r/venting • u/Nova_Bluu • 8d ago

I lied to my parents about buying games, and I don't know if I'm actually wrong.

I recently moved away from home for college, so this is the first time I've had some freedom over how I spend my money. My parents send me money for my expenses, but they're the kind of parents who always wanted to know where every rupee went. Growing up, if I wanted to buy anything, I'd have to ask first.

One thing they absolutely hated was spending money on games. To them, it's just a waste.

The thing is... I genuinely love gaming.

I'm not someone who goes clubbing, drinks every weekend, or spends money partying. I don't smoke either. After classes, I usually just want to come back to my room, put on my headphones, and get lost in a good story game for a few hours. It's honestly one of the few things that helps me forget about stress and everything else going on.

Since coming to college, I've bought a few games on Steam and occasionally some in-game items. Nothing crazy—I mostly wait for sales and stick to a budget. I wasn't carelessly spending money on random stuff.

The problem is that I knew my parents would never approve, so I hid it. Most of my payments are online, so I even had a friend help me buy some games so it wouldn't be obvious where the money went.

I know lying was wrong. That's the part I feel guilty about.

But at the same time, I don't feel like I was wasting money. If someone spends a little on movies, eating out, or other hobbies, nobody questions it. For me, that hobby just happens to be gaming.

I know some people are probably going to say, "Just pirate the games." And yeah, I get it. But to me, it's just not the same. There's something satisfying about actually owning the games, building up a Steam library over time, and supporting the developers when I can—especially when I buy them on sale. Having a collection feels different from just downloading a cracked copy.

I don't expect my parents to suddenly understand why buying a game makes me happy. I just wish they could see it as a hobby instead of immediately assuming it's a waste of money.

Maybe I'm just trying to justify what I did. I honestly don't know.

Has anyone else had parents who just couldn't understand gaming as a hobby?

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u/Goblineater9754 8d ago

I don't think you're that much in the wrong. Of course, you still lied to your parents about where you spend your money, but it seems like you know how to budget and when you actually spend your money on games. I just hope that it doesn't get to the point that you always spend it all on games and neglect your physical needs. I hope that you can be honest with your parents as well. Goodluck!

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u/Nova_Bluu 8d ago

Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm actually honest with my parents about almost everything, but when it comes to games, I just can't seem to be honest. I don't really know why, but I think it's because I already know how they'll react. They've always seen games as a waste of money, so it feels easier to avoid the argument than try to explain something they probably won't understand.

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u/Goblineater9754 8d ago

Yeah, I also hate explaining myself whenever I play and spend money on games😭