These past few months, I’ve found myself stocking up. It’s not been a conscious attempt, yet every time I look in my pantry, there’s more and more of the basic foodstuffs (I love that term) that I live on.
I think this stocking up can be attributed to the questionable economy and the always-possible layoff (though there’s absolutely no indication from corporate that this is anywhere in the future…and remember that “corporate” sits 8 feet away from me, so I’d know). If I lost my job today, I’d like to be able to severely cut down my grocery budget (not to mention my 24 and Diet Dr Pepper budget) to just the perishables (and once again, Diet Dr Pepper isn’t exactly a perishable).
This has gotten me thinking, in what other ways has the economy influenced my behavior without me realizing it? How about you?
Photo by Gilles Gonthier
Unfortunately, I haven’t been putting away money like I should be.
I have always expected the sky to fall because it has more than a few times in my life. So, I’m not too extravagant. I’m a stocker-upper too, though less so than I used to be. I’ve blessed a few food pantries cleaning out excess. I must be part squirrel in more ways than one!
Now that you say that – I think I’ve been doing the same with some extras… Diet Coke for me! Trying to keep stocked up in my garage!
I hate to say it – but gasp…. yes, I’ve actually cut back on my yarn purchases lately… I guess its ok when I still have like over 100 skeins at home I haven’t used… but what if things get REALLY bad? I’ll go through that QUICK! :)
I definitely have been stockpiling non perishable foodstuffs! Not, tons, mind you since we don’t actually have a pantry, but freezer foods and canned foods. I’ve also found myself “padding” our different budgets for things so that I know we’ll have more money than we need for a certain thing but at least if I don’t then it’ll be there (Sam hates this idea by the way…he’s a spender). Lastly, gas. I’ve become more conservative about where I drive and when I drive, when I fill up, when and where I get my groceries, etc.
By the way…where are my five words? :-)
Wish I could be a squirrel! I used to put money away for a rainy day—-then got over my head in expenses when life took nosedives….
Just visiting over from SITS!!
Have a good one!
I have always had to live frugally…is that what I want to say? It seems as though if I am able to “sock something away” something happens like car repair, dental big job. I really believe that GOD has it this way in order that I will depend on HIM…and that I do. So thankful. On the other side…I am always sure I have toilet paper…ha.
Kristina: Me, neither…but I’m working on that.
Robynn: I’ll probably be doing that when I move next year. It doesn’t seem worth the effort to move a 50 cent can.
Rebecca Jo: Actually, I HAVE been stocking up on Diet Dr Pepper this summer! I hadn’t even realized it. I guess if the sky falls, at least I’ll have enough for one a day for several weeks?
G. Zoe: Yes, God does seem to remind us that we NEED Him!
I haven’t been stocking up, but we always did in my family, so I am used to it… and I do it often out of habit. The problem is space in our small flat, so i can only stock up so much stuff. We have just been thankful that we can be here and still do what we do though we are support based. So, that is a blessing.
I don’t stock up, but spend less on outings with the kids.
I think stocking is a good idea. Especially when you come across a good sale. Even if you don’t eat it, it may bless someone else in need. It’s good to know you got a little extra in the pantry.
Keep it up,
♥
Joy
We are small business owners. The economy has definitely hurt our bottom line. We spend more time talking about it though than acting on it.
I have always believed in keeping the pantry full. My husband gets ill at me and says we need to eat more from it but I LIKE having the extra. It makes me feel a bit more secure.
Great thoughts! I typically have a well stocked pantry. I like to buy a case of canned tomatoes when I find them super cheap at Grocery Outlet, or buy huge bags of rice and beans. But with our recent medical problems and hubby being out of work, we have depleted our pantry and there really isn’t any money yet to stock up. It’s driving me crazy but we’ll get by until things are better. Until then I may need to figure out a recipe for canned pumpkin, oil, powdered milk, and canned juice as they are the only things we have an abundance of.
I hate wasting food more now than ever before. Whenever we are gifted with fresh produce, I’m trying hard to use it or freeze it. Sadly some of it has spoiled before we ate it, but we are doing our best.
I really should stock up my freezer and cabinets. I’ll have to start doing that!
I’ve been squirreling away money to our savings account, and have been selling books more than I like to “earn” a little discretionary income. Coupons have also been a blessing!
Truthfully, we haven’t changed our behavior too much because of the economy. In fact, I worry that part of our economy’s woes have been caused by the media telling everyone how bad things are, so then we consciously, or subconsciously, stop spending as much, which only makes things worse. Conspiracy theorist? Maybe.
I definately stock up on soda when it’s on sale because I never know when it’ll spike up in price again. I need my diet soda to function, you see.
Cute blog! Visiting from sits
I don’t stock up, but we are more careful about eating out. It’s usually limited to Sunday following church and special days, like birthdays. Sometimes Hubby and I will go out for lunch on a rare occasion, but it’s nothing fancy. And when we absolutely have to go to Steak and Shake to get a shake, we go during happy hour when they are half price.
My habit of saving every last penny came way before the recession…we have been saving to buy a house. Now that we have the house, I have continued to save every last penny because I get hives thinking about not having money in savings. :-)
But yeah, I do have an obsession about stocking up on pantry items.