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.
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Categories: Anecdote, Audiobook, Books, Money, online shopping, Shopping
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
My heartfelt sympathies. I’m in the boat with you, and yes, it is terrifying. Worse is the soul sickness this horrid world has engendered in me. I’m looking for every corner I can cut, and with being ill this year? I’m so screwed. I will offer an idea which might or might not still be viable or available in your state – contact the company that regulates your heat (I know it’s via propane tank, but isn’t it attached to the gas or electric companies?) and see if they aren’t having that program where they’re helping those without the means for heat and warmth in winter months. They have it here (or did pre-Covid) and it saved my bacon a couple of times when I was younger.
I worry so awfully about you and all of those in our demographic. This country seems to want to wipe us out wholesale, and I, for one, wish they’d just do it and save the continual worry and deprivation we’re forced into. Blessings.
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Actually, we use oil. Gas is wildly expensive out here and electricity for heat is absurd in a place that gets as cold as the northeast. Also, we have recently — in the past couple of years — had MASSIVE gas explosions that nearly wiped out a couple of towns right here in Massachusetts. Old pipes, poorly maintained, just like the bad electric companies in the west whose failure to properly maintain their wires was responsible for many of the fires. After the last major explosion — it was really appalling as dozens of homes exploded, one right after the other — I looked at Garry and said “Gee, I think maybe we should be glad we DON’T have gas.”
Who knew oil prices would skyrocket? Every time I have a little money not already spoken for, I stick it in an account to pay for oil. There’s nothing else we can do. Nothing else ANYONE can do. If we were VERY poor we might get subsidies. We aren’t poor enough to get help or rich enough to survive without them. Like many people, especially older or disabled people on fixed incomes, we’re screwed. I keep looking for rescue, but I don’t see anything.
Considering the level of inflation, you’d think they might considering upping the ante on Social Security, wouldn’t you? Social Security is pitiful anyway, but now?
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