How to ask parents for money when they already support me
Asking parents to fund an expensive trip creates intense guilt after already receiving significant financial help for college necessities. Students worry they have cost too much already, which stops them from feeling comfortable pursuing rare social and travel opportunities.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Applying for scholarships to offset the cost
- 2Offering to pay parents back once financially independent
- 3Gathering materials on the educational outcomes of the trip before pitching it
- 4participating only in what makes sense or what you can afford
- 5ignoring suggested donation amounts that are unaffordable
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Got the paperwork that they expect us to donate nearly 1k per child and I don’t remember it being so crazy when I was a kid.”source ↗
“There is no way I could afford that, but I’m still shocked.”source ↗
“Should I do it or do you think I cost my parents too much already?”source ↗
“I also don’t really have any friends or social connections so a group trip like this might be my only chance to travel to Japan.”source ↗
“I just feel guilty.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 7How is anyone actually affording a large wedding?
- 3Is it normal for a nonprofit to ask employees for donations?
- 2How to ask parents to handle wedding guest outreach