When I was a kid, there were some lean years that required my mom to shop at the cheapest grocery stores to make ends meet for our family.
I hated going to those stores, but I never gave much thought to how hard it must have been for her to decide what she could afford to buy to keep us all fed and content. It must have been so much pressure. We weren’t nearly as bad off as some people, and my family raised beef and hogs, so we always had meat and plenty of it. But I was spoiled then, and I’m even more spoiled now.
When I read about the governor of Oregon’s decision to live on the average amount of money a citizen of his state who receives food stamps is allotted for one week, I was inspired to challenge myself in a similar way. My hope was that I would gain a better appreciation for what people have to do to feed themselves on such a small amount of money.
I started by setting ground rules for myself. I knew my temptation to cheat would be extraordinary, so I tried to be clear with myself on what I was and was not allowed to do during this experiment. Here is what I came up with:
Rule # 1: I will spend no more than $38 on food in the one-week experiment period. According to the USDA, the maximum monthly food stamp benefit for recipients across the U.S. is $155, so I divided that by four as a crude way of determining what to spend.
Rule # 2: I am allowed to accept a free meal from family or friends or at work, but only in the routine course of my life. Food cannot be offered because of the limitations of this experiment.
Rule # 3: I will not seek out free food or meals.
Rule # 4: I can eat anything we already have in the house, but I cannot stock up right before the experiment.
Next I made a grocery list: Peanut butter, bread, milk, cereal, macaroni, rice, beans, tortillas and cheddar cheese. My idea was that with the items I had in my fridge and pantry, I could eat peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, cereal, toast, mac & cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches and cheesy bean & rice burritos. My hope was that I’d have at least a little money leftover for some fruits and veggies.
And so the experiment began. Here are the diary entries I wrote along the way.
Day 1: I went shopping today, armed with my list and nervousness about sticking to my budget.
Day 2: I never realized how much food we have in our pantry that we ignore week after week in favor of whatever we’ve brought home from the store. If nothing, else, this is a great way to make myself use up all that good food that has just been sitting there.
Day 3: I got a free Panera sandwich and chips today at work, which I had for lunch. It was like a dream. I love Panera. I felt a little guilty for taking the food, but not guilty enough to pass it up. It was nice to have some yummy turkey. That will probably be the only meat I have this week.
Day 4: What have I gotten myself into? Am I learning anything about anyone else’s experiences through this? I don’t know. I’d like to think I’m having an authentic experience, but I know that I still have a cushy life and lots of options. Still, if this can at least help me appreciate what my parents did in providing for our family, it will be worth it.
Day 5: I’m officially past the halfway mark, and I feel a renewed sense of purpose. I have it so lucky, and I am only doing this for one single week. I have no reason to complain. I’m off to heat up some leftover mac & cheese. I make a mean homemade mac & cheese, if I do say so myself.
Day 6: I really want to cheat. I’m such a spoiled brat that I can’t even make it through six days of low-cost eating without craving a cheeseburger and Dr. Pepper. I knew I was bad at telling myself “no,” but this experience is bringing that message home clearer than ever before.
Day 7: It’s the last day, and I feel good about what I’ve done. Don’t get me wrong: I’m thrilled this is my last day. But I have learned a few things about myself. I probably knew all along that I was spoiled and self-indulgant, but I’ve very conveniently ignored those truths up to this point.
I don’t know how people do this week in, week out. I know people can do extraordinary things in their lives when they are between a rock and a hard place, and I have more respect for the resourcefulness and resiliency of people of limited means than ever.
In an effort to put my money where my mouth is or walk the walk (choose your cliche), I am going to make a donation to a local food bank. It seems a fitting end to this experience.
Sources:
Ore. Gov. Stars Week on Food Stamps
USDA Food & Nutrition Service Home Page
Lawyerlee
I remember reading when the governor did that and thinking how crazy it is that families get by on so little. Neat experiment that you did.