Even on vacation it’s difficult to get away from the blaring headlines that tell us our governmental budgets are out of whack, that we should all compromise as long as it’s the other guy who does it, and that the price of oil will continue to rise due to the strife in the Middle East. Or maybe due to the various state and federal taxes. Or both.
Months ago I decided not to listen to the news on a daily basis, just as I also decided not to check the stock market that often. Rather than fret about things over which I have little control – OPEC never asks for my opinion on the price of gas — I chose ignorance and have found my life markedly more enjoyable.
This is not to say I don’t have concerns about our own budgets and sticking to them. Nor does it mean I don’t notice the price of gas when I fill my tank. What it does mean is that there are small ways we can stretch our available dollars without waiting for other, larger budgets to get balanced, the compromisers to determine who will compromise first, and which side with win the current Libyan conflict.
Start with water. Gallon for gallon bottled water is pricier than gasoline. The same product, with perhaps less marketing, is readily available from your kitchen tap. And it’s easier to put a lemon in a glass than it is to smoosh it into a bottle.
Use cloth napkins. Not only do they indicate a level of gentility that is lacking in today’s world, they are also reusable. Old T-shirts can replace paper towels. Real plates are better for your pocketbook and for the environment.
Of course, napkins, shirts, and plates all require washing which, in turns, requires some green detergent and possibly a little elbow grease. But it’s not a bad trade-off to make your dollars go farther.
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