Gimme a fricken break!

So I was having a GREAT day. And then I came home and got bit on the wrist by a flea (WTF?) I put stuff on the dogs 2 weeks ago, their fur is growing back a little, they're still itchy but I figured whatever for now, it's been calm. I bust out the vacuum and then check the dogs. They're covered. AGAIN. I only put the meds on two weeks ago so the vet said I can't do anything for another week at least...something about Hartz goes into the bloodstream...yada yada.

So then I check my mail. It's the 1st, I'm already freaking out about daycare, Jon's rent, the $500 we threw last month for both dogs to get their vaccines/mange meds/antibiotics/prednisone...all the other bills we have due at the beginning of the month... I get a bill from the dentist. I maxed out both insurances for my root canal and crown and owe $373. I call dummy. Dummy says, "I'm eating dinner, can I call you back?" No. No you cannot. You will listen to me bitch, right now. He tells me, "We'll be fine." Nooooo we won't be. We're broke. Like, I don't even want to buy a house anymore broke.

And we're supposed to save an additional $10,800 by July 11' so I can go back to work for 6 months and put 3 kids in daycare (that's JUST daycare for the twins) until Jon gets out of the Corps in Dec 11'.

This is bullshit!

I hate that it is so expensive to live. I am stressed out about money too. We're broke as well. My trip to Mexico is going to break my bank for a few months.

I'm just terrified. The thought of Christmas makes me want to crawl in a hole and die.

And then this whole, twins on the way thing.

Christmas is NOT about presents Jeannette. Wesson doesn't understand yet that gifts are given on Christmas. & Your family will understand the tight budget, so don't sweat it!!!

Eh it's not just that.

His whole entire fricken family is coming down.

I've put my foot down with Jon that although I am not a fan of 5 additional people staying in our 1000 sq ft apartment, I will NOT be buying additional groceries.

Last time, Jon was a dummy and spent TONS on groceries. They had a fucking box of cereal and gallon of milk a day. We CAN'T afford it.

Sometimes I feel that just because I have a job, he thinks we're millionaires.

Granted, we're better off than a single-income, but we're still not showering in $100 dollar bills.

5 extras, HOLY PEOPLE BATMAN!!! I completely agree, you shouldn't have to fork out extra groceries. They're eating the food so they should have to pay for it.

Agreed. His family should understand and buy their own food or else pay you for buying their food and housing them for christmas.

you'll be okay! We've managed on $50 for a week and less before. Some how we did it though and was able to hold out until pay day! Is there anything in the house you could sell? Thats what we normally do when we are in a bind!

I could sell my old prom dress and this ball one... But I dunno if it's really the season to sell em. Nor do I really want to...

And I have an old fold-up fabric dog crate (for Lady when I was gonna take her cross country). It was used once and I can't even get $50 off Craigslist for it (purchased for $100!). I could try Ebay but then you gotta pay and the shipping and...bah...

Try Lejuene Yardsales.

Good idea... Can you post for free on there?

Yes you post for free you just can't post pictures of it. Normally I just say can send pictures if you'd like.

I had to sell my prom dress (Tiffany's) and got $90 I was so upset but we didn't have a choice...I also sold my D&B bag it was a sad day but had to do what I had to do.

See I don't really have much to sell. I just have a bunch of crap.

You'd be surprised! Does Jon have any extra gear? Extra cammies that don't match, extra frog tops (warming layers). Really just anything. You'd be surprised.

I'd say we have probably sold at least $200 worth of gear we sold his extra FLAK jacket for $500 and that was without sappy plates!

Jeannette, first of all, I am so sorry about all the stress. I can only imagine. Kenny and I have TOTALLY been there, done that. It SUCKS big fat hair balls.

But in truth.... it will be OKAY. There is a lot of worry and a lot of stress but things usually work out someway, somehow.

Not really. I make him wear his cammies until the ass rips out of them.

He's got like 4 sets of each but they sit in the closet for deployments and gear inspections.

also.... I would start researching nannies. I know of a few really great girls that use to be teachers at Mackenzie's daycare that are now nannies.... I really honestly believe that is the cheaper option, vs. daycare. With you preparing this early... you would have a great opportunity to really "feel" them out, do your research and feel confident in your decision. Kenny could give you advice on running background checks. That may alleviate some worry too!

Jeannette wrote:Not really. I make him wear his cammies until the ass rips out of them.

He's got like 4 sets of each but they sit in the closet for deployments and gear inspections.

John hasn't bought a pair of cammies since he got out of bootcamp! Thats over four years now

I dunno about a nanny Ladonna. I thought about it but if someone is at my house, they would have to take the dogs out too, it's just a whole new thing of problems.

I also don't trust alot of people.

I like Wesson's class atmosphere. I'm keeping him there no matter what, I just don't know what to do with the twins.

I think a nanny may be a really good answer for you. A lot of them also do light cleaning and cooking. That would totally be worth it!

A girl I used to work with had twins and there was some military program that helped pay for a nanny. I should track her down and see what it was.

I checked most of the programs for military and we don't qualify. Like for daycare, one program has to have a facility within 30 miles of a base. The other is for 2 specific daycares in my area. One of them is over $1200 a month just for Wesson, it's a 5-star academy.

I just don't know. I had my neighbor watch Wesson for the first 3 months and that wasn't too well. We just didn't mesh and it turned into a bad situation. I would have an issue becoming too friendly with the nanny when I need to stay strict on business. Daycare is easier for me to do that with. I can flip out if I need to.

I totally understand what you are saying about the nanny.... but with a little more time on your hands you could really research it and find the right one.... before you were pressed for time.... and the neighbor was convenient. Now that you have time you can really go about it in a professional way. But I 100% see your point.... I was very anti-nanny for a while.... but I've seen a lot of great ones too. You just have to invest the time and patience that it takes to find a good one. But yeah, I agree with you too!! I prefer daycare!

I dunno. Right now I don't know what we're going to do. We're not in a good state with a bunch of unexpected bills and whatnot. I'm switching from Garnie Fructis to V05 next time I go to the store.

I might be able to find someone for just the twins for 6 months. I really want to keep him where he's at.

I'm going to talk to his daycare too to see if there are multiple-child discounts. His old daycare did that. It wasnt much but hell, I'll take it.

Right now, for all 3 kids with no discounts, it would be $615 a week.

Jeannette wrote:I dunno. Right now I don't know what we're going to do. We're not in a good state with a bunch of unexpected bills and whatnot. I'm switching from Garnie Fructis to V05 next time I go to the store.

I might be able to find someone for just the twins for 6 months. I really want to keep him where he's at.

I'm going to talk to his daycare too to see if there are multiple-child discounts. His old daycare did that. It wasnt much but hell, I'll take it.

Right now, for all 3 kids with no discounts, it would be $615 a week.

Ugh yeah that makes me want to vomit. I hate the $900+ I'm spending a month for one kid, I can't imagine $2400 a month!!!!

I know our daycare doesn't give multiple kid discounts..... damn them. But I'll ask around for you.

They do multiple child ones here. It's only 30 bucks, but that would be 60 dollars a week.

And Holy Crap LaDonna! That is some expensive daycare! We pay $180 on the first and fifteenth here. Maybe that's because it's on base though.