Christmas is expensive.
So is summertime; what with the holidays, the car trips, the snack foods, and the cooler drinks.
September is outrageous! All the school fees, lesson start-ups, school supplies, overpriced agendas, sport fees, special groceries, new shoes......
Spring is expensive too. It must be because everything else is, and at some point when I wasn't thinking at all, I got a house, four kids, some vehicles, a camper, some cats, and then a couple of guinea pigs just for variety.
So every now and again when I have a moment to catch my breath, I decide to make a few frugal changes to my lifestyle. So that August isn't still nipping at my heels while I'm decorating a tree for spendthrift days of December.
So, this fall, I thought maybe I should do grocery runs when I can also accomplish a few other errands along the way. Combine trips, so to speak.
Brian does this sort of thing. He drives to another town every morning on his way to work so that he can swim some manic amount of laps in a cold, wet swimming pool. He's into muscles that way. Then he goes to Superstore to get the deals before he heads off to work. What a savvy guy.
Well, the other day, he went into Superstore and filled up his cart. When it came time to pay the piper, he realized that he'd transferred his debit and credit cards to a different pair of pants entirely, and he was left... figuratively... with his pants down. No way to pay for the goods.
Never mind that. I had to go into the city just that evening to pick up some fabric that had been donated to the bag cause. I'd efficiently roll the groceries and the fabric pick-up into one convenient errand. Furthermore, I'd shop frugally.
So, off roared daughter and I to the Giant Tiger. I have a secret love affair with that weird little chain. You never know what you might find.
No disappointments this day- four big yogurts for $5.00?! wow! Load 'er up, sista.
Then the lettucemayomeatapplesgranolabarsmilkcheesecreamjuiceboxespizzaryebreadwatermelon
and off to the cashier we go. With half the groceries in bags, I reached into my bag and found.
kleenex, a diaper, and a pen.
I'd inadvertently grabbed the "we're going for a walk" bag and left my "bag complete with wallet" hanging on a hook just inside the back door.
Apologizing more times that legal or necessary, I made my humble exit, empty handed.
I had no means to go for nachos and margueritas; beer or spirits; or even a Starbucks coffee.
Which made that particular day
Very, Very successful in my quest for frugal living.
4 comments:
oh sooo thank you so often I feel so lonely in that place you just described. You however have a husband who has also experienced this. I stand alone in this action in our relationship - oh so lonely it is...
My husband leaves his debit card at Wendy's when he sneaks off for a Frosty without his diabetic wife.
It's hard not to be happy that the only sneaking off he does is for ice cream.
But still.
I know just how you feel. It seems when I try to be better something goes wrong. Don't give up. These things happen to test our resolve.
I found the best way to live frugally is to have your kid(s) move away - no more hands out always wanting money. Except when she comes home for weekends, and I load her up with groceries and Starbucks cards and various other gifts, to indulge my mothering instincts.
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