pf blogroll

Broke and Beautiful

blog categories

Apr

3

Random Thoughts on Frugality and Sickness and Debt

As you may have noticed, I didn’t post yesterday. I just… couldn’t bring myself to do it Anyway, I am feeling a little better today and have a mountain of work to get to (the bad side of working at home, everything is your responsibility), but I want to write a short post about what I’ve experienced in the last few days of being down with a nasty cold.

First, I want to share some links with you! Lynnae at BeingFrugal.net has posted a fantastic list of 168 Frugal Tips to Make Your Dollar Stretch! This is a great, great list and many of my suggestions were included throughout. I encourage you to go check the post out - I learned a lot of little things I hadn’t thought of and you will, too Thank you, Lynnae!

In the spirit of frugal advice, I present to you a short list of frugal tips (or guidelines) for when you’re sick:

Buy the store-brand medicine - it’s ridiculously cheaper than the name-brand stuff.
Don’t waste your money on fast food and take-out just because you feel awful and have no energy. Eat simpler meals rather than spend like crazy for convenience.
If you’re blowing your nose a lot, don’t waste toilet paper or tissues. Use old rags and t-shirts as handkerchiefs and then wash them when they get gross. This will save you a ton in wasted paper and cost at the drugstore.
Eat healthy stuff. As easy as it is to just eat junk as comfort, you’ll get better a lot faster if you eat well.
If you want to up your vitamin C intake, invest in a supplement, not in orange juice. OJ may be tasty, but vitamin C tablets will give you a lot more bang for your buck. (If you don’t know a lot about vitamin C supplements, remember - you can have up to 6000 mg safely but it’s excessive; when you’re sick it’s best to have 2000-3000 mg/day (2-3 g). Your body will thank you.)
Now’s the time to eat up those less-than-favorite foods in the pantry, because your taste and smell are significantly dulled. If you have a soup or rice mix in your pantry that’s been sitting there for a while because you don’t really like it or want it, eat it up while you’re sick. I promise, you can imagine that it’s something else and it won’t even matter because you can’t taste anything
Keep tight notes of all the stuff you think of to do - in sickness delirium, it’s hard to remember. And if you work at home like I do, you’ll need these notes later to keep your business going on track.

Following the frugality theme, I participated in the 119th Festival of Frugality on Tuesday over at Consumerism Commentary - if you’re into being frugal, have a look at the carnival! There are a gazillion good posts over there.

And finally, on Tuesday I was combing through my blogs on Google Reader (you know you’re sick when your GR new posts count actually reaches zero! this never happens!) when I found this post over at Whoorl about her friend’s friend’s daughter Emily. Their daughter, age 16 months, has spinal/brain cancer and has been in the hospital since Easter. After reading all about her and her family’s story, my heart went out to them, and I decided to donate to their PayPal account. I have never done this before… but something called me.

I had contemplated buying pizza that evening for dinner (sickness makes me lazy), but in the end I decided not to spend the money. But a good pizza and sides costs about $30 after all is said and done, and so in the spirit of “money I would have been willing to spend otherwise,” I donated $30 to Emily’s fund.

I’ve been thinking about this ever since I donated - wondering how the family is doing and whether enough donations would come in that they wouldn’t have to go into debt to move to an area close to the hospital to be where their daughter needs to be. I feel so silly writing all about my stupid debt for shoes and manicures and frivolous things when this family is willing to do anything - incur untold amounts of debt - to save their daughter. And so I’ve been pondering about this for a while, wishing I knew how they were doing, and how Emily is doing.

Well, today, news came. Emily has AT/RT and they’re going to have to fight the cancer very aggressively in order to have any chance of winning against it. But the real shock to me was thatthe family has received over $15,000 in just 48 hours. This has made me cry off and on every time I think about it. I am so happy that the outpouring of people’s hearts can give hope and help to this family. I’m happy I could help in what small way I could, and I encourage you to donate as well if their story calls to you too. I’m sure even $2 would set them ahead just that much more
All right - I have loads of work to do. That’s all for now.

Filed Under Just My Life - Stories, Etc., Random Tips, Tricks, and Advice, money and finance, simple living

Comments

3 Responses to “Random Thoughts on Frugality and Sickness and Debt”

My Daily Dollars on April 3rd, 2008 1:01 pm

Great advice on how to be a frugal sickie! Glad you’re feeling better. What an amazing story about Emily! It really does put it all into perspective.
Zach @ pennywise on April 4th, 2008 9:42 am

2 for 1 frugal-hack tip: be sure and save reciepts from donations for tax time. Anytime I feel like buying something that we don’t need and thereby break your frugal habit, I’ll donate to your favorite charity instead.

People spend hundreds on “stuff” that they’ll forget down the line. I think from now on I’ll spend those $$ on good things.

Great post!

I’ll have to keep that one in the
Jenni on April 23rd, 2008 7:34 am

St. Jude’s Hospital, which is on the tv a lot, helps kids with cancer without charging them, does this family know about them? I don’t know how to get in contact with them though.