tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851322133816062332.post8857962698965442061..comments2023-06-02T02:58:00.488-07:00Comments on i pick up pennies: It's the little thingsAbigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043674506776005070noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851322133816062332.post-78262189404828881352008-09-22T07:06:00.000-07:002008-09-22T07:06:00.000-07:00Yeah for the little things!!I too fight with the f...Yeah for the little things!!<BR/><BR/>I too fight with the frugal monster - but that's also because I know the danger of falling too far under it's spell. I have a Nana ;). One who lived through the Depression, and raised 10 kids on a farmer's income. Who, when living with us, would occasionally invite us over to her flat for dinner - to clear out the vegetables she had frozen 5 years ago. My parents were more moderate, but also more scared. <BR/><BR/>There are times that I love frugality - I <I>love</I> making something out of nothing. I love that we managed to get most of our furniture, etc from sources like freecycle. I love that by going a generation or two back, we can generally get electronics for dirt cheap (although finding a working VCR is getting harder every day ;)). I love "treasure hunting" at second hand stores.<BR/><BR/>But I know the danger of "thinking poverty". Of "it's not worth the money". Of being surrounded by crap, because (a) you can't get rid of anything in case you need it later, or (b) it was "affordable", and the things you want are "too expensive". Of spending all of your energy putting up a bumper zucchini crop to save $1/lb for the winter. <BR/><BR/>Yes, there are some things that I do want to tackle. Especially things that hurt the environment as well as my pocketbook! But one thing at a time, as little guilt involved as possible. You can certainly frugal-guilt your way into misery, and I refuse to do it. The money I have is a form of energy too - I just have to decide where best to spend it. If buying more foil and ziplocks means more physical energy at night when you need it most, it's a good spending of that paper-energy. If spending on those things means you can't afford something that'd help more, then it's bad. <BR/><BR/>But I like to read what others do occasionally, just for the ideas. May hit the guilt button, but sometimes you didn't know something was reasonable/possible until you "see" other people doing it!<BR/><BR/>If you figure out a way out of the dinner-vs-energy quandary, I'd love to hear it - that's the worst for me too. I keep trying to have the big meal in the middle of the day, when I've got the wherewithall to deal with it (and my stomach has the energy to digest!), but the rest of the world isn't built for that either, and I keep slipping back to an evening schedule again.The Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09477006840858840353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851322133816062332.post-7657004680968135822008-09-13T23:49:00.000-07:002008-09-13T23:49:00.000-07:00Yeesh, as someone who's had PTSD I am sorry you ha...Yeesh, as someone who's had PTSD I am sorry you had to do so much with trouble. You're right about the whole problem with looking fine. People forget. It gets frustrating.Abigailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12043674506776005070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851322133816062332.post-2541587015797272232008-09-13T23:26:00.000-07:002008-09-13T23:26:00.000-07:00The spoon theory is great. I've read it before, b...The spoon theory is great. I've read it before, but not for a while.<BR/><BR/>I had Post Traumatic Stress following a car accident years ago, plus weakness in my arms, severe migraines and a lot of soft tissue damage. I was a single parent at the time with 3 young kids and I had a lot of trouble with work.<BR/><BR/>I had to go back, first part time and eventually full time before I was anywhere near physically ready but it was that or lose my job and it was *hard*.<BR/><BR/>People constantly disregarded the fact that I wasn't okay yet because I didn't "look injured" after all the initial bruising etc. went away.<BR/><BR/>And then I'd beat myself up for not being able to keep up with the house or do stuff with the kids.<BR/><BR/>The spoon theory is something to really keep in mind. Even now I'm always saying "Why can't I do this, or that. Everybody else can."<BR/><BR/>Well, maybe I'm *not* really Buffy the Vampire Slayer! I don't bounce back instantly from stuff and I'm working and taking care of 3 little kids, plus driving to and from our other place every couple of weeks.<BR/><BR/>Oh right. And I'm not 20 anymore. By, um, 30 years. I think I need to cut myself some slack.Shevyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12360963999613712921noreply@blogger.com