🚀 go-pugleaf

"Harry" <paminifarm3@netscape.net> wrote  
>  At Wegman's they have these special-
> made, itty-biddy carts with only one, small basket, and small rack on
> the bottom that i now use to control my spending; when i purchase the
> meager groceries for it that wind up costing over $100.00

Using that method 
(Putting a limit on the volume ((square or cubic)) of groceries)
to control spending sure seems totally unwise.

To get adequate nutrition for least cost, you should 
go for many of the basic unprepared bulky foods over 
the compact preprepared stuff.
Would that 'little thing' even hold a 10 lb bag of 
potatos or rice, a gallon of milk, a bag of vegtables, 
a package of meat (like chicken drumsticks or thighs) 
and a flavor enhancer (like a can of mushroom soup)? 

> When i fill up my little car with $65.00 worth of gas 

Hmm, even at worst gas prices I've seen lately, 
that sounds like over 15 gallons, so really then, 
'not so little a car'?

> out of a $1,000.00, monthly income,  

Yeah, that sounds tough.
I hope you are understanding, that somehow you have made 
choices that have gotten yourself WAY below the median income.
(Hmm, Harry = male, so even below average for a male 
who dropped out of 9th grade???)
Note the tables (if this does not display well, 
find the original, go google put in - median income  )

Criteria 
Overall 
       Less than 9th grade/ HS drop-out /HS grad /Some college/AA degree 

Median individual income 
Male, age 25+ 
$33,517 
          $15,461       $18,990      $28,763    $35,073  $39,015 

Female, age 25+ 
$19,679 
           $9,296       $10,786       $15,962    $21,007  $24,808 

Both sexes, age 25+ 
$32,140 
         $17,422       $20,321      $26,505    $31,054   $35,009 

Median household income 
$45,016 
           $18,787       $22,718     $36,835   $45,854  $51,970 


For higher education levels: 
 Bachelor's/    BA+/  Master's/  Professional degree/    Doctorate 
$50,916     $55,751       $61,698          $88,530    $73,853 

$31,309      $35,125      $41,334         $48,536      $53,003 

$43,143         $49,303   $52,390          $82,473     $70,853 

$68,728         $73,446   $78,541          $100,000   $96,830 


> When i think of my partner who fled to his son's house to
> hide and live, because of debt, 

I guess we should be glad that someone in the 
family could figure out something of finances.

> "I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers
> of society but the people themselves; and
> if we think them not enlightened enough to
> exercise their control with a wholesome
> discretion, the remedy is not to take it from
> them, but to inform their discretion by
> education." - Thomas Jefferson

Good words, "inform their discretion by education".