Expensive Little Booger :)

Do you know anyone who doesn’t worry about money right now? Because I don’t. Not single people, not two income families, not couples with one kid or 4 kids. Everyone is stressed out about the cost of living. I like thinking about gas prices and the economy and saving for retirement about as much as like getting a root canal. And we all know how much fun I had with that this year! And yet.... I am plagued with panicky thoughts daily.

I read somewhere that it costs about 200,000 average to raise a child to the age of 18. Are you kidding me? No wonder I'm stressed..... These little bundles of joy ARE expensive. Holy cow, has anyone calculated the cost of diapers and formula and just the basic gear you need for the first year?! I’m sure I could find a statistic somewhere, but I won’t. It’ll just depress you. It's just plain rediculous.

I have a mild heart attack every time I have to buy Caden a new pair of shoes. Which is more often than I would like, because his feet grow sometimes overnight. Because I don't want to buy Elmo shoes, or bright blue Nemo shoes we have to dish out a little more money. I think paying $40 for shoes smaller than your fist is morally wrong. But what choice do you have? Let your child walk around barefoot? Tie plastic bags around his sneakers instead of buying snow boots? That's what my dad would suggest doing...of course using duck tape to secure them. :) hehehe

You just can’t cut back on everything. They need soooo much...so much more than you, So you have to suck it up and open your wallet and just let the contents flutter out into the great big universe.

And when your baby is old enough for group activities? Oh, just forget about it. Sure, you could stay home and play with your same toys day after day after day, or you could schedule play dates or trips to the library or other free outings. But EVERY DAY?? You’re NEVER going to take your child to the zoo, or any place requiring an admission fee? This strategy may keep your bank account in the black, but I guarantee you will lose your mind. :)

So what are some real solutions to our money woes these days? Hope to find good jobs when the unemployment rate is higher than ever? Start clipping coupons for groceries? (which I'm already doing) Push your kid into sports and hope he becomes the next Tiger Woods? Make all your own clothes and grow your own food? I just don’t know, people. Thank goodness Caden shows signs of being a smart cookie -- at least we can hope for scholarships!

Apparently, Oklahoma has the lowest cost of living in the U.S., while Brazil ranks near the lowest cost of living in the world. Woo hoo! Rio de Janeiro, here we come! Kids only need flip-flops there, right?