[wi_fighter]

I just got a phone call. My ex will be out of town for a few days next week, his week with the kids, so they'll be staying with me an extra three days. No problem at all, I actually look forward to it.

But should I even have had to ASK for him to send along some money to cover the extra cost of food and miscellaneous expenses that I normally wouldn't have those days? Not to mention that now my work week will be interrupted when I wasn't expecting it to be. My 12-y/o son is an eating machine and thinks I'm a human ATM for all of his entertainment desires. The guy would have to be spending money on the kids' food if they were with him, so why is it such an imposition to hand me $50 or so?

did the subject of $ come up? my youngest daughter thinks nothing of myself and her sister keeping Bella for a month and never even mentions $. if we ask, she's offended.............so, i know exactly where you're coming from. phrase your request in a way that shows that he's expected to hand over $75....always go for a higher figure than you need....

[Wants2Fly]

Hey, WI, don't have these kinds of problems, just wanted to know I was reading.

[wi_fighter]

The kids needed me to drop some things off at their dad's last night. I remind him to please send along some money to cover the extra groceries I'm going to need while they're here during his visitation. He rolls his eyes and SNORTS! "Yeah, we'll see. I don't have any money." Aaaargh!!! I point out AGAIN that he would have to pay to feed them if he wasn't going out of town for four days. "Well, I have groceries. I'll send along whatever I can afford."

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Bet he won't have any financial problems when it comes to hanging out in the hotel bar every night.

[nothemama8]

Ask him how he can afford to go away if he has no $
Angie

[wi_fighter]

It's a business trip, and the owner is going with him. They'll probably charge everything and then find a way to write it off as a business expense.

Any time I ask him to send some money my way when it's his visitation time and he needs me to take the kids, he says he has no cash or his checkbook on him. We have a 50/50 split and he doesn't pay child support, so I feel justified in asking for money in these circumstances. It's not like I'm getting child support and then asking for more money on top of it.

My lawyer doesn't want me talking to him about anything that doesn't involve the kids, unless I can state it in 5 words or less. Right after he said he'd send what he could, he goes "I have to get back inside now." Yeah, can't have his girlfriend seeing him talking to me in a calm fashion.

[wi_fighter]

I just had an idea. If he refuses to foot his portion of the bill by paying me ahead of time, I'll just keep a list of expenses myself and submit it to him. If he still refuses to pay, I have, if nothing else, proof that they were with me during his scheduled time.

TRIGGER
That's another sore spot with me. Ever since the divorce, I've had the kids more than 50% of time because of his social and work schedule, but he refuses to make it official because then (along with the legal documents being revised) he'll be FORCED to pay child support. I waived it the first time around. He insists I will use child support to fund my (nonexistent) partying, yet he holds on to the money and does the exact same thing - holds parties and socializes and then when the kids are there he doesn't do a damn thing with them and complains about how expensive it is to raise kids.

I guess I'm mostly pissed that it tarnished the really good day I was having. 30 minutes after getting home from a wonderful day and I'm getting the "no can do, I'm poor" speech.

[nothemama8]

Shirley, keep everything documented then show it to the judge let him decide if your ex should pay child support, if you have the children more than he, then it will show with the documentation, also can you have RL ppl document how often you have the kids? This would give you more brownie points
Angie