-week forensics camp so I can have $100. Yeah. Forensics is great and all, but it's still too early to decide whether or not I will have a future in math or science when I enter college, but as of now, it's not looking that way.

I don't have a job, and believe me, I've been looking. Being the third child in the family, things are always rough for me. Yesterday I was thinking how much my family wouldn't have to suffer if I had never been born, but at the same time, I thought of how much others would be suffering if I hadn't been born. My major goal in this life is to make everyone I know happy to the best of my abilities. One day hopefully I can become a Mangaka, writer and artist for mangas, and maybe then I can provide for my family.

Until then, I'm thinking of smaller ways. One thing I'm going to start doing very soon is doing commissions on DeviantArt. Since I'm not the best artist, I'll be charging $4.00 USD for anything I make, digital or traditionally. There really isn't anything other I can do. I'll set up the account through paypal and hopefully I can put some money on my parent's credit card without them realizing it.

Art is my only talent, and I have so much work to do if I ever want to get better. Hopefully, while I'm doing these commissions, I can increase my abilities, as well as maintaining peace in my family. My parents are always fighting, and most of the time I think it's because of me. Even if it isn't my fault, I have to end it. I've tried talking to both of them, but they each brought up how badly we are in debt.

I'm sure my family isn't the only one in the world who is suffering this way, and I don't have room to complain, but it's reached the point where daily chores isn't enough to satisfy my parents.

Maybe I'll think of something.

[Yoki]

I think it's pretty cool that you're helping out your parents with your art. Best of luck.:)

[walmartshrty]

I actually have some experience with it so I know what you're going through. It's a very tough thing to have to deal with on a daily basis, and I've been doing it the majority of my life. My parents have tons of fights, all involving money. They say that money doesn't make you happy, but it sure doesn't hurt much. My family hasn't spent that much money on me, but it has hurt them financially. Yeah, and sometimes I feel like I'm a burden to them, like maybe if they wouldn't have had my brother and I, they would be jet-setting the globe. However, I know they love me and I know they want to take care of me and I know they only want me to be happy. What I'm trying to say here is, I respect you for trying to get a job and earn money and I sort of envy you because I don't have as big as a drive as you do but don't forget that you're still a kid. Focus on your interests and don't lose track of them if you get a job. Good luck and do what makes you happy.

[Blobbitybloo]

I'd consider doing physical work to get money. I mow lawns door-to-door, and most people are extremely generous. I use no set price, and let them pay me whatever they want to.

[Guardian Ou]

I don't have a job, and believe me, I've been looking.


I'd consider doing physical work to get money. I mow lawns door-to-door, and most people are extremely generous. I use no set price, and let them pay me whatever they want to.

:unsure: .

[Dracophile]

:unsure: .

Mowing lawns sounds like crap work, but it's not that bad. If you have an MP3 player bring it along and just listen to your favorite songs as you go, it'll be over in no time - and yes people are very generous with money. I used to mow the lawns of the properties that my neighbor owned (his summer house, rental house, and empty lot) and he basically paid me $25 per property whenever I mowed them, which amounted to about once a month since grass grows like weeds here in Texas. That was $75 a whack and took me only about 2 hours to do when I did it.

Nowadays my brother WALLBANGA is the one who mows the lawns and he gets $30 per property, so that's near $100 a month for just driving a tractor around for a couple of hours. :P

It's worth looking into if you're really in a pinch, and it's not always as bad as it sounds.