If reincarnation is real, I was once a Depression era housewife. This is never more clear than during a No Spend Challenge when more time at home allows me to consciously use what I have. I was thinking about this last night while making dinner.

I’m good on a regular day but am more conscious and stricter during a challenge. 

Today is January 12 and every meal I have eaten so far this month has been home cooked. I don’t eat out much but this is still good for me because it’s so easy to order lunch when I don’t feel like packing.

Last night I found a couple of random things from the freezer that I turned into a good meal. While that was cooking, I decided to face the music and do something with three sad overripe bananas that had been staring at me. I ultimately turned them into some delicious muffins to freeze for future enjoyment. 

I have a basic banana muffin recipe but don’t especially like banana flavored stuff so I doctor them up. Every batch is an experiment. Adam likes them so at least one other person finds them enjoyable! Last night’s batch included peanut butter, blueberries and dark chocolate chunks. Best of all, I know exactly what goes in them – flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, butter, salt, and egg – a far cry from the ingredients list on store bought muffins and certainly better than a box mix. 

There are lots of things I do that I take for granted but others seem to think odd. For example, I try to use up what I have. Things that others throw away without thought always get some attention from me.

For example, I use the heal of a loaf of bread. If it’s for a sandwich, I turn the end part to the inside of the sandwich to address the texture issue some have. Sometimes I will toast it and put it on a plate with an egg over easy on top. Odds and ends of excess bread might get turned into a french toast casserole.

When nearing the end of a jar of peanut butter or spaghetti sauce, I’ll use a silicone scraper to use up as much as possible. If you cut off the end of the toothpaste tube, you’ll find several more brushes worth of toothpaste that you just can’t squeeze out. Just hold onto the piece you cut off to slip over the end of the tube.The same goes for things like lotion, face wash and shampoo.

I lean into leftovers because they are great for lunches, easily frozen for later, and often delicious when turned into something else. For example, leftover mashed potatoes are great potato cakes and random vegetables are perfect for stir fry or quiche.

I also use the freezer liberally. It’s impossible to make a small pot of soup so I lean into the excess, freezing one or two servings per package for later. I like peppers, onions and mushrooms in omelettes and on pizza. Extras of these items get added to a bag in the freezer for future use. I do the same with carrots and celery for soups. I rarely have at risk fruits but, when I do, they go in baked goods like last night’s muffins or they get frozen.

Odds and ends can often be stretched into multiple delicious meals. 

What’s left, the actual waste, either gets composted or just tossed into the edge of the woods for opossums and other hungry creatures to find. 

Food and product waste is truly disturbing to me. After all, some farmer expended much energy and money to grow the produce. Some factory did the same to make the toothpaste or a jar of spaghetti sauce. Some trucker drove miles across the country to get these things to the store for me to take the time to drive to the store, find and drag home. That’s a lot of money, time and energy. Throwing away what can still be used is nothing less than wasteful.

My No Spend Months are often tidier times in my world. I suddenly stop leaving dishes in the sink overnight. My living room is nice and tidy. Even my home office is neater. Every day feels easier to declutter. Taking care of what I own feels more important than acquiring more. 

For the last ten days, I have been in a constant state of preparation for a power outage. When you live in the hills where there are more trees than you could ever count and the winter wind and a foot of snow put you at risk of downed power lines, you learn to be ready. We have been lucky though and I’m grateful. Still, I have my indoor tent ready to go if there’s no heat. Plus, there’s plenty of water ready for drinking, flushing and cleaning – important when you need electric to operate your well. I have also been prepared with food that is good eaten cold or that will cook quickly on the grill. 

I’m not a prepper per se but I am always prepared within reason for whatever comes my way. In other words, I keep myself in a place that I never have to go to the store if I don’t want to and that a winter storm won’t be catastrophic.

None of this is outlandish to me but people act like I’m odd because I don’t like waste and see value in things others consider trash. This world is just too disposable for my taste.

I have these tendencies anyway but the skills and attention are sharpened during a challenge. Today, I will inventory the fridge and come up with a game plan for food that needs used up this week. I’m hibernating today. There will be no shopping or spending today. I’ll entertain myself with things I already own. I’m excited to have this quiet day to relax and enjoy. I’ll read, do a load of laundry and perhaps take a nap. 

Doesn’t that sound lovely?

Tell me something – how’s your month going?