$700 Billion and Fried Green Tomatoes
Remember the economy in 2008? This is how I felt back then. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Empty Fridge
These are nerve-wracking financial times. A $700 billion proposed bail-out for Wall Street, 401ks and other personal investments in trouble, gas – expensive, groceries – expensive, continuing lay-offs, people losing their homes. When I think about it, it makes me want to bury my head in the sand.
What does our country’s financial mess have to do with fried green tomatoes? On a personal level, it’s about conserving. Conserving our money and using what we have. Growing a garden and eating from it. Groceries cost more these days – the fridge grows emptier as we wait for the next payday, so it’s time to get creative.
Thus, fried green tomatoes are on the menu. We have several tomatoes sitting on the vine for about 2 weeks, but not ripening. Why, I don’t know (if you have any theories, I welcome them!). But I got tired of seeing them becoming weather damaged as I waited for them to grow red.
I looked up a recipe at SimplyRecipes.com and we had fried green tomatoes for the first time ever. They were excellent. The kids didn’t eat them, but maybe they’ll grow to like them.
Don’t get me wrong, we’re not starving, but I feel like I’m in “watching pennies” mode. These odd financial times are creating a synergism of being “green” and budget conscious in our household. Do you feel the same way?
We haven’t grown terribly conservative with our food yet. Sarah may say differently – she does the shopping. But we did cancel both of our cell phones last month. We’ve had a comical amount of repairs in the last 6 months (think $10k worth) and decided that we needed to focus more on having a rainy day fund.
It’s tough though, to switch from a mind of entitlement to one of frugality. Pizza is only $20… what’s the big deal? This is especially so when most of the decisions and actions happen $20 (or less!) at a time.
Ugh! 2008 can be deleted from memory. Although, looking back I wouldn’t be doing what I do now if it weren’t for 2008 and the slap in the behind it gave us.
With an infant at home, jobless and a husband who had to climb 3 steps down the ladder to make it work.
We were eating a lot of frijoles those days! A lot
I definitely understand about doing what you can to save money. For me it’s also about raising my own birds in the city for eggs and meat and growing my own veggies. It really does save us so much $. Thanks so much for sharing this on Simple Lives Thursday
Thanks for your comments everybody. The little expenses add up quickly and you never know when the rug will be pulled from under you!
I am sure I am not the only one who wishes they had been living more frugal long before 2008! I am definitely spending and not spending much differently.
Hi Christy – we’ve certainly changed our ways over the years! Sometimes we slip a little, but we’re much more frugal these days. I guess you could say it’s a continuum of frugality that we travel along.