On Thriftiness

My mother told me the other day that we need to start spending less so we can eventually move to a cheaper place and allow her to quit her horrible job she hates but which pays for a very nice apartment.

Her main talking point was the need to buy generic and plan more meals in advance, things like entire roasted chickens which could yield multiple meals. Additionally, we should eat less fast food. I suggested we cut back on the fruit, because she has been going fruit crazy lately, paying upwards of $4 for a 1/2 pint of raspberries. Outrageous. She proceeded to tell me that this was to encourage me to eat healthier.

Tired of the conversation, I casually informed my mother that I only but berries when they are ripe and under $3 a package, that I eat far better than she does, that I restrict my fast food diet to $10 every two-to-three days, that my daily meals are based in non-perishables and bulk perishables that are always in the house (rather than costly one-time items), that most of my ingredients are off-brand already and that over the last 6 weeks the only time I've allowed my mother's money to pay for my meals out was on the day when she was being incredibly condescending to me.

Oh, also I told her she still owes me $305.67 for going grocery shopping for her all the time.

Granted she was a tad miffed, but most of that was her not getting to go through with her frugality speech as planned. Nothing like getting a lecture on responsible finance planning along with a bill. From your son.