A Lower Hutt woman is auctioning the chance to put a tattoo on her bottom to help pay off her mounting bills. Tina Beznec, 23, created the online auction "YOUR Tattoo on my Bum!!'' on Trade Me yesterday in the hope of raising cash after being made redundant twice in the past year and being unemployed for four months.
She plans to spend a portion of the money to visit her mum in Australia and will also donate 20 per cent of highest bid to a charity of the winner's choice. "I'm constantly trying to thinking of creative things and ways you can make money and I have never actually heard of it being done before.''
The winner can watch her cheek being inked with a tattoo no larger than 9cm by 9cm by her chosen tattoo artist. She will also provide a framed photo of the final product to the winner, should they want it. The nerves kicked in when the first bid of $1000 was made within hours of the auction going live at midday yesterday.
The auction is now up to almost $2000. "The way I see it is it's going to be on my bum and it is something I can look back on in the future and remember this point in my life.''The bid did not meet the reserve price, which she cannot reveal due to Trade Me rules.
Ms Beznec, who works for a freight company, said her partner and friends thought the auction was hilarious. "According to Facebook all my friends are like, "'only Tiny haha', 'you're crazy', 'you're so funny'''.
But her parents will not be so flippant when she finally breaks the news. "My mum and dad pretty much don't like [my tattoos] ... my dad's quite straight and I might get a bit of a lecture from him.''Ms Beznec suggested her behind could be inked with a permanent marriage proposal or business promotion.
She also suggests boredom and "awesomeness'' as good reasons to pay for a tattoo on her bottom. "I've got a really high pain threshold so I'm not concerned about the soreness of it but, I'm concerned about the healing process.''The Lower Hutt woman has spent about $900 on five tattoos in the past couple of years which reflected her "free spirit''.
The large tattoo on her arm has an ocean theme and depicts a female pirate. She has an appointment to add a treasure chest next week. She has two swallows on her chest which represent ''freedom and being myself'', and two smaller Japanese tattoos on her wrist and neck.