The lockdown begins

So my husband was laid off back in March. A good time to learn how to "tighten the purse strings", "button down the hatches", "eliminate the fluff in the budget", "reassess priorities". Maybe so, if we hadn't already done that two and a half years ago. This is the second time he's been laid off since the beginning of the "great recession". People say the economy is turning around. I don't believe it. But...that's another blog. Back to the point.
What was the first thing I did (after having myself a good cry)? I made a list. Several lists, in fact. Lists of what non-essentials could be cut from the budget (what's your definition of "non-essential"?), what kinds of free things could we do to keep ourselves sane, what foods were already near composting in the freezer/ pantry/refrigerator., what menus incorporated those same foods so that I don't have to shop for as much food, how to avoid the high cost of coffee (coffee is, after all, an essential in my life), etc.
Eliminating the "non-essentials" is no easy task after I believed that we had already done that with the first lay off. Since my husband had only been re-employed for a year and a half, after being unemployed for a year and a half, we had not yet reinstituted many of those eliminated items.
Lockdown mode is an interesting place to find myself in. I waver in my opinion of its healthiness. It may be healthy for the budget, but maybe not so much for the relationship. Upon entering serious financial lockdown you have to be very careful that your emotions don't follow and get locked away as well.
But if I can keep it all in perspective I know that on one level I feel better knowing that I have a plan. A plan that I can follow strictly or flexibly depending on my needs and moods.
So what does my lockdown list look like?

1. Investigate alternatives to cable.
2. Costly massage, hair cut, chiropractor visits- eliminate or extend time in between.
3. Look for a different job for myself (one that includes medical benefits)
4. Cancel online movie and music services.
5. Find a cheaper coffee alternative.
6. Drive as little as possible around town.
7. Ask for camperships.
8. Make menus with cheap meals using food already in the house.
9. Know what's in the house to avoid throwing food away.

So- that's food for thought. It's a start on making it work. Time to make Spaghetti Pie for dinner- an inexpensive meal made from the refrigerator, freezer and pantry.