Helpful App for Cosplay!

Hello, I've returned! I decided to share something about one of my many hobbies this time!

For those that don't know, I enjoy cosplaying, but some of my past experiences were...bad. I'm terrible when it comes to time management and I hate spending money. These are big issues for me when it comes to making a cosplay and/or props within the time left til con.

There's always the option of commissioning a cosplay or buying on eBay, but the chances of getting scammed, a late delivery or poor quality is pretty high. Not only that, but the cost could be more than it would if you were to make it yourself. You can get lucky and find things you need in a thrift shop or just make it out of things you already own. I did that with my first cosplay as Luffy from One Piece (That was nearly 10 years ago and no pictures survived).

Since I'm busy more often, I'm always trying to find ways to make things easier for myself. When I heard about an app called CosPlanner, I downloaded it. What attracted me to it the most was that it was free. You can pay to disable ads or add more slots for pictures or tasks which is only about $0.99 or so. You can set a budget, store reference/progress pictures and put reminders to buy materials or make pieces of your cosplay.

I used the app for my cosplay of Korra last year to see if it would really keep me on schedule before the local con. It worked out well until I realized I needed more slots for my tasks. I eventually bought the add-on for more tasks and pictures, but it's worth it. After getting my extra tasks filled, I was able to set alarms to remind me to buy the materials I needed. You can also add the cost of all the things you buy and the app will let you know if you are over or under your budget in the summary section.

The only way this app can fail is if you procrastinate on doing things you scheduled for yourself to do, which I did. I completed my cosplay, but some parts could have been better if I had spent more time on them. I'm using CosPlanner for my future cosplays, (Yuna from Final Fantasy series) but trying to stay on schedule is going to be a challenge for me.