Jan. 07, 2006 - 18:51 MST

A SPELL

Mary Winter who has a column in the Rocky Mountain News on Saturdays is a person from the hinterlands of Nebraska or Kansas I think. A lady who is forthright and refined to boot. Her colum today pretty well tells it as it is and reminds me of "as it was." In part then:

GOING SOMEWHERE ? BE SURE TO TAKE AT LEAST $50

"It's virtually impossible to walk out the door anymoe for under $50, or some increment thereof."

"In Denver, at least, you just can't move a muscle these days without it costing half a C-note, give or take $10."

"The tab I ran up during the holidays proves it. Big items. Small items. No matter. The damage is going to be $50 bucks if it's a dime."

"Even something as ordinary as running to King Soopers (a Kroger subsidiary) for a few baking supplies -- trips where you don't need a cart, just a red plastic basket -- end up makein a big dent. Walnuts, butter, vanilla, eggnog, a couple of greeting cards -- stick a dozen items in that little baket and before you know it, you've managed to blow what used to buy you a whole week's worth of groceries, even with your "valued customer" card."

"Examining my past month's bills and receipts, as painful as it was, illuminated the situation further."

"Costco membership $45 - - Costco shopping spree, to lay in supplies for the next 12 months (including a 36-roll pallet of toilet paper too big to store anywhere but in the bathtub) $209.03 -- Xcel Energy $249.67 -- Denver water $44.39 -- comcast $93.46." (and Mary Winter lists more)

"I could fill this page with other examples, such as $61.50 ATM withdrawals, but you get the point."

"I read where the average adult spent $600 to $900 on holiday gifts this year. That may be accurate, but it leaves out all the holiday incidentals -- wine and liquor for entertaining, cheese and vegetable plates, last-minute decorations, Christmas cards and postage, beef roasts and corn husks for the tamales, extra gasoline for all the running around you have to do."

"My husband, who owns his own business, has weightier expenses to worry about."

He's mildly surprised to learn I spend $120 a week on groceries.""I remember 25 years ago, two people could eat for $30 a week," he said. Apparently, when he was married the first time, he did the grocery shopping. What he remembers is that everything cost 39 cents, including a pack of hot dogs, a pound of bologna and a loaf of bread."

"I tell him bologna is still a bargain and I'll be happy to bring him home five poinds next time."

"The only $50-or-so item I've found to cheer about recently is the $59 one-way ticket to Phoenix or Las vegas that Frontier Airlines advertised this week."

"Add a hotel room for a couple of nights, a rental car and meals and, in no time at all, that $118 bargain flight turns into a $500 weekend."

"Rounded down,of course."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mary Winter brings present day realities to mind for sure. We have a problem storing the 36-roll of teepee and the huge bale of paper towels and some of the other stuff we consistently use which is a heck of a lot cheaper at Costco. Does stuff the pantry something terrible. And the cost of heating and gasoline to boot.

Mentioning what her hubby used to get by on brings to mind the 1970s when we were living at Dad's house, Heather ailing, me taking care of her and Dad along with a teenage daughter at home. I did the grocery shopping and cooking for a time. Doing pretty well too, buying staples to eke out an existence on low cash available. Just before I finished my year at tech school, all of a sudden things like Great Northern Beans pretty well doubled in price per package and the packages went to half the original sizes. As well other things raised in price. If I hadn't found a job right about that time, we would have been hurtin' fer certain.

Sure income has gone up over the years, but to my mind prices have gone up more rapidly than wages. Plus all the extras taken out of a paycheck by the feds and states.

Some of the things she lists pretty well give away the fact that they live in the neighborhood where my teen age years were spent -- or do their shopping there. Mary Winter always makes me think fore and aft and her hubby's look back to the yore takes me back A SPELL . . . . . . . . .

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