are you all rich or just have a lot of debt? - Page 3

[sparklemum]

this is a great thread - you know, money is really the one taboo topic...we all have so much wrapped up around it emotionally...

there is a fabulous book that i recommend to everyone, irregardless of their financial situation - "your money or your life"

oh, and we aren't rich, we aren't poor - we are, however, frugal, which is not to be confused with cheap...my husband hoards money like nobody's business...

if i buy a new fuzzi bunz for ruby at $15 and sell it on ebay when she outgrows it for $12...

i always look for quality and resale value (in everything

[Trishy]

Well we don't even have a credit card! I got $150 of "family money" for ds' initial stash when he was 8 months old. Later, FIL gave us some money for ds and I used half of it to buy good diapers and the other half to buy things I needed for ds.

Now I am a pretty thrifty mama. I buy mostly used clothes for the family. I use coupons like you would not believe and have a ridiculously cheap food budget.

I am also resourceful. I have 2 small jobs that I do that usually earn me $20-45 a month, but has been $20 or less the past few months. I also do refunding that usually brings around $10-20 a month, sometimes more. I also have a regular part time WAH job that I was very, very, very lucky and fortunate to get. Anything extra that I want to buy, including diapers, all comes from this money.

[Muggins&Doody]

OMG I am the farthest thing from rich. Actually we fall well within the poverty lines! But fortunately my parents are awesome and we rent a house from them for dirt cheap, and they pay my car payment AND insurance! I also work one day a week for 3 hours and make about $150 a month from that, so I can spend it on diapers if I so choose. I also bought a lot of dipes with our tax return. And I sell stuff on ebay if I'm really desperate for diaper money. Our entire credit card debt is probably about $300. Actually that's our ENTIRE debt. I rarely buy diapers out of our bank account with the money that DH makes. So you can be poor and still have some kick a$$ dipes!

[JennInSeattle]

I was going to say that we're rich because no one was saying it but then a few did! :LOL

We're not rich either and I wouldn't call us comfortable. We are a two income family although I'm a SAHM (but will be going back to work part time in May but won't need child care.. so that will make me a WAHM! ROFL! ... sorry, waay off topic!).

My husband makes an average wage for this area and I make less than him. Our bills are nice and low. We moved (when I was 8 months pregnant) from a comfortable large house under which we were struggling to a small but well layed out apartment that is half the cost of the house. We only have one car and therefore one insurance payment (we've done that for years). We have no credit cards and no credit card debt. My only outstanding debt at this point is $100 I still owe from giving birth! lol We worked hard to allow us to live on Dan's income alone if necessary so we will never feel the pressure that comes with needing two incomes to make ends meet and one of us will always be able to stay home with Nathan or future children. Cloth diapers will help assure us that security.

So, we don't make a ton but we spend even less. I spend a lot of our free money on diapers (A LOT) but not all of it. I do shop thrift/consignment stores for Nathan's clothes but since this is the first grandbaby for all sides of the family he's well taken care of by the grandparents.

Bottom line, I overspend and should be saving more but I don't and I enjoy our diapers.. they make me so happy!


Oh and I wasn't put off by the question or any answers here! I enjoyed reading this thread!

[LittleIslandMom]

ITA with Jenn, it's an interesting thread, and even more interesting to read about the backgrounds of some of the mamas we KNOW for a fact have huge expensive stashes... like Jenn and Mich! :LOL (all totally in fun ok)

I have a reasonable-sized stash (about 55+ dipes & prefolds not including covers etc.) with a number of hyena brands, and I fund my habit completely through my own income. DH and I both work outside of home, and we need both incomes because his takes care of the house and car loans, we both chip in to groceries, and I take care of all DS' needs from my paycheck.

We are not close to rich (but I recognise that's all relative anyway); I would describe us as solidly middle-class. I've a marketing job with multinational company that pays me a decent salary and before Owen came along it allowed me to indulge in nice clothes and shoes etc. (although I have never been into expensive designer brands so while I loved shopping it stayed reasonable). We have credit cards as a convenience only and never roll over payments.

Since Owen, like Angelica (butterflymom the former careerwoman) I've lost a lot of interest in shopping for myself except for necessities (and anyway, after the better part of a year in PG clothes by the time I got back to work most of my old stuff felt new again!) so I rationalise my diaper addiction by telling myself I'm still spending less than I used to on clothes and shoes. And for a fact I have less time to shop now - I spend all my spare time with Owen, and he HATES sitting in a stroller watching me shop, so online shopping is all there is these days. And, the pleasure of a hyena dipe lasts a lot longer than a new suit or pair of shoes; you get to pull it out to use a lot more often too.

Also before Owen came along we used to go for a nice holiday once a year, but since DH doesn't want to travel far or long with him at this age, we now only do short trips nearby.

Finally, I don't really spend a lot on clothes or shoes for Owen - I get a fair number of pieces as gifts, and because we don't really go out a lot (on weekends we like to chill out at home, at the pool or in the park) he doesn't get much opportunity to get dressed in cute duds anyway.

So all in all, diapering is the only indulgence I am spending on lately, that's my excuse! DH has never cared what I spend my own money on, but I'm sure he thinks it's weird that I'm constantly trawling through diaper sites and on this forum talking diapering... though he's never said a word!!!

Oh man, this was long, sorry for rambling... I'm sure I could've said all this in much fewer words :LOL

[DreamingMama]

It is not a secret

that I spent too much money on diapers.

Not rich here.

[rad]

We're middle class. We have a ton of debt but none of that is from diapers. Quite honestly we havn't even used our cc in years. It's all from our first year of marriage when DH was in college and I was working and getting paid peanuts. Other than the cc bills we only have our house payment.

I do spend alot on diapers. It usually comes from the extra money I probably should be sending to the CC or alittle from our savings here and there. But lately I've been thinking it's probably time to cut back alittle on the diaper spending. I have plenty of diapers and it would be nice to get the debt payed off.

[DesireeH]

I buy too many too. We have bad CC debt but none of it is diapers......its all from 5 years ago.....anyhoo....its in a pay off program from my grandpa so its managable until we sell our house and pay it off.

Diapers (okay, and frappaccinos too!) are my one splurge.......I never ever buy myself clothes/shoes/expensive makeup or anything......I dont even like that kind of stuff. Ds clothes are usually gifts from grandparents, etc etc etc......plus I sell off alot of stuff in order to buy more. What can I say, I dont smoke, dont drink, dont do drugs......this is one addiction I'll allow! :LOL

Even if cd's had no return (and they do! Resale is great!) I would still do it.......its worth Jevin's health and the earth's "health" too! LOL

Plus buying from a wahm makes me happy......its my goal to hit each and every one! LOL Then I can help them with their addiction too! AHAHAHAHAHAHA.......just teasin of course.

[campingmumma]

No six figures here, but we're comfortable. I admit I spend too much on kid stuff: diapers, clothes, diaper bags, slings ... but I'm planning on recouping most of my $$.

I work 2x a week opposite DH's schedule so there's a little $$ to play with. We pay our credit card off every month, no car payments (my vehicle is almost 10 yrs. old), and we were fortunate to buy our home in '93 before the prices went through the roof.

I go a little overboard during the end of the year sales on children's clothes, but I figure I'm saving money by buying ahead for next year :LOL

[WithHannahsHeart]

We have an 'average' income (actually would be 'tiny' in a lot of places, but cost of living is looooow here), and a LOT of debt that very little of is diaper related. This is something we have been discussing how to get out of.

I never use the cc to buy diapers, ever; my head would be on a plate if dh found out i did that . I do have a small pt job that dh lets me use most of the earnings from to do whatever i want with, so i have fun buying diapers with that. I have funded the majority of purchases in recent months with paypal that i have gotten for selling off clothing, other diapers, other items. We have a big yard sale coming up next month, and i'm sure he will let me keep some of the money for diapers, which i hope i can make myself invest in a newborn stash, as we are ttc (dd will probably be potty learning by summer, so i should NOT be getting anything else for HER : ).

[ustasmom]

Well, I consider my self rich, but not in a "worldly" way.

I have a loving and devoted husband who works incredibly hard and I adore him.

I have seven wonderful children. True blessings from the Lord.

I have a house to live in-one that keeps me safe and dry.

I have food in the cabinets and freezers stocked up. Nobody goes to bed hungry.

Running water, inside plumbing and hot showers--need I say more?

We may not have lots of $ and things, but we have everything that we need.

[ShabbyChic]

This is such an interesting thread. It is really wonderful to see people from all different walks of life coming together to participate in something that helps both the earth and our children.

I hate the assumption that people make that CDing is only for people who have no money. I am also so tired of explaining it. I mean, I like showing off the gorgeous stuff that I have, but people are always stuck on one thing, "why would a person like you CD"? We are wealthy. I consider ourselves to be very fortunate to be where we are. I just wish people could move on from considering diapering a relevant class issue.

[15yrsbetweenboys]

Well, I feel compelled to put in my 2 cents worth here, even though ds hasn't worn a diaper in 2 weeks I am FAR FAR FAR from rich (or even comfortable), I am a single mama, I am a wahm, but also HAVE to have an outside job teaching college at night-but that only pays the rent and car payment, so my wahm income buys the food and anything else that might be purchased. I spent way too much on diapers with my income tax return, and then regretted it because I still have tons of bills which need paid (and then ds potty learned). I have become quite good at "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and have interesting methods of paying off credit card debt just so I can use it to pay the other bills and buy gas. I would probably be okay, if only the college I taught for paid on a regular schedule-instead they pay monthy March through May, June and July and October through Dec. I can tell you it is no fun going 3 months without a paycheck-especially at Christmastime!
At least now my diaper buying is over, so I guess I will save money that I would have spent on cute dipes (money I don't have).
Shan

[michray]

Originally posted by 15yrsbetweenboys

At least now my diaper buying is over, so I guess I will save money that I would have spent on cute dipes (money I don't have).
Shan

hehehe... :LOL ... we need a mantra on the phone, Shan. *noooo mooooooorrreeeee* *ssseeeewwwww mooooooooore*

[allformyboys]

Don't buy it for a minute, some of the women at MDC are very comfortable. Others, cc users, bargain hunters, secondhanders, etc.

I don't fall into either catagory here? I don't use my CC for diapers ever, I almost always pay full price for new diapers, we live within our income and I work my butt off for everything 'extra' I want (and right now extras that I want are diapers!) My husband and I are comfortable living with in our income, and for now that is very low ($14K below average for our area). But we manage, we aren't saving anything, and that worries me, but we have a very supportive (and one side is well off) family that will (and has) help us in a bind. When all my kids are in school (and I am pregnant now so it will be 5 years from now) I will get a job and work while they are in school (or devote a lot more time to the business, depending) That will ease up our situation a lot when that comes around, but for now my kids are young cost relativlely little and I think being home with them is more important than money any day of the week.

Now would I say we are rich? money wise NO WAY, below national poverty level even but am I rich? HECK YEAH.....As a PP poster put it I have a husband that loves me very much is supportive, faithful, honest, and a great dad, he helps around the house and works extremely hard to give me anything I could want. I have 3 wonderful sons that God has blessed me with they are the light of my life and make me smile (and pull my hair out ) every day. I have been blessed with a fourth baby and I know that we work hard and God will provide for us to support each other and raise happy healthy adjusted humans who care about each other and the earth. I have also been blessed with a certian amount of talent to create things and I think that has kept me sane and helped money wise as well, so yes I would say we are rich, we don't have a lot of money but we aren't hurting for love or support.

[LittleIslandMom]

Amen to all the mamas who are RICH because we have loving families, healthy children, roofs over our heads, food on the table, and can afford to buy at least one pretty wool cover!

ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!

[USAmma]

I don't buy dipes that cost too much--- we don't have the $$. My big splurge has been a full set of Motherease fitteds that have lasted through one child and are now being used on baby#2. I graduated from prefolds to fitteds 20 mos. into cloth diapering my oldest. My luxury this time has been 4 Wonderoos and some hemp inserts. It's either that or sposies at night for my wee heavy wetter.

I have a modest stash of 26 fitteds with snap in liners, 4 covers in each size, and 4 Wonderoos. That's it!

I have a rule that if I want to buy, I have to sell first. I'm selling some large covers right now in order to pay for a different kind of cover I'm going to order for baby when she's a bit bigger. To pay for the Wonderoos I'm selling off some of my maternity clothes since we are finished having babies. I also get $25 allowance a week for clothes and toys and stuff for the kids and me. If there's any left from that I use it for whatever I want.

We do use our cc but we pay it off at the end of the month most of the time. Right now we are in a bit of debt on it because of the baby's arrival and expenses related to that.

It saves money if you are smart about it. I think even if I spent majorly I'd still be breaking even with the cost of using sposies full time, and having more fun too!

Darshani

[2much2luv]

How nice to have that money, Lucy'smama. My dh is in school full time and also working a minimum wage job full time as our income. I wish he could just go to school.

[kasumi]

I have often wondered this too-when I see hyenas say how much they get from one stalking, then another and another! Wow!

I usually buy one or two things a month, and sell the equivalent on Ebay so it's a nice cycle. If I don't sell I might skip buying for a couple months, and if I see something I must have, I usually will scale back somewhere else to get it, because I'll always be frugal. We have lots of money-DH works really hard and it shows in his paycheck but I have personal limits because we haven't always had money. I also saved a fortune, as my first 2 yrs of CDing cost me $40 (flats) and much as I would love to be a big ticket Hyena, I could never justify $22 US per diaper when there are cheaper out there so I suffer.....:LOL

[mommy2boys]

We are definatly not rich by any means and do have a lot of debt we are paying off. My ds is low ranking in the military and a full time student. I just barly got a small job which will bring in 50 dollars a week and I'm very excited I know it will help. My diaper addiction is dwindiling because ds is taking a serious interest in the potty He is telling me I'm wet or go poopoo and poops on the potty, I don't know what I'm going to do. I too feel guilty at times for the amount of money I've spent on diapers, but I am doing my best to pay off our bills and save money.