Day 27 Cutting back

The national government is in debt, spending more and more, and threatening to raise taxes to pay for ever increasing appetites. The State Government has a budget shortage. The city government has a budget shortage making it impossible to meet pension and health care packages for city employees. The solution being suggested is to tax. Spend and tax is the only course of action most governments know. Even in our homes high debt doesn't stem the tide of buying more on credit. It seems no one knows where to cut. This blog is trying to show a few effective ways to cut so one can save money at the same time prepare for the time when these governments will fail in meeting the uncurbed demands from a greedy public. Sacrifice is an absolute prerequisite to "getting ahead." We sacrificed ketchup for the first couple of weeks. There is still no sour cream in the refrigerator. I have only one can of corn in the "virtual pantry." I sacrificed the canned goods sale last week to buy meet instead. (And we are still alive!) The first two weeks we had rice, a little chicken for flavor and the ingredients for bread. We stayed in budget, we are healthy, we are grateful, and we are living honestly. To buy groceries on credit without knowing where the money is going to come from next month if there is no money this month is naive and irresponsible.

These governments infuriate me. I will eat rice and beans indefinitely rather than cut our charitable donations if they continue to tax. One may wonder why our family would undergo such a challenge to live on a limited budget. 1) May be it is because that is the only way to feed 10 children. No. It is often easier to eat restaurant fare especially when they do the pans and dishes than eat at home. 2) May be we have special diets that require cooking from scratch. No. There are no dietary restrictions in our family for medical reasons. 3) May be our religion specifies cooking from scratch. No. Our religion does encourage provident living and getting out of debt. There are no specifications on how we should do this. 4) May be our budget is so tight that this is more reality than "virtual." No. We smile when our children ask why we can't buy something. We explain that the smart millionaires keep people guessing. This challenge to live off a limited budget, provide for the wants and needs of the family, buy a grain grinder and a mixer, and put food on the shelves is a daunting task. It is also one small realm that I can control. The greater the national debt the more tight I want to be. Instinct tells me it is time to prepare.

Breakfast: Rice Pudding with polish sausage cut in small pieces and fried. The sausage smelled wonderful enticing the children out of bed while augmenting the little protein in the rice pudding.
Lunch: Leftover Chipolte burrito, Potato and bean casserole, apples and milk.
Snack: Ice cream
Dinner: Chicken, rice and black beans layered over a tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, ranch dressing, and olives. (I decided it was time to buy 25 pounds black and white beans, and oatmeal from the Omaha Home Storage Center - best prices for these items).
The children liked the dish. Even the 4 year old who had complained that he didn't want the "salad" on top, ate the filling hungrilly when offfered just the beans and rice without the lettuce or tomatoes.
Snack: Ice cream