February 17th

2/17/2013

With the cost of living rising, people on a low income naturally choose the cheapest products. The money they save stretches their limited funds. I understand their plight. Yesterday, my husband splurged on a bunch of red roses for our 24th wedding anniversary. We married in our late forties and have shared so many adventures through the years. He wants to care for me now that I can hardly walk, and delights in cooking wonderful meals. Now, here's the rub. We have to buy the food put out at special prices from week to week.

transitionstourbridge.co.uk

The poor might have scruples about how animals are treated, but what can they do? They have to survive.

Their decision reflects on the Earth's resources. Producers cut corners to make their goods competitive.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

In the U.K. employees took Amazon to task over poor pay and working conditions last week. They earned 1p over the national average. Today, the news has revealed that security staff harassed German workers at Amazon. Their poor working and living quarters were shown on a television program. This could be how the company offers good prices for its products.

Cutting corners.

advocasy.britanica.com

The same thing could be said for food in the U.K. Chicken meat is reasonably priced at the moment. When I worked and brought in a good pay, I insisted on buying free range products, assured the bird had room to run and peck in the soil under the open sky. Now retired and living on a pension, I consciously turn my head away when my husband chooses cheap products. No matter how much I wish otherwise, I am forced to join the masses. This encourages the practice, yet I have to eat and live a harmonious life with my husband. Even when we both brought home a salary, we argued about buying a product twice the price of another.

The scales must reach a balance. Cheap prices drag quality down, which lowers our compassion for other living things—cereal, trees, animals and people.

And there is the moral dilemma. I'm acting against my conscience for the sake of personal survival and marital harmony. If single, I'd choose a vegetarian diet. But I pray my husband and I will live together for many more years.

7 Comments

Anita-Clare Field link

02/17/2013 2:21am

A very emotive piece. It's true. but the supermarkets are greedy, which is why I prefer to buy locally or from someone like Riverford Organic. Its cheaper !

Caro Ness link

02/17/2013 3:24am

You know, I am not made of money, and have an incurable illness which swallows a lot of my money, but it is possible to eat well on not a lot of money - offal is cheap and immensely good for you, shin of beef is a fabulous cut but not expensive and vegetables are reasonably cheap and go along way...

AMummys Life link

02/17/2013 10:23am

I have to agree that prices for the free range meats are rather expensive and we also end up going for the more cheaper options to stretch out our budget.

Our bill at the till is expensive enough without adding meat that's twice as expensive.

Suzanne Shumaker link

02/17/2013 10:33am

I am on a limited budget as well - I am a single mom (with zero support from the children's dad). Our entire family income comes from the nine hours per week I teach at a community college. I make too much for food stamps, but not really enough for food! My kids and I don't eat a lot of meat. We eat beans/rice to get protein. We eat a lot of eggs (poor people's meat). About once a week, we eat steak, chicken, or fish. I understand that you don't have the sole decision since you have another adult int he household...it's a tough dilemma.

Alana link

02/17/2013 11:35am

I blog occasionally on the topics of farmers markets, local agriculture, and like topics. Francene, I agree with you completely! Those trying to survive should never be made to feel guilty about their choices. Local can be better but it can also be out of the financial means of those on limited incomes. You bring up issues that deserve more discussion-thank you. Thought I would mention here It is possible to eat better by use of protein complementation (mixing non-meat protein sources that by themselves contain incomplete protein, but together have complete protein i.e. beans with rice or corn with legumes). People need to be educated to these methods. Also, re veggies, frozen can be both cheaper and better than fresh. Another issue is that people on limited income may depend on mass transit and (at least here in upstate NY) farmers markets may not be easily reachable by mass transit.

Susie Brown link

02/17/2013 12:48pm

Thank you for this article. I certainly understand that there is a price difference for eating healthy. My husband and I are slowly moving over to organic foods. Even though it may cost more, it is much healthier and I feel better about the products in general.
My grand kids are grossed out that my eggs are now brown :)

sheryl link

02/17/2013 4:21pm

what a moving piece, I go to work in Australia and bring home a low income salary I still find it hard to meet the cost of living here and am constantly stressed out about when I will be too old for the work place and how I will survive living solo. I wish now I had bought a house so I had a permerent place to live but alas I didnt so I also worry about where I will live too.....the highly educated are lucky so to all those parents out there let your children know the value of an education and try and keep them interested in learning and going to a higher level of education. Maybe hard for you but at least it will break the poverty cycle.. love to all Sheryl

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Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

February 17th

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