#mernetwork

♦ How to Save for a Mermaid Tail ♦

(Original thread on MerNetwork.com)

You know you want a mermaid tail- maybe it's your first tail, maybe not. You may want a fabric tail and only have to save a little, or maybe you want a full silicone and have to save a lot! Whatever you're looking to save for, here are some tips to reach your savings goal so you can get your new fins! • Save a percentage of your income Set aside a set amount or set percentage of your income to set aside for your tail fund. This can be from your paycheck, your allowance, or any other source of income. Just be sure to set an amount that you can dedicate yourself to without risking financial issues. • Ask for cash for gift occasions For gift occasions (such as birthdays or holidays) let your family and friends know that if they plan on giving you a gift, that you would much prefer money for your tail fund instead of presents. • Take on extra work In whatever ways are possible, consider taking on extra work for tail fund money. If you're of age to be able to get a job, get one so you can earn the money for your tail- high schoolers take on jobs for extra money all the time. If you have a job and are realistically able, think about another part time job. If you're not of age to be able to work, or if you just don't have time for another job, do odd jobs. People are busy, and often will pay for chores or tasks to be completed for them! For younger merlings, consider doing extra work around the house- or for others, such as neighbors, roommates, ect- for a little spare change. Babysitting, watching pets or walking dogs, house sitting, cleaning, washing cars, mowing lawns, the list goes on and on! For adults, you can reach out to people you know locally, or you can seek them through peer-to-peer commerce. Craigslist and Kijiji can be an option, but remember that it can be sketchy and even dangerous to do tasks for strangers unaccompanied. Sites like Task Rabbit (https://www.taskrabbit.com/), on the other hand, verify people with background checks. There are plenty of sites for people to search for assistance - check out this list here (http://www.similarsitesearch.com/alt...taskrabbit.com). Just be sure to ALWAYS make you safety a priority when taking on freelance jobs. • Ask about Trades There are services or goods that you want or need, and sometimes you can trade for them! It never hurts to ask if anyone would be open to trade. There are lots of people with goods or skills that are willing to trade, some even in the professional setting. (My dad is a dentist and was open to trade for his work for the longest time.) Some of the people I've ran across open to trades had goods or skills such as home grown fruits or veggies, eggs from their home raised chickens, massage or chiropractic services, handyman services, cleaning services, babysitting services, and more. I have saved money by doing house hold cleaning for others in exchange different things. • Sell the things you don't need Often times we keep things around that we don't need anymore just because we don't think to sell them, or because they're slightly sentimental to us. It's a wonderful feeling to sell old things that you no longer use (and de cluttering in the process) to get something that you really want! There are lots of things you can sell, including old electronics, used video games, books, gently worn clothes, prom or formal dresses, jewelry, collectables that you're no longer interested in, ect. Lots of ways to sell your old things: ebay, craigslist, yard sales, pawn shops, consignment shops, ect. • Buy Second Hand You can find ALL KINDS of things at second hand stores! Consignment shops, good will, thrift stores, and even pawn shops are great ways to buy things you need and save tons of money! You can get clothing of all kinds, foot wear, dishes glasses and silverware, kitchen appliances, other appliances, bedding, furniture, even electronics- all for much less than what you would pay full retail. In some second hand stores items will be brand new, as they were overstock that was sold at a great discount to the store, or donated. • Change your way of thinking Be aware of all of your purchases, and ask yourself every time you go to buy something if you REALLY need it, and if you do if you could get it somewhere else cheaper. Do you REALLY need that Starbucks coffee, or could you save $5 for your tail? Do you really want those new pairs of earrings, or that t-shirt, or would you rather have the money for your tail? Do you really need to buy those new jeans at a chain store, or could you save money by buying some second hand? Do you need the new pair of shoes today, or could you wait a few months until the next sale? Always stop and think before purchasing, and you can save bits of money here and there that will quickly add up! • Make Items to Sell Make items to sell to raise funds. You can sell locally or online. Just know that selling things, online especially, can require a lot of work. Some high schoolers can have success selling things to their classmates- things like hand printed (silk screen) t-shirts, kandi cuffs, survival bracelets (trendy right now), jewelry made from polymer clay, bead jewelry, ect. • Crowd Sourcing Typically this is the first thing that can come to people's minds when it comes to getting money for a tail. This is because there are so many mere who have tried for this route. Crowd sourcing platforms include Kickstarter, Go Fund Me, Indiegogo, ect. However, you need to know that making a crowd source campaign successful is not easy. Most mermaids are saving for their own tails, or for things for their business once they get their tail. Therefore, to be successful you need to look for sponsors OUTSIDE of the mermaid community. The only times I've seen people succeed with mermaid related crowd sourcing campaigns is when they did this. So just remember- do not rely on the mermaid community to raise money for your tail. You need to look for outside support if you want to raise that amount of funds. Just remember that if you do make a campaign, to do so on a site that will let you keep the money you raise, even if you do not reach your goal. Go Fund Me and Indiegogo are popular choices. • Sell Your Plasma or Hair If you're of proper age and proper health, you can sell your plasma to clinics for $20-45 twice a week. The price and whether or not you are eligible depends on the clinic and what their policies are. For more information, check out this article here: http://madhubber.hubpages.com/hub/plasma-donation You can also sell your hair- "virgin" or unprocessed hair can sell for a lot of money. Find more information here: http://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Your-Hair • Be Patient and don't cave on spending for other things Saving money for a luxury item like a tail can take a long time! I saved for over 4 years to get my Merbella Studios tail. I made a lot of sacrifices, and the more money I saved, the more I was tempted to buy other things I had wanted for a long time (hello stunning corset staring at me from the window display.. oh how you haunt me..). This is natural, but just keep your eye on the prize! If it helps, make a tail fund box/jar that you keep out of sight except to put money in and count it periodically (don't keep the money in your wallet where you're tempted to spend it). Or if you're able, make a savings account to set aside money in so it doesn't get spent (accidentally or intentionally) until you're ready. In the end it will be worth it!