How I Tried to Save for an iPad & Got Roasted Instead

I've been wanting an iPad for a long time now and the story behind it goes back a couple of years! It all started when my PC began to lag severely.. making it almost impossible for me to do my normal work!! I tried to push through, but the lag got worse and worse! and soon enough, it reached a point where I couldn’t even turn on the PC properly.. It was frustrating to deal with every single day. I had no choice but to reset my PC completely, hoping it would fix the problem. But after doing that, the lag didn’t improve? it actually got worse. My PC would even reset on its own every time, which was incredibly annoying!!

In desperation I reached out to a support person who helped fix it, but, sadly, the lag never went away. To this day, my PC still lags. At this point, I started to wonder, could I just use my phone to get by? It seemed like a practical solution. But my mom wasn’t too keen on that idea. She’s always been a little strict with phone usage, especially when it comes to me. It feels like I never really owned the phone in the first place. She didn’t want to get me one when I was younger, but during the pandemic, she had to get one for me. Ever since then, she’s been taking it away, either at the slightest argument or just randomly because she feels like it. It’s as if my phone was never really mine to begin with.

During this time, however, I found something that would change my perspective entirely. I discovered a deep passion for drawing, sketching, and painting. I would spend hours creating art, and as I got better, I realized something: digital art could be the next step for me. I could even earn money from it! But there was a problem—I was used to sketching traditionally, and making the switch to digital art was challenging. I found it hard to get the same feel and precision with a stylus that I had with traditional tools. My art didn’t look as good as I wanted it to, and it made me wonder if I’d ever be able to improve.

That’s when the idea of getting an iPad came into focus. The iPad isn’t just for fun or games; it’s a powerful tool for creativity, and it could be the key to unlocking my potential. I’ve seen countless artists, content creators, and entrepreneurs use an iPad to grow their skills, build businesses, and even earn a living online. I want to do the same. Whether it’s through drawing commissions, creating content, or simply using it as a better tool for learning and improving my art, the iPad would make a huge difference in my life.

I’ve been saving up for an iPad for a while now. There was a time when my sister and I had managed to pool together 75 KD for it, but things didn’t go as planned. She backed out, and we ended up spending some of it. As of now, I’ve managed to save 20 KD of my own, and my sister might pitch in another 20 KD. So, there’s hope! My mom is actually on board this time, and she even suggested going for the iPad 10th gen, which costs around 100–112 KD. It’s still a bit out of reach for me, but it doesn’t feel impossible anymore. I can see it within my grasp if I keep working hard toward it.

Along the way, I’ve tried numerous side hustles to earn money. Some were suggested to me by friends or family, but every time, there was a major drawback. Here are a few of my struggles:

Ko-fi?: I tried using Ko-fi to raise funds, but there were no clicks. It felt too awkward to share my page, and it didn’t seem like anyone was interested.

Tutoring?: I thought about tutoring, but I didn’t have the guts to ask around or promote myself. It’s tough to put yourself out there, especially when you’re just starting.

Pet-sitting?: This one’s a bit of a joke—there are no opportunities for pet-sitting where I live, so that idea quickly went out the window.

Selling digital art?: I thought about selling digital art, but who would even buy from me with my limited experience? I felt stuck, unsure of where to start or how to market myself.

All of these side hustle ideas left me feeling embarrassed and unsure. I didn’t want to keep pushing if I wasn’t getting any results. But despite all the setbacks, I’ve never lost sight of my goal. I don’t expect this post to magically raise money for my iPad, but I just wanted to share what this journey means to me. If you’ve ever saved up for something big, you probably understand how it feels to work toward a dream and not always know when or how it will come true.

Maybe I’ll make it happen soon, or maybe it’ll take longer than I expected. Either way, I’m not giving up just yet. I’ll keep saving, keep working, and eventually, I’ll make that iPad dream a reality. One day, I’ll be able to create and learn the way I’ve always wanted to, and it’ll be worth every ounce of effort.

I might be broke and shy but I’m not giving up!! One day I’ll be that girl with her iPad, editing pins or writing horror stories. Just watch!!!