Guest Article by NRP & Blue, November 16, 2021.
Hi, Morning Everyone, what a GREAT Day.
Paper Stuff, you know what I mean, ‘TP, PT, Kleenex, Napkins, Money’
Before I get started I want to remind you, folks, out there of two things.
1. Connie’s is doing one heck of a GREAT job here on this BLOG, and other places, of trying to help “YOU” better prepare for what may come, I would need to add, that “May Come” is already here, think about it.
2. Last year (beginning early 2020) the Country and World hit a wall so to speak, Pandemic.
DO NOT forget what happened to the supply of goods and services, and I might say still going on, maybe worse coming.
Paper Pulp:
Yeppers good old Paper Pulp, want to guess how much Paper the US uses a year?
As per the ‘Net’ “In 2019, the total consumption of paper and board (Cardboard) in the United States amounted to approximately 73.1 million tons.”
Now my friend’s that is a LOT of paper and trees, Green Trees, cut down just for Paper N Boxes.
And here you thought my Firewood used a lot huh? HAHAHAH
BTW, “422 million metric tons of paper consumed globally in 2018”, just in case anyone would happen to ask you over a Beer.
Now I want you to think on how huge of an industry that is. How many million acres of trees are cut down each year, now I could go on a Rant on how we are killing the Forest and all, but that’s for another Article.
BTW, so much for the “The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980” LOLOL.
But, I’m not writing this to yap about how much Paper we all use, well maybe specific types of Paper.
Toilet Paper:
So my friends, how much Toilet Paper does your family use in a week, a month, a year?
Who me? I use about 1 to 1.5 rolls every two weeks give or take depending on how much HOT Mexican Food I’m eating HAHAHA
From the ‘Net’ “The average person uses 100 rolls of toilet paper per year”, that’s 2 rolls a week, ok so I’m ‘Frugal’ with my TP.
Well to be honest that usage number surprised the heck out of me….
But ok, seriously, let’s say you have that average family of 2 adults and 2.5 children. BTW, kids use a LOT more than most adults.
So doing a little quick math from the ‘net’ estimate we come up with around 400 rolls a year. Let’s divide that with 12 for just a month…… 33 rolls for only one month.
Do you have a month’s worth of TP stored?
Or are you someone that always says “The stores will always have what I need”.
Back to last year when the Pandemic first hit…… ZERO paper goods in the stores, nada, nothing.
You starting to get the idea?
How about when the stores are well-stocked, how about picking up a couple of ‘Bricks’ of Toilet Paper and stuffing them away in the Deep Pantry? Is that “Hoarding” or just being smart?
Would it not be nice to NOT hear the kids YELL “Mom, (or Dad) we’re out of Toilet Paper” and we’re right in the middle of another problematic shutdown?
BTW a little fact for you;
“In the late fifteenth century, paper became widely available. However, mass manufacturing of modern toilet paper began in the late 19th century. Joseph C. Gayetty created the first commercially packaged toilet paper in 1857”
Hummmmmmm, I wonder what people used before then?
Paper Towels:
Not quite as a lifesaving item as a few rolls of Toilet Paper, but important nonetheless. Maybe a backup to TP?
These are also an item that disappeared last year, and the cost skyrocketed also.
Now before anyone says well just use an old Rag for what you would use a Paper Towel for, allow me to explain.
I seem to always try to use something as much as I can, except TP of course HAHAHA.
So when I grab a Paper Towel for putting a lite (Very Lite) coat of oil on the cast iron I just used, I keep the used PT in a separate trash bin for using to start my Wood Stoves with. OR quite a few other things, Sure I could use a Rag for that, but I don’t want to have an oil rag sitting around that ‘May’ go rancid after a week or so.
So yes I use a dozen sheets of PT a week, not so bad I guess?
Again, you may consider stocking up a few dozen rolls when they are still available.
Ok, with that said, I would also include Kleenex, Napkins, Paper Plates/Bowls, and some throw-away plastic utensils (Knives, Forks, and Spoons).
Paper Stuff:
Having some extra paper goods around might sound kind of foolish to some people; I can hear it, again and again, a thousand times.
“The stores will always have some for me to get”.
OK, without going into last year’s debacle with the supplies, how about what we are seeing ‘Now’?
Are you listening to the News at all? Are you not seeing a few more that usually empty shelves in those stores? Are you not seeing what’s going on with the Trucking and Shipping industries?
Just Saying.
Money:
Remember that TP I was just talking about? I just checked the cost from Sam’s Club here in the Four Corners. The price of the exact same ‘Brick’ of TP has increased 36% in the past 18 months.
Did your wages or money income increase by 36%???
Do you truly believe that the price of ‘Stuff’ is NOT going to keep going up?
Take a good hard look at the price of Fuel.
So, here is a question for ya all.
How does one balance the benefit of a Deep Pantry and having that Money you would spend on ‘Deep Pantry’ stuff and spending on “Keeping up with the Jones’s”? You know what I mean.
I guess it has everything to do with your Mindset and Lifestyle. And NO I’m not saying to spend every dime you have on the Deep Pantry, use your best judgment for the balance.
I’m going to close this Article out for now with this because I want to do an Article just on the decisions to be a LOT more Frugal and living a Lifestyle/Mindset a little different or maybe a LOT more different than most everyone you will ever know.
Being Frugal and having a Mindset to live well is a hard decision for most. It’s a LOT easier to blame everything that happens to them on someone else and live as the world is out to get you than make the decision to change and live maybe a little differently.
Think about that for a bit.
Life is good here on Lighting Point, be well my friends.