Mat: I never thought I would become a telemarketer. I especially never thought I would be bothering my parents with calls to collect what they "owe" me. But I do. Every month I find myself in the same situation. I am waiting for that check that I have come to expect in the mail. When this check doesn't arrive on time (the usual), I have to call and beg for money. Target, where I work, can't pay all my bills and food for one, so it is a necessity. And just like calling in sick for work, it makes me cringe every time. So how do we minimize the guilt that comes with asking for money? There are several ways.
Kevin: Two years ago, when ESPN2 cameras came to Worthen Arena for a men's basketball game, I figured it would be a perfect time to ask my parents for money. So, being the creative genius I am, I decided to make a sign using the letters ESPN2 and cleverly asked my parents for money. Unfortunately, my parents didn't see the sign and the laundry money I used to buy the poster board went to waste.
Mat: When I need to collect from my units, I usually get a good conversation going and work in the part where I couldn't do something due to money woes. If the parent I am talking to does not volunteer to send money, I move from talking about the necessity for recreation to a real necessity. This usually starts with: "... so now I have no food left." And this isn't a lie, because if I have worked up the strength to ask for money, the fridge must be empty.
Kevin: I've recently found the joy of eating Ramen noodles. Earlier this semester, I returned to Ball State with quite a bit of cash. But living in a new apartment, I found this cash disappeared faster than clean dishes. Fortunately, my birthday is early in September and I received another chunk of cash. Here it is a month and a half later and I'm glancing at my calendar to see when the next major holiday is. My eyes lit up as I noticed "Family Weekend" in all capital letters. This will be my opportunity to show my family the financial struggles I've had to endure the last few weeks. I guess I better hide the new shoes.
Mat: Another effective tool is to remind my parents of how much money they are actually saving by my choice to live off campus. Although this can produce different results, it usually ends up in some kind of financial support in the coming days.
Kevin: Just a few days ago, I was eyeing my change jar. I was tempted to turn my "rainy day" money into some "fun weekend" money. Being the smart college student I am, I decided to hold off for a while on turning my change into cash.
Mat: Problems may arise while asking for money. For example, I use a calling card to avoid long distance, yet, the calling card only lasts so long, and by the end of the conversation, I am asking for money to buy a new phone card. Then, the particular parent sends a reasonable sum of money, yet it won't cover much more than the card. So I feel I can't ask for more money because a certain amount of time has not passed since the last donation.
Final Thought: Mom, Dad: send money.
Write to Kevin and Mat at twobsuguys@yahoo.com
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