Extortion is SO Adorable These Days

Tis the season for formal portraits, right? No different here. My nuggets had their school pictures taken a few weeks ago, and I got to pick them up tonight. The way it works for my guys is that the company prints every possible picture- and what I pay for, I take home. Essentially, if I decide not to get ANY, all pictures are trashed. On fancy picture paper. Gone, baby, gone. Yeah, that's heartbreaking it itself- what a WASTE of resources. The thought of my precious boys' faces in the shredder kills me. This is CLEARLY what the companies that extort serve families want! My kids' pictures are cute.

The amount I have to pay for them? Not cute. NOT CUTE AT ALL. It makes me nuts! We're not talking "oh I hired a photographer so I need to pay for their time" photos. It's 70+ kids over two days. $15 a picture. Or, get a super fancy package for $234 that has ALL of the sizes plus an oil painting version. RIDIC. I bought four sheets. One of each child, one together, and one sheet of wallets- because buying those four "sheets" was less than $10 difference than just buying three. I get that it's cheaper when I buy more. But really? WHY? There are so many companies where you get a full package for $40 bucks. Clearly, I'm a sucker. Who can say no to those faces! It boils down to convenience- I can't get my guys in matching outfits and into a photo studio- no way in HELL. Convenience is king, but I will get to the point where it's just not worth it, and then, I shall feel like a crap mom for not buying the pictures. 

Granted, I will not be completely financially crippled by getting four sheets. I can make some allowances to my budget (which I have been crazily obsessed with in an effort to be fiscally responsible) to get them. However, I think it straight up sucks. It's hard enough parenting- and parenting solo? A little extra hard. Feeling supported is amazing. Feeling extorted, on the other hand? 

Well, that sucks. It's really adorable extortion, but it still bites.