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

[Kay in Cal]

Lol! Pam, I've got to drive out to TN to meet you next time I'm in Virginia. I can see you now... the 80 year old male homeschooling mom, sitting on his porch with the outhouse behind.

 

I know that many people in the world live without indoor plumbing, but it does really shock me that people in the US still do (other than while camping, but that's another story). You're going to have to write your autobiography some day "Pam: From Outhouse to Flaming Sword, The Story of One Woman's Journey to Self Discovery". Or something like that.

[Kay in Cal]

Stock my pantry with napkins, plastic ware, sugar, cream, salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard or any other condiment packets taken from restaurants.

 

My depression era grandmother does this--fills her purse when she eats out. Her theory: it isn't stealing because they charge way too much for food anyways. She loves to say things to waitresses like: "I could make this fried chicken at home for 50 cents! Why does it cost $9.00?"

 

BTW, she really is not so poor that she couldn't afford these things, but believes that she is.

[Magnolia]

I'd have to say, never say never. There are many things I have said I'd never do or say only to do or say it later. But, I don't want to give up my Tide. Not ever.

[Needleroozer]

buy used underwear at the GoodWill - that it is even possible appalls me to an extent I can not describe!

 

Eeewwww. I agree. Icky.:iagree:

[WTMCassandra]

Live without an internet connection!

Live without books!

[Pajama Mama]

I would never buy peanut butter other than Jif. *I* like eating Jif peanut butter. It is what choosy moms prefer;)

[JennyB]

I've had some rough times growing up so I would eat anything, use anything necessary for my family. But... if things were just tight? Give up my charmin tp. :D

 

Jenny

[Dayle in Guatemala]

wash out my ziplocs (if I'm going to do that, I might as well use tupperware)

 

wash disposable cups, plates, bowls, or plasticware (for the same reason as above. If I'm going to do that, I might as well use the really good/nice stuff)

[PrairieAir]

It's true. I'm also a dude. :D

 

So, is it really Pat, Sibling Flaming Sword of Mercy?:lol:

[PariSarah]

Stock my pantry with napkins, plastic ware, sugar, cream, salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard or any other condiment packets taken from restaurants.

 

My depression era grandmother does this--fills her purse when she eats out. Her theory: it isn't stealing because they charge way too much for food anyways. She loves to say things to waitresses like: "I could make this fried chicken at home for 50 cents! Why does it cost $9.00?"

 

BTW, she really is not so poor that she couldn't afford these things, but believes that she is.

 

My grandmother. Oh, my grandmother. The stories I could tell.

For a while there, every time we went to visit, she would treat us all to Ponderosa, every time we came. The only catch was, all the girls would have to bring purses and we'd have to fill them up with stuff from the buffet.

 

She brought ziplock bags. We had a quota.

 

Good times.

[battlemaiden]

eat Spam

 

You know those are fightin' words here in Hawaii! Spam, for some mystical reason, is a staple in the local diet.

 

We had a Sunday brunch at our church on Easter morning and my son came to me extolling the virtue of this new food he tried....:glare:. Blech.

 

Jo

[KristineIN]

 

What about all of the women who do not have anything for menstruation? Pads and tampons are a real luxury for most women.

 

 

I'm so glad I use a menstrual cup! IMO pads & tampons are nasty.

[PrairieAir]

I have to say that I've done or do many of these things and others I would do if necessary.

 

I've never eaten Spam. I don't know how much it costs, but I can't imagine it would be cheaper than beans and rice or eggs, so I don't see the necessity there. If I was starving and someone handed me a can, I'd eat it. I'd probably have to hold my nose and scarf it quickly, but I could make myself do it.

 

I'd like to know what WTMindy has heard of people making out of dryer lint, though. I have tons of dryer lint/egg carton/candle scrap fire starters. I don't make sweaters out of it or anything:001_rolleyes:

 

I will admit that the idea of going without tampons or pads freaks me out a little, but I'm sure I could learn to deal. Ugh. I'm thankful I don't have to do that.

[battlemaiden]

My grandmother. Oh, my grandmother. The stories I could tell.

For a while there, every time we went to visit, she would treat us all to Ponderosa, every time we came. The only catch was, all the girls would have to bring purses and we'd have to fill them up with stuff from the buffet.

 

 

What about motel/hotel soaps and shampoos? My mother has cupboards full of them stockpiled for the day of disaster (I suppose). She can't leave a hotel bathroom without bringing all the freebie toiletries including shower caps.

 

The above goes hand in hand with the various packets that accumulate in her pantry- until I come home and secretly throw them away without her ever noticing. ;)

 

Jo

[OnTheBrink]

What about motel/hotel soaps and shampoos? My mother has cupboards full of them stockpiled for the day of disaster (I suppose). She can't leave a hotel bathroom without bringing all the freebie toiletries including shower caps.

 

 

Jo

 

Hey, I do this too. If I'm paying for a room, I want all that it comes with, dangit! I'm not waiting for the day of disaster, though. Somehow, if that comes, I won't be concerned about my hair.

 

Anyway, what I won't do is steal or sell myself or my kids.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

...stop getting pedicures. While gnawing on Hamburger Helper and wiping my fingers on cheap toilet paper, if necessary.

 

SWB

 

P.S. Or stop buying books. There, that's the more mature answer. :001_smile:

[JennifersLost]

Or "Why I Get a Trip to California Next Winter"

 

Pics of the house I currently live in and the "new" living situation I'll be moving to if all goes as planned are here.

[PrairieAir]

What about motel/hotel soaps and shampoos? My mother has cupboards full of them stockpiled for the day of disaster (I suppose). She can't leave a hotel bathroom without bringing all the freebie toiletries including shower caps.

 

The above goes hand in hand with the various packets that accumulate in her pantry- until I come home and secretly throw them away without her ever noticing. ;)

 

Jo

 

I take home all the little soaps and shampoos, too. I bag any soap we used in the bag from the ice bucket. The hotels expect you to take or use that stuff and it is in the pricing.

 

They do not expect you to take things like towels, ice buckets, and ash trays. That's just stealing.

 

I wouldn't take the Gideon Bible in the nightstand drawer either. It's a pain for the maid to find a replacement sometimes, and I have more than one Bible of my own. I leave it for someone who might really need it.

 

And I use those little soaps and shampoos when we go camping:)

[Emmy]

I will never go back to dial-up!!

 

me too!

[Mom2legomaniacs]

So many things but dial-up really resonates. That would be torture!

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . do anything dishonest or hurtful to someone else just to make myself or my family more comfortable.

[Jenny in Florida]

Ooops. I don't know how this ended up here. It was supposed to be in reply to the person who said she rinses out and re-uses plastic bags for environmental reasons, not frugality.

 

Ditto. I was thinking the same thing.

 

While I couldn't commit to giving up buying books forever, I do go through phases when I read all of mostly from the library to save a few bucks.

[Doran]

I know this is meant to be utterly silly -- but for reasons I can't quite get my head around today, I am unable to find much to which I could say, absolutely "never". The first thought that came to mind was:

 

I'll never toss used paper napkins under my kitchen sink to reuse for spills and such later on. My mother does this, and I find it disgusting.

 

 

 

But...the truth is, if I was that poor, I wouldn't be buying paper napkins in the first place. And, the Truth is, if I was poor enough, I'd eat SPAM - with gusto, I'd wipe with whatever I could get my grimy hands on, and I might eat out of the trash.

 

So, my other answer is:

 

 

I'll never eat my neighbors.

 

 

 

Doran

 

 

P.S. I haven't a clue how this ended up in this particular spot. It doesn't seem very well positioned here with the menstrual amenities discussion! ;)

[sleepy]

exactly what I was gonna say. NO Spam, no way!

[*anj*]

But...the truth is, if I was that poor, I wouldn't be buying paper napkins in the first place. And, the Truth is, if I was poor enough, I'd eat SPAM - with gusto, I'd wipe with whatever I could get my grimy hands on, and I might eat out of the trash.

 

 

I have to say that I feel the same way. Sometimes we play a game where my kids will say "Would you rather do a or b?" For instance: "Would you rather eat a mouse or grass?" Now, under normal circumstances I wouldn't want to eat either, but if I were starving I'd choose the grass. And if I had been starving for weeks or months and the grass was buried under 12 inches of snow....I'd eat....

 

my fingers before I'd eat a mouse. Eeeeek!!!!

[Remudamom]

Eat a horse? (There goes that trip to Juarez)

 

Push drugs?

 

Sell meat door to door?

[battlemaiden]

I take home all the little soaps and shampoos, too. I bag any soap we used in the bag from the ice bucket. The hotels expect you to take or use that stuff and it is in the pricing.

 

They do not expect you to take things like towels, ice buckets, and ash trays. That's just stealing.

 

I wouldn't take the Gideon Bible in the nightstand drawer either. It's a pain for the maid to find a replacement sometimes, and I have more than one Bible of my own. I leave it for someone who might really need it.

 

And I use those little soaps and shampoos when we go camping:)

 

We must understand that my parents travel a good deal. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that my mother has two full medicince cabinets and more than half of a shelf in the linen closet lined with hotel shampoos/conditioners, soaps, and lotions. I use them when I'm home, but there is a limit.;)

 

I once did a collection of these toiletries in college to use at the homeless clinic I worked for, and they were very appreciative.

 

Jo

[jail warden]

Y'all are just silly. I would prefer not to use anything Northern tp, but anything will do in a pinch. I grew up on margarine and liked it. I'd have to be close to starving to eat bologna, but I could do it if it was fried enough to remove all "squishiness".

 

No, the first thing I thought of was, uh, work the streets. No illegal selling of any kind, and I don't think it could ever be bad enough for me to work in a strip club either.

 

I've got to agree here. We've been cutting costs all around, trying to finish getting out of debt. So far I haven't given up my high-speed internet, but if we truly couldn't make it, nothing would be safe.

[Mamagistra]

...use Old Dominion Heather's library! :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I know. :tongue_smilie: Dh loves Miracle Whip, but I buy real mayonaise for me. There just isn't any comparison.

 

 

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:

[Quiver0f10]

Give up my internet :w00t:

[Quiver0f10]

...use Old Dominion Heather's library! :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

 

:iagree: :scared:

[Quiver0f10]

wash out my ziplocs (if I'm going to do that, I might as well use tupperware)

 

I used to do this in my Tightwad Gazette days LOL

[WTMindy]

I have to say that I feel the same way. Sometimes we play a game where my kids will say "Would you rather do a or b?" For instance: "Would you rather eat a mouse or grass?" Now, under normal circumstances I wouldn't want to eat either, but if I were starving I'd choose the grass. And if I had been starving for weeks or months and the grass was buried under 12 inches of snow....I'd eat....

 

my fingers before I'd eat a mouse. Eeeeek!!!!

 

You'd love the book my son has called "You Gotta Be Kidding! The Crazy Book of Would you rather questions". It is pretty disgusting, but ds is always telling me some interesting fact he learned from the book!

[Hannah]

I have been sitting here for a while now wondering if I'd be a spoil sport if I posted without coming up with something silly, but the reality around us is just too sad to trivialise what being poor is really about. The cost of a fast monthly internet connection is more than half of the people in this country live on. So, I'll play, but with a more serious twist and say that I hope I am never so poor that I have to:

 

* rummage through other people's trash bags for food or anything saleable

* send my children to beg at traffic lights or outside shops/restaurants

* live in a tin shack - and regard myself lucky for having shelter

* leave my children at a children's home because I know they'll be fed, clothed and schooled there

* commit a crime to feed my family

 

As one of the lucky 6% of South Africans who has access to the internet, the luxury that I personally would have the hardest time giving up is also my computer and high-speed internet.

[*anj*]

I have been sitting here for a while now wondering if I'd be a spoil sport if I posted without coming up with something silly, but the reality around us is just too sad to trivialise what being poor is really about.

 

I know what you're saying is true, Hannah. Thanks for mentioning this.

Oh, and were you born in South Africa, Afrikaans is your first language? I ask because I have a dear friend (here) who is South African and whenever I read your posts I hear her lovely accent. :)

[*anj*]

You'd love the book my son has called "You Gotta Be Kidding! The Crazy Book of Would you rather questions". It is pretty disgusting, but ds is always telling me some interesting fact he learned from the book!

Thanks Mindy. I'll add that to my Amazon list. It sounds like something my kids would love!!:001_smile:

[Hannah]

were you born in South Africa, Afrikaans is your first language? :)

 

Yes, I'm South African by birth and Afrikaans is my first language. I probably sound just like your friend :). I'm married to an English-speaking South African and my girls have English as a home language. They have been to playgroups to learn Afrikaans.

[Doran]

You'd love the book my son has called "You Gotta Be Kidding! The Crazy Book of Would you rather questions". It is pretty disgusting, but ds is always telling me some interesting fact he learned from the book!

 

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

[5kidsforME]

I think you would surprise yourself over what you would do or use if you hit rock bottom.

 

Even if I hit rock bottom I would never do anything illegal, anything that would hurt my marriage or my children, and I would never do anything that goes against my beliefs.

[Jennifer in NH]

Eat margarine.

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

[*anj*]

Yes, I'm South African by birth and Afrikaans is my first language. I probably sound just like your friend :). I'm married to an English-speaking South African and my girls have Engliash as a home language. They have been to playgroups to learn Afrikaans.

 

Cool! My friend and her family speak Afrikaans to each other, although lately I've noticed that if the mom speaks to her dd in Afrikaans, dd answers in English. Oh well. My Spanish speaking friends have the same thing with their kids.

Oh,my vriend en haar familie praat afrikaans tot elke ander, alhoewel in die laaste tyd ek het opgelet dat indien die mamma praat tot haar dd in afrikaans, dd antwoorde in engels. o wel. my spaans praat vriende het dieselfde ding met hul kinders.

 

o, en sodra sy het epos my iets en Ek gevind een van daardie taal genereerder dinge so Ek kan reageer tot haar in afrikaans!dit was histeries omdat sy en haar dh was beide baie verward. ... :001_huh:

 

But then I sent them the link!

[Hannah]

But then I sent them the link!

 

You had me there until your last sentence. Brilliant!!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

You know those are fightin' words here in Hawaii! Spam, for some mystical reason, is a staple in the local diet.

 

We had a Sunday brunch at our church on Easter morning and my son came to me extolling the virtue of this new food he tried....:glare:. Blech.

 

Jo

 

Jo, I make a mean Spam manapuna. Yum! LOL

[gardenschooler]

My grandmother. Oh, my grandmother. The stories I could tell.

For a while there, every time we went to visit, she would treat us all to Ponderosa, every time we came. The only catch was, all the girls would have to bring purses and we'd have to fill them up with stuff from the buffet.

 

She brought ziplock bags. We had a quota.

 

Good times.

 

That's the funniest thing I've read all day. All week. All month!

 

A quota! :lol:

[Plaid Dad]

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

[Call Me Cordelia]

Come bump up your post count!

Be a little silly! or profound!

 

For me, my answer is:

. . . buy cheap toilet paper.

 

 

We will always buy cheap tp. Especially since it works in our cheap plumbing - disintegrates faster, ya know!;)

[Antonia]

Pawn my wedding ring.

 

Sell a kidney or my eggs.

 

Drink cheap wine. (ok, this one may be rethought!) :)

[RebeccaC]

I do this not for economy but because of my environmental principles. Too much plastic in the landfill, you know?

 

 

 

 

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:

[RebeccaC]

I would not eat dog food or cat food :ack2: