I've recently discovered it's possible to live at or below the poverty line with more tumble weeds blowing through your wallet than cash, and still go to bed with a full stomach. You just have to get a little creative.
I'm ashamed to say that I've gotten so poor that I can no longer afford groceries. Work is slow so the hours have decreased and no one seems to be hiring, so a second job seems unrealistic. I'm so broke I think the homeless guys on the street are going to start giving me change. I'm staying optimistic though. With my free time I've been working on getting my life in order and writing more, because really that's where my heart is.
So, back to feeding myself on impecunious man's budget.
I opened my fridge the other day in the hopes that some almighty feast from the god's would somehow be waiting for me on a gold platter. Alas, all I really discovered was some rendered bacon fat, some wilted veggies, and half an apple pie. The freezer offered me a little more luck with a bunch of leftover Christmas ham and some bacon, so I started to think of what I could turn that into. Turns out, there are lots of things you can do with such meaty items. Stumbling upon some beef bouillon, a bit of milk, an onion and a can of mixed vegetables, I went to work making a hearty ham and bacon stew. Not too bad, and it fed myself and two growing boys with endless appetites. Now that I'm out of ham, I've moved on to the cupboards. Turns out a box of pasta meant as a side-dish doubles as semi-homemade macaroni and cheese with a little leftover cheese from the fridge. Ramen with some vinaigrette, olives, and slices almonds turns into a surprisingly tasty Asian pasta salad. And frozen mashed up bananas with a bit of milk and sugar is just about as good as ice cream. This might sound disgusting to you, but until you show up at my door with a plate of steak or a check with my name on it, I don't want to hear it. Work has also been a huge lifesaver. Breakfasts come in the form of fruit from the salad bar, a large cup of coffee, and sometimes a muffin which has "mysteriously" broken into two pieces and therefore is unfit to sell to our customers. Lunch usually consists of vegetable soup and a lot of times brings some of his friends home with me in a carry-out container. Everynight for the past 2 weeks I've gone to bed without feeling hungry, and in a time where about 3.5 million people don't have that luxury, I guess I've got not complaints. It's really humbled me, I suppose. I don't need all that money to be happy. I don't have to go out to eat all the time, or buy that cute dress I saw at the mall, or see every damn movie that some big budget director has thrown into theaters. I'm content and for now, and I think I can manage with the little I've got.
If you'll excuse me, I've scrounged up some change from the couches and I'm off to buy some milk to accompany the cereal I got on sale for 99 cents. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment