Mom Asks Nail Tech If She Can Pay For Her $100 Nails With EBT Since She Doesn’t Have Enough Money To Buy Presents For Her Kids
Unfortunately, if you can't pay your bills, the manicure may have to wait.
NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock In a TikTok video, a content creator and California-based nail tech shared a video of a question he got from a client in the middle of her manicure. He was almost done with her nails, when she revealed that she didn't have enough money to cover the cost of her manicure — and requested an unusual exception on her bill.
She asked to pay for her nails with her EBT card because she didn't have enough money to buy presents for her kids.
"I know everyone is trying to look good for the holiday, but please do not get your nails done if your bills are not [paid] and kids [are] not fed," the nail tech named Minh Thai captioned his video.
During the two-minute clip of Thai doing his client's nails, the mom asked how much the set would be. He explained that with the ombre design and the long length of her nails, her total would be $100.
When he asked her if the price was okay, she admitted that it seemed like quite a lot to get her nails done. However, Thai confirmed that the price was actually "pretty cheap" for everything done. "I'm actually giving you the best price," he told the client.
When asked if she was good to pay it, the mom claimed that she wasn't, telling him, "I mean, I still have a bunch of bills to pay and I still got to make sure I have enough food for my kids and to buy groceries."
"I don't know what you want me to do," Thai replied honestly. That's when the mom bluntly asked if she could get a discount, to which Thai argued that the price was already low enough and a discount wouldn't equate to the work he was doing. He eventually entertained the idea of a discount, asking the mom how much she'd want to be taken off.
"I can just pay you an EBT," she told him. Thai informed her that he doesn't take EBT, and isn't even sure he is allowed to. The mom wasn't deterred though, and insisted that he could.
"I still have a bunch of bills I need to pay. I'm behind," she remarked. Thai eventually relented after the mom offered to pay him more in EBT, telling her that he would accept $150 in it.
People in the comment section agreed that if this mom knew she didn't have enough money to pay, then she shouldn't have been getting her nails done.
"Being on a budget, the only reason I even got my nails done this year is cause I won a gift card. Could [never] be the mom choosing looks over my babies," one TikTok user wrote.
Another user added, "This is why I only get my nails done maybe once or twice a year. It’s a luxury. I dye my own hair because I know damn well I can’t afford a salon. So those few times definitely humble me."
Photo: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock
"Everyone should ask beforehand what’s best for their idea, concept, and price range. She could’ve done press on nails. And know if the price is in her range or not. It’s teamwork," a third user pointed out.
It can be disheartening to realize that you don't have enough money to spend on things that make you happy, like getting your nails or hair done. But realistically, this nail tech also has to make a living and provide for himself and his family. Asking him to work for free or anything less than his worth is insulting.
If you know you can't afford to pay for the service or you have more important obligations for your money, then you should not be getting the service in the first place.
This exchange between the mom and nail tech proves that financial awareness is severely important, and sometimes we have to put self-indulgent expenses on the backburner so that our basic needs can be met, such as bills and groceries.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.