Budget crunch

How many of you out there are on a tight budget right now? Probably quite a few, based on what I'm seeing on various blogs of other moms, and what I'm hearing about in this depressing economy, and what I'm reading in magazines like Parenting.

I actually read two interesting articles in this month's edition of Parenting, and they both deserve their own post, in my opinion. One on the pros and cons of spacing siblings close together as opposed to further apart (I think you all know what camp I'm firmly lodged in, but more on that later), and one article that almost made me cry as I tried to remain upright on the elliptical machine at the Y--reporting on the growing incidence of homeless families, living in their vehicles or shelters.

Fresh from a talk with my husband about how we need to buckle down and watch every penny we spend for the next few months, as he struggles to get his practice going in an economy that doesn't lend itself to "extras" like seeking chiropractic care, I found myself reading about a family of five in Colorado who moves from church shelter to church shelter every week or so, trying their best to keep their kids in the same schools and keep a roof over their heads every night.

So yeah. There I was feeling sorry for myself because I suddenly have to kick my Starbucks habit, when there are families out there who don't know how they're going to keep their kids out of the rain once they come home from school.

You could say that gave me a bit of perspective.

I left the gym with a renewed sense of what it means to us to live within our budget. Yes, it's hard right now--Bryan, bless his heart, is a fantastic go-getter who is trying his best to get his business up and running. And that's going to take time. And during that time, we're going to have to watch what we spend...perhaps a bit more closely than I like. It's not that I mind living by a budget (God knows we've never been independently wealthy or even well off in the time we've been together), it's just that I prefer my budget to have a bit more wiggle room. Living by a budget that allows you to take $20 out of the ATM on payday is comfortable. Knowing that I only have $2 in cash to last me I'm not sure how long is a little less reassuring to me.

So I was thinking about the things that I just can't live without, no matter how poor we happen to be. I came up with the following three items:

1. Decent food. My budget has to allow for me to make healthy, yummy meals and snacks that don't leave us feeling like life sucks because we're eating spaghetti from a jar for the third night this week. It's bad enough that we've sworn off eating out for the next however many weeks. We're on a budget, not a diet. If we feel deprived all the time, I can see a hefty VISA charge at Red Robin in our not-so-distant future.

2. A way to get out and run off some steam. That means the YMCA membership has to stay. It's given us plenty of days of going out as a family, and Bryan and I individually for work-outs, and we need that. I'll give up TV before I'll give up the Y. Also, I'll admit that living frugally in the heat of the summer time feels less daunting than it would in, say, November. Because playing at the park is free and finding something for a two year old to do indoors while it rains for the 46th day in a row is depressing.

3. Caffeine. Um, duh. BUT, I can make my own iced tea. It doesn't taste as good when it doesn't come perfectly iced in that beautiful, tall cup from Starbucks, but I'm willing to concede that there are worse things in life. Also, Diet Coke, in all it's bubbly, osteoporosis-inducing-phosphate glory, will have to be my cheaper stand-in for the time being. But grande iced lattes? How I do miss you.

So anyway. All three of the above points are manageable, for the time being. I grocery shopped at Winco (where I returned to my car to find a half-chewed piece of pizza on the hood of my car which made me double check to see, are we at Wal-Mart? No? Must be close...) for an entire week and spent $56. However, that's not including the chicken we'll need for a few meals this week, which I'll have to buy somewhere else at, undoubtedly, a higher price...but the slightly grayish "Val-Paks" of 20 chicken breasts resting in the freezer case at Winco just made me shudder. We may become vegetarians by the time all is said and done.

Another perk to being without any spending money is that we spend more time at home. And I spend more time cleaning and maintaining a house that looks presentable, and that makes me happy. Call me OCD if you will (and plenty of you have) but having things in order in my home makes me feel like life in general is in order. Which is another blessing when other things in life feel so chaotic and out of control. Also, a quiet, clean house lends itself more to activities that I love--namely, reading through that stack of books I set aside for this summer, and writing on this here blog. Because sitting down and immersing myself in my latest read when there's graham cracker smeared on the floor and toys strewn everywhere? Ain't gonna happen with this mom.

So this budget thing might not be so bad. It shows you what your priorities are, and also reminds you of how much you DO have. I think of waiting in line with Zoey, praying we make it in to a shelter that night, and my heart breaks for families who actually have to endure that process every day. I find inspiration in all the blogs I follow through this site--Erin of Little Kite Girl, for her practicality and honesty, Kelly for making me feel like compulsive coupon clipping is a completely normal practice, Heather for her constant support and enthusiasm while raising THREE KIDS OH MY GOD HOW DO YOU DO IT, and Abby, for her undying sense of humor that keeps me laughing when I'd otherwise be crying tears of self-pity in to my Kirkland Brand beer.