We've all seen those plastic money jars with the digital counter on the lid. I finally decided to use mine when my 4 and 6 year old daughters had a month-long obsession with finding loose change..I was worried they'd put the coins in their mouths so I stuck whatever I found or what they brought me, in the jar. I've kept up with it and tallied it yesterday to find there's $101.70 in there!
A little back story: I grew up with an alcoholic grandmother who abused her prescription drugs. We didnt have a lot of money and she spent it at the bar or on dial-a-bottle. So food was always scarce. I grew up on Mr. Noodles and dry cereal. I was left home alone a lot so I learned to cook and bake a few things and had to be almost feral at my age.
I left home at 16 when I discovered I was pregnant. He was abusive and controlled everything. Anything he had to pay for that was for me only, he'd say I had to find a way to pay him back. I was basically there to raise his children and be at his beck and call. I left him after 12 years and a night of domestic violence. Packed up whatever clothes of mine and my kids into our car and left for a new city, 3 hours away.
It was so hard. Learning to parent on my own and manage money was a nightmare. Money still is. I even took parenting classes a few years ago and went to mom and tot groups to gain the benefits of the free financial counseling program. I'd do okay and then mess up my budget and panic and give up. Mentally, it was exhausting. When we left my exhusband, we left our house and everything in it, so starting all over again was also good times 🙄 I had to use social services and we moved 3x in 5 years. I had also discovered I was eligible for a credit card and effortlessly racked up 14k in 6 months. That has followed me around for years.
Fast forward 10 years later and I'm doing better but still struggling. I've battled addiction (1 year clean) and went through two more crappy relationships and had two more babies. When I was 14, I met a boy, we lost touch and reconnected 2 years ago through a fb friend. He has been the apple of my eye..I mean, my children are amazing but this man is my world. He helped me overcome addiction and is dad to my two youngest. He's allowed me to gain enough confidence to get my license again and I have a p/t job. He is the breadwinner but I make enough money to help out and it feels frickin amazing. I am even financing my very first vehicle 😊 which any mom will tell you, is a blessing to have.
So, back to this $100. I can't tell you how good it feels to know it's there. That's $100 in groceries..or gas..or if the girls are sick and need something..or if one of the older kids (14, 17 and 20) has an emergency. My hubby has been laid off since Christmas but he's due to go back (construction) in two weeks and he's in need of rain gear, we can get that for him. That's a date night or two. I can send money back to my daughters school for hot lunch orders. These are the little things we take for granted at times.
That's $100 I'm not spending on 25 pills, to get the through the day ❤
Not sure if anyone will even read all of this, sorry it's a tad long but I thought I would share, since we're all just trying to make it in this world. I'm not even sure if this is the right board to post on but I hope this is some kind of inspiration for someone going through life's curve balls. I know it's a measly hundred bucks but it symbolizes so much for me..but if it were a bill, I'd frame it, with a hammer close by 😂
April 06, 2019 at 10:13AM
