As the chief cook and bottle washer for 8 kids, my mom knew a thing or two about innovation.
She could stretch a dollar farther than most NFL QBs can toss the pigskin. In a pinch, she could make a sustainable meal with a handful (or less) of ingredients -- something akin to that fella who did the magic trick with the 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.
Thankfully, in a dual-income household, we have not faced those same challenges (yet). But once in awhile I get thrown for a loop and I have to think on my feet like all mothers apparently have the innate ability to do.
When I pulled out the jug of milk this morning, I was dismayed to discover it was close to empty. Apparently in all our running around putting out fires this week, grocery shopping slipped off the radar.
So I wondered how I was going to stretch this milk over the three bowls of cereal normally consumed in our household each morning. I decided I would be the martyr (another innate maternal trait) and I would put a little milk in my bowl and add water. Well that's all fine and good when you add water to whole milk to essentially create skim milk. But when you start with skim milk and add water... eww. Oh well, at least there was just enough milk for everyone.
In today's economy, with layoffs at our workplace (and lots of workplaces) and gas prices creeping back up, hubby and and I will be taking a hard look at ways to stretch the almighty dollar. Maybe we'll start clipping coupons or, at a minimum, reconsider some of our so-called "luxury" spending.
I do know that no matter what, we are going to have milk on hand. And toilet paper. I may have some of my mother's creative genes, but I don't even want to think about applying them there.
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Free survival tips:
Pasta, potatoes, and pancakes can fill you up cheaply. And rice works too.
Peanut butter and jelly or other cheap sandwiches can get you through a day.
Going without pop for weeks or months is easier in the cold months.
It is a habit for most of us. But reasonably satisfying meals without meat are possible for many days.
But always save a few dollars to make sure you can buy toilet paper and Kleenex if you are about to run out.
Enjoy!
When we lived in Grantsburg B4TT (before the Twins, and Ron and Rachel)at the last place (Harvey Hedberg's) b-4 moving to Cushing, I had interesting trips to the outhouse. There was a stack of magazines out there - now you talk about a rough, cold behind massage from those, especially since we were livimg there until November. I'm sure we were too poor for t.p., but the Sears catalog (wishbook) made for some fun looking at, as I was only in 1st grade and wan't quite up to reading anyting except "Dick and Jane". You never forget All those years of using the outhouse, so you must feel so blessed with your indoor biffy and heated mattress!! I still take a magazine to the bathroom, but only for reading!! If times get that bad, I will forego icecream, diet coke, body spray, etc., but the t.p. will always fine room in my heart - er cart!! Love ya - and thanks for stirrin' up the memories - Romey
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