Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What I Want VS What I Can Afford

We grew up poor in an apartment complex in the ghetto, eating microwaved potato's and fried eggs.

When I was 16 I took a job at the local Goodwill walking two miles to and from work so I could provide us with a "Goodwill Christmas"

Not gonna lie, we still have Goodwill Christmas's. 
We are still poor. But once I had kids I told myself they would not be raised in the ghetto.

We've come a long way baby, in the last two years we moved to an upper class town {mainly because I got ubber lucky and found a house with the lowest rent to be found}

I love our little farmhouse, I love our town and I LOVE the schools my kids are in. I am proud to be able to give them opportunities I didn't have. I'm proud to have made it this far without ever having anyone or anything to back me up along the way.

But grrrr I do still have days of complete frustration where I wish I could just go buy what I want for the house!
We tore the deck off out back because it was falling apart and now we are left with this big dirt patch. I wish I could just run to Lowes and buy the plants I need to fill in the space.

But instead I am searching the yard for anything I can divide and stick in the mud hole.

I am painting the living room and dining room with a big ole 5 gallon bucket of left over drywall paint my dad gave me. 

Do I wish I could go and get the pretty eggshell paint from the hardware store? Heck yes!!

Am I dying to try out the chalk paint everyone is using these days? You better believe it sister! 

But the kids go back to school soon so any money I make goes into the school clothes fund.  

It's not all ideal, but at the end of the day when I get frustrated because I can't buy the things we want or need, I know to hop on Etsy and start listing things for sale. 

Where there's a will, there's a way!
We make do, and I just have to remember how far we have come from where we started off.

I love it here and it has been totally worth the sacrifices.

That said be sure to come on out for the big yard sale so momma can buy some plants!! lol

11 comments:

  1. hey nikki,
    you forgot to put the date and time my dear.....
    ill be there with bells on.

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  2. I have a similar story to yours with how I grew up. I also get feeling that way. I am so thankful for where the Lord has brought me and my family. I try to count my blessings and remember that no one can buy the love of our family. Hope you do well at your yard sale! I do the same thing and have a craft sale too in Nov. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Nicki,I understand all of this. I grew up poor too.Free school lunches,hand me downs from the neighbors etc....
    I even remember in 7th grade wearing the same pair of jeans almost every day.

    I think now that I'm raising my kids better off than I was I really want to just buy everything and give them everything.

    Marrying a guy who had it all growing up well,he just doesn't get it!!

    Pictures of your home look like a million bucks!! You should be proud :)

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  4. I know exactly what you mean. We were by no means rich growing up. We always had what we needed. Even now I'm trying to juggle school clothes, birthdays, and other extra bills....yuck it never ends!!! I've never been able to just go buy flowers and plants....always wanted ferns for my front porch...silly huh? It's all been worth it for me to be able to stay home with my girls. Anytime money issues come up I think about them and where they are and what they are doing....maybe I wouldn't know if I were out working!!! Payoff is so much better!!!! Good luck with your sale...I'm sure things will work out the way they are supposed to!!!

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  5. I give you applause for your honesty. I grew up having the necessities (no extras) but remember eating ice cream bars for lunch and saving the remainder of my lunch money so I could go to football games. Blog world can make a girl want so many things when what we really need is already around us. You have a beautiful home. I hope to travel up that way to your yard sale. Hoping you have some great frenchy stuff:)

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  6. Thank you for sharing your story. My background is quite similar. I grew up as the poor family in an average neighborhood. It was so embarrassing wearing everyone's hand-me-downs!

    Currently, we survive on one income, so there are NO extras...

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  7. It is very easy to become dissatisfied with what we have when we look around blogland. I try to remember that we are so blessed compared to so many in the world.

    It makes me have to be more creative and resourceful as we live on one income. I am happy to be able to be at home with my children.

    Deanna

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  8. But girl, what you do on a budget is mind boggling. You have a beautiful warm home to raise your children in. And because you don't have the means, you have to be very creative. And that's a good thing because it means your home is really an extention of your blood, sweat, and tears (hopefully light on the blood! :-).

    Have a great week,
    Judy

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  9. I can so relate, but as French Laundry said, you do such amazing things on so little! I had no idea you were on a limited budget.

    Cheers,
    Tracy Screaming Sardine

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  10. I love when we as bloggers just keep it real. There are so many of us like you. My daughters are going to paint their bathroom in leftover paint from our kitchen. It works, so why not?

    Good luck with your yardsale.

    Blessings to you. Amy

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  11. I love what you are doing.Keep up the positve and creative attitued.You can have it all.You have style.

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