I've been working on this post since Thursday. I've been trying to figure out how to write this and have it not come off completely the wrong way. Ironically, another Catholic mom blogger spent the last couple of days blogging about roughly the same concept so... at the risk of being redundant, here we go.
I went grocery shopping last Thursday. It was a pretty good trip in that C did not chuck her shoes at me, although she still felt the need to put her mouth on the handle bar of the cart. (EW!) J loves to impersonate various characters and animals and will usually only respond if I call him by the right character or animal. So Thursday, I went shopping with Barney, Super-why, and a kangaroo. (Did I mention we don't get cable? Hello PBS!) As for the kangaroo, this is probably the juiciest one for future humiliation. He hikes up the legs of his shorts as high as he can and hops around the aisle declaring for all, "I be a kangaroo! I be a kangaroo!" Wow is it hard to keep a straight face during that one!
I felt really proud of myself. I had clipped coupons to the tune of saving more than we actually spent! I felt accomplished and like I had mastered something incredible! Don't get me wrong, I am not a couponer or a hoarder or anything extreme! We have a subscription for just 1, lonely Sunday paper. And honestly, I really only try to buy what we actually need instead of going for the stock up concept. For me, I found that stocking up means I use more of that product, not that I necessarily budgeted it frugally. But I sometimes have a lingering sense of guilt about using coupons, and sometimes about what food I purchase.
Guilt, yes guilt. I worry about how our system of coupons and sales impact the poor- particularly those working in various stages of the food industry. I'm not a fan of rising food costs, but so much of our food is unreasonably priced one direction or the other. Either the stuff is largely processed, contains ingredients that are largely subsidized by our government and are not greatly healthy for us but cheaper and come with coupons, or the food is much less processed and the costs reflect a really backward system that does not reward responsible or sustainable agriculture. I don't buy organic meats, dairy or produce, although I believe they are very much a healthier alternative. It just really isn't in the budget right now. I'm not claiming to be poor. I'm grateful for the hard work of my husband to provide for our family. I work hard to be frugal to respect what he earns, and because I really don't want to have to go get a job and not be at home with my kids.
There are some companies I choose to boycott because of the way they are reported to treat their employees or because of the charities they support. Some things are pretty much necessities and the best I can do is try to buy as little of that product as possible. And I'm trying to buy more fresh/frozen produce to reduce how much processed foods we eat. I have seen the health benefits in our family for sure!
This is an area for me that requires a lot of prayer and reflection. It's a tight-rope walk- trying to balance my family's food budget along with the greater health and moral concerns I have with the food industry. I don't know what the right answer is. I don't know how to fix the problems. But this does give me a chance to put my trust in God. It is a growing opportunity for me, and I am grateful for it.
I went grocery shopping last Thursday. It was a pretty good trip in that C did not chuck her shoes at me, although she still felt the need to put her mouth on the handle bar of the cart. (EW!) J loves to impersonate various characters and animals and will usually only respond if I call him by the right character or animal. So Thursday, I went shopping with Barney, Super-why, and a kangaroo. (Did I mention we don't get cable? Hello PBS!) As for the kangaroo, this is probably the juiciest one for future humiliation. He hikes up the legs of his shorts as high as he can and hops around the aisle declaring for all, "I be a kangaroo! I be a kangaroo!" Wow is it hard to keep a straight face during that one!
I felt really proud of myself. I had clipped coupons to the tune of saving more than we actually spent! I felt accomplished and like I had mastered something incredible! Don't get me wrong, I am not a couponer or a hoarder or anything extreme! We have a subscription for just 1, lonely Sunday paper. And honestly, I really only try to buy what we actually need instead of going for the stock up concept. For me, I found that stocking up means I use more of that product, not that I necessarily budgeted it frugally. But I sometimes have a lingering sense of guilt about using coupons, and sometimes about what food I purchase.
Guilt, yes guilt. I worry about how our system of coupons and sales impact the poor- particularly those working in various stages of the food industry. I'm not a fan of rising food costs, but so much of our food is unreasonably priced one direction or the other. Either the stuff is largely processed, contains ingredients that are largely subsidized by our government and are not greatly healthy for us but cheaper and come with coupons, or the food is much less processed and the costs reflect a really backward system that does not reward responsible or sustainable agriculture. I don't buy organic meats, dairy or produce, although I believe they are very much a healthier alternative. It just really isn't in the budget right now. I'm not claiming to be poor. I'm grateful for the hard work of my husband to provide for our family. I work hard to be frugal to respect what he earns, and because I really don't want to have to go get a job and not be at home with my kids.
There are some companies I choose to boycott because of the way they are reported to treat their employees or because of the charities they support. Some things are pretty much necessities and the best I can do is try to buy as little of that product as possible. And I'm trying to buy more fresh/frozen produce to reduce how much processed foods we eat. I have seen the health benefits in our family for sure!
This is an area for me that requires a lot of prayer and reflection. It's a tight-rope walk- trying to balance my family's food budget along with the greater health and moral concerns I have with the food industry. I don't know what the right answer is. I don't know how to fix the problems. But this does give me a chance to put my trust in God. It is a growing opportunity for me, and I am grateful for it.