Just curious who else is living super frugal

[willzpapa]

Im sorry to say I wont be a member of these boards much longer. I mean, I know I can still post, but it wont be much fun without my critters.

Dh and I are separating right after Christmas. He has found himself someone else for the second time in our marriage. We arent telling the kids until after Christmas. I cant afford to keep the house, so I will have to move, so all of my animals are up for sale. Plus, he says he isnt giving me money for feed anymore and I cant let them starve. He wants me to sell them and have my car fixed so I can go back to work and buy my own kids Christmas because he wont.

Of the 8 kids here, 4 are his, 3 are mine plus the one teenage boy we took in last summer. I have raised his kids since they were babies, the youngest was 10 months old when they moved into my house. The youngest two have no memory of their bio mom even. His kids are by two different women. He told me in no uncertain terms I was not to contact his kids again after I move out. Im hoping he changes his mind.

So anyway, thank you all for your support and great ideas. I hope to one day be in a position where I can move back out in the country and start again. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Wow this h is a knucklehead

 

[donrae]

Hon, I'm just not sure what to say. I can't imagine losing your kiddos like that, and I hope he realizes them losing you won't be in their best interest. Please stay open to contact with them, you're their Mom and I'm sure they don't want to lose you.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hey Willzpapa: Love your avatar!

 

[pfields]

Hey Willzpapa: Love your avatar!

Me too!

 

[wyoDreamer]

@funnyfarmmom Just remember your friends here at BYC are always ready and willing to give support and virtual hugs. So if you are feeling alone and need support or just need to vent, feel free to drop in and join us.
Sorry to hear of your situation and best of luck with your new life.

 

[Talithahorse]

With the holiday season just beginning I was wondering what others did to keep the holidays focused on the true meaning and not on the commercial end of it. At our home we encourage traditions such as baking cookies with the kids, homemade English muffins the day after Christmas, and time spent together. I am looking for other ways to push out the commercial aspect so that my family can focus. My children are not particularly gift oriented and their lists are usually small and well thought out. (Of course as young children I would ask them their list a dozen times and then focus only on the few gifts that consistently stayed on the list. To be considered it had to stay on the top 3 for at least 3-4 requests. Now that they are getting older (teens and tweens) I am looking for ways to stay connected with them.

Ideas?

 

[caesargirl]

I surprise the neighbors with door knob hangers. Using evergreens and ribbons and such (stuff at home, goodwill....) my husband and I make cards and little decorations and drop them at the neighbors for a fun surprise. We actually started this with the kids, after they moved out, we continued!! Now some of the neighbors do the same!!

 

[Talithahorse]

cool idea. I might try that at school where I teach. At home the closest neighbors well they aren't very close....

 

[caesargirl]

cool idea.  I might try that at school where I teach.   At home the closest neighbors well they aren't very close....  

Take your kids out to go help cut the greens and gather the materials for your school kids and then they can make some for you to bring in for the school kids. Your kids can make the "patterns" so to speak!

 

[donrae]

We go out and cut our own tree, usually with another family. The event's not a success until someone's rig gets stuck and has to get pulled out

.

We try to focus on giving and serving others. We do Operation Shoebox, we adopt a local family for a meal and/or gifts, etc. The last few years things have been tight and we haven't been able to do as much financially, but we can always put together the basics of a meal. That's when it's good to be a prepper

. Need a holiday meal for 5? Sure, let me hit the garage and I'll put that together for you!

Our town decorates the main street for the holidays with big stand up fiber optic displays, larger than life nutcrackers and snowflakes, etc. We get downtown and walk the street checking out the decorations.

We have our own little family traditions. Christmas Eve dinner is nachos. Christmas morning is usually biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs. One gift gets opened on Christmas Eve, and it's NOT pajamas. We hang stockings. I don't do much decoration besides the tree, but we did find a nice nativity set I may put up this year.

We read Bible passages about the birth of Jesus.

Sing carols and listen to Christmas music--KLOVE has a 24/7 Christmas music station going now.

We do very, very minimal gift giving. I rarely exchange gifts with friends, and don't with family. We're just not big gift givers in our family, and money is tight all around. We'd rather spend the money on gas to go see each other, and maybe go see a movie or something. Frankly, I'd rather go thrift shopping with my sister and maybe buy her something she likes but won't buy for herself than spend that same amount at Wal-mart on a duty gift she'll never really like/want/use. Plus, that way I get to go shopping with my sister, something we don't get to do often.

I do like the house to smell Christmas-y. I buy scented candles or whatever you use to scent with in pine, or apple spice. Once the tree is in, that usually takes care of the smell as our house is pretty small.