Day 31: Conclusions
Okay, I wussed out on blogging this month. Consider it a reflection on me, rather than on the plan: I did in fact manage to finish out the month under $100. No, today’s not over yet, but I’ve got my final few meals planned and stocked. Unless I develop a sudden and uncontrollable need for a pint of Haagen-Dazs, I’ll end the month at $97 and change.
I should clarify that the reason I started this project was not doubt that a person could eat on $100 for a month; it was doubt whether I could go from the habit I’d developed of eating out for about two out of every three meals to cooking just about every one for a month. I’ve managed it, and could have done so on around $80 or less if necessary—several times I rewarded myself for a good day or, ridiculously, for having gone X long on Y amount of money.
The first couple weeks of the month, I focused fairly heavily on eating freely available, pickable food, and even considered going dumpster-diving. I haven’t done the latter, and have largely avoided the need for the former during the second half of the month. Turns out it’s entirely possible to eat from a small-town supermarket for $100 for a month, if you’re careful and get to know what they’ve got—and if you don’t mind a serious amount of repetition.
That’s my biggest complaint about this month: I have eaten more zucchini (brought to the office in large quantities by a coworker with an overflowing garden), potatoes (8 lb. bag for $1.69), sweet corn (six ears for $1.29), eggs (18 for $1.50), and more pasta (2 boxes for $3) than I’m entirely comfortable with. While I’m sure I will be eating out this month a fair amount out of sheer relief at being able to, I will also be putting some serious time, effort, and money into cooking some more complex and fun dishes—and buying stupid, simple things like peanut butter and grape jam that I couldn’t afford this month if I also wanted necessities like cooking oil and butter.
Missing mushrooms and tofu (with one exception each) from my diet for a full month was as frustrating as I expected. I managed to fit one pint of ice cream and a loaf of banana bread (well, the components thereof) into my budget over the course of the month, but I have no doubt I am slightly healthier—if unwillingly so—as a result of the dearth of sweets I’ve been suffering.
Getting my bike early this month made this whole experiment far more reasonable. Being able to bike out to the supermarket on the edge of town and back in just a few minutes made shopping much less of a chore; I will be much more likely to cook for myself in the future because acquiring components is less of a hassle. I suspect the fact that my weight hasn’t actually changed much hides a not-insignificant change in body mass from fat to muscle since I started riding more regularly. On a couple of occasions this month, I started a >4 mile circuit halfway through my lunch break and got back before it ended; while I complain about the flatness of Ohio sometimes, it has its benefits.
The tomato plant I bought hasn’t given me any tomatoes yet, but then I haven’t been as solicitous of it as I ought to have been. I plan to retrieve two tomato plants that I’ve spotted lurking around campus in flowerbeds where they don’t belong, and relocate them to provide the Nyagous with friends.
Several times this month, I’ve found myself planning a future veggie garden: the three sisters in one section, some heirloom tomatoes and peppers with purslane and dandelion companion crops, carrots, daylilies for the buds, perhaps some nasturtiums for salads, basil and other mints, thyme, and some other herbs… potentially a lot of work, but also very handy for cooking with and cultivating a more relaxed mind. Once I’m more certain about being in the same place for more than a year, I will probably find space and start laying it out.
All in all, this month has been a great learning experience but I am sure as hell ready to be able to ‘afford’ the occasional meal out or unplanned snack, not to mention some variation in my diet.
Project 31on100: Success.
P.S. - If you’re curious what I’m eating tonight, it will be a giant tofu, broccoli, pepper, purslane, dandelion leaf, and bamboo shoot stir fry over rice, possibly with some eggs for protein and texture. Never believe it’s not possible to eat healthily for one on a very low income; I haven’t gone a day without delicious, healthy vegetables in at least two weeks, not counting fast days, and protein hasn’t even been close to an issue.
P.P.S. - Far more even than variation in my food intake, I have missed the social aspect of food; not being able to invite friends out to brunch, lunch, or dinner put something of a crimp in my social life, particularly opportunities to interact with certain friends. I look forward with great enthusiasm to not having to respond to invitations to dinner with, “I’d really like to, but I ‘can’t afford’ to until the end of the month.”. It’s extraordinarily embarrassing even when I can go on to explain about 31on100; I sincerely hope to never again have to say it because it’s really true.
