So many times it seems the vast majority don't look toward the future financially. They get cash rich with the Benjies in their hand and spend spend spend. Of the hundred or so providers I have repeated or became regulars with, maybe one or 2 had actually saved money for their education (best investment money can buy) or for a house (second best). But the vast majority seem to spend on clothes, entertainment and sadly, mostly drugs.
I recently met a 20 year old who just started providing this summer and has actually saved 10 large. I was stunned. This is so out of the ordinary I was sort of bowled over. And her fee is only $$.....wow! Usually one sees a provider somewhat desperate at the end of the month and the rent is due.
To me providing is similar to being a professional sports player in this regards. There is a limited time frame for most of around 10-15 years of earning potential, and if they have no education at the end of that time, what can they do? Be a sportscaster or maybe run an agency?
So my question to providers is how much do you plan for the future WRT finances and education or investments?
Warm regards,
TET
With 4 kids and no child support, there is nothing left at the end of the month. I don't know what kind of money you think we are making but $500-$2000 a month doesn't stretch that far. I don't go on shopping sprees, worldwind trips to rio nor do I own a luxury vehicle. It's pretty much scraping by every month.
I would say a fair number of providers are single parents but most of them don't wave that around because it destroys the fantasy for a lot of you. I know some fairly high profile babes that you would never suspect in a million years that they have 2 or 3 kids because they are so young and have 10 bodies. They keep the fact that they are moms hidden from you.
Some women are in college and the expenses of tuition and books are intense. Other providers have full or part time jobs and this is purely a supplement.
I think your dreams of what we are making far exceed the reality and our expenses are much like yours, rent, car payment, insurance, food, electric bill, gas, back to school clothes, haircuts, web hosting.
You have to remember, clients book when they get paid so we work on your cycles which are typically twice a month, on a Friday. If you get paid at the end of the month, that is the time, you will most likely want to have some relief from the stresses of the month so this is it...I have to jump you just as you are about to get paid or I will be one horny unpaid bitch for another 30 days.
Those that don't have kids probably do have more throw away money. I would say the single mature women with grown kids are the winners in this. A lot of them are well educated and have held professional jobs for years. They may even have one now. They are mature when it comes to managing their money and they don't have the daily stresses women with children or with an educational tab do (but I do know some women with aging parents and tabs for nursing homes and caring for their parents). So I guess, there is always something. For a woman over 50, this is sorta like an excuse to be pampered so I long for the day when all my kids have great jobs and can support themselves. Then, I'll be one of those mature BBW's lounging in a bubble bath hot tub collecting crystal bunnys and cooking up meatloaf for naughty old men and younger men seeking Ms. Robinson. For me, this is crunch time but I hope to be doing this for as long as possible. The industry squeezes you out when it does so you hang on for as long as possible, ride the waves and enjoy yourself.
Sometimes I wish I started in this in my 20's but the good part about beginning later...I have the benefit of a 10 year corporate background to fall back on should I wish to resort to that agony again and resume a "good job" in the 9-5 world of pushing paper. yuck. LOL
peace,
hb
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 2:10:45 PM
Thank you thank you thank you for this post!
I've been wanting to post the same myself (again) because there are too many misconceptions about what providers make.
My very BEST month was $2900; yet usually average $1600, and the
mo. expenses are $3000, so you can see this usually finds me quite 'short'.
This was fine as a 'supplement' when working a full time job, which I'm not now.
For most, what escorting provides is 'time'. Making more than what they would working 40 hrs a week for some ridiculous wage(then taxes, car maintenance, baby sitting fees, etc., etc.,).
It allows them to make the income, yet be home.
I make much LESS money as an escort than working FT, and it is not enough to pay the bills, but I have the time freedom, and the stress freedom from the BS of Corporate America.
Miss Gina Robbins was reviewed 30 times in Jan on TER alone. Her rate is $$$, if she only see TER guys, she should have made at least $9000 last month.
The average provider dates maybe 4-10 times a MONTH. Sure, there are plenty who do more.
consider working for an agency to get more work, lower her rate or expand her menu to attract more clients, or get out of this biz all together.
Just my 2 cents.
Dude, if in fect you are a dude, what is your standarde to be an "average" provider? look? volum? price? or service?
Yep.
Thanks for stepping up with some true life info in response to this stereotype.
I don't know how many men some of these guys think a lady can/want to f*@# a month... maybe they're just thinking, "if the shoe were on the other foot, and *I* could get paid for having sex with x-number of women a month..."
; )
If I could get women paying me to f*ck them... I wouldn't be doing anything else!!!
You show me a guy who doesn't want that dream and I'll show you a guy without a pulse! (or least brain wave activity!)
~
Either I'm the luckiest sonofabith around or I'm just not following these numbers well. My smallest donation I can recall was 6h. So for these numbers to be correct I had to be one of 4 lucky individuals to meet a particular lady.
And either I'm blind or the travellers to Vegas are really missing out. For Heather to average 2G/month she would only get spanked 4 times. I just can't fathom that (not after spending the last 20 minutes going through every picture uhh I mean page in her website. She's the only girl who can get guys my age to recall disco clogs fondly!
Actually, I had one booking last month but it was multi-hour. So far for this month, I have one booking arranged in Vegas for mid-month that is multi-hour and a 1 hour in Salt Lake City. That's it. I'm likely to average 1 dinner date a month. On the 1 hour spank thing, I'm not as likely to do 4 1 hour appointments as I am to do 1 4 hour appointment.
I am impressed that you read the fine print. Lately, I have been trying to figure out how I'm going to pay all my bills this month and afford one pair of clogs, wood heel and smelling like a Scandanavian leather shop. (my snuggly Rocket Dogs have seen better days).
When we ladies tour, of course we do get a ton of short notice 1 hour calls but I've become more and more anal about pre-screening and trying to get to know my clients in advance via emails.
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 8:08:39 PM
Vegas isn't the place to compare though..
On average, if a lady sees someone once a week, even if it's one hour at $$$, that's only $1200; but sometimes there are multi-hours, therefore my average is $1600..
I have know several that have put themselves through college by providing. One in particular came here from South America about 5 years ago and will be getting her Bachelor's from a State University in June.
A few others have saved up enough to open businesses. One lady for Asia opened a Nail Parlor, one from Mexico got her cosmetology license and opened a Beauty Shop and another American "white bread" girl has opened her own graphics art business. Each of them bought the equipment, paid down payments on the lease and bought office furniture with earnings they saved from providing.
I don't think you can say, or even generalize, that most providers are financially irresponsible. All you do is continue the incorrect stereotype of someone out of control, on drugs, living a wild lifestyle. It's just not accurate.
Actually you CAN generalize.
This is not a disciplined industry so the people that gravitate toward it tend to get that way as well. When you get one paycheck a week ... you tend to think of it as "all the money I have until next week." If you were paid by the day, you'd think "I'll get more tomorrow" and if you get it by the hour, you tend to think "well, it's noon now ... this $300 has to last until my 2:30 shows up."
In my experience it's not been an issue of intelligence or anything like that ... it has to do with how well GROUNDED she is: If she has a husband, boyfriend, kids .. or any of the other trappings of 'normal life' she'll find those things to be an anchor that snaps her back to reality. On the other hand if she's single and alone, the money tends to be put toward it's most immediate use, not it's BEST use.
Is that always the case? No. But if you're a betting man, that's how you should place the wager.
No, you CAN NOT generalize... without showing that you don't care about reality and instead prefer to create your own.
Yes, there are ladies (and gents!) who spend the money as fast as they can get it on whatever it is they want. This is true in ALL professions, not specific to this one!
Without some measure of responsibility - FIRST comes the rent/mortgage, then the utilities, and food, car payment and insurance, gas... THEN we can talk about investments in myself and career (gym, nails, hair... whatever), NOW we can talk about what it is I want...
without this, a lady would soon wind up on the street, in a homeless shelter, loose her children, etc.
Hm.
This DOES happen, but more so here than anywhere else?!?
Yes Dev ... more here than in most other professions. Been affiliated with this industry for 20 years ... as well as a few "decent" ones and yes ... more here than in most other professions.
Are you one of those people who says that saying "humans have 10 toes" is a "generalization" because a few people here are there don't?
Well, I've seen no studies, and NONE of the ladies I know fall into your generalization category.
Hm...
what to make of this descrepancy?
No, humans having ten toes is the norm, otherwise an oddity. I WILL NOT BELIEVE YOU when you state that your twisted vision is the "norm" in this work... at least, with the women who did not START working this career in the streets to begin with.
Most of us, we're just trying to get by; and us lucky ones are getting by doing something that we love to do.
I would assume at the very basic level everybody is paying into their CPP (or the US equivelant federal pension) when they file taxes.
I also max out my RRSP contributions, and I would assume that most ladies must, as we need the tax breaks as much as anybody else.
The rest of our income is discretionarry (after the 10% rainy day fund everybody needs to put away each month), so each lady would be different in how she choses to spend or invest.
Personally, I am a saver. I always have been. I like to live simply, and I don't have any vices which would eat away at my ability to invest. But I really think it is all in how you were brought up. If you were raised to always live below your means, and to find a way to save regardless of how little you make, you will follow that example. Likewise, if your family tended to live paycheck to paycheck, you will probably do that too, no matter how much you bring home. It's about priorities and values - and those tend to be formed early on in life.
Thanks dad 
Just curious:
How many sessions on average do you have per month?
10?
20?
30?
more?
Thanks in advance
TET
I guess I am not the norm in this business. I save about 75% of everything I make.
No Red, you are not the norm. You are quite the exception.
I met a provider who was 26 and she had money in stocks and bonds and was looking at a six figure income from her main line of work and investment income from the money that she had earned from providing. She was single and unattached. I was impressed as we talked more and she let more intimate information on her life plans come out. Unfortunately she is one of the few providers who I have met who plan well. She also had a retirement horizon set for her providing, all around impressive!!!
100k per year income at let's say $$$ per session is 30, one hour sessions a month or more.
Personally I don't see how many ladies can do that and not be either extremely tired. It can certainly be hard work.
TET
Depending on what the lady plans to do once she retires from the biz, an education is NOT the best return on your money. Many businesses don't care about the degree, it's your performance (I know plenty of unemployed people with master's degrees).
The best return is always equity and real estate. My advice for spending the money is to buy homes and/or property, then invest the rest in some type of retirement/pension plan. A person's greatest asset is their physical ability to earn money...you can work now, but you can't work forever. That means you'll need that money when you no longer have the means to earn it.
I agree that most ladies in the adult entertainment industry just blow their money. I spoke to a stripper I knew for 3 hours on this. She'd been dancing for 5 years and made and average of $1500/ week in tips (that's 78K per year). After 5 years the only things she had to show for it all was a new car and a stylish wardrobe.... how depressing! I had to laugh when she asked me how to save for the future... "just change your priorities" I replied. Sadly, she was like most people and had absolutely no clue as to what I meant by that.
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 5:18:46 PM
I seriously think that providers make much more than that. Assuming that the average middle to high end escort charges in the range of $250-$500 an hour. Unless, you work only a few hours a week, how could it be $500--$2,000 a month? If you even work 20 hours a month (5 hrs a week), you easily clear more than that and I haven't even factored in clients that book multiple hours.
And, I disagree with the previous post that suggested that the best way for a provider to invest her money is in real estate, etc. The value of the education is not just the degree...it's the knowledge you gain... Sure, there's tons of money to be made investing in real estate, etc, but you have to KNOW HOW to to play the game. The same goes with the stock market. I know plenty of people that lost their money this way, who really should have learned a little bit about the business first before jumping in.
This business is cyclical. I didn't do a single booking between November 17th and late January. Now, things are starting to pickup. There is no local business in Vegas except for bargain shoppers who want it all for a buck fifty. There also bargain shoppers amongst visiting gents and a lot of beautiful women. Some guys would rather see 5 babes at $300 a pop on one trip. Others want one evening or overnight date at a rate of $1500-$3000. I could do 4-5 bookings a month and sum $1500-$2000. The difference is on the $1500-2000 booking, I only have to get dressed and dolled up once and I get to have a romantic dinner. It all comes to the bottom line. The less you charge, the more guys you will get that only want an hour because they are samplers. Their game is to see as many women as possible for the least amount output.
The higher you charge, the more likely you are to get package bookings. Again, you weigh the energy expelled/output and the profit and over time, you come up with the equation, do 1-2 bookings a month and draw repeat multi-hour clients.
I have a theory that the shifting economy has caused the hourly market to now only exists in low low rates ($150-$250) or in a tour scenario at market. Anyone who is taking the time to book an appointment with you in your home city at your market rates, is seeking a multi-hour appointment. Translation, in this economy and in this business, the only way to make any money is to either A. tour B do a ton of low rate hourly bookings C. punch up your rates and do a few selective longer appointments.
Since the economic plunge, there is no such thing as a 1 hour home city $400 appointment. That was a thing of the dot com boom. That level of client and above can afford creme de la and money is no object. He is going to get the girl he wants and book her for several hours at a package rate. The one hour type of client now only has between $150-$250 on his budget per booking.
The exception to this tour clients, major cities. I can pull in the $400-$500 one hour client but I need to advertise in advance because he needs to save up. I'll pull it in Nashville and Boston but I'll advertise 3-4 weeks out. The dude who isn't the dude painfully forking up $150-$300 is forking up 10 times that so hence, there are no more mid-range hobbyists seeing their home city girls. Just bargain seekers or money no object/i must have her/stay with me awhile types.
I think this situation will change considerably as the economy picks up. The short notice market was hit hard. And the agencies now have all of this market. They can work 5-10 girls out of one $300 room in NYC. With me, I'm covering the tab for travel in full and so my overhead is scary. Nice hotel midtown in NYC $250-350 a night plus tax, meals, cab and my flights there. That's $500 a day easy especially if I'm offering wine and fresh fruit. I'd have to do 2 bookings at $250 to just cover my hotel or one at $500 and in this economy, next door, I have the agency with 8 chicks booking out at $200 each. Same style of room. Just different formula, volume.
We understand that you are cautious with your money and so we have to dance naked with dancing elephants to get a commitment and in clogs, that's a site to behold.
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 11:33:15 PM
There are plenty of ladies who DO book 20 dates a month, or 20 hours, but on AVERAGE, most only date once or even twice a week, and at twice a week, or 8 dates, even averaging $400, that's still only $2400..
Only if the woman is courting disaster!!! (ok, there are a few out there...)
Eck. Another lousy generalization.
I used to be a comptroller/accountant, do my taxes, and assist many other ladies with theirs...
you just might be suprised how many ladies are afraid of the big-bad-IRS-monster.
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 11:55:16 PM
It isn't only the bad IRS monster. It's, do you want to buy a house. Do you want to have good credit. Do you want to b able to use a bank. The IRS does not care how you earn your money. They only care that you claim it. And under the privacey act they are not allowed to share information with any other agency. The onexception to this is that with a court order they must release specific line item details. In short you can't get a court order to reveal an entire return. Only what is on say line 17 of the 1040. Of course you could always have an agency request information in a court order and list every single line on the 1040, but that is all just numbers anyway. Information like, total interest received, or gross business income from the sch C.
I have not always been the best example for saving money, but at least I became smarter in time to start investing and putting some cash toward a retirement fund (although I would like to save a lot more). I have always believed in having some type of real estate investment, especially land. However, having real estate doesn't always help if you don't manage your money properly. For anyone, bankruptcy can be just around the corner if you become disabled. Most of my cash goes toward the normal bills each month, helping out family and into my home. I also have my vehicle almost paid off. I figure I might as well work toward these things while I can still make the money. This year, I am hoping to put away at least 50 percent of my earnings -- dream on!
Hugs,
Ciara
"an education is NOT the best return on your money...."
"Sadly, she was like most people and had absolutely no clue as to what I meant by that."
Uhh... I think that's where having an education might come in handy.
Although Real Estate bas been very good to me, I have to agree an education is the best investment you can make in yourself. It doesn't mean you have to piss it away on tuition at USC, but you can certainly afford to go to a state university (at least in California) and learn something useful. Even if it isn't necessarily a marketable skill, school (especially college) teaches you focus, tenacity, discipline and hopefully how to learn.
I can only speak for myself, but it's a unique experience I am thankful to have gone through.
ps. I liked the nerds then too.... lol.
xox
Morgan
-- Modified on 2/4/2004 10:34:37 PM
Education is over rated. I know a lot of multi-degreed professional men who have been laid off. I know a fair share of degreed professional women who are working $10 an hour jobs with no to minimal career growth potential. The economy sucks and as always, you are only as successful as your drive and ambition.
Well this has certainly been a very informative thread and I think it serves to illustrate a lot of misconceptions of providers by clients. I'm a 33 year old new provider, only been doing this for less than 3 months. I've worked all kinds of jobs from customer service, to corporate hell.
I have lots of jobs skills. I chose this as my career for a lot of reasons, but mainly it's a way for me to be my own boss, do something I enjoy, have more time for myself...etc. It was a quality of life decision.
I don't have kids, but I have a housepayment and other family/financial obligations. I'm doing slightly better financially, on average, than I was at my last job. But as a new provider, building a reputation that can cull business is tough. I'm no barbie doll girl and my phone does not ring off the hook...I generally see 3 to 4 clients a week. I don't do drugs, I don't spend much money on clothes or other extraneous or frivolous items, I'm simply making a living.
I think it's patently unfair to make generalizations about the women who do this kind of work. In my short time doing this I have met and talked to women from all different backgrounds. I've yet to meet one that isn't multi-talented or doesn't make generally mature and responsible decisions or who doesn't have a life outside of her profession.
Please do remember though, unlike most of the clients that patronize us, we NEVER know how much money we will make each month which can make planning tough.
Well I could go on and on (as you can probably tell), but I'll stop here with this final thought. Let's shatter the myth that providers are silly, stupid, vapid, materialistic sex toys and look at reality. We are mothers, sisters, friends, wives and daughters. We have the same challenges in life that everyone else has. We are not living in a fantasy world, we are providing one for our clients to escape to...for us, no matter how much we enjoy it, its our living. That's no fantasy.
Thank you. Octavia.
"Even if it isn't necessarily a marketable skill, school (especially college) teaches you focus, tenacity, discipline and hopefully how to learn."
I had a really good laugh reading that one..... College teaches you focus, tenacity, discipline, and how to learn???? Yeah, right! College is so overrated. A lot of people I know with degrees can't even spell their own names! I'd imagine a person gets more out of college if they have to pay for it, but if mommy and daddy pay it's a different story. The people who get the most out of college are the ones already possessing the aforementioned traits, which normally are learned way before they drop money on tuition.
College is great though if you actually are able to apply what you learned there, but how many people do that? Most people end up doing something totally different from what they went to college for, so what's the point really? Basically you end up dropping huge money on something you should have learned the first time in high school. Oh, and if a person wants to learn focus, tenacity, discipline, and how to learn, they should join the marines.....
...dropped out of college and he's now the richest man in America. It is also a fact that of the world's billionaires only 10% have any formal education.
You don't need to go to college to learn how to focus, develop discipline or get your priorities together. In fact, I think college does very little to teach one the basis of financial planning and common sense living. I recall my economics professor... he was an idiot who spent all of his free time drunk on vodka and gambling away his money. He eventually lost his job do to his lack of discipline with his drinking and financial matters.
Like I said, saving or making money is simple matter of priorities. One only needs to eat, breathe and maintain a body temperature of 98 degrees... everything outside of that is a luxury. Once people get that straight, living is easy.
Wanna save money? Drive a Geo instead of a BMW. Spend 700/month on a house payment instead of 700 on rent. Buy a bottle of hair dye instead of spending $60 for a perm. Quit smoking...there's $1500 a year if do a pack a day. Learn to do sit-ups, push-ups and jog instead of paying for a membership at Bally. Keep the heat set at 63 and wear a sweater. Drink instant coffee instead of Starbucks. Buy a 21" tv instead of a 42".... I could go on and on. We live life at the standards we choose to, not what we need to. Learn that and you'll never have money problems.
Where in Los Angeles can you get a house payment of $700?
Or for that matter, an apartment?
Just wondering
Boyle Heights, Inglewood, South Central L.A. and anywhere there are plenty of crack dealers and gang bangers.
You are one who misses my point... who said you HAVE to live in LA? If you choose to live there, don't whine about the cost of living.
Like I said, life is all about choices... the only choice you don't get is to live forever. Everyone dies, it's how they choose to live that defines them.
-- Modified on 2/5/2004 3:36:32 PM
You forgot to mention the college Bill Gates dropped out of was Harvard and Bill Gates success story maybe happens about...once in a billion times...how many other Bill Gates are there? And, many of the richest people in the world inherited their money or are old enough to be from a generation where not everyone got a formal education (i.e. in the depression era). It's a different world now. If you do not have a formal education, you are behind the eight ball. Maybe, your economics professor is a loser...but, don't confuse a person's vices for actual skills in the marketplace. Wouldn't a person with no marketable skills be even worse off. An education is not a guarantee, but the statistics show that those with more formal education earn WAY more. And, who does it hurt to arm yourself with more knowledge... I've had a lot of high school friends that had the same attitude---education, sm-education. They're now working dead end jobs, always need help with moeny.
emptying my pockets every night when I get home into a pickle jar I keep by the door. Got a little bit saved up in aluminum cans too....have any of you ever seen a hundred bucks worth of aluminum cans! Fills my friggin garage I'll tell ya...
Just waitin for my big break, maybe a review or 2...any of you chickies wanna be the first???
Duece baby, out.
Many of the providers that I have met over the years have not been the best financial planners. Some including an ATF of mine are excellent planners. That ATF was slowing down her workload in the business by the time she was 30 and was completely retired by 33 without the need to do any work to support herself.
I think that provider income probably ranges from between $15,000 for some part timers to well over $300,000 per year for some full time ladies.
It has been pointed out in this threads and other threads that many ladies get into this business to get out of the corporate rat race where you have to put in over 40 hours per week. I sense in this thread that some of the ladies are complaining about how little they actually make. If you have marketed yourself in such an exclusive manner that you primarily only get 1 or 2 dinner dates a month and make between $2,000 and $3,000 for that 5 to 10 hours of work then you are making a fairly good hourly rate.
I am also in a service business and if I told all of my prospective clients that my rate was $400 per hour with a 4 hour minimum then I would be lucky to make $2000 per month. If I explained to people how I was marketing myself and then complained about only making that amount of money most people would tell me that I was lazy and not too bright.
So ladies if you have marketed yourself in such a manner as to only work 5 or 10 hours a month and that is how many hours you wish to work please do not complain about how little you make. Most people can't make a good living only working 5 or 10 hours a month.
I think that the amount of money a provider makes depends entirely on the provider, and what she wants. I have known some that work as hard as possible and see as many clients as they can to make as much money as possible. Burnout is high for these ladies. There are others that decide how much they need to make and try to create a business plan accordingly. They may raise their rates because at a lower rate they are getting more business than they can handle, or they may have enough regulars, that a new high rate lets them focus on other things in thier life with out lowering thier income. A great deal of an independent providers time is spent on advertising, and getting ready, making sure that their best asset is in the best condition they can keep it in. It is always a juggeling act. Throw in kids, and the ball is harder to keep in the air. That is the reality. College is good for some people, but not all. Some people hate every moment that they are in a classroom. For them, college is the biggest waste of time and money possible. It sounds good, "Go to college and make something of yourself" And I agree, particularly if you plan on working for someone else. An ex-chairman of GM told my father," I am not a genius, but I have 20 of them on my payroll." If college is your thing, great. If you want to own a different kind of business, learn what you need to do it well. If you want to retire at a young age, work as hard as you can, spend as little as possible, and invest in T-Bills ( The market is too shaky right now for a casual investor.)
and have been for the last few years. For years before that I was a stripper.
My income for the last ten years or so has typically ranged from $450-$1400 per week. This is working 3-4 nights dancing which is about 24-32 hrs a week ($600-$1400 a WEEK take home) or doing sensual massage having 3-8 clients a week working 5-10 hrs a week (around $450-$1200 take home). Occasionally there will be a vacation I really want or a big ticket item so I will have a special and earn a little more per week for a few weeks but this burns me out. So let's see, what is this? Around 31k-72k being a stripper (full time). And about 24k-62k doing FBSM (part time). That sounds about right.
As far as taxes, well I don't claim all that cash, never have. Don't know many dancers or even escorts who do. When I need to buy something I used my mom as a cosigner. I do obtained car loans, credit cards and cell phones with little problem. I have had other "legit" jobs on and off over the years as well.
Where does the money go? Well, mostly to pay bills. When I started I had one child. Now I have three. I now own a home which has appreciated a lot in the last few years. My car is paid for. I have some money in the bank. I have one college degree and am almost finished with the second one. No student loans. When I graduate I will probably retire.
So, not rich. Not blowing my money either. Just living day to day like most everyone else. Although I will admit I blew a LOT more money on frivolous crap when I was a stripper with one child as I do now as a fbsm girl with three.