19-year-old artist accepts game currency as commission payment for digital art, only to get told she's a fool for not taking actual money: ‘Let me have fun’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 2, 2026 1:00 PM EDT

What type of currency should one not accept as payment for their services? While there are plenty of ways to pay someone for a job, some forms of payment are more useful than others, and we all get to decide for ourselves what we think is acceptable and what is not worth our time and effort.

A starting artist, for example, might find themselves accepting a variety of payment forms to keep their business going. Pretty much any artist would admit to having provided a service in return for a hot meal or a social media shoutout, anything to get them going and keep them afloat.

Obviously, money, real money, is the best option out there. Getting actual dollars as payment for your services is the best option for anyone. Without money, none of us can pay our rent, our bills, or our food.

When the young artist below, a 19-year-old college student with barely any money to her name, had the option to choose between getting paid for her art in real money and in online game currency, the choice should not have been hard. So when she chose the latter, it obviously shocked some people in her life. She can barely afford food; how could she pass on the opportunity to get actual cash for her art?

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  • Woman drawing on a digital tablet
    via A. C.

    Woman drawing on a digital tablet.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AITA for being upset over my GF picking in-game currency over real money on her commission payments?

    My girlfriend (19) a digital artist got a commission from one of my online friends, he made her choose between in-game currency or actual money for drawing his original character.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • But to my surprise she chose the first option, I got upset because of it. We both live in a country where a dollar costs A LOT, I reasoned with her that the money could've helped her on some things she's struggling on in life.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • She's been struggling with food, and sometimes couldn't buy things she needed in school because she's out of bucks to spend.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • She's not really working right now, Her parents can't provide much because she really doesn't have a great relationship with them.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • If they do provide, it's not enough for her daily needs, nor is the money enough for a few days.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • I'm the only one who properly provides if she needs something, we're currently long distance, I send her money whenever she needs, but sometimes I can't because I have to pay for my own food, bills and the money I get is just my allowance from my parents.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • (My parents don't want to let me find a job or work even tho I really want to, because they want me to finish college first btw).
    via Upstairs-Age2806

  • We all want to have the ability to invest in our hobbies, like gaming. But becoming an adult means you have to set your priorities straight.

    Both the boyfriend and the girlfriend here have to do just that. The young artist must understand that necessities are more important than hobbies, and if she can't afford the former, she shouldn't indulge in the latter.

    The boyfriend must set clear boundaries and refuse to give his girlfriend money if she is not being responsible and mature with it. Then and only then, they would be able to move on and keep straightening their relationship together.

  • I asked her why she chose that, and her reply was "I'm doing fine here, I'm still alive, at least let me have fun" that made me more upset, because a day ago, she's been complaining that she can't buy a certain thing for her project because she doesn't have any money.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • This entire thing turned into an entire argument when all I wanted was to point out why the money was more useful.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • Artist creating digital art on a desk
    via TourBox

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

     

  • NCKALA YWBTA if you keep sending money to her. You are not yet working, depend on your parents, you are in no position to support another human being. This is an example of how young adults learn to budget; this is now HER turn to learn to take care of herself. OP wrote 'we're currently long. distance' and I do hope this is AFTER they dated in real life. If not, I hope OP isn't being catfished.
    via NCKALA
  • Friendly_Shelter_625 NAH She gets to make her own decisions. You don't have to agree with her but you also don't have to send her money. You say you're currently long distance and you send her money. You have met her in person, right?
    via Friendly_Shelter_625
  • Upstairs-Age2806 Original Poster's Reply Yes she used to be my classmate in highschool, started dating, and got separated when college hit.
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • Puzzleheaded-Score58 NTA. Stop giving her money. Do your parents know that they're essentially supporting 2 people, you and your gf, with their money? That's f ed up if you hid this fact from them. I'm sure they would not consent for their hard earned money to go to someone else. Your gf is immature and she's using you. She's okay and not worried about money because she knows she'll just cry to you and you'll send her money. You're enabling her.
    via Puzzleheaded-Score58
  • Upstairs-Age2806 Original Poster's Reply Yes my parents know that I'm using some of my allowance money for my gf, I always tell them whenever I have to give money to her, they know her personally because we started dating in highschool, she usually goes to our house whenever, college separated us
    via Upstairs-Age2806
  • No_Occasion_5434 Maybe I'm just cynical but how many other boyfriends does she have? I'm curious what area of the world we're talking about here. Eastern Europe? Southeast Asia? South America? Any time I hear the words "long distance" and "I send her money" I get a little. nervous for the fella.
    via No_Occasion_5434
  • Ok_Tonight_3703 "I asked her why she chose that, and her reply was 'I'm doing fine here, I'm still alive, at least let me have fun'..." Stop sending her money. You are giving someone your allowance! You are giving away money that your parents give to you so you can focus on school. She probably scamming you anyway.
    via Ok_Tonight_3703
  • LeejLicious NTA, you are providing for her and when she is finally able to get a dollar she made the decision to take in game money. Stop sending her money or she will never learn.
    via LeejLicious
  • OkSecretary1231 NTA, but don't provide for people you don't even live with.
    via OkSecretary1231
  • bluestrawberry_witch Esh. She can make her own poor decisions and you need to let her make this poor decisions while it doesn't actually affect you. But stop sending her money. If these are the decisions she's going to make you're just enabling her.
    via bluestrawberry_witch
  • lellyjoy NTA and I would stop sending her money. If she has enough that she doesn't need real-life money from her commission, than she also doesn't need real-life money from you.
    via lellyjoy
  • SafetyFluid8535 NTA only because you're giving her money. If she was fully financially independent then it's her business. But she's taking money from you and choosing to spend money on a game. And if you're planning a future together, things like how much money each of you spend on on frivolous things, especially in lieu of savings, etc., is important.
    via SafetyFluid8535

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boyfriend art artist commission relationships girlfriend digital video games payment money college college student
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