Tag: Budget

Living On A Budget

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Originally uploaded by M e l o d y

I discovered a really strange phenomenon when I visited the 12th annual fair trade festival with Emma today.

It is hard to spend a little money, it’s easy to spend a lot.

I had my limited cash and a list of family that I wanted to buy for, my budget in mind and off we went!

Emma and I walked the hall twice, as well as the indoor farmer’s market. There were hundreds of gorgeous items and they really were not that expensive. In my former life/budget I would have likely spent at least a hundred dollars on trifles, cute jewelry, beautiful bags, fun imaginative animals, blankets, amazing, beautiful dresses that were made for American Girl dolls, and fun instruments.

But I was overwhelmed. I was completely flustered by having a limit to what I could spend and I spent, …. nothing.

Other than Dolgo Crab Apple Jelly from a flickr contact’s company Pamplemouse Preserves and $2 worth of potatoes and $2.50 on two donuts from the farmer’s market. The preserves were $15 which felt really steep, but she’s a small business owner, making everything from locally grown fruit, and that’s good enough for me. Lastly, it cost $4 to park at Monona Terrace which was not on the Fair Trade website. $23.50 for the hour and a half.

I was going to say it was a miserable experience. I guess that’s not quite it. I was just so aware of my limits and it was a strange place to be in, and it made me really grumpy and slightly down.

No shopping high was found today. And I’m left with the realization that I am an extremely spoilt person.  Spoilt thru and thru.  For as long as I can remember I have been able to be spoilt rotten and now, because we’ve decided to live on a budget and completely get out of debt, I can’t.

Boo hoo, poor me.  Time to grow up Melody.  Most people in the world struggle to put food on the table and strive to meet their families needs; and I’m whining about living on a budget (a very comfortable budget in global standards.)

Ten Things I Gave Up Because of the Recession

Ten things I gave up because of the Recession  … Not in order of importance.

  1. Coffee shops. Though I still drink good coffee at home, I no longer get that when I am out and about.
  2. Book Stores. My husband swears I could read for about two years (or longer) on the books I currently own, but I have given up purchasing books.  That’s a compulsion that is hard to change but important.
  3. Sentry grocery store. I love the beautiful atmosphere including classical music, but I’ve given it up for the prices at Woodmans and Trader Joes.  And frankly, I don’t miss seeing wine on every corner associated with all the good food I like.
  4. Shopping. I no longer shop for ‘entertainment.’  Okay, don’t judge.  It is something that I enjoy(ed.)
  5. Eating out. We just don’t do it.  Before it was a way to stave off boredom, an anecdote for laziness, and somehow a ‘reward.’
  6. Cambodia. Enough said.
  7. Our Dishwasher. It broke, burning out in a blaze of glory and it won’t be replaced for a while.
  8. Furniture in our Living Room. Our cat George has issues related to peeing and we’ve lost furniture, rugs, pillows all because of it.  They won’t be replaced for a very long time.
  9. Gourmet cheeses. Yummmmm.  The older the better.  Stick to grocer Sharp Cheddar.  Oddly difficult for me.
  10. Canceling magazine subscriptions that we don’t read, except PASTE magazine, which is awesome and you get a CD of cool new music each month.  (By the way, no more CD purchases, dearest Tom.  We have to stop!)

On the short list for what’s next: Piano tuning. It hasn’t been tuned for three years and it won’t be this winter. Vacations & travel of any kind.  We’re considering cutting Cable although we’ve had ongoing family debates.  The faux Persian rug in our den will not be cleaned.  I’ve been thinking of giving up red meat anyway, because my bad cholesteral is high, but it’s also pricey!

What have you given up if anything?  It doesn’t have to be a neat TEN.  It is interesting how our priorities change as we deal with the prices at the grochery store and the pump.