Retooling Finances for Being Alone

 by Cowboy Bob Sorensen 

This may sound callous, but I have mixed feelings about not having to answer to Charlene. Do not disunderstand me, she did not police or nag me, but I wanted to please her. That was often in the back of my mind.

Now I have used this dubious freedom and let things go, even developing some bad habits. (Those have to change.) I have a reluctance to do some things because she is not here and I want her input. When it comes to finances, I have to plow ahead.

Shopping cart with groceries, Unsplash / Karsten Winegeart

Some things I say as a widower in a one-bedroom apartment obviously will not apply to many people, but mayhaps there are some things that people can draw from or adapt to their own situations. Further these things may apply to those who are not bereaved.

As I said before, Charlene would not want my life to come to a halt because hers did. She would want me to survive and even thrive, doing what's best for me. Rent costs and electric usage are mostly the same whether one or two people live here, but a bigger change is with food purchases. Although I am still learning and making mistakes, I am modifying how I do shopping.

Here's something special for me: location. Many people have to plan shopping days by reading flyers, setting the order of stores to visit, working in something else to consolidate trips. For me, going to and from the workplace, the store is right there, so I can easily stop for something on the way home.

Some of the big stores like Meijer and Walmart have a membership plan that delivers groceries and other things to your door. They also let you drive there and they bring them to your vehicle. Other stores

are following suit. (I think this was a technique for business survival developed to counter the effects of COVID scares.) Check around, you may have something convenient available. I get several things delivered.

Most people probably know that buying, say, a twin-pack of snack cakes costs more per unit than buying a box of twelve. But I don't want or need twelve. Other things are cheaper in larger quantities, but for a lone widower, saving money with buying the big box can cost more because I couldn't use it all before it spoiled. A box of macaroni and cheese goes a long way, but I don't want that much and the four-pack of single-serving cups meets my needs, even though it costs more.

There was a sale on a pound of cold cuts that I use for sandwiches, but I can't eat a pound in a week. So I froze half of it for later. Aye, there's another rub: storage space. Some folks have external freezers or big refrigerators and can stock up when something goes on sale. I have some space but have to be careful.

Hey, did you know that freezing bread changes the chemistry for the better? Then toast the frozen bread for a another good change in the glycemic index. (Takes a lot of room in the freezer, though.) Whole wheat bread tastes a lot better this way. This and other discoveries... wish I could have shared them with Charlene.

It comes down to balance. Spend more for a smaller quantity that will be used, or less per unit on a larger quantity that may turn bad. It's something that needs to be considered on the more perishable items.