This is a little off track from what you guys are posting...BUT

Before 9/11...I used to take the kids with a friend of mine and her son to the airport to watch the airplanes take off and land. And you could ride the shuttles back and forth inside the airport. The kids had a blast and all you paid was $2 for parking. Good Times!!

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I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

When I was married to my ex our first 2 years were our only good years. We were absolutely broke and had no money to celebrate our anniversary. We had to go to the BX to make a payment on his uniforms, afterwards we were perusing the store wishing and wishing we had money to buy something. We wandered over towards the cards, neither of us saying anything but both thinking the same thing. We each picked out a card that we would have bought and given if we had the money.

It is one of the few sweet memories I have of our 16 yr marriage.

take toilet tissue from public places to bring home. i've also pumped the soap dispensers into my own little cups to take home and use.

use dishliquid for soap bubbles.

wash all my clothing by hand in the tub and hang them (literally dripping) on the line to dry--which was the shower curtain rod! LOL.

i have alot of things that i've done while broke just to make it.

and yes, i've used paper towels as sanitary napkins too.

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wife, mom, doctor, lawyer, veternarian, friend, sibling, CEO, banker, advisor, chauffer, maid, interior decorator, artist, author, social worker, entertainer, video gamer, gymnast, gardener, scientist, genius, psychologist, psychic, sidekick, and superhero...all rolled into one!

Stolen a roll of toilet paper from work.
Paid for gas in pennies. Then prayed there was enough that I could get home.
Used clean rags for maxi pads.I didn't even have paper towels!

Probably a gillion more things....those are the lowlights for me.

I have scrounged up $5 in change to pay for gas.

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Mommy to Ariana 8/11/01 & Davis 4/11/05
I love my kiddos!

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college years:
took TP from bathrooms, took office supplies from student job, hand wash and dry clothes. I knew some managers from Domino's pizza via some volunteer work and I would call up and ask if they had any throw aways, any pizza that was undeliverable. they would just stop by my place whenever they had pizza. also they have a $5.00 pizza on weds. I have that pizza for days. only one slice per meal. I also survived on popcorn and PB and crackers.
for entertainment if me and roommate we were rich that week we would splurge and see 1.50 movie. then after movie we would get a beer, $1.00, and eat free peanuts. I would bring an empty purse from home and we would load up on peanuts. after we nursed our 1 beer we went home and ate peanuts and play card games.
unemployed years:
any and all condiments from fast food, napkins and toothpicks also. we also went to a food shelter and the items that we had to take that we didn't like I would sell to other poor friends.
allgirls

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allgirls, mom to 3 girls

I too have fed cheerios to my dogs LOL but only for a few days. Also I have folded toilet paper and placed it in my panties for a pad. I have raided the piggy banks for spare change to pay for gas and even food. When I was a kid growing up and would be wanting something sweet to eat my mom told me to get a piece of bread and put sugar in it and fold it over for my sweet fix. To this day I keep all extra packages of condiments and napkins from fast food joints. My dh has took a roll of toilet paper from where he works. And I cut my fabric softener sheets in half. I could go on and on. We live week by week and I hate it at times but you do get creative when you have to.

it is very difficult making it out here with a family at times. and having your hubby away *if he's away* just makes it harder.

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wife, mom, doctor, lawyer, veternarian, friend, sibling, CEO, banker, advisor, chauffer, maid, interior decorator, artist, author, social worker, entertainer, video gamer, gymnast, gardener, scientist, genius, psychologist, psychic, sidekick, and superhero...all rolled into one!

Wow!! We have been through some rough times, but I guess I didn't realize quite how blessed we were! I've never taken home anything from anywhere except for leftovers of when they gave us too much! That includes things from work, too. I was thinking more along the lines of when things got really bad, I sold stuff that I would have normally liked to keep (my Pampered Chef chopper for one!) in order to keep us going. We have paid for things with pennies, but that is exactly why we have a change jar throughout the year...for those "just in case" times. Also, in college, Taco Bell came out with a $.49 small size bean burrito. I ate a LOT of those with a cup of water!! LOL

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BTW....goin24/7....I think yours is so sweet! It made my heart ache for you...but at the same time made it feel good all over!

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