Okay, so I have been thinking alot...

Alot, about the economy and the consequences of my family's habits, and what we could possibly do without if need be, you know contemplation. As for things that my family can most definately do without...TV, and by TV I mean the highest number of Satelite Channels, we can do without all of the name brand things that we enjoy...Name Brand Clothing, Name Brand Food Items, the only thing that the Name Brand does for the item is bring along with it a status symbol. There is nothing wrong with buying knock off jeans at the outlet mall, especially when they cost me less than $7 a pair, versus $50+...also, store-brand tuna fish, tastes just like the name brand tuna fish when it is slathered in mayo on a piece of bread, and you are hungry. What difference does it make? The milk my kids had with breakfast this morning did not taste any different just because it had a store brand label on it instead of a the fancy packaging that usually accompanies the name brand.
I am not saying that we do not indulge in some of the name brand items, because we do. A big ticket item in our house is Mayonnaise. You see we are a split down the middle household. I like Hellman's/Best Foods, and my hubby loves Miracle Whip. With my teenager siding with me, and the little girls are undecided, but have had both kinds. We have tried the store brands, but we just do not prefer them in this case. Another for my hubby is, he enjoys Pepsi to drink occasionally. I don't mind the store brands of soda, actually in some cases, like orange and grape soda, I prefer the store brands, but for him Pepsi is it... So, I do make sure that he always has that. But with the economy going in the direction that it is, we have to be more mindful of our spending habits.
One think I have started doing, especially when the Case Lot Sales come around twice a year, is buying bulk, and not just flour and sugar, but also canned food items, toiletries, and similar items. I even have a friend who is emailing me a Food Calendar, so that I can figure just how much that I will need to have on hand for my family of five, for one year. That is something everyone should consider. If you or your spouse were to become unemployed, or some other event were to occur where you would not be able to sustain your lifestyle as you know it for a time, what would you do? I am not saying that you need to go out and get all of the items you need for one year, all at once, that is not it at all, but you and I can start a little at a time, one or two items a week, or what ever we all can. Every little bit helps, because you never know what will or could happen, and we all need to be able to be a help to our family.
Just a thought.