When my favorite 10 lb bag of boneless/skinless chicken breasts went from $26.99 to $41.99, I considered increasing my monthly food/gas/pocket money cash allotment. Where would the extra cash come from? The only place was the cookie jar, a secondary savings account I maintain to pay for things like auto repairs, to which I add on a monthly basis. At the beginning of 2022 I'd increased my monthly deposit into that account by $100. Now I'd take that $100 and use it for food.
Bad idea. I was reminded of something a friend used to say about food: "It's all sewage in 72 hours."
What I needed to do was make smarter choices in my food spending. Bye-bye boneless/skinless chicken breasts. Hello chicken tenders for salads and chicken thighs for dinners.
The $100 still goes into my cookie jar savings instead of my stomach. Spend less today to have more tomorrow.
Penny Pincher
P.S. Gas is now $4.19, down from $5.49 the beginning of July.
