5 Things We Don’t Buy Anymore
We are on a fixed income, but the world is on a fast track to insane inflation, so these days there are many things we don’t buy.
Dog food.
I make my own from chopped beef. tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, canned peas, and brown rice with a bit of canola oil and a hint of salt. It’s much cheaper than canned food and it’s not full of soy beans. Duke no longer has the worst gas in the world and I don’t have to pay more than a dollar a can for junk dog food. Oh, and I mix this with a dollop of good quality kibble, plus vitamins made for dogs whose owners cook for them, and voila. Healthy dog, far lower feeding costs. I make about 10 days worth of food for about $10. Our dog eats better than many people.
Bathing suits.
All water that isn’t heated is too cold for me. Sometimes a hot shower feels too cold.
Makeup.
Every once in a blue moon — like maybe once every year and a half? — I wear a little makeup. It makes my eyes itch. I think the last time I wore it I was going to be on television. I should have waited because they redid my entire face anyway.
Books.
We are out of room. If I can’t put it on my Kindle and/or it’s not an Audiobook? I don’t buy it. Mostly, I listen to Audiobooks. My eyes have had it with text.
Brassieres.
After I had cancer in both breasts and had a bilateral mastectomy, I had them make my “new” breasts small. I’m glad I did. It’s hard to find something positive in breast cancer, but if there is one single thing? It’s NOT wearing a bra!
There are probably a lot more things we don’t buy now. Vacations have disappeared. Eating out is gone. Traveling? Hah! Dressy clothing? What for? Hairdressers? My son bought a pair of clippers and trims his own and Garry’s hair. I trim my own tips now that my hair is long enough. Hair dye? Why bother? Wrapping paper? We have one “fancy bag” and it has delivered birthday presents to each of us. One bag, three birthdays — and we saved it for next year.
Money is tight as hell these days. Merely keeping the house in something like repair sucks away every penny we have or will have. I’m beginning to wonder if we will survive this inflation on a fixed income. It’s getting pretty bad.
Soon we are will be cutting out necessities. We’re already cut out some medications, like inhalers which aren’t covered by Medicare. I’ve let my teeth go and I still can’t afford fillings or partial dentures. I’m not sure how we will heat the house this coming winter with diesel prices at more than $7 gallon. By the time winter rolls around, it will probably be closer to $10/gallon. We have a 200 gallon tank, which is small. Filling half of it — 100 gallons? Add it up. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will.