How do you go about affording your cosplays? I just got into j-fashion and was so excited to find out about how cheap taobao was, but when I realized how much shipping was even with SS it gave me second thoughts. What do you anons do to afford your stuff?
>>9041210
I don't have to work, I'm pretty and cute enough someone wants to take care of me
Get a job, sell stuff or have rich parents. [spoiler]Or get a sugar daddy.[/spoiler]
>>9041214
I have a job but my mind is blown how people can afford $300 on just shipping for things. It's a turn off for someone financially sane.
>>9041218
or you know, people who aren't poor can afford it?
>>9041212
I thought about doing this, but beauty doesn't last forever. You have to have a backup plan.
>>9041256
I'm married to someone who loves me, who I love, and spoils he me rotten so I don't need a backup plan
plus when I worked I got paid well so I have that saves up
Secondhand.
>>9041212
What kind of partner do you have? Is he feminine or a pushover? I don't mean to be mean, my boyfriend adores me but wouldn't buy me expensive clothes no matter what I did for him. What do you do to make him buy you it? I give sexual favors but it's still never enough even if he's extremely satisfied.
>>9041407
he's not really fem, and he likes girly girls in general. he's the type that likes the fact you have to stand on your tippy toes to kiss him and stuff like that.
I had some health issues in the past and I think because of that he's more willing to blow brand levels of money on me without second thought to keep me happy and not sobbing over having to use a breathing machine at night.
>>9041417
My partner is pretty much the same but for me it's because I was forced by my shitty painful joints to give up a bunch of stuff I love. So lolita is one of the few things I have left in terms of interests I can take part in.
I work and I live at home. I don't have a lot of expenses and generally I don't have expensive taste. I still find shipping to be pretty crazy but I don't make hauls often and I try to wait for a deal. Splitting your order with a friend who is good with returning money (don't bother with those who are horrible with money, really not worth the trouble) is also an easy way to save a little on shipping.
I've also ordered some things from a shop with friends that offer a discount for multiple purchases and a lot of taobao stores offer free domestic shipping and/or coupons for buying over a certain amount so keep those in mind.
>>9041210
Get a decent job. Ta da.
>>9041210
How much money do you need? I'm not going to drop $10,000+ on an outfit on principle even if I can technically afford it, but if you shop around there is plenty affordable and cute shit if you have a job.
Otherwise learn how to make what you cannot afford.
>>9041210
I use gift money, I go to thrift stores as much as possible and try to use stuff like sheets and blankets as much as possible and use left over indredients and shit. Of course, you need to spend big bucks on some stuff for sewing, wigs, props, make-up sometimes cause you don't wanna look like shit.
I set aside money too from my job. So say I get paid $700, I'll spend like $50 from that paycheck on my cosplay. Spread out expenses or dedicate one paycheck to getting all the shit you need right away. My parents have loaned me money, and I've repaid them.
Exchange services. Like if you give me such and such or make such and such, then in return I will give you or make you such and such.
I worked my ass off to get to this point in my life where I'm still pretty and I can aford nice things. My bf has been very supportive, we'll be buying a house with our combined income, hopefully within the next few years. We budget and he plans, and somehow we have enough to afford all of our expensive hobbies.
It's younger me's dream come true.
masters degree in engineering
I'm a manager of a restaurant and the pay is pretty solid
>>9041407
A different anon, but my boyfriend bought me a full cosplay and accessories for almost $300 and didn't ask for anything in return. : / He's not a pushover or a sissy or anything. He likes treating me. Its..weird. Not going to lie. I used to date a dude where I had to pay for everything, didn't have a job, I had to be the driver, so its nice having someone else who also has a car, a job.. etc. Its just weird to not be the one buying things all the time and stuff now though. Its nice, but wierd. Anyone else experience that? When you're the only one with a job, so when people want to treat you to stuff it feels strange?
I work two jobs lol, most weeks I work 6-7 days. I'm still not even rolling in dough.
>>9043396
>tfw you have to stand on your tippy toes to kiss him
>tfw he can reach literally anything in the house
>tfw he can pick you up with ease
its all I need to be happy.
>>9043399
Its really fun and cuddling or sitting on his lap is probably one of my favorite things because I kind of melt in to him because he's tall. But because he's tall he's also heavy, so you gotta make sure you escape before he rolls over in bed or else death. qq
>>9043399
I hope you find love anon. <3
>>9043399
Go masturbate! Jesus!
I have rich family and they support me financially until I have decent job. Some people think it's weird but family is everything for us. So, I don't pay my rent and when I have extra money, Incan afford some brand. I don't buy huge amounts of clothes or expensive AP dresses, so I'm doing fine.
>>9041417
OT: is the machine for sleep apnea?
I work 7 days a week, from April to September, building recreational homes for rich people, and I can barely afford to buy stuff since I have school coming soon, and school debts to worry about
>>9043644
no, in the past I've had a lot of respiratory infections and cases of bronchitis that I would never go to the doctor for and it fucked my shit up. if I do too much physically in a day I have to use it too, but usually if I don't go to crowded areas and do a ton of walking there I'm fine.
never put off going to the doctor if what you're coughing up has blood in it and it's not going away. don't be as stubborn as me.
>>9043779
Oof. That sounds rougher than my asthma and sleep apnea combo. But I do know the feel of having a machine to keep me breathing every night.
Congrats on finding someone it doesn't scare away :)
I have a pretty well paying job and obsessively track and budget my spending with Mint. I buy materials on sale whenever possible and don't make that many cosplays a year. I buy secondhand lolita and I sell what I don't love. I try and put a lot of thought into getting things that are versatile for my wardrobe.
I have a relatively well paying job, and low cost of living so I do well enough. I buy stuff on sale when I can but I'm pretty bad about impulse buying.
>>9041214
How does one go about getting a sugar daddy?
Like I'm legit curious. Is there a forum or dating app?
>>9043779
Nebulizer machine?
And fucking ouch. What the fuck happened that you were coughing up blood??
>>9043218
This but a different field, you'd be surprised what you can afford with no kids and a good job
Good job. I'm somewhat of an impulsive buyer but so far I've been able to pay my bills, save like $500 every month, and still have leftover to buy my burando.
Life's pretty good.
I have a well paying, full time job.
I also sell old jfash/cosplay I don't wear anymore. I take a loss on it, but some money back is better than none.
>be me reading this thread
>reading about girls using guys for money
>realize that 2D > 3D
>mfw r9k was always right
>>9045738
Oh fuck off robot, most of the girls in these threads sound as if they really love their boyfriend, and money is just a bonus. You can flip your whole argument around too because guys mostly want girlfriends for sex.
>>9045986
>implying girls don't want guys for sex either
>>9045994
>implying any girl could get off to your sad little dick
Drawing furry art and making fursuits gets me lots of money to have spare
All hobbies are expensive to some degree whether it's equipment and memberships for athletic things, $100+ for the latest hot game and all the DLC, tools and materials for building things or paying for designer clothes. Compared to some serious designer stuff lolita is relatively cheap compared to major labels in Japan where Louis Vuitton and Gucci are common and popular.
What I kind of liked about my brief foray into lolita is that as long as you take care of your stuff the value usually stays intact and you can make back what you paid. Cosplay is harder because made or bought your character usually still needs some level of popularity to sell well and they don't tend to stay together or that clean by the end of cons. You're lucky if you can make your materials cost back.
>>9046008
But I'm a girl, thought it was obvious from my post.
>>9045738
go back to redpill
I never buy at retail price. Always buy on sale or second hand. Even then, I'll choose a cheap, shitty fixed upper that I can purchase in person and fix it up myself. Even with my figure collecting hobby on the side, it's rare that I purchase really nice scale figures (unless it's a really good sculpt of my waiffu) and I always purchase in a group to save on shipping. I'll do a an average 5 big purchases a year, but more often then not, it's a household item (New fridge, washing machine, etc.) . If my friend is selling something, I'll do a big favour in exchange instead. When it comes to food, I never buy anything not on sale and when it is, I buy in bulk. Dates are pretty frugal as well unless it's a special occasion.
I also have a health condition, so I can't work often. I have to be super frugal! My boyfriend tries to spoil me silly since he has a good job and we live together, but he caught my frugal bug. We're saving to buy a really nice condo! The one we're looking at has an extra bedroom that I'm going to convert into a Cosplay workshop. I'm hoping to fill I with things that I bought myself when I'm well enough to get a better job.
You should also not be afraid of using sites like aliexpress or ebay. You just have to be smart about it!
i don't trust myself to have a credit card of my own, but my boyfriend lets me use his for purchases that i absolutely can't miss (eg. dream dresses for bargain prices) and isn't super strict about when i need to pay it back. i do one or two taobao orders a year, and that's about it! if i can make something myself i prefer doing it myself.
Astoundingly shitty-paying job (AmeriCorps eyyyy), but I budget the heck outta myself and track every expenditure. I always squeeze in under budget, but I also don't go out at night that often or on many non-convention trips (working on cosplays = busy all the time = accidentally saving money when you can't go out).
Cosplay is my biggest non-essential budget item. I don't buy clothes, buy daily coffees, eat at restaurants, or do other small-expense items very often. I shop fabrics and materials sales and never head into JoAnn without a handful of coupons.
>>9046020
Teach me more of your secrets. I'm trying to break into this field, but monstergirls. How much do you tend to make?
>>9046020
Jean?
