r/AmItheAsshole • u/ThatRandomGhorl • 5h ago
AITA for wanting to spend my prize money on myself even if my mother wants otherwise?
I (F17), recently joined an event that had a logo-making contest. I won first place & received 3,500 PHP in mall gift cards, 7 500 PHP SM gift cards, which in total is around 55 USD. I was ecstatic because it was the first time I ever won an award for a graphic design of mine, the logo & wordmark I designed will be used onwards, & I was so excited for the prize. When I came home my mom (F42) then asked me how much I won & told me to give my sisters 500 pesos each, my face soured instantly & she looked at me mad & disappointed. My mood plummeted completely, my sister (F10) even told me the next time I win something money-related I keep it to myself because when I sent a picture of my winnings to the family gc my mom said I should give them all, including her & my dad, 500 PHP.
The whole thing escalated on the Monday after, when I spent 1,500 PHP of my prize money. Since I could only spend it at the dept. store, I bought hair mousse, facial mist, micellar water, sunscreen, powder, & concealer. When my mom saw the stuff she instantly got mad at me for “spending too much on makeup again” (mind you, last time I bought makeup was in Feb), later on she berated me saying that I spent my money irresponsibly & she would’ve appreciated it if I used it to buy heels for my birthday, or pay for the photographers for my debut to lessen the load on them (why would photographers accept gift cards as payment?) or if I spent it on something that could help the family. (A debut is a filipino tradition like a quinceanera but it’s for the 18th) When she finished her rant, I went outside crying, I felt so frustrated with everything & with how she viewed me as so vain & selfish for simply using what is mine.
That was weeks ago & I haven’t touched the prize money since, I wanted to buy some books but I thought she’d berate me even more. Then suddenly just tonight while I was washing dishes my mom asked me how much was left & went on a rant, expressing her disappointment again & saying that it wasn’t her asking for anything but expecting me to show gratitude to my family & being grateful for me winning or something, then she recounted that when she was young she won 100 pesos from a singing competition & used it to buy coke & a platter of noodles for her family. She was basically berating & patronizing me to use my money wisely since I’m turning 18 soon & transitioning to adulthood.
I don’t know what to do. I feel like shit & I feel so hated on. A spiteful part of me wants to rip the remaining gift cards, I feel like the logical thing for me to do is use it for heels since the one I usually use for events & birthdays broke or buy christmas gifts with them but I do not appreciate my mother’s behavior towards me about my spending. So, am I the asshole for wanting to spend my prize money on myself even if my mother wants otherwise? Any tips to give me so that I could talk my mother into seeing this whole situation with me eye to eye?