Well, the report's in on the economy and it's all bad, very bad, so I'm going to offer a few thoughts on the current state of the economy and how we can all save even more money in these hard times. First, you have to think locally, not globally. Where I live, sharing meals is not only a custom, it's a necessity. Those of us on San Juan Island who work for a living or live on the meager interest of once large, now small, bank accounts, have found that one cannot eat out on a regular basis, it's too expensive. Cooking for other people is fun and saves money. Also, it gives more time for commiserating and bitching about the current state of the economy. Bitch therapy I call it. Bringing a bottle of wine definitely adds to the quality of the experience of shared moaning.
On that topic, here's another money saving tip. Next time you go for dinner at a friend's house, instead of bringing the customary bottle of wine, let's face it, once you go below ten bucks for a bottle... Well, actually that would be acceptable here, but I think I can get us down quite a bit more when it comes to host and hostess gifts. Next time you go to dinner at a friend's house, consider bringing something else. My personal favorite is a roll of clandestine Costco toilet paper. Wink as you hand it over to add to the bonding experience of the shared meal. Nobody here is supposed to be going off island to buy anything, right? Your host or hostess will thank you later, probably in kind next time they come over to eat. But be careful, you wouldn't want too much of that stuff, it's hard enough finding empty space for your own stash. In fact, if you entertain frequently, I suggest you opt for one of my other cost saving thank yous.
How about this, bring your own leftovers to add to the meal. I for one can never make it through the taco salad at Haley's, likewise the combo meal at Mi Cacita. I figure, since I eat there because it's fairly cheap, why not double the savings. Won't your host be surprised when they open the door to find you standing there, your arm outstretched with an eco-friendly container of leftover salad or Mexican food? Watch out though, there's a caveat here as well. Since the ban on Styrofoam here on the island, a ban I fully embrace and support by the way, container development is still in the early stages. You might want to sacrifice one of those valuable plastic grocery sacks you normally use for trash bags. (If that money saver's new to yo, you may be in trouble, the rest of us started doing that long before the economy tanked, you may need to do some catching up). But anyway, my point here is those drippy cardboard take home containers might be the cause of embarrassment if you hand over your gift, (especially if it's been a couple of days since you carried it home), in anything less than a plastic bag from Kings.
And speaking of King's, next time you're dropping off your King's receipts at the library, why not try my third suggestion for creative host and hostess gifts. Nothing says, "thank you" like a library book. I mean really, how better to let your friends know you really care than to trust them to return a library book you've checked out in your own name? I for one never get my books back on time, and those are books I've checked out myself. If the meal is expected to be really good, you may want to choose a video or an audio book. Use your own best judgment, no one's written the book on poverty etiquette yet, at least I don't think so. Perhaps I should look into that. Anyway, do what you think is best.
In the meantime, I want you to remember the basics of surviving a tough economy. Make food for family and friends, bring an out of the box hostess gift, and most important of all? As Winston Churchill so famously said, "Never, never, never, never, never... lose your sense of humor."
