Re: Hand to Mouth
Ah, Late January and February. Traditionally the start of my end-of-the-year financial hangover, it’s the merry season of Austerity Measures.
First thing to go: nights out. This is the most unkindest cut of all. When I do go out, I do the 1-1 trick: one mixed drink, one club soda. Gets me less drunk, but costs a lot less. No first-run movies, just Netflix and homemade pizza.
Second thing to go: takeout and restaurants. I know how to dress up macaroni and cheese so you wouldn’t recognize it. Add any two or three: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, Roma tomatoes, tuna, chicken, pepper sauce. Serve on a bed of greens. Or take a baked potato and top with a dollop of plain yogurt and curry powder, or alternately, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic salt. Then there’s the ever-popular “scramble”: Take two or more eggs. Take anything in the fridge that seems like it would taste good with eggs: carrots, potatoes, greens, leftover varnishkes. Put in a pan, and scramble together. You’d be surprised at how well you can eat.
Third thing to go: new stuff. This can actually be fun, especially if you live near a bunch of really good consignment stores and second-hand bookstores. Granted, it takes a lot longer to find what you need, but you can usually find some really nice things for good prices.
The worst part is constantly watching your bank balance. Austerity isn’t that hard from a lifestyle standpoint, but the accounting makes it all up in annoyance.
12:34:02 PM 
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