Using Every Last Drop

I catch myself marvelling at the blessed life I live, where I have a pantry/cupboard and/or freezer to rely on when our supplies run low.

I have a stockpile of regularly used household items and groceries so it is a rare event to look for something we need and come up empty. Each and every time I retrieve something from our excess storage areas, I quietly think the words "Thank you" and remind myself of our very good fortune.

I am a firm believer that respecting one's financial limitations, using everything until the very last drop, not being wasteful and simply being aware of how one's money is spent is rewarded in small and almost imperceptible ways. 

I cannot begin to count the times I have had a shortfall within my budget which has been covered by an unexpected windfall. While I don't believe these are actual miracles, I do contend that coming across an unexpected cheque of thirty odd dollars at a time when you know your budget is short an amount that is very close to the unexpected bonus, you are put in a place where you are rewarded for being mindful of every little thing.

I keep track of my spending. This hasn't changed my spending habits but the practise of being aware of what I spend continually reminds me of my financial state of affairs.

Our little home seems to be going through a time of running low (but not out of) many small items. Yesterday morning, I cut down the hand lotion bottle to retrieve the massive amount of lotion not reachable by the lotion's pump. I'm almost certain this lotion will last at least two more weeks. I used the very last of some lip balm (cut in half and I've utilized every last drop of it long after it appeared to be empty); and I officially declared the travel sized toothpaste "empty". I then drained the last of the hand soap which had been stored upside down so none was wasted; and this morning I emptied the last dregs of our mustard bottle.

There is an ample supply of lotion, chapstick, toothpaste, hand soap and mustard on deck. But I cannot bear to throw something away before its time. And I am actually quite excited to know I will not have to squeeze the contents dry for quite some time as all of the above is replaced by a fresh, new supply. 

Yesterday morning's snapshot of some of the things that are running on empty

I am gazing at my monthly cash flow projection and see I will be short $174.23 next month. This is so very close to the amount I have budgeted to save but I am determined to get back into the savings habit one small step at a time. My awareness of what I am short is making me mindful of ways to decrease that number. 

The small act of utilizing every last drop out of that which we have makes me think of the parallel to living life to the fullest. If only I could take my days and ensure I lived every day as if I was squeezing every last drop out of the hours I had at my disposal ...

Work is depleting me. This I know. The answer to my budget shortfall is to offer to work an extra two days. That would be enough to cover the shortage. I must be on the tail end of my work life. I do not want to squeeze my days dry by working. I would prefer to squeeze the life out of my day by finding something that fills my soul. I am just too tuckered out at the day's end to care. 

My dream quota has been running on empty for a while. I tried filling that part of myself with things-to-do and places-to-go. Tacking that onto my work load was not ideal. Taking a holiday that felt like a chore marked off my to-do-list made it one of the hardest holidays I ever took.

I guess it is no wonder I find myself filling up on Netflix and salty snacks. It is the best I can do right now. Baby steps ...