Someone please be my voice of reason!!!
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Someone please be my voice of reason!!!
| Thu, 12-02-2004 - 4:32pm |
OK, I am really in need of some help here. Even during the times when I have really been trying to reduce debts (and was successful up until October-November), I really go off the deep end at Christmas time. Well, not so this year, we have declared. My husband and I are really on the same page...we are putting the kids presents on layaway today..there won't be as many this year, but it is ok. So what is my problem? I want to get my kids pictures taken professionally to send with our cards. I've only had their pictures taken once before and they are 5 and 7!!! Most of the time I take them myself and have them reprinted at Wal-Mart, I have a very nice digital camera and I can just go click, click, click until I get one worth sending, though I don't get the pretty backgrounds of a portrait studio. Is that nuts? I mean they turn out pretty nice anyway... I can probably swing pro pics if i cut everything else over the next couple of weeks (we are finally done with our moving disaster)...but I know I will have to go somewhere pretty pricey anyway to get them back by Christmas. Does it really matter where the pictures are taken? I feel pathetic!! It is such a catch 22. (I can always wait and have their pictures done after Christmas and send them for Valentines Day or something...we will definitely have more money then...it is always just a now! Now! NOW!! thing with me. BTW< my paychecks from now on are going to be $200 more than before since I went full time...so we really will start doing better. It is just staying determined at Christmas time that is driving me nuts!!! Heather

I think self made pictures are just as good. I haven't gotten dd's pictures taken professionally for nearly 2 years, although I did it twice a year before. It's so expensive! Even when I take pictures with a camera I never have enough money to get them developed, something else always takes priority. You should see the pile of film I have not developed.
I was thinking about getting dd's pictures taking for Christmas too, but after reading your post I decided I can do it myself. I will just take them in front of the Christmas tree this year and put them in my cards. Of course, I don't even have that in my Christmas budget so I will have to find a way to squeeze it in. Sometimes those backgrounds in the professional studios look cheezy anyway, and they are not always very good at getting my very shy dd to smile anyway.
You can do it too. It's just your compulsive spending bone trying to get you in there to spend hundreds of dollars you don't need to spend right now.
I have never done this before and don't even know if it is possible, but I was thinking of calling around to local photography classes and asking if a student would like to shoot some children and family portraits. This may not fly, but could be worth a try.
Windy
I have always gotten my dd's pictures done at Walmart portrait studio or sears w/ a coupon. I have never paid more than $10 for a set of portraits. They look just as nice as the expensive portrait studios. I get portraits from walmart for $5 in the summer, right now walmart usually charge $13-15 for the same package.
I see no point in going to a 'real professial' when you will most likely pay a couple hundred in pictures.
Good Luck,
Sola