Neither of my parents went to college so they have both worked lower-middle class jobs their whole lives. We have been lower to middle class my whole life and always had hand me downs and sometimes had "fend for yourself nights" where we ate what we could find in the house. I understand that since they went through that means that they are going to worry about me because of how hard they struggled but it's hard to show them that I'm different and I'm not even close to in the same situation. And it's stuff like when I get a new phone. My mom notices and starts grilling me saying I don't need this data package or why do I need a phone that does whatever.

I feel like I do put my foot down but it never ceases. Well, that's not entirely true. My mom used to be so hard on me that after almost every phone conversation I would be crying because she would make me feel so bad. Same with my dad. So now after she gets done with her spiel she says "I know you're responsible but...." and I'm just thinking if you KNOW I'm responsible why are you lecturing me?

It was a trip trying to get my own car. And I finally bought one when I was 18 and then the engine blew up a month later (about 2 days after my warranty was up of course) so I had a 3,000 bill on my hands. My dad screamed at me telling me that I killed the car, I wasn't taking good care of it blah blah blah. And once the dealership said that there was nothing I could do to prevent it he shut up but never did apologize.

Now I have had this car for about 3 years but have 5,000 negative equity from the car that blew up and I was talking to my mom about selling it private party once I get the loan down and buying a brand new car and ohhhh did that open up pandora's box. My bf and I are talking about buying a foreclosed home once we move to Arkansas and fixing it up because we both have several years on experience in remodeling and I haven't said one word to my mom about that. Who knows what kind of talking to I would get about that.

I just wish I could talk about financial concerns or ideas without worrying what kind of lecture I'm going to get. I wish I could get an unbiased "yes that's a good idea" or "no its not" without "well jessi you have to think about this and this and this and this and are you making enough money for that? well you can't afford to be wasting your money on that!" I know I'm still young but damn I'm not 7!