Thursday, October 09, 2008

Signs of the Times....

I was at the grocery store yesterday....it was almost empty of shoppers.
I also needed to fill up my van to top off the tank to avoid a higher amount to pay...hardly anyone was at the pumps!!!
I'm guessing that people are seriously beginning to understand that we are all financially in a crisis...
Here's my situation:
It's not a palace, but I do own my own home.
I don't fall anywhere near the income levels that reap huge tax breaks,
and heck, I don't even know what a stock looks like....(chicken or beef?) ...just kiddin'.
My Mother was frugal, raising 5 of us on a limited income...
she wasn't wealthy, but we always seemed to have enough of whatever was needed at the time....
andI guess being the youngest of 5 also has something to do with being able to be happy with what I've been given.
....frankly, money doesn't matter much to me.
Never has, never will.... because you just don't miss something you never really had.
I need money for the utilities, for food, and clothes.
but we heat the farmhouse with 2 woodstoves and line dry our clothing..., we grow our own vegetables, bake our own bread and raise chickens....
as for clothing? ...you can usually find me in my favorite pair of baggy overhauls and if I'm in need of something 'new' then I'm off to the Goodwill...
the one thing that we do spend money on is Healthcare, because if that were lost, we'd go under.
Our daughter Hannah doesn't wear the latest name-brand designer clothing, she favors consignment & vintage shops that sell gently used clothing at reasonable prices...she recycles and upcycles, embellishes and repurposes...she's also learning how to knit (again) becasue she wants to make a purse from our sheeps wool...I'm extremely proud of her.
Our parents went through a recession, and they were better for it....
I think it will be better for all of us too....
maybe it will get us all back in touch with things that really matter most....
Family and Home.
Here is a list that I made of ways I to try to cut costs and keep old ways alive ~
~ shop once a week with a friend to save gas.

~ look for foods that will be going out of date soon (usually these are on a 'cart' in the grocery aisle.
~ plan meals for the week, make a grocery list and stick to it!
~ purchase store-name needfuls, like soaps, laundry detergents, shampoos, etc...lots of $$ to be saved there folks!
~ cut down on non-necessary trips, i.e. I now only ship my orders once per week, saving time AND gas.
~ Make gifts for friends and family instead of 'store-bought'....with every stitch, there is more love and thought put into your gift.
~ recycle the yarn from old sweaters ...just unravel the old and create something new with it!
~ ask your friends if they'd like to do a craft-swap...
box up some of your un-needed/un-used craft supplies and swap with a friend...
(if you're like me, you have to try everything new under the sun, and if you don't like it, then you're stuck with all of those new supplies...not any more!!!! someone else may be looking for just the thing you don't want/need anymore!!)
All we have to do to see our future is look to our past.
We were fine then, we'll be fine again....

Mothers, Wives, Aunts, Cousins, Neices, Sisters....
The state of our Nation starts inside our own homes....
with our own ways of thinking and acting.
Things will be just fine if we work hard at it!!

7 comments:

Naomi said...

A very insightful post! I've been noticing the very same thing, and include our local mall in the "empty" zones. I'm not there often, but my last trip was an eye-opener. I'm teaching a rug hooking class at the adult ed at our high school. When asked, most of my students claimed wanting to make Christmas/holiday gifts in order to save a few dollars. I LOVE that idea!
Naomi-CT

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

Thanks for the comment, Naomi...hoping your class fills up and you can instill the practice of creating gifts to many students!!

Blessed be!

janeu729 said...

Lori,
I've missed a bunch of your blog posts because my computer has been in the shop. You're so right about how it takes worthy work to make improvements in our green living.
I'm all about those store brands and combining car trips!
Hope to see you soon.
Jane

Nancy said...

We have noticed parking lots being a little empty where we live too. I'm hoping for the same - that this crunch we are in will bring everyone back to realizing what is important in life.

HomeSpunPrims said...

Loved reading your thoughts on this Lori and I agree with you on so many things. It really does start at home.

Lori R

Ramona said...

Wonderful post...your daughter is a lucky gal. My mother gave me her old clothes to repurpose when I was young and to this day it remains one of my happiest childhood activities...and the seeds of my creativity today...thank you Mom!

Beautiful blog...you rock!

Smiles ~ Ramona

Kathy (woolfind) said...

I'm right there with ya! I haven't worked in 20 years. You learn to live without in order to raise your kids. My husband gets paid once a month and I've learned to budget "very" wisely. I have to, or we wouldn't survive. I appreciate the things in my home, because 90% are all handmade by me or by friends. Wonderful post.