If there is anything "good" about living paycheck to paycheck in this economy...

It’s learning what’s bullshit and what’s not.

There really is an art to coupon-clipping, bargain-buying, learning to make-do, realizing you don’t have to throw out your clothes for next year’s model. It’s not “fun”, and this is probably privilege talking when so many people have it so much worse. Yet this year? Kinda feels like an Allegory of the Cave for the consumer bullshit that keeps our culture together. Emperor of the Shopping Mall: clothes, you no has.

I used to mock my Depression-era Southern granny for growing her own vegetables, making everything from scratch and teaching me to sew from Wal-Mart Simplicity! patterns. Not anymore, nana, not anymore.

[verucasassault via itsbedtime]