I grew up with a father who was undiagnosed bipolar and he went through money like water. He was always taking out home improvement loans and then spending the money elsewhere so I grew up in a house with lathe walls in the kitchen, particle board countertops (even though the tiles were in the house), kitchen flooring that was the leftover from having old linoleum pulled up (and I remember helping do that when I was about 5). The finished parts were lovely but the rest was horrible. We had no heating system so used kerosene heaters downstairs; the upstairs was freezing. Lots of ridiculous stuff.

So I was certain of one thing about adulthood: I was going to manage my money. Since going on SSDI it's a good thing I've learned to budget and live tightly. Even after my student loans were forgiven and I moved to my mom's little extra house where I pay low rent I still don't seem to have much extra. Granted I've been trying hard to pay off credit card debt the whole time I've lived here (will be done in 11 months!!!) and when I had one bill paid off and thought I was going to have a little more money per month I had to start paying of an emergency vet bill. And I've had more medical bills than I eventually will b/c I had surgery. But someday I will have a little more money and will have no idea what to do with it.

My mom usually gives us money for Christmas but this year bought me all gifts to prevent me from spending my Christmas on credit cards. Which I appreciated since she got me things I wouldn't get myself and that I needed/wanted from afar.