You Can’t Eat a Tattoo

Dragons, Skulls, and Butterflies ~ OH MY!

I am fascinated by the body art craze.  I also think it is a great opportunity to use long-term thinking on a short-term decision. A person getting tattooed picks a design, pays for it, and sits for a piece of body art that will be with them for the rest of their life.

I always thought I would have a tattoo. It just never happened for me when I was younger; Then came the mom years – It just wasn’t a priority. I said that if I was in good shape when I turned 40, I would get one. I even designed it. I hit 40, and was in good shape, but then I looked around, and it just wasn’t a unique thing to do anymore. Everyone had them.

So, as usual, I zig when the rest of the world zags. No tattoo for me. But I do LOVE to watch the tattoo shows on TV. I LOVE the art. And, when I see a unique piece, I will ask to look at someone’s tattoo. So who knows, I might end up being one of those grannies that get a tatt.

Tattoos are an individualized expression, but they also have a cost:

Average Cost: $150/HR for color; $75/HR for black/white; so for a piece like half an arm sleeve you would be looking at approximately 7 hrs or $1,050.

Removal: Since tattooing has become so popular, it isn’t surprising that tattoo removal has become big business as well. Also not surprising, the removal process can cost twice as much as the actual tattoo. It typical takes longer, is painful, and can result in scaring.

Cover ups: Another industry that has popped up is tattoo cover up specialists. Not all artists are created equal, not all ideas are good ideas. So, with some regret will come more cost to fix the mistake. Same deal as the first time: $150 – $75 per hour.

Employment: Although more socially accepted, some professions just don’t lend themselves to someone with horns tattooed on their forehead ~ kindergarten teacher comes to mind; so, long-term consideration should be made when thinking about placement and subject matter. Something that seems funny or cool when you are 19 might not seem that way when you are 35 and a parent.

Unemployment: As I drive past a young man sitting on the street corner with a sign that reads ‘Out of work – family of four – God Bless’, I notice he has two full arm sleeves of tattoos. That’s about $2,000 – $3,000 per arm. I image that there are more tatts under his cloths. I want to know his story. I want to ask him, ‘Knowing what you know now, would you make a different decision?’ Would he have saved the money for an emergency fund? How big of a difference would that money make to his family now? – Because he can’t eat his tattoos, and he can’t feed his children his tattoos.

So I will ask you:

Are you using long-term thinking when you make short-term decisions?

The latest fashions or a down payment on a house?

Upgrade your Iphone or pay off your student loans?

Vacation or emergency fund?

Let’s face it, the immediate stuff is a lot sexier, a lot more fun, a lot more exciting. But, years later which one will get you where you want to be?

Just make sure you have built a rock solid financial foundation before you tatt up because, you can’t eat a tattoo.

Economag ~ finance articles for cool people – The Costs of Tattoos
How To Safely Get a Tattoo Removed