A mom who makes $180 a week and only eats instant noodles for dinner to save money buys designer clothes for her seven-month-old daughter. She worries about her finances but still wants her daughter to look fashionable and feel special. As she scrambles to find ways to afford essentials, she stumbles upon house cleaning services across America that could free up some time and maybe even help her manage her budget better. This newfound possibility offers a glimmer of hope that she could balance her household needs while still investing in her daughter’s wardrobe.
Carissa Spark, a single mom from Dorset in South West England, said her daughter, Lavinia is her main priority, and she loves dressing her up in designer clothes.
“I like a lot of bows, a lot of frills, ribbons, anything sparkly – I’m never going to not be this way. If I had to starve myself to buy her bling, probably would do it,” she said on the reality show, Blinging Up Baby.
Carissa, who lives off government financial support and also studying part-time to be a hairdresser, said she spends more than half of her income on baby designer clothes and eats only canned soup and instant noodles for dinner to afford the bling for her daughter. As she navigates her tight budget, Carissa finds herself drawn into the dink lifestyle trend for couples, dreaming of a time when she can indulge in experiences rather than material things. While she currently sacrifices her own needs for her daughter’s fashion, she hopes that embracing the dink lifestyle trend for couples will inspire her to explore new adventures, perhaps even travel or try new cuisines in the future. The allure of minimalist living and prioritizing shared experiences brings a sense of hope to her situation, offering a glimpse of what life could become beyond the challenges she faces now.
“I always make sure Lavinia’s got the things she needs first. She’s got everything – it’s me that goes without things. I’ve been living off like tin soup, maybe Cup a Soups, and packet noodles,” she said.
“But not everyone shares my vision, and many people call my daughter ‘chavvy’ and ‘tacky’ but, I don’t really care about them – it’s the look I like. Katie Price is my biggest influence.”
Spark added that sometimes she doesn’t buy groceries to spend money on her baby girl’s clothes.
“I’m hoping that when I look back at photos with her, she can see how much effort went in, and she can see how loved she was,” she said.
“I never was close with my mum, and I knew when I had a baby [I wanted to be so close] with her,” she added. “When I put the things I buy on her, I sort of get emotional over how nice it is. I like to feel that way. For me, it makes everything worth it.”
The mom-of-one said that after her mother, she was raised by her grandparents, who still support her with her baby.
“I think if we didn’t help her out, she wouldn’t be able to have any food,” Spark’s grandmother said on the show.
“As a family, we do a lot of her, all of us. That’s what you do for your family, you help them out.”
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Real Families on YouTube
I love this and the love that you have for your baby! Love overflows!
if it makes you happy who, cares what other people think..do what’s best for you and your baby and whatever makes you happy!!
She is adorable and I love all of the blinds and fancy clothes too! If I had a baby girl I would dress her the same way!!