The Real Meaning Of Being Broke...

We - us humans, say we're broke for many things, don't we? When I've been invited out on a night out to celebrate a friends birthday, and I've realised I've only got £30 in my account, I've told them I sadly can't come, because I'm broke.

I've said I'm broke, when I've got down to the last £100 in my account, because I worried about money, and it dropping below £100, I told family members I couldn't attend days out, because I'm broke. I've missed events, that didn't cover travel, because I'm broke, when I had about £50 in my account.

However, today, I can say I'm broke/skint.

Being skint, is when you count out £1.06 in pennies from the money box, and being thankful that you had a pound coin in your handbag for the weekly shopping trip, making the total to your name £2.06.

Being broke, is sat there with no electric on, because the boy is in town with his father, and you want to save every penny of electricity you have.

Being broke, is thinking about asking your dad to do some washing round his house, again to make the electric last. If my mum was local, and not four hours away, I would of asked her the same.

Being broke, is replacing your favourite brands for cheaper supermarket versions, and searching ways to make nice but cheap dinners, on a budget.

Being broke is horrible.

Only now do I know the true meaning of it, as I sit here and think what am I going to do? When I cried, the minute Spud left to go to spend a few hours with his dad, not wanting him to see, or know how worried I am about money.

For the first time in three years, I didn't receive a single payment into my account this week, and how I've got to the end of the week with £2.06 left over, I am entirely grateful for.

I've been selling items that I wanted to keep, just to make sure we had some kind of money. Thankfully the fridge was near enough full before I lost my job, and the freezer was over full.

We're eating, the heating is on when Spud is home, and there's plenty of things for us to do for entertainment, we have books, we have games, we have our imaginations.

We might not have money, but we have each other.

Losing your job a month before Christmas sucks! The one Christmas you didn't start buying for at the beginning of the year! The one Christmas you didn't pay £6 a week, to get vouchers for shopping.

You never know what's around the corner, and because of what's happened recently, I've learnt a valuable lesson.

Always have a back up!

AND

Always have your foot in more than one hole!

Jada x