When you say broke just how broke do you mean?

[lil_Army_Wife05]

I have read all over CM that no one can afford Christmas for their children this year...So my question is just how broke are you?

To me broke means no money at all...Can't pay bills, can't buy food, ect...

I've seen alot say they can't buy Christmas or pay for a small Thanksgiving dinner but yet here they set on CM...Paying for internet no matter how much it costs....

So how broke are you?

Are your bills paid, food in the fridge, and that is all you can do so that is why no Christmas this year?

Or are you paying bills, buying food, but you want those expansive gifts and that is what you mean by broke is that you can not buy those toys that are hundreds of dollars?

[naughtyprincess]

All the bills are paid and there is food in the house but we have NO extra cash to get chrismas again this year... We will be pawining a few thigs to get some cash to get the girls a few things.... Im glad that they are still young and that they dont want much... 

[Tia_B]

I say we are broke when I dont have money to go out and do what I want to do or buy what I want to buy. We always pay our bills, never late. We always have groceries. But if I say I'm broke, its because after bills, I spent too much money to last me until the next time I get some more and I cant do anything fun.

[SarahMcG1981]

Some people that are on here may live in appt complexes where they include internet in the rent.....

[mymomisthebomb]

Great question! Well I would not consider myself broke as in robbing Peter to pay Paul, however I dont have tons of money to buy extra things. I wish I could wine and dine myself with nails, pedicures and such but I cant and I am happy with that. I don't mind being broke if it is from having my bills paid and a roof over my head but of course there are times where I also wish I had money to do much more.  

[StillMagnolia]

OP- I think like you do.  When I say I'm broke... I don't have money for anything. No bill, groceries, nothing.  We are far from "broke."  We are only having a few gifts this year so we can spend $ to travel.

[simplee_me]

I'm pretty broke  based on some people's standards or ideals.

Not broke at all based on my own :-) 

ETA: as long as my family has a roof over their heads (even a crappy tiny apartment) Food in their bellies (even if it's just rice or ramen with some frozen veg), electricity (even if I yell to turn out the lights..lol), running water, clothes on our backs......... We aren't broke...... The day I'm living in a hut with a dirt floor, no electricity, no running water,   no hope of an education  or future for my child, making a bag of wheat or rice last for months (that either was given to me or cost me everything we had), then I will consider myself to be broke.

 

[anetrnlov]

We live paycheck to paycheck and sometimes have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

We have the Internet for various reasons....my son is homeschooled, my husband is going back to school, it is cheaper to keep up with family online then it is over the phone and lastly what little bit we pay for Internet service is not going to an real affect on our financial status.

My kids will have Christmas but it will be small and modest...which is fine by us, Christmas is about much more then gifts.

[little.miss.mom]

We will be selling my husbands 66 chevy truck to pay for Christmas.

[dannysgirl77]

I wonder this same thing! I am an over exaggerater!! When I say "broke" I am usually referring to not being able to do what I want, when I want to (like shopping spree's). We always have everything we need, and have left overs. I SWEAR I am a re-incarnate from the depression era...I could have thousands in the bank and still fear we are going broke ;(

[gardenchic]

hmm,, broke to me are the essentials,, heat, hydro,water, mortgage, food,, not extra spending money.....