Things My Mother Told Me...

How many times, as a teen, did I roll my eyes at the advice or words of wisdom uttered by my Mom?  Inconceivably too many to count, I'm sure.  Some of the things she said seemed so lame at the time, but today, especially in these trying times when things are not as easy as they were a short time ago.  People out of work, rising prices of everything and it seems everyone is looking for a cost-cutting way around things.

She did some pretty crazy things as well and I'm sure she still does some of them to this day.  I'm realizing instead of rolling my eyes and discounting what she said as insanity, I should have listened a little closer.  My memory may have faded a bit but I will try to do her proud and remember and put to use some of her frugalities, if I may.

-Wash and reuse plastic ziploc bags, those things are too expensive to just use once and throw out!
-Wear heavy clothes like jeans and sweaters twice before washing if possible, save water and electricity!
-Use cold water and fill up the machine when doing laundry, same as above!
-Clip and use coupons.
-Plan your errands in one round-trip to avoid several trips and save gas.
-One hour of TV per day during summer break, this forces you to stay active and find other things to do.
-Look for sales!  Buy items like bread and butter on sale and freeze them until needed.
-Make things from scratch!  It may take longer, but it's most often cheaper and tastes better.
-Save the cardboard roll from paper towels and stuff all the emptied out bread bags and produce bags into it for storage.  Those bags can be reused for odds and ends like freezing items or take along when walking the dog.  The cardboard roll acts as a space saver and enables you to find those bags in a flash.
-Save the ties from the bread, never know when those things may come in handy.
-Save the rubber bands from the newspaper delivery and return to the delivery person, they will reuse them.
-Hang up or fold your clothes as soon as they are done in the dryer.  Less ironing needed.

And on and on it goes.  The thing is, with all of these many great tips, the one thing that keeps circling around in my noggin is the one bit of advice I wish I hadn't followed.  Or maybe I'm glad I did?  I guess it could be considered a blessing on the one hand and a curse on the other.  I feel like one of those old sitcom characters with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other, hoping the best man wins and I get what is best for me and everyone involved. That one bit of advice, I'm sure was a tiny bit on the selfish side to keep her feeling better and younger, perhaps.  But in following that advice, I've possibly denied myself of something that I need to make myself feel a whole person and a viable member of humanity.  I'm not blaming her, that is not my intention here.  In fact, I blame myself.  I've made many mistakes and I'll probably make many more.  I understand there are other options and in time, it may come to taking a look at those other options.  For now, I'm holding onto hope.

What did she say that stuck with me?   "Don't have kids until you almost cant!"  Angel and devil, begin your battle.  Time's running out, how about a happy ending?