Some winter-related generalized anxiety

On second thought, perhaps this isn't as winter-related as the title would suggest.  It probably also has to do with the general state of the economy, and Michigan's economy specifically.  I don't know about everyone else, but we at Chez Potter have a modest single income, a modest single income that has been negatively impacted by steeply rising gasoline and natural gas prices, through-the-roof health insurance costs, and grocery inflation.  I have attempted to counter this by driving less, hanging my laundry, growing a garden, buying used whenever possible, and cutting back on fun spending. 

The September issue of Good Housekeeping is devoted to saving money.  I borrowed it from my mom (since we have no subscriptions to anything - magazines, newspapers, or cable), and after reading it cover to cover, could name only one or two suggestions that might be applicable to me.  Everything else they offer I'm already doing it or doing it to an even greater extreme.  It's a bit hard for me to take seriously suggestions like canceling the premium channels on your cable, offered earnestly by one woman who seemed to have a much larger discretionary income than I have to work with.  I haven't had even basic cable for four years.  I get all of my entertainment from the library.  If they don't have it, we don't watch it.

I am considering paying for thegrocerygame.com.  Since we don't get the newspaper, I don't get the ads or the coupons, so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage there.  My real problem, though, is that I hate to cook, and when I do cook, J. doesn't really like what I prefer to make.  So while saving money on groceries would be a good step, cutting back on eating out would really make a difference.  That is our one budget splurge, and both J. and I would hate to see it go.  If inflation doesn't decline on some of our fixed costs - health care, natural gas, food, and gasoline, I can see that one come under the knife.  And it is going to scream when we begin to excise it.  SCREAM.  

Anyway, with the news about the economy, the credit crunch, the lending crises, constantly being highlighted by the media, I'm beginning to feel somewhat anxious.  J. has been fortunate to stay employed through the unending series of layoffs Michigan has experienced [knock wood].  We both worry about this possibility, though, since his employer has no identifiable employee loyalty.  Right now his job is safe because Michigan legislation requires his employer to have someone with his skills on site working full time.  If that changed, we know he'd be gone as soon as the ink was dry on the legislation.  I could always go back to work, and would if necessary, but finding a librarian job - not a parapro position - might take some time.  And require a serious shift around in our schedule and assigned home and childcare tasks.  The logistics have definitely been on my mind.  

Anyway, for all the above reasons, combined with the bad news about projected home heating costs this winter, I've been feeling like a squirrel whose nut supply and nest thickness both look insufficient.  So I've been putting stuff away.  Our garden, while pretty and fun, hasn't really produced like I'd hoped, so I've taken extra produce from my mom and sister's gardens and have started to can and freeze.   Yesterday I took all the blackberries I picked up north and made jam that I then canned.  Today I'm going to freeze quartered and pureed tomatoes.  I've already frozen blueberries.  Later this week making and canning applesauce is on the list.  I don't know if any of this is really going to help my generalized anxiety, but at least I will have a full freezer, a full pantry, and the sense that I did something to keep us from starving, even if that's a silly fear.