With gas prices, grocery prices, rent/property taxes skyrocketing, how are you managing? I sit here thinking about how things will be six months from now and it scares me to no end. Everything is so expensive, and it just keeps going up!
Motherhood is tough. It’s tough even in the best of times but throw in this current economic climate and moms need ways to cope.
Despite the uncertainty and turbulence of life as we’ve known it right now, I hope you are enjoying the longer stretches of daylight and warmer weather as I am. Taking time to notice things with our five senses is a great way to slow down and come back to ourselves when we are caught up in emotions and anxiety.
Yes, our tanking economy yields plenty of opportunities for mothers to break down, not a lot can be done about that. But what is important is that we have the resilience to snap back.
How I’m Saving Money
Some things I am currently doing to help are the little things that save us money.
With gas prices skyrocketing, I honestly have been getting gas when it’s half or fuller. I do it at 6 a.m. at Sam’s Club before work and I pump it super slow. I track my mileage and check my tire pressure often. I use an app for money back at the pump and I continue to get the oil changed on time.
When it comes to food, a big thing I’ve been doing is buying meats in bulk and snack items when on sale. I meal plan before shopping then buy only what we need or what we will use if it’s cheaper. However, since it is summer, I have become the pantry police and must cut my kid’s snacking habits. Also, I just planted our garden and plan to can some goods in the fall. I will be ready for an apocalypse if need be. When it comes to fruits, I freeze what I can to keep my kids from eating them all in one sitting. Lastly, I highly recommend investing in a deep freeze if you don’t already have one. When we do buy in bulk everything fits in there.
When it comes to other bills, I do the laundry and run the dishwasher at night, we close vents off in rooms we don’t use especially during the day. Also, I check the exhaust vents and ducts inside and outside. This saves on time, and electricity and the appliances last longer. We invested in blackout thermal curtains. The difference has been huge for us in the summer and winter months on heating and air.
Staying Resilient During Tough Times
Mothers rarely get a break, and we’re hard on ourselves. Add economic hardship to the mix, and it can be easy to spiral downward to a very dark place. When you have resilience, you can stop that spiral and even reverse it.
Our children count on us to teach them the life skills they’re going to need and resilience in uncertain times is one of the most important.
My goal is to provide a happy, healthy home for them. I shouldn’t feel bad that I can’t buy them the newest iPhone. The importance of the basics has never been clearer.
The most important lesson to keep firmly in mind – and that I share with my kids and repeat to myself – is the hard times won’t last forever. They never do because change is life’s only constant. It’s that knowledge that lies at the heart of resilience itself.
Mallory Connelly
Babies & Toddlers
In addition to the time I devote to being a mom, I also work full-time outside the home, which means my day is hardly ever as simple as nine to five. With an all-too-established schedule, as soon as I walk through the door, my day doesn’t end, but rather just begins. It’s a balancing act, especially with two children, but being a mom is one full-time job that I never want to quit!
