"Economize"

In my last post, I mentioned that the average gross salary for a Ukrainian in one month is $319.  That wasn't a typing error.

So, how do they do it?  How do they survive on $319 a month with prices like these?

I have to tell you that Ukrainians are some of the most resourceful people I have ever met.  I grew up in a home where we did not have enough to waste, but in my last 10 years of living in Ukraine I have come to realize that I grew up with a lot of extras.  Things that, at the time, I did not realize were extras.  You see, it all depends on who you are comparing yourself to.

So, I thought that for this post it would be fun to list some ways in which Ukrainians are resourceful with their money.  One of their favorite words here is "economize" and I will list for you just how they do that in real life.  If you know anything about Ukrainian culture, I would love for you to add to this list in the comments section.

And, I must add... I have gleaned a lot of wisdom from these people in how to stretch a dollar and how not to waste.  And my husband {and his wallet} are all the better for it!

Before I get started I will mention a couple of things.  First of all, there are well-to-do people in Ukraine.  There are many who live just as well, if not better, than Americans.  Secondly, this list is not a "one-size-fits-all."  Obviously, these are my observances and do not necessarily apply to everyone here.  Thirdly, I have no intention to embarrass these people that I love.  To the contrary, I hope that you will see just how smart you have to be to survive on such a small income.

1.  No lights are turned on (in homes, public buildings, etc.) during the day and well into the evening, when most of us would have turned them on long ago.

2.  Second-hand (thrift) stores are popular here for buying clothing.  

3.  Ukrainians do not own closetfuls of clothing.  They wear gowns/house clothing when they walk in the doors to their homes in order to save on the wear of their good clothes.

4.  They eat a lot of soups, starchy fillers, and bread.  Whatever fruits and vegetables are in season are what they add to these meals.  

5.  Packaged, prepared foods are not common in their diet.  Other than soups and fresh produce (and their homemade canned goods when fresh is out of season), they eat a lot of "mushy" foods, such as buckwheat, oatmeal, semolina, etc... 

6.  Most of them have their own gardens, including those who live in high-rise apartments in the city.  They usually have a small "dacha" (house/shack with a plot of land for a garden) outside of the city for this purpose.

7.  Canning... they can their fruits and vegetables and what cannot be canned {such as potatoes} is stored in basements.  They even make their own {delicious!} jams and fruit juices for drinking.

8.  They drink hot tea with their meals, and it is common to see them making more than one cup out of one tea bag.

9.  Most do not own a vehicle and they do a lot of walking.  If their destination is just a mile or two away, many times they will walk to save the $0.25 it costs to ride a bus.

10.  They use brown toilet paper made from recycled paper.  And, it is really not as bad as you might think!

  

11.  As I mentioned in my last post, a couple of families sometimes live in one apartment and share rent costs.  Many times relatives live together, such as parents, their grown children, and their grandchildren.  This also helps cut costs on babysitters.

12.  They do not throw things away that can be re-used - things such as plastic bags, containers/jars, etc...  

13.  If they eat out, it would only be for a special occasion such as a birthday or party.  Eating out "just because I don't have anything thawed or because I don't feel like cooking" just doesn't cut it here.

14.  They eat very little meat, and the meat they do eat is only "partial meat" like bologna, salami, crab sticks, etc.

15.  They hang their clothes to dry and do not {usually} wash their clothing after only one wear 

16.  They own very little machinery in their homes.  Things such as air conditioners, clothes dryers, microwaves, etc. are not common in most households.  They have quite a high tolerance to the heat and the cold since they have to bear through these weather extremes.  

17.  In their small apartments, many times their couches serve as their pull-out beds at night.

18.  They do not own a lot of "stuff" and you will never see a garage sale here!

Makes you grateful, doesn't it?