As I listened with sadness and horror yesterday at yet another tale of a family we know torn apart by infidelity, drugs and lies I was reminded of the wise words of Biggy Smalls “the more money we come across the more problems we see”;
A man before his time, RIP Biggie.
Anyway, my point is this, you can be happy eating beans on toast if you are together as a family, It’s pretty hard to be happy eating beans on toast because your husband spent all the money on P and hookers.
I look back at the ten years Dave and I have been together and some of my fondest memories are of times when we were as poor as church mice. When I first moved to California from Florida I had no wheels and a sweet {but poorly paid} cash job earning $10 an hour. Luckily I was a smart girl and saw a cutie blue scooter at the local car lot for $300 and sweet talked them into letting me finance it! That’s right. I had payments on a $300 scooter. But I was mobile and as Dave didn’t have a car either we tandemed on the scooter all over So-Cal. It was awesome and it cost $2.15 to fill the tank. When we found out I was preggers with E we were flatting and we {still} owned nothing. we didn’t even have a cutlery set or any plates we could call our own. But we worked hard and saved hard for 9 months and by the time E arrived we were still living a block from the beach and had our first apartment furnished with everything a little family could need.
Dave has always maintained that if money is the only thing you have to argue about, then you are doing pretty good. I’m not down-playing the huge stress financial worries can inflict upon a couple, but if your family is all healthy, you can manage to keep the roof over your heads and flour in the pantry for a batch of scones you can find some inkling of happiness everyday. When we first moved back to NZ the cost of living was so high compared to what we were used to and our one measly wage was Dave’s apprentice rates, we had the grand total of $25 per week leftover after expenses – this was in the days when we were only paying $280 a week in rent!
Keep your family close and be grateful for what you have, just stay away from the P and hookers peeps!
Comments
12 responses to “Mo money mo problems”
Wise words Melissa! We're still in the tight stage of light, trying to build a platform for our family. We don't have to argue about money (although we've had our fair share of doing so!) because luckily we're on the same page right now. But boy. Life can get a bit depressing when its beans on toast AGAIN. 😉 n nLove your last line. Have had a giggle on twitter about it.
*tight stage of life
Coudln't agree more – family first, love, kindness, encouragement, support.. money is a ways down the list of importance! Counting our blessings gives us lots of perspective. Nice new look!
Too true. My own family has recently seen one of our dear ones abandoned as hubby headed off to greener pastures… leaving her holding the (8) babies. Sucky.
Very true and after having sold our business we are officially unemployed, building a garage and living off the small amount left over from the sale for now ( very small ). and there is six of us living in a two bedroom house, but the upside is we're together and own our house and a farmlet, and have room to grow food…..plus we've been in this predicament before, and that experience will pull us through. I far rather this life than a life where we don't see each other or the kids because we're working all the time :))
drugs are bad mkay – have torn my family apart more then once! (siblings not my unit)
Amen, sister! x
Whew. Too true. We are living pretty much hand to mouth at the mo but we are all together and seriously, that is HUGE. Wonderfully huge. Well written Melissa, been thinking about you lots. Loving the Shits and Giggles.. xx
I know, happier does not mean more, does it. Great post Melissa x
Thought I’d show you what reading your blog resulted in this morning, in my kitchen =P
http://youtu.be/4yHe1yUuA4I
Omg!!! Brilliant! At least my blog inspires something in the kitchen lol you got the moves mama. BTW I never comment but your blog is one of my absolute faves! Wasn\’t P diddy great back then? Lol
Yes. Yes he was =)