No money for food; how do people manage?

While camping over Memorial Day I happened to loose my pocketbook. What truly sucks is that I was at Kelly’s in Franconia (I know the name has changed, but I know it as Kelly’s). I ran in to buy sandwiches for the 3 hour ride home and I left the store. I only carry a wristlet so my bag is small, barely big enough for change, credit cards and cash. Somehow I managed to get into the car with the 2 bags of food (god forbid I not have FOOD) but my pocketbook did not make it. I have no idea if I left it in the market or if I dropped it in the parking lot. It was a cute Coach bag with a Coach CC holder and about $100. I called the campground to get the # to Kelly’s. Called them, but they had not seen it (and it’s a small town store, I can’t imagine that they would have it and not say anything). I called the Franconia police who ran over to the parking lot to see if they could find it and then left a message on my home phone to say they did not, but they would keep their eyes open. So you know it was some RAT FINK BASTARD out of towner who bought gas before I cancelled everything.

I use a small town bank that only has a few locations and because I am out of the house by 6:30 and don’t get home until 6:30 I have trouble making it into the actual bank. I did manage this past Saturday and applied for a new card. I also took out some cash. I apparently did not take out enough. How the hell do people survive without debit cards?

I am by no means wealthy. But I can pay my bills, and buy whatever I want at the grocery store. Without the debit card I have limited myself to $50 (because I need $50 for gas twice a week) and then another $50 when I can get back to the bank hopefully on Thursday.

Here is my list:
Bread
Hot dogs – for Spotty chop (I like the Ball park frank ones that come in individual packages because they are easy to use in lunches or whenever)
American Cheese
Rice – White rice in a bag
Dada juice – Gatorade – the flavors Spotty likes
Mama juice – Vitamin water (dragon fruit the only one Spotty likes)
Hamburger – 1.5 lbs
Refried Beans
Monterey jack cheese
Jelly
Pancakes – frozen, Spotty WILL NOT EAT FRESH what the hell is wrong with him?
Parmesan cheese –for me
Boars head hot dogs – for us
Hot dog buns
Goldfish/snacks for lunch or whenever
Cream
Eggs
What was missing from the list was fruit so I added
Bananas
Strawberries
Grapes

I had to cut out:
Grapes
Boars head hot dogs
Hot dog buns
Parmesan Cheese
Monterey jack cheese
American Cheese – we had some Kraft crap at home

Now I know I could have cut down the price if I did not buy name brands, and I did forgo the Pepperidge Farm Bread for the store brand, but I like what I like. As I was calculating how much I was spending and putting crap back because it put me over the limit. I started thinking about folks that are not as fortunate as I am. Folks that actually may have to live off of $50 a week in groceries. What would they have to put back or not get so they could actually feed their family. Fresh fruits? Fresh milk? Fresh veggies? Pain in the ass rice that you have to pay attention to? No snacks. And I am sure that moms and dads do what I did and made sure that their kids got stuff before getting stuff for them.

So I tip my hat to anyone that manages the feat. I know I will be spending a bit more attention to what I am buying in the future, and giving more when it comes to stamping out hunger in America.

Nobody’s kid should be hungry in the 21st century