Dan and I are quickly finding that we get as much - if not more - joy from being resourceful as we did from being, well, spoiled.
Fact is, we were living outside our means for a while. Between my so-called non-traditional undergraduate degree, having a nice wedding, buying a house, my career path, and Dan's taste for toys, we racked up some debt. We have spent this past year changing a lot of our priorities - having a baby will do that to you - and have cut back on our spending quite a bit. One of our vows for 2008 was not to buy any more gifts. There were three or four occasions on which we splurged - my mother's birthday/retirement party, my bonus sister's wedding, Christmas - but overall, we were able to re-gift or make gifts. I didn't realize that most people are totally happy with a batch of brownies or a used book.
If you look back at my posts, you'll see that Dan sold his boat - one of the aforementioned toys - to pay for the installation of our wood-burning stove and three cords of wood. We were able to pay for the chimney, wood at the highest price of the season, and materials for the hearth. Our neighbor built the hearth in exchange for us snow-blowing his driveway for the winter. Dan's dad bought us a tank of oil for Christmas, so we have NO heating costs remaining this winter. That is truly something for which we are thankful.
This week's plan included taking inventory of our pantry, making a menu based on what we already have, and creating a grocery list from that menu for ingredients we were lacking. As I write this, I'm saying "DUH" to myself. This is basic, basic, basic. Duh. The point isn't that I shoulda thunka that before, but that we only spent $44 at the grocery store this week! We'll have to go back for milk in a few days, but $44 is a far cry from what we used to spend.
I must mention that I was rather pleased at some of the items currently in our inventory, including pricey items we won't see again for a while (Seeds of Change Greek Feta dressing) and items we accidently bought in multiples (Peanut Butter, rice, tuna, dried beans).
I know we're not alone in our current situation. What are you and your family doing to cut costs during The Recession?
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3 comments:
Lindsey, I'm so sorry about the job situation. I'm living/working in a world (Eugene, OR and organic ag) where I'm a right-winger for owning and using an 11 year old Honda Accord instead of a bike. So the whole live low on the carbon chain/buy nothing lifestyle is what we're all about. I might be able to suggest some good resources.
Have you ever seen the blog sharonastyk.com? She's got lots of great food storage/economizing ideas. And there are lots of groups like Freecycle for giving and getting free stuff. You'd be amazed at what you can get.
Angela Hobson
Like you, I'm trying to use up the food that's already in my cupboards, freezer, and fridge. For me, one of the hardest things to get motivated to use up is the dried beans. I keep buying dried beans because they're so economical and healthy, but I tend to cook what I feel like, when I feel like it, so I hardly ever think ahead enough to do the overnight soak. Result: a large stock of dried beans in the cupboard!
Lentils are easier because they don't require a long soak and a long simmer. There's a simple lentil soup in one of the Moosewood cookbooks that I like making from time to time.
OK, last night, inspired by this discussion, I soaked beans to make baked beans. Now I have to be out most of the day and I guess leaving the oven on while I'm gone might not be a great idea . . . so I guess I'll bake the beans tonight or tomorrow.
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