Being a broke college student, there have been many occasions where I have had to ask my parents for money. As you are growing up and trying to get out there on your own, young adults tend to feel uncomfortable asking their parents for money. I know exactly how that is because I feel that way sometimes, too. It happens. There are ways that you can talk to your parents so that’s it’s much easier. I have made a few mistakes myself with this situation myself, so I definitely know what not to do.
One mistake I have made is only asking one parent instead of both. I suppose to feel more comfortable asking my mother for money because she understands me more and why I need the money. It is not very often that I ask my stepfather for money. But the problem with not asking both of them is that one parent knows your financial status and the other one doesn’t.
If your parents are paying for all or part of your college tuition, then both of them should know your financial status. Plus, if your parents are married, they share their money, and both need to know where it is going. So, when asking them for money, ask both of them. It’s a little different if your parents are divorced because then they each have their own money.
Don’t ask for money unless you honestly need it. If you want to buy a pretty pink rug for your dorm room, don’t ask your parents for money for that. Ask for that for Christmas or for your birthday. Deciding when to ask your parents for money depends on what you know your parents are willing to pay for.
If you are constantly asking them for money, they are going to get very frustrated with you and wonder what you’re really spending your money on. College is expensive. Sometimes you have to give up buying certain things in order to pay for it. If you need to buy books for your classes and you don’t have any money, then that is a legitimate reason to ask your parents for money.
Ask nicely. They don’t want your attitude. If you honestly want the money that badly, you need to learn how to respectfully ask for something. Your parents want to help you and they want to know when something is wrong. Explain to them what’s going on in your life and the problems you are having.
If you aren’t being honest with them, then they won’t know how badly you need this money. If you don’t tell them the reason, then they won’t know if it’s a good reason to be asking them or not. They don’t want you to be stranded somewhere because you didn’t have enough money to get gas. They don’t want to make your life miserable, believe it or not.
Your parents care about you and want to make sure that you get out on your own two feet as fast as possible. But it’s not always a fast product, sometimes it takes years to completely be out of the grip of your parents. It’s okay to ask them for help and ask them for money, but make sure you’re not taking advantage of them.
