Fundraising for silicone tail

[The Water Phoenix]

Hi everyone! My parents have let me fundraise for my first silicone tail as we are currently a one income family at the moment and they have agreed to let me do this. It'll be a big help if you could contribute to something I've wanted for many many years :) I have wanted a silicone tail so I could make children happy and educate people about our beautiful oceans! I need your help to achieve my goal! :) I know that getting a silicone tail for teenagers isn't really recommended but I've pretty much finished growing anyway and I've been doing surf life saving since 2009.

The link is here: https://www.gofundme.com/hannahs-first-silicone-tail

[Misty Lau]

How old are you? I'm just wondering because if you haven't finished growing yet (around 20), then you'll probably outgrow it.

[The Water Phoenix]

How old are you? I'm just wondering because if you haven't finished growing yet (around 20), then you'll probably outgrow it. I'm 16 , I'm probably not going to grow much more to be honest. Mermaid Stardust is the same age as me and she has a silicone tail from FinFolk.

[Mermaid Momo]

I'm 16 , I'm probably not going to grow much more to be honest. Mermaid Stardust is the same age as me and she has a silicone tail from FinFolk.

You won't finish growing until you're 20/21 years old, it usually isn't suggested to get a silicone tail before you finish growing because at nearly 4k a pop they're big investments that you won't even be able to fit into in a few months. Trust me I know, I wasn't able to fit into my tail 3 months after I made it, my butt's too big now!

But ultimately it's up to you if you want to spend the money on it now.

[The Water Phoenix]

You won't finish growing until you're 20/21 years old, it usually isn't suggested to get a silicone tail before you finish growing because at nearly 4k a pop they're big investments that you won't even be able to fit into in a few months. Trust me I know, I wasn't able to fit into my tail 3 months after I made it, my butt's too big now!

But ultimately it's up to you if you want to spend the money on it now. I'm prepared to do it, I haven't grown in about 3 years so I doubt I'd grow anymore. I'm about average height. I'm the same height as my mom and she stopped growing at around about my age also.

[Khaleesi Daenerys]

Cool :) Do you have ideas of how you would like it to look?

[The Water Phoenix]

Cool :) Do you have ideas of how you would like it to look? The design is inspired by an Australian herring :)

[Khaleesi Daenerys]

Ooh that'll be nice :) I hope you are able to get your tail soon. What maker are you thinking of?

[The Water Phoenix]

Ooh that'll be nice :) I hope you are able to get your tail soon. What maker are you thinking of?

I want to go with sea through sea because I've always liked the look of their tails :)


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[The Water Phoenix]

P.S I wouldn't be able to get my dream tail without the help of you lovely merfolk! ❤️


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[The Water Phoenix]

40913 This is the design I've come up with :) it's based on the Australian herring.


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[Gravity Falls]

You're not going to get many funds from the mer community alone since most of us are dirt broke from saving up for our own tails!! I'd suggest going on different ocean life/environment awareness pages on places such as Facebook asking for help. I don't know how much help you're going to get though since you are 16, and you wanting a mermaid tail isn't really something most people would give money for.
I'm 17 and I saved the 700+ dollars for a finfolk mythic tail. So I would suggest starting there??? Get a job, mow people's lawns, babysit. You could easily save up yourself at your age :D i saved up for my tail in a matter of a couple months.


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[The Water Phoenix]

You're not going to get many funds from the mer community alone since most of us are dirt broke from saving up for our own tails!! I'd suggest going on different ocean life/environment awareness pages on places such as Facebook asking for help. I don't know how much help you're going to get though since you are 16, and you wanting a mermaid tail isn't really something most people would give money for.
I'm 17 and I saved the 700+ dollars for a finfolk mythic tail. So I would suggest starting there??? Get a job, mow people's lawns, babysit. You could easily save up yourself at your age :D i saved up for my tail in a matter of a couple months.


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I've been saving up, but believe me, I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to give up. I don't live in America so saving up for something like this is a lot harder since I live in Australia, that's why I started the campaign :) If I were to save up even for a mythic tail or a basic silicone tail, the price will still be over $1000 AUD because the American currency is stronger than the Australian. :( I've been applying for jobs everywhere but I haven't been successful so far. I'm just asking others if they could chip in, it doesn't have to be a small amount. It's all I'm really asking for, just help to get my dream tail. Other mers have done it before so why can't I :)

[Ashe]

Gravity Falls is right, some younger mers can get nice expensive tails if their family is in a good financial position (which is not at all a bad thing), but the rest of us are working our butts off for our own. Hopefully someone can spare you a couple of bucks, but you won't be able to get your tail through funds alone ;) But hey, maybe that means an extra fin or two!

Good luck :)

[The Water Phoenix]

Gravity Falls is right, some younger mers can get nice expensive tails if their family is in a good financial position (which is not at all a bad thing), but the rest of us are working our butts off for our own. Hopefully someone can spare you a couple of bucks, but you won't be able to get your tail through funds alone ;) But hey, maybe that means an extra fin or two!

Good luck :) Well said and thanks! :)

[MerQueen Nerissa]

If you're looking for something realistic, but affordable, check out the page in my signature :) I make silicone/neoprene tails that start at $260 USD :)

[The Water Phoenix]

If you're looking for something realistic, but affordable, check out the page in my signature :) I make silicone/neoprene tails that start at $260 USD :) I've always liked your tails :) but I just don't have the money :( That's why I decided to fundraise.

[Mermaid Joie]

I thought I was done growing. I stopped at 14, but this year now 22years old. I go to the doctor and BAM! I grew an inch! Ta-DA! I am no longer considered petite I am AVERAGE now. I don't have a silicone tail, but I am making a fabric one I had to stop to go to college. When I came back to the project, what do you know? My butt had shrunk! -_- Not complaining, but still having to take in my tail during my break before I have even finished was a pain in my now tiny butt. :P But then I went back to school and the commons was... well delish... and my butt came back... and went back down and so did the tail. Oh woah is me and my ever changing booty. :)
Now that you are laughing (hopefully) ;P,
The lesson here is that you will grow some ample hips, not just height in the next few years. I am not discouraging you dream, I have the same dream over here in GA. USA on the other side of the planet from you! I want to encourage your dream, but my own poor experience and fascination with mermaid tails tells me it is not a very wise financial decision for you right now especially if your family is one income right now.:money: I have the materials for 3 tails a nearly complete blue one(that looks just as good as any silicone), a gold one, and a green one that I bought early in my mermaid hopeful stage, then ran out of money and was wondering what I was doing wrong.
Follow me on this you aren't going to like it at first, but it will turn around and help you:
Do you have a car? If not in the next few years you will need to get one. My family also couldn't afford to buy me well... anything... even in American with our currency you think is so strong.
How are you going to travel to places to make children smile? Are you going to swim to every gig you book? You probably can, but shouldn't.
You'll need money for traveling to and from gigs and money to book them on booking sites, and phone so you can contact your clients and little expenses here and there that you don't get to learn about until you get started.
But you are different, you how I can tell?
Well you are here- you were determined to find the secret community of professional mermaids and mermaid hopefuls :group hug:
You are a senior member which probably means this is not just a phase for you this is a passion.
You have done some research-You know your terms
You started a campaign- which was more than I could do at 16
Most importantly you have not listened to the "I can't"s. You are an "I can" person, like me, a person who is determined to find way to make it work. AND they do find a way to make it work against all the odds.
You are a very intelligent, determined, and highly motivated Young Lady.
You can and will get your silicone tail if you decide to! You are willing to put in the time and effort for it! You are not like the kids who's parents buy them tails Just because they want them. The next day those tails will show up in the classified here for sale because those kids don't want them anymore because for them it is nothing but another toy.
They won't truly value a tail they haven't worked their tail off for.
So here is my suggestion don't look for a job, hire yourself!:thumbs up: Start your own business, if you live in an urban Area you could easily pick up face painting, or balloon twisting at birthday parties like I did. If not, farm chores it is then! A determined girl like you will find work or a gig or something. But you will probably benefit from a business that is similar to what you are already going into which is the big broad world of event entertainment and ocean education. Having your own event business and entertaining at birthday parties would be excellent practice for your mermaid business. You will learn how to contact people, start up costs, how to promote yourself, customer service, contracts, and ALL of the background stuff that no one else can see except the business owner:cool:. You could just as easily take your existing talents of drawing and surfing into your own business. It would be as simple as going online and signing up at booking site and the rest you will learn on the way.

I found out that event entertainment pays as much as mermaiding and ridiculous amounts more than a regular job because you are you own boss. I learned how to do facepaint and balloon Art from youtube and I make $75 USA per hour at birthday parties and festivals. The start-up cost is very low and you make it back in your first hour: A professional Face paint kit to start is $50 and balloons are $10 each time you have to buy a bag and I use an exercise ball pump (free.) How much you make depends only on your ability to promote yourself, run your business, and the competition in your area.
The people that are actually professional Mers have put in a ton of work networking, budgeting, and/or planning to make their own to be able to get their tails. All of them had to earn it one way or another and with a little luck, they made it and you will too but you have to earn it.:mermaid kiss:
Fundraising is not a bad idea, but you will not be able to get your tail overnight and everyone else here is broke or paying for their own expenses.
This is where you networking skills come in (something you develop also can develop by running your own business)
Who should you ask instead?
What else could you do besides posting here and on facebook to promote your campaign?
What organizations might want to work with and support a mermaid?
For sure keep your campaign and keep promoting it, but unless you are connected to a hundred ocean loving people with money to make dreams come true don't put all your eggs in that basket or mermaid purse. It may take years and what will you have gained in the mean time? What will you have learned? And how prepared will you be to run your own mermaid business?
You are amazing! You have a lot more than your peers for sure you have the fearless determination ready to charge through, but realize all of what is you are diving into here. Your goal will usually take much longer than you expect it and it will change and evolve as you grow and learn more about it. You have to give your goal room to do that and to learn about the unexpected costs as you go. I have no doubt what so ever you can achieve your goal and earn your tail.

[Mermaid Joie]

Sorry if I am a bit wordy :saynothing:

[The Water Phoenix]

Sorry if I am a bit wordy :saynothing: Don't worry about being wordy :) Thanks for your kind words! :)

[Khaleesi Daenerys]

Your design looks great. :)
I keep trying to come up with ideas to help you but my mind keeps going back to bake sale. Lol

[The Water Phoenix]

Your design looks great. :)
I keep trying to come up with ideas to help you but my mind keeps going back to bake sale. Lol Thank you :) Sorry the picture quality is terrible, it's another crappy iPhone pic :)

[Mermaid Livou]

[QUOTE=Mermaid Joie;276493]

<< this :clap::clap::clap:

hold on there Water Phoenix :)

[The Water Phoenix]

I've updated the story section in the campaign :) I'll be posting pictures of rubbish I collect from beaches and post them on the campaign and encourage others to be aware of beach cleanliness!

[Kesra]

I would also caution against going for it. I thought I stopped growing at 16 but I had another growth spurt at 17 years old and went up another couple inches. And my hips and boobs completely missed high school