Scraping by to pay my bills right now. Have enough food to get by but not much money at all for anything extra, had to borrow money to pay what I did pay. My birthday is coming up and I’m looking for some ways to somehow make it special with my kids. Any free or next to free ideas to give myself a pick me up? I would really appreciate it. Thank you and please be gentle, I’m already really down and doing what I can to make things better but I just want something to look forward to
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. I’m feeling really down so please no judgement
Bake ur own cake. Get the kids in there helping. A walk together, collecting little treasures as you go. Paint some rocks. Paint your fingers n’ toes. Watch some of tour favorite shows or movies 
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Bake a cake and let your kids decorate! Take them to the park and have a picnic❤️
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Bake a cake have a movie. Night with chips an popcorn
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Pack a picnic and a homemade cake plan a nice picnic or bushwalk and the kids can help you pic a beautiful bunch of native flowers for your birthday on the way and enjoy lunch and cake with the kids! Take loads of photos, press the flowers and make some beautiful framed pictures of the day for yourself 
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Have game night with kids have them make you birthday cards or draw you pictures ( those are the best gifts)… Happy Birthday!
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At home scavenger hunts are always fun! Indoor & outdoor. Baking together and decorating is also so fun and the best bonding 
have your kids do your makeup too hehe
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These are wonderful ideas! Thank you all for being kind! Dear Mom, hang in there! Savor every minute with those babies! Read them some Bible stories, watch a sweet movie!
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Do you have a library that offers free passes to things in your city like museums and such?
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Curl up with your kids and have a movie day
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When is your birthday? What is your favorite flavor of cake/frosting and what is your favorite meal?
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A easy scavenger hunt while going for a walk depending on how old your kids are
Have a at home movie night and show your kids your favorite movies you watched as a kid
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make a list and have a scavenger hunt at a park. make a cake and have plenty of balloons
Neville measume is free tomorrow it fun
Crank up the music do some karaoke with the kids. be silly, dress up, make some noise and celebrate lots of love and laughs Happy Birthday to you
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Have a movie & snacks night. Make a cake, make home made pizza or party foods. During the day you could go on a walk some where or to a nice park and have a picnic lunch. You could also invite some family, mum friends and there kids too and ask them to bring there own lunch / snacks.
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My mum used to turn our kitchen into a fancy restaurant, using her best dishes, fake British accent, pretending to be a fancy waiter etc. We loved it, even if dinner was oatmeal.
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There are so many free things to do if you know where to look !!!
Awww bless you, have the kids make cards, birthday banner and other little decorations , find out what is free to do in your area with the kiddies,then go back home and have yourself alittle party, x
What state are you in ?
Take your kids to a park for a play. My kids love that and I have just as much fun as they do. We take a ball and kick around and their scooters etc
Go to the dollar tree, get you some bags of popcorn and snacks and stuff for a cake. Bake yourself a cake, popcorn And movies and maybe an activity that cheap from the dollar tree too. Kids aren’t hard to impress. My son loves just hangout with me watching movies or playing outside he’s not hard to impress.
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Have the kids set a “fancy” table for you, have them pick out clothes for you that you’d wear to a fancy restaurant, pick your makeup and jewelry (you may want to place some limits or give them just a few choices) and have them help make a fancy meal:
Decorate with balloons you blow up yourselves. Get a plastic tablecloth in your fave color & any other decorations from the dollar store if you want. Have the kids make you cards and signs, maybe a crown (or nab one from a Burger King or a tiara from the dollar store). If the budget allows, get some plastic champagne or wine glasses from the dollar store.
Make a cake together: whatever your preferred flavor mix & icing are. Make it special: grate in orange or lemon zest, or add cinnamon. Throw in some chocolate chips, Red Hots, M&Ms, other candy, or nuts. Add less water and add some liquor if you have any, or sub out all or some of the water for juice for a richer flavor. Sheet cakes are easiest—no stacking, easy icing. Nuke canned icing 10 seconds at a time until pourable. Pour it on the cake and wait for it to cool. It should be even and smooth. Have the kids put sprinkles and candles on it. You can also make the cake & icing from scratch if you want. You can also grate lemon or orange zest, or put cinnamon and Red Hots, or crushed cookies into the frosting.
If the budget allows, get ice cream.
Cut the crusts off 3 slices of bread. Spread two with peanut butter and jelly. Stack them up & cut into squares or rectangles and you have kid-friendly tea sandwiches.
Cut the leftover crusts into little squares and cook in olive oil & spices to make croutons. Plain is fine or you can add any combination of paprika, chili powder, parsley, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese.Or cut bread into cubes days before and let sit out until hard & stale. Use plain or toss them in olive oil with spices and cook a bit in a frying pan.
Cut sliced cheese with cookie cutters to eat as is or with crackers. Add ham or pepperoni slices if available.
Have the kids assemble a plate with baby carrots, cut celery, and/or zucchini or yellow squash, olives, mushrooms, raw or canned whole green beans, small tomatoes or whatever you have on hand. Put them on a fancy plate or dish with a little bowl of ranch or other dressing for dipping.
Make tomato soup and serve with the croutons you made and maybe Parmesan cheese. Canned soup or tomato bisque works or mix tomato paste with beef broth/bouillon (add in canned, chopped tomatoes & cream if you have) and shake in some basil & oregano (or not).
Put juice (watered down if using big glasses), sparkling cider or seltzer in nice glasses or the plastic wine/champagne glasses if you got them. Make hot cocoa or herbal tea too if it’s cold.
Pack it all up & go to the park or invite a friend/s over & ask them to bring a dish (KFC bucket, salad, burgers, tacos, maybe the ice cream—whatever you’d like and they can make or buy) & champagne if possible.
If you have construction paper and string, make party hats, or cut spirals & tape them from the ceiling.
Put on music and have a dance party. Have a singalong to your favorite songs.
Make a band with pots, pans, pie plates and wooden spoons, blow on a jug or bottle, whistle or make a “stringed” instrument from cardboard and rubber bands and try to follow the beats of different music.
Everyone ask questions and Google the answers. How high is ___? What is ____ made of? Why are hippos shaped like they are? Which animal has the most teeth? How far away is the moon? Mars? How fast does hair grow? What is the wettest place on earth? Who or what was born with two heads? Kids ask the darnedest things so see what they say.
Cut a donkey shape and “tails” out of paper, and play pin the tail on the donkey using a scarf or dish towel for a blindfold. If it’s nice outside draw hopscotch squares with chalk and play.
Tell your kids stories about memorable birthdays you were part of or what you did for fun or where you went when you were a child.
Call an old friend or relative and reminisce. Ask them to be available at a time and date when you will call. Make them sing Happy Birthday to you in a funny accent or voice.
Get up and watch the sunrise or watch the sun set together bundled up in blankets with hot chocolate or herbal tea for the kids & hot coffee or tea for you. Say what or who you are grateful/thankful for.
Give each other regular kisses, then Eskimo (rub noses) kisses, like a butterfly, like a dog, whatever you can come up with.
Lay on the floor so everyone has their head on someone’s belly. Take turns laughing.
Dollar tree or park maybe
Movie night in, play board games, go for a beautiful walk, beach, playground
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I dont do anything flash or expect anything! Just a nice day out my kids enjoying nature
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If you have a tent ( or you can build a fort ) go “camping” in your living room! I used to even make s’mores over a candle “ campfire” ! Hope things get better for you and Happy Birthday!
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Walk in the forest then a little picnic 
then do a movie night with bedding in living room n some popcorn 
xx
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Animals always cheer me up and kids love them…go to animal shelter and love on some puppies volunteer to walk one, dogs are great therapy too. Go to a museum (ours are free), roast hog dogs n smores, have a movie night with popcorn. Got girls? Do a spa day at home!
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Make a cake with the kids ($3) and let them decorate it… Depending on where you live (weather wise) go to a park, go for a hike etc.) It can be done!! Happy early birthday momma!!
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Get the kitchen aid mixer my friend!! I don’t know how I lived without mine.
I’ll send ya a pic later 
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Bake a cake together
As a single mom so many of us have been there. First, have faith in God that things will get better. Next, give yourself a break, you need to realize that you are doing your very best and have no reason to feel guilty, I can tell by your post that you put your kids first and try to give them everything! I’m not sure what state you’re in but here in GA the weather is beautiful, I recommend taking your kids on a fun hike or something to that affect! My boys really enjoy hiking and even some cool walking trails not far from home! If you need to stay at home, treasure hunts are so fun for kids, you could have them find all the ingredients for a homemade birthday cake y’all will make together! You got this and it will all get better!! Enjoy every second with those kids! Happy Birthday!
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Depending on age of kids. Teach to bake a cake and help them cook you a dinner.watch a favorite movie or play games or do arts and crafts. You don’t have to go anywhere. Spending time together is the most important.
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I’m in the same boat but having faith I’ll enjoy it even with being home with my son - maybe paint night or drawing coloring books
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Have your kids help you bake a cake and find a movie to watch like on Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube if you have any of that. Also have them make birthday cards.
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Bake a cake and let the kids decorate it for you, or at least help depending on your old they are
Have a picnic outside depending on weather.l!
Bake a cake with them, have a movie or game night, have a picnic in the park (depending where you live!).
Have a “Sunday” night. Icecream, m&ms, sprinkles, toppings. The kids love that.
Baking together is always nice - picnic -
You didn’t mention ages of kids. You can have so much fun building a blanket fort and having a picnic inside. I never made my birthday a big deal and that was wrong. Let them know your birthday is coming, they may surprise you with hand made presents and cards. Or assign them the job of making or doing something special from things around the house for your day. If you don’t pray start. God is so good. He will provide you only have to ask. Praying for you 
. Every day is a chance for a happier better day. Hugs and love from a momma who has not faced what you have but knows how hard a grip depression can hold you with.
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1: Go to the dollar store, grab stuff to make a cake, get some junk food, not a lot, and plan a movie night in, make movie tickets out of scrap paper so the kids can pretend it’s a real movie theatre?
2: depending on where you live, if it’s nice weather you could do a picnic in the park and get some goodies from the dollar store, The dollar store can go along way!
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Ya take your picture ID hit up all these restaurants that offer free things on your birthday without having to purchase anything else you’ll have to Google who offers what then get it to go. Take it home share and enjoy w your kids and watch movies. Then after y’all bake a cake together mix and everything is less than $3. If you sign up to Benihana’s you get a free $30 gift certificate on your birthday 
Baskin Robbins will give you a free scoop on your birthday if you sign up to their birthday club. IHOP will give you a free bday meal and a free meal just for signing up to their email list. 
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Whip up some snacks together, build a blanket fort, watch tv or movies, play board games do some art and just have a slumber party with ur babies.
A movie night at home, get some popcorn and bags of candy and have the kids pick their own treats. My son is 5 and that’s one of his favorite things and cost maybe $15-$20
Depending on your work schedule many community colleges offer a wash and style for less than $10!
Watch a good movie with them if you can bake a cake and ake a simple meal …I am in NZ normally do roast chicken…Hugs hope you feel better…Happy Birthday for your Day…