I'm broke as shit

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Sun Nov 03, 2013 8:01 pm

Ah, thanks man. If you have any more requests, throw 'em out!

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:00 am

RetroRomper wrote:
loafergirl wrote:You're broke? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Our combined income was $37K last year with a family of 6. Feel better?
How did you manage to survive on $37k?

Short version: with a lot of thought care, and limitations.

Longer answer: Cooking at home the vast majority of the time. I think the last 2 years we've gone out to the movies 1 time each year. We've made our own Halloween costumes. English muffins are a "treat" item (along with many other grocery items many people don't give a second thought to). Groceries may also include trips to the public marker. Meat is eaten less frequently. Fortunately we qualified for WIC and Medicaid/Family Health Plus (but do not qualify for other assistance). Also, fortunately free lunch program at school covers the kids for one meal a day during the week while school is in session. We used our enormous tax return to pay for car maintenance, extras, and occasionally to cover the mortgage. I have been getting child support from my ex (even if not on a completely consistent basis) though that too is up in the air as it is currently going through the courts =P. Though, now we can count on another $50 a month from my stepsons mother after bringing her to court. Clothing is usually purchased second hand or on clearance. Schoo;l supplies - I hit multiple stores for the 1 cent deals and 50 cent deals. We have Go Phone cell plans with limited minutes but unlimited texting and a home phone for everyones use. We qualified for financial assistance at the YMCA. My financial aid refund from college has been used for various things... though this semesters I am going to return because I had to dropped both classes i was taking (three active court cases proved a bit distracting). =P

Why has being the responsible parent proved to be such a pain in the ass? *shrug* *sigh*

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:03 am

RetroRomper wrote:And little to no sex.

I don't remember saying anything about little to no sex.

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:04 am

Oh and by "another $50" from my stepsons mother, I mean HER financial contribution per month is $50. TOTAL.

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:16 am

OH and Christmas gifts have already begun- a bag of coffee added to each grocery shopping trip, and started making cookie dough to freeze/bake cookies to freeze. There was a time I bough electronics for other family members, like the video camera for my parents. Now, I bake! Here, have banana bread!

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:44 am

The holidays are rough when you're trying to save money (or don't have it to spend). I have one particular set of in-laws that insist on buying me a sack of gifts every year. I ask them to please not do that. They ignore me and spend $10 at the dollar store buying crap I couldn't possibly want or use. The minute they leave the things get put in a closet, thrown away, or donated to Goodwill. I wish they would save the $10 but they continue doing it every year. Ooh, another 6" ruler and pack of Star Wars markers from Dollar Tree!

In recent years we have been doing a Dirty Santa gift swap approach. I like that better because (a) there's a 50/50 chance that I might get a gift I will keep, and (b) if not, I only have to throw away one thing instead of a sack full of small things.

Apparently this year we are instead drawing names and "they" (I have no input in this tomfoolery) are setting a $20 limit and each item has to be handmade. I will be making a framed $20 bill for some lucky person.

It took this response for me to realize I am not in the Christmas spirit yet.

AArdvark · Post by **AArdvark** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:44 pm

Re Christmas:

Olly might not make it up this year either if I don't get hit with a happiness stick soon.

By golly, I do believe that this has turned into a confession thread.

THE
GOOD FOR THE
AARDVARK

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:06 pm

There's already a confession thread!

SO... about 3 dozen AWESOME raisin/craisin walnut oatmeal cookies are frozen and put away (with about another 6 out to nibble on). 5 mini loafs of banana bread, 1 medium loaf ready to put away (another medium one to nibble on). And 2 containers of gingerbread dough waiting to be baked. 2 days of baking... mucho dent in holiday foodstuffs. Not bad for a couple of days work.

At x-mas we ask for cash, gift cards, and for group gifts; family memberships to places like the Zoo and Strong Museum of Play.

lethargic · Post by **lethargic** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:03 am

Flack wrote:It took this response for me to realize I am not in the Christmas spirit yet.

We're having Christmas on Thanksgiving this year. The highs are still in the 60s and we're supposed to put the tree up?

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:50 am

Please, please, don't get started about Christmas trees.

(You got me started.)

There is no symbol of Christmas I like less than the tree. I don't like dragging them out of storage, putting them up, decorating them, taking them down, or putting them back into storage.

A few years ago my wife decided we needed at least three trees, one for each of the kids to put up and decorate in their own rooms and then one in the living room. I really can't begin to describe how much I dislike this tradition.

A few years ago my wife commented that none of the ornaments on the tree were mine. So I picked some out and was told that either they didn't fit the theme of the tree or they weren't "Christmassy" enough. The last ones I bought were Star Wars M&M figures. I forgot how many there were -- not a lot, but enough to say, hey, I added something to the tree. Two days later the cat attacked the tree and all of the ones I bought were on the ground broken. Thanks, Jesus. Also a few years ago I bought a light up Yoda for the top of the tree. I was told that was sacreligious so now it's upstairs on top of one of my old computer monitors until the cat finds it.

I am allergic to real Christmas trees so at least all of ours are fake.

AArdvark · Post by **AArdvark** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:12 pm

[youtube][/youtube]

lethargic · Post by **lethargic** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:49 pm

Flack wrote:There is no symbol of Christmas I like less than the tree. I don't like dragging them out of storage, putting them up, decorating them, taking them down, or putting them back into storage.

What a fuddy duddy!!

RetroRomper · Post by **RetroRomper** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 8:17 am

Flack wrote:Please, please, don't get started about Christmas trees.

(You got me started.)

Hapticanimal and I have a shoe box we converted into our "christmas box" that we redecorate every year with magazine cut outs. Considering that I never really felt inclined to save presents until Christmas, having a few small things that we wouldn't normally buy (expensive chocolate, tea, etc.) as our "treat" to celebrate the holiday has worked out well.

Plus Christmas was almost always a spartan affair in my childhood, so having keeping it simple feels natural (not to mention the money / space I save on forgoing the purchase of holiday decorations).

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 8:32 am

Don't get me wrong, I still spend hundreds of dollars on gifts each year. I just hate trees.

Christmas was an epic event in my home growing up and is at least as big as that for my kids today. If all my kids found around the tree was a shoebox full of chocolate and tea my son would crack my head open with an Xbox 360 power supply, and my daughter... well let's just say I hope my son gets to me first.

The Lorax · Post by **The Lorax** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 2:31 pm

I just hate trees.

Well, I'm leaving...FOREVER!

loafergirl · Post by **loafergirl** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 5:14 pm

Yoda is probably my favorite ornament. I also like the seahorse, and the reindeer (I am a ware-reindeer, once a year during December I sprout antlers, so do several of my offspring) . The glow-in-the-dark snowflakes are fun too.

We did gingerbread cookies today.

AArdvark · Post by **AArdvark** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 3:54 am

Should tree ornaments be simply decorative or should they represent certain events and memories? Those satin thread Styrofoam ball ornaments don't count, either

THE
NEVER COULD TELL
AARDVARK

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:22 am

I've seen trees that are covered in one single style and color of ornament. Those always seemed a little cold to me. Growing up, our tree was covered in multi-colored lights (the big bulbs!). Some of the ornaments were filler, but most of them were ones we bought on vacation, my sister and I made in school, or things that we enjoyed. I don't know if people still do it that way or not but it seemed a lot more enjoyable back then.

RetroRomper · Post by **RetroRomper** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:33 am

Flack wrote:If all my kids found around the tree was a shoebox full of chocolate and tea my son would crack my head open with an Xbox 360 power supply, and my daughter... well let's just say I hope my son gets to me first.

To be fair, I'm in a situation where with "disposable income" I have already bought myself everything I've ever lusted over since February of this year (ditto for Haptic). At this point, its just getting a few things we wouldn't be able to justify purchasing except for a special occasion.

Plus it's high quality, single origin chocolate ($8 - $20 per bar. See https://www.chocosphere.com/default/bra ... e-bar.html though I haven't been impressed with Bonat since 2010) and special tea blends. I'd have gone ape shit over this stuff when I was a kid, but I was also a little weird.

Flack · Post by **Flack** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:59 am

Sorry, you're talking to an unrefined hick from Oklahoma. Chocolate pedigrees don't impress or interest me. The closest point of reference I have to "Bonnat failing to impress since 2010" is "the fall of '95, when Mars decided to add blue M&Ms to the mix." Whenever someone tries to impress me by telling me what country their chocolate was made in my eyes roll back in my head and I start dreaming about picking up a Kit-Kat from the nearest vending machine. To me the best candy bars are the ones that can be used to make s'mores over an open fire.

I'm broke as shit

Re: HAHAHAHAHA