Can you believe that we've been doing this for 66 days?

I was right to try the dollar-a-day eating project for a longer period of time.  We've hit the spot where the novelty has worn off.  Eating on a strict budget is a drag.  But not in the way you would think...

I'm trying to figure out exactly what makes it a drag.  It is not, repeat, not the food.  That is the funny thing about it.  The food has been good.  It has been varied.  It has been healthful.  Tasty.  Satisfying.

So wherein lies the problem?  I think maybe it is that the strict plan puts a crimp in spontaneity.  By its very nature, it forces thinking ahead, and sometimes that brings about a kind of rebellion!  The little voice saying, "What if I want a night off? or what if I want beef tonight, anyway?" 

But the hungry mouths are always asking, asking, for their next meal and with only 10 dollars in hand per day, pretty much that is going to mean the meal must be prepared from scratch.  Home-cooked is the cheapest, hands down.  Waaaayyyyy cheaper even than McDonalds or pre-made meals from Costco or the grocery store.

Maybe it is something more.  Food is at the center of most of our social experiences.  So, maybe the strict food budget has cut us off from some of that kind of outlet for relating to others.

 Not having a coffee in my hand, while all the other moms chatting around do, may have a dampening effect on the conversation.  Others might feel awkward if I am always  declining picking up a bite to eat while they do...I might just be imagining this, but I don't think so.

Or, not dropping by the bakery to have some tea and a macaroon with my kids...I miss that.  I forgot how much until Hilary treated us to a trip to Essensia.  All we ate was a baguette, shared, with butter, and a chocolate macaroon each, with tea, but the visit which accompanied the food, that is what I have been missing.  Some dedicated time together, away from home, just for visiting...

The social aspect of food demands that I think more about our approach to cheap eating, so we don't alienate ourselves from others.  I hadn't anticipated this at the onset of 10for10for10. What do you think about this aspect?  I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Did I mention the other day about my twins experience going out to lunch for their friend Julia's birthday?  Well they had a great time.  And Julia's mother allowed each of the kids to choose anything they wanted from the restaurant menu, anything at all.  Making their choices was part of the fun!  There were no choices under $10, a number which is pretty much branded in my kids' minds forever. 

After an excited explanation of their party and food, we got to talking about the restaurant food, and they realized that the food bill for their party must have been higher than the amount that has been feeding our whole family for more than half a month.  It dawned on them that we really are eating cheaply around here.  Amazingly cheaply.  It wasn't that expensive a restaurant, either, just an upscale burger place.

The flip side of that is that it was a food experience was the focus of the fun of their party, another example of how we use food beyond just nutrition...

Overall, the pros have been outweighing the cons when I think about eating on a dollar a day.  It hasn't been impossible by any means.  Intense, yes.  Time intensive, especially. (With the blog, even more so, which I wouldn't give up for anything.) Difficult, in many ways, yes. 

For instance, sometimes the kids just want to bake cookies, or something like that, because they want something fun to do.  It's a big deal to have to say no because of a budget.  I don't like the do-without angle of the budget.  We can live without cookies just fine.  It is the feeling like we are living without cookies (or you name it) that is the problem for us.

I guess that is similar to going through withdrawals.  Well, we are going through spontaneity withdrawals, treat withdrawals, red meat withdrawals, Micky D ice cream cone withdrawals, Costco withdrawals.  We are curbing ourselves, and feeling the feelings of being curbed.

We are also enjoying the pocketbook benefits of a budget, I might add here.  They are real, not just academic.  Doling out money for school field trips or filling up the gas tank to go to Spokane doesn't take us to the end of our budget quite so fast these last two months...and I like the trade-off.

I must speak for myself here.  Maybe I could take some time to interview my children individually to get their take on the project.  We have almost all angles to get perspectives from, as far as age and maturity levels, I mean.  Sounds like a good idea...