Thanks to BlogHer, I just discovered Owlhaven, an amazing blog by a woman with 10 kids! 10! And I think I have trouble balancing my budget with just one mouth to feed (well, 3 if you count the cats, who do very much like being fed).
This month, she's doing an experiment called 30 Days of Nothing, where she and her family cut back as much as they can to see what they can live without. They're not actually spending nothing during the month, as I think it would be very hard to feed 12 mouths without buying any food, but she's severely cutting back and keeping to a $200 grocery budget (with 10 kids!). Of course, there's other money being spent as well (she mentions a recent gasoline purchase). But she's resisting all impulse purchases and discussing that on her blog. She's also limiting electricty use by hanging clothes to dry and making other "spend less" steps.
It's an interesting experiment, and I'm eager to see what happens. I wonder if I could do it. I'm amazed at her grocery budget. She does appear to have an absolutely amazing garden to work with, and I admit, I'm very jealous, but still. 12 people. $200. It's definitely an accomplishment. She's also inviting people to participate in whatever way they choose. Might be something to think about.
(I considered not posting today, because it seems frivolous to talk about money on the anniversary of such a tragic event in American history. Then I realized that while it is always important to remember the past and remember those who died, it's also important to remember that life goes on and that we have to be thankful for that and for all we have, even through our sorrow. I think Owlhaven is a great example of being thankful for what you have, so this seemed an appropriate topic for today.)