Living on Less

I’m a day late, but Happy Birthday to my precious DS2! He is one little year old, and I am in denial!

I’m sure I’m not the only one in the world who feels this way. I’m sure I’m not the only one in the NEIGHBOURHOOD who feels this way. But there are definite moments when I feel sad. I want to give my kids everything. Not everything they want, mind you. I don’t want to raise spoiled brats. But I’d like to be able to give them everything I want to give them.

For example, yesterday was DS2’s birthday. His party is next week. I want to give him toys, as well as a new outfit, and shoes. I’d like to get him new socks, and a new fancy diaper. I’d like to get him a variety of toys (not like he needs them) and whatever else I see that suits my fancy at the time. But we can’t. And that makes me sad.

We’re not poor. We have enough. Our bills are paid and we have no debt. We are all clothed and there is always food on our table. We have enough money for what we need. I try and make the budget work better by making my own things – cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent. I also use cloth diapers, and am working hard to potty train our oldest.

This is one of the things I’d like to change this year. Perhaps there is some way, as a family, we can earn a bit more money. I don’t believe the solution is sending me back to work and putting our children in daycare – I don’t believe that would benefit us as a family. I would rather sew our clothing than allow my children to be raised by someone else. But how? What is the solution?