Since having my own home, I have come to understand how much little things to make a home a more enjoyable place can be. I don't know both sides to this situation and I dont' know the people involved so it's hard to make any real judgement on it.

I do know that my own mother would plan and save up sometimes to get things that she would really like for the house, like a new carpet for under the dining room table or nice sofa cushions to replace the old ratty ones. Things like that I didn't really see the point of until I got my own home. Now I really understand it a lot better.

It could be your mom was going to the store with plans to get a few things she had been wanting to for the house, and when she said she 'couldn't afford' the camera, she meant could not afford it in addition to what she already had planned to buy?

If she really could have afforded it easily, but didn't want to buy it and then impulsively bought the other things, that's of course within her rights, but in that case I think she should be up front with you and say "I'd rather not spend the money on that right now." But then she might not have wanted to say that for fear of causing conflict and argument, so she just said she couldn't afford it.

Again it's hard for me to really come to any conclusions. I don't know your mother or you personally.

Anyway, I do wish you the best and hope you will end up with the camera you are wanting soon