Game: No matter how poor I get, I will never . . . (fill in the blank)

[WTMindy]

Gotta jot this one down for those times when I need to go out and buy "boy gifts". I'm always rather stumped on what to choose, and this sounds perfect. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure my youngest dd would also love it! What age range would you think it suits?

 

 

Oh, and anj. I'd eat a mouse long before I'd eat my fingers. Rodent Satay! Mmmmm. Just gimme a skewer and an open flame! :D

 

 

Doran

 

My son is 9.5 and he loves it. I think it could go older or younger too. My son also loves trivia type stuff so it is a good combo for him.

[kortney in AL]

You know, Cheryl, I've always felt that way, too, but I've been scared to verbalize it for fear it would happen to me! (I'm teasing)

[ConnieB]

Ok, maybe this one is soooo obvious it doesn't need to be said?

 

I would use leaves for TP, eat Spam (which I never have...DH does and the smell is like canned cat food, totally stomach turning to me), move into a tent, dumpster dive (another totally stomach turner)......in short I would do whatever it took to NEVER send my child to a public school.

 

We have life insurance on me specifically to pay for a nanny/tutor to keep the kids homeschooled if I should die.

[newlifemom]

Ok, I have read about half the posts, but no one has mentioned powdered milk. I told my husband early on that no matter how poor we were, we would NEVER and I do mean NEVER drink powdered milk. I had to as a kid and hated it.:ack2:

Pam

[Kay in Cal]

Oh yeah, I'm with you on that! Give me real maple or I'll pass on the pancakes, please.

[Sorbie]

Ok, I have read about half the posts, but no one has mentioned powdered milk. I told my husband early on that no matter how poor we were, we would NEVER and I do mean NEVER drink powdered milk. I had to as a kid and hated it.:ack2:

Pam

 

I mentioned that in my post. My Mom would dilute our regular milk with water and powdered milk as if we wouldn't know the difference. Yuck.

 

-Amber

[Oak Knoll Mom]

*give up chocolate

*use tea bags instead of loose leaf

*eat cat food (that's the first one I thought of!)

[Apiphobic]

go back to drinking powdered milk. :ack2:

 

And on a sillier note, I don't think I'd ever make a dress out of green velvet curtains. Of course, I can't see myself doing that whether or not I were poor. :)

[Amy in NY]

I've learned some new stuff tonight. (For instance, I had no idea that you could buy used underwear at Goodwill - GROSS.)

 

Since we are kind of in this position right now...with things very, very tight...I know what I can't live without:

 

My gourmet coffee - My tastebuds are ruined for anything else.

 

My toilet paper - you've all discussed this enough already.

 

Getting my hair highlighted - I went without it being done 2 years ago for 4 months and I'll "never" do that again.

 

 

I cut corners to afford this stuff, let me tell you.

[BeachGirl]

Eat liver! My mom used to make us eat it and I LOATHE it!!! I would rather go hungry.

[CactusPair]

I prefer cheap toilet paper!

 

But I'd never buy no-brand toothpaste (childhood memory)

 

or no-brand beer (blick)

 

or no-brand frozen vegetables (yuck!!! We can afford Birdseye now and we're never goin' back, Baby!)

 

Oh, and I'd never, never go without garbage bags for the trash can in the kitchen. Knew someone who did this to pinch pennies...please not me, ever!

[TravelingChris]

I won't do anything illegal or immoral.

 

I know what kinds of things I do when we have had a temporary problem with cash flow and we never eat magarine. We go without, if need be. I also would rather eat vegetarian (beans and rice) than eat Spam and it would be cheaper too. I can make very nutrious and cheap soup and making bread is very cheap too.

[GraceinMD]

OK, I'm being silly, and NOT trying to offend those of you who have eaten :001_huh:, or frozen, or planted said body part :).

[Kay in Cal]

Who was it who stored their's for years in the freezer, and then it was mistaken for frozen strawberries? That was a great story!

[GraceinMD]

Mmmmmm - smoothie!

 

We should start a thread of "Who was it who....?"

 

(Like (completely unrelated to this thread), this makes me laugh out loud every time: who was it who was commenting on how MUCH a father and his baby looked alike and said, "Oh, you two are are podlike in your pea-ness!" I laugh just typing it (you have to say it out loud, as you would to an acquaintance at a party)!)

 

Back to your regularly scheduled thread....

[Elaine]

Wash and make a big aluminum foil ball which you use the pieces off of when you need a piece of aluminum foil.

 

Tie little pieces of string (some of which are teensy) together and make a big string ball in order to reuse the string at a later date.

 

Oh, man! This really made me LOL!:D

[Elaine]

I would never give up my good coffee beans! That cheap, pre-ground coffee is just not worth it. We've been in that situation, and even though we were "poor," we didn't feel like it because we drank great coffee the whole time.:001_smile:

 

Amen and hallelujah!:lol:

[Crissy]

Worked two years as a garbologist in the 80s

 

 

Garbologist?!

Really?

 

My son will be in heaven. For years he has wanted to be 'The Recycling Guy' when he grows up. Wait 'til he hears this! :D

[Elaine]

I will never make anything out of dryer lint. (I remember reading something in the Tightwad Gazette about that and I remember thinking I'll never be that poor)

 

I will never go back to dial-up!!

 

Just FYI, dryer lint is great to take on camping trips to help start a fire. We learned that on Survivorman.:D

 

You can go back to the rubbing two sticks together or...I hear human eggs are good for starting fires.;)

[RebeccaC]

Garbologist?!

Really?

 

My son will be in heaven. For years he has wanted to be 'The Recycling Guy' when he grows up. Wait 'til he hears this! :D

 

 

The field was started by William Rathje who wanted to compare ancient middens (garbage dumps) to modern garbage dumps. I did two intern ships with him through National Geographic. It was horrid work I know I lost part of my sense of smell doing it but my dog sure did like to roll in my clothes at the end of the day :blink: Rathje was at the University of Arizona last I heard. Do a search for him on line and you will find out all kinds of stuff. I think he stopped all pre-modern archeology work and devoted his career to garbology.

[Elaine]

Who was it who stored their's for years in the freezer, and then it was mistaken for frozen strawberries? That was a great story!

 

It was our friendly neighborhood kitty, Peek!:001_smile:

[Cricket]

OK, I'm being silly, and NOT trying to offend those of you who have eaten :001_huh:, or frozen, or planted said body part :).

 

 

We have a winner!! :lol: This is probably one of the few things on here I wouldn't do. That and anything immoral that has been said. Margarine? I bought some today but I'd much rather have butter. I actually fed my family some of those packets of Lipton Sides noodles tonight at supper. Only because I paid 25 cents for two packages (good sale + coupons). Yuck!

 

We may have a chance to find out just what we will do. Dh works on straight commission and is making next to nothing right now.

 

My grandma always said that it was fun to be poor. It made a person creative. She's a riot.

[Wendi]

that my parents bought him a CASE of them for Christmas! :eek:(Wasn't his only gift.):001_smile:

 

When he was in college, he'd open the can of Spaghettios (yes, he still ate them), place the can into a pan of boiling water on the stove, and heat. Then eat right out of the can. Toss the can, wash off the spoon, dry out the pot. Sad. Good thing he married a good cook!

 

Too funny.

Wendi

 

Yep, there just isn't any comparison. You ain't got a thing if it ain't got that zing.;) I refuse to eat mayo. :001_smile:

 

I'm right there with those that won't eat margarine and spam, or drink reconstituted powdered milk. And you'll never catch me eating spaghettios and green jello either. Childhood memories. :tongue_smilie:

[Colleen]

I confess I am having trouble catching the spirit of this thread. Your point is well taken; thank you.

[5kidsforME]

I confess I am having trouble catching the spirit of this thread. Your point is well taken; thank you.

 

Colleen I am right there with you. :glare: I am not trying to be witchy about it either, really. I guess I just feel like we don't know what we would do about being TRULY truly poor unless we were in that position.

 

I am sure this is supposed to be a lighthearted thread I just can't "get" there.

[Karen sn]

Plastic does not last long in land fills because it is eaten by anaerobic bacteria. Worked two years as a garbologist in the 80s and plastic in a landfill after 10 years is just about all gone, only ity bity shreds left. However leaves, meat, paper, contents of baby diapers, ect.... unchanged from the day they were covered over because they need aerobic bacteria to break down. Garbology was part of the grunt work I was willing to do to become an archaeologist, physical anthropologist. Interesting work to grid out a modern landfill :ack2:

 

Very cool. Never would have thought! So cloth diapers and composting leaves and non-meat kitchen scraps is better for the earth than worrying about plastic. That's so awesome.

[RebeccaC]

Colleen I am right there with you. :glare: I am not trying to be witchy about it either, really. I guess I just feel like we don't know what we would do about being TRULY truly poor unless we were in that position.

 

I am sure this is supposed to be a lighthearted thread I just can't "get" there.

 

Well I have been truly poor and I have dumpster dived and more than once did garbage day curb side shopping but drew the line at canned pet food and used under-ware. I left home when I was 17. Never did anything illegal or immoral to get make ends meet and got no help from my family. I have lived in slums and used mass transit because I had no other choice. I worked as a waitress and considered my self blessed that a meal before each shift was part of my pay. I never made more than $10,000. a year. The shift as a waitress was 11 am to 7 pm 6 days a week with no break. I have worked the night shift at a gas station and been robbed at gun point. Took college courses here and there when I could and always got a Pell Grant when I took a full load or some other sort of aid. I lived that way from 1977 to 1986. To be honest I have gotten a good laugh from this thread because of the naiveté of some of the responses. Hope that doesn't sound mean because it was not meant that way.

 

All that written sometimes it is OK to pull back and play but you are right unless you have been there you have no idea what you would or would not do.

[5kidsforME]

Well I have been truly poor and I have dumpster dived and more than once did garbage day curb side shopping but drew the line at canned pet food and used under-ware. I left home when I was 17. Never did anything illegal or immoral to get make ends meet and got no help from my family. I have lived in slums and used mass transit because I had no other choice. I worked as a waitress and considered my self blessed that a meal before each shift was part of my pay. I never made more than $10,000. a year. The shift as a waitress was 11 am to 7 pm 6 days a week with no break. I have worked the night shift at a gas station and been robbed at gun point. Took college courses here and there when I could and always got a Pell Grant when I took a full load or some other sort of aid. I lived that way from 1977 to 1986. To be honest I have gotten a good laugh from this thread because of the naiveté of some of the responses. Hope that doesn't sound mean because it was not meant that way.

 

All that written sometimes it is OK to pull back and play but you are right unless you have been there you have no idea what you would or would not do.

 

 

Right it is ok to have fun. I guess it is hard for me because if we were to try and acutally put ourselves (mentally) in the position of being truly poor I think certain things that "you would NEVER eat/use" would be a luxury. I also do believe that all the women here would cast all the "nevers" aside and do what they had to do to take care of their families.

 

BUT I can see that I am most likely overthinking this whole thing so I should stop commenting on this thread. :D

[5kidsforME]

BTW REbecca, I am sorry you had to go through all that.

[RebeccaC]

Very cool. Never would have thought! So cloth diapers and composting leaves and non-meat kitchen scraps is better for the earth than worrying about plastic. That's so awesome.

 

 

In the 70s there was suppose to be a red meat shortage. What we found was that folks were hording meat and then throwing it out. The meat thrown out was read and firm when we unearthed it. What happened each night at the dump we worked was that the days garbage was covered by a layer of clay. No air no decay unless it was plastic. We sorted categorized and weighed all the garbage. We saw private papers that were never meant to be read by anyone and part of the job was to read them :eek: We could tell the social class of the people by what they threw away. We even found a diamond engagement ring. Finger nail polish was still usable after 10 years and was among some of the most toxic items we found and there was a lot of it. The only time I have painted my nails since then was for my wedding.

[Amy loves Bud]

I make fire starters for the fireplace out of dryer lint. Dryer lint, peat pots, wax, and essential oils.

 

Karen, I couldn't resist using this on my blog. :D

[WTMindy]

Just FYI, dryer lint is great to take on camping trips to help start a fire. We learned that on Survivorman.:D

 

You can go back to the rubbing two sticks together or...I hear human eggs are good for starting fires.;)

 

LOL!!!!

 

It seems like the article that I read in the Tightwad Gazette had 40 things to do with dryer lint. I gave up on the magazine soon after that. I think they also had things to do with pantyhose also. (Pantyhose?!? Do people still buy pantyhose :-))

[RebeccaC]

BTW REbecca, I am sorry you had to go through all that.

 

Oh I am not sorry it built character :001_smile: I just thought I would pitch in the view from some one who has been there done that :D Those were some of the happiest years of my life. Were they hard yup. Nothing wrong with hard tho just opportunity to trust God and look for creative ways to get along.

 

The very happiest tho have been the years I have been married and had kids not because I had more but because of the relationships. Money helps but it does not warm the heart like sand paper kisses from my sons who both need to learn how to shave better ;) or hearing Hun where's my socks from my hunky dear hubby..........

 

I really did not mean to make you feel sorry for me just write that it is OK to play the game because if anyone should be offended it would be some one who had been dirt poor. Not saying that you were offended and if I keep typing here my foot will be in my stomach :eek:

[Leah]

I agree-any tp is fine, but I don't have a depression era tale to go with my lack of commitment to plush paper.

:D

[Tutor]

Go without half-and-half in my tea or allow generic grape jelly on my PB&J.

[MOCA]

:lol:say never.

[Karen sn]

:iagree: Not allowed in my house! Butter only, no trans fats... I love butter anyway!

 

Eat margarine or live in filth.

My grandmother always said, "It's not a sin to be poor, and cleanliness in next to godliness."

[sands31210]

Yes, no matter how poor I can always clean and declutter!!

[sands31210]

Yes!! I got to have real maple syrup!

[Old Dominion Heather]

I am wondering how much I need to allocate monthly to never, ever go back!

 

Picture Scarlett O'Hara with fist raised... "I'll never use the library again!"

 

:leaving:

[*anj*]

Right it is ok to have fun. I guess it is hard for me because if we were to try and acutally put ourselves (mentally) in the position of being truly poor I think certain things that "you would NEVER eat/use" would be a luxury. I also do believe that all the women here would cast all the "nevers" aside and do what they had to do to take care of their families.

 

BUT I can see that I am most likely overthinking this whole thing so I should stop commenting on this thread. :D

 

Exactly. My parents grew up in true poverty and they tell stories about eating bacon grease sandwiches. I think that would rank right up there with Spam for most people: yuuuuuucccckkkkkk!!! But it kept them alive. My mother told me that one winter someone gave her father 100 pounds of sweet potatoes, and they lived off those til they were gone. That is one of the reasons that to this day the only way she'll eat them is if they're dripping in butter and brown sugar. I love them just baked whole and with a bit of butter on top, but she says that brings back too many bad memories for her and she doesn't ever want to eat that again. Same for beans.

 

It's all a matter of perspective, I think. And a testimony to the fact that most of us have been so blessed that we've never really had to find out the hard way.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

OK, I'm being silly, and NOT trying to offend those of you who have eaten :001_huh:, or frozen, or planted said body part :).

 

 

 

Well, ahem....not offended, but some people didn't consume it due to economic necessity, but out of fear of experiencing post-partum depression again. (PPD was so bad I would have done ANYTHING to prevent it.)

 

DH put it in a shotglass and I held my nose and chugged. He said, "It was like Fear Factor-Cyndi Style!" :tongue_smilie:

[Osmosis Mom]

Yes, no matter how poor I can always clean and declutter!!

 

Well, decluttering is a blessing. Try being so poor there is nothing to declutter....

[Osmosis Mom]

Eat "pancake syrup" instead of real maple syrup. Ditto "salad oil" in place of olive oil.

 

I agree! We had to buy Jemima's last month... Dh wanted to make waffles this week and I said no way, Jose, before I get my hands on the real thing again... Ditto with the extra-virgin oil. Right now, though, we are back to cooking in veg. oil, but use the extra-virgin for salads and dips....

[momsquared]

Sell my wedding and engagement rings.

 

I know of a woman that did this, and it didn't really do anything for them financially. And now she is out of her rings.

[momsquared]

Exactly. My parents grew up in true poverty and they tell stories about eating bacon grease sandwiches. I think that would rank right up there with Spam for most people: yuuuuuucccckkkkkk!!! But it kept them alive. My mother told me that one winter someone gave her father 100 pounds of sweet potatoes, and they lived off those til they were gone. That is one of the reasons that to this day the only way she'll eat them is if they're dripping in butter and brown sugar. I love them just baked whole and with a bit of butter on top, but she says that brings back too many bad memories for her and she doesn't ever want to eat that again. Same for beans.

 

It's all a matter of perspective, I think. And a testimony to the fact that most of us have been so blessed that we've never really had to find out the hard way.

 

This is exactly right, because chances are if we were really in a desperate situation we wouldn't be able to sit on the computer and message about it. :lol:

[SwimmyKids]

For me, my answer is:

. . . buy cheap toilet paper.

 

We tried that once--Charmin Basic. The kids complained. No more.

[BigMamaBird]

. . . shop at Aldi's.

 

Ach! I HATE that place!

[Sharon H in IL]

Live with my Dad or ILs. [shudder] Talk about scary!:D

[angela in ohio]

Make money off of friends (MLM, etc.)