The Thirfty Mind Set When I Can

Thanksgiving was good! At DH's cousin, we were entertained by my niece playing with a phone picture app that could alter a photo such as a women to what they would look like as a man, or how someone would look older or younger. It was pretty funny to see how much I look like one of my brothers, and DD2 looked just like DS. DH looked like his sister, which is funny as I never thought they looked much alike at all. At my sisters later, we played a few card/table games, always with money, which was a lot of fun. 

I will admit though I spent more time prepping food in the monring, than I imagined I would in my head. Though I only brought sides and appetizer type foods, I started prep at 7:30, and was not completely done until 10:30, then had to watch the ovens to make sure the timing was right for loading up. I know that is nothing compared to those that made turkeys, stuffing, and mashed potatoes and  set up for hosting. 

I shared that I made my spinach dip differently this year, skipped the Knorr soup mix, and through a couple recipes on line, sort of created my own. It was delicious, and a hit. Did it save me much money-perhaps $1.00, but took at least another 5 minutes of dicing carrots, onion, and a bit of celery, and adding the dash of lemon juice and seasoning salt. It netted me $12 per hour if I calculate out that 5 minutes of work for $1 savings, but the result was a fresher tasting dip, with a lot less sodium. Compared with the  $15 veggie tray, with a minuscule amount of spinach dip DD2 took home from a work party, unopened, my veggie tray was an absolute bargain. The office over bought and as she's the office vegetarian they sent it home with her, and she in turn brought to a family birthday gathering a couple weeks back. My veggie tray with spinach dip (including ample veggies to refill) cost $7.80. I had at least the equivalent of three trays, with leftover dip. Prepping the vegetables  and making the dip,  including clean-up took 30 minutes, netting me $74.40 an hour. My readers are probably not ones who run into deli's last minute and buy veggie trays, but if I was ever tempted in the interest of saving time, this little math problem illustrates what my time was worth. 

I want to recognize though that I am able to do this because I have hands that right now, work well, a full kitchen and room to prep and store said vegetables, nor do I have small children, in fact the opposite, one who can help. I don't want to come off as a disablist, or insensitive to those with so much going on they literally can't find the time. This is  just recognizing that while I can do these small acts of labor, in the interest of saving money to put elsewhere, I should. There will come the day when I want family and friends to visit, or for me to join them, when ordering a prepared Thanksgiving meal will be what works. The time will come when I want to make a fresh crock pot of soup, and buying ready cut vegetables will be my only option. 

Without another tedious math problem, though I love them dearly, math nerd that I am, there are dozens of examples of thrifty I do now, that I know someday will not be able to do any longer. 

• parking farther away to get free or cheaper parking meters
• carry on suitcases for travel
• keeping my heat low in the winter and air conditioning high in the summer
• doing our own shoveling and lawn maintenance

I hope it is decades before I need to consider the above, though some things I'll have to pay more for will come sooner. I don't know when my flare-ups will happen with my arthritis pain and never temper down, or when my knee will completely give out. Right now, the days I feel well are a gift and doing these things for myself, for ourselves, help us prepare for when we can't.