When I open my eyes in the morning, my first thought is whether we have enough food in the kitchen. This Saturday we saved some money because it was Easter and we went to my grandparents for a festive lunch. Before that, we did a short shopping trip to Lidl and then to a health food store.
On our list were green lentils, candied ginger, oat milk, cauliflower, peppers, broccoli, avocado, and soy, which we will use to make vegan patties. We usually buy small quantities—100 or 200 grams—and combine them, and we also choose smaller vegetables like a small head of broccoli and a few peppers.
Before going shopping, we always check catalogs for discounts and promotions.
Since we live with my father, part of his pension helps support our household budget until the end of the month. We all cook and eat together, and because healthy and organic food is expensive, we try to balance our spending carefully.
On Friday, I also sold a well-preserved children’s ride-on toy on Limundo, which had just been collecting dust.
My wife and I have removed meat from our diet, and we prefer buying tea and bulk health food because it lasts longer and is cheaper. I even managed to get fuel 5 dinars cheaper per liter using the NIS app. We bought Easter gifts for relatives at 50% discount, and in the supermarket we spent hours going through catalogs, from eggs for coloring to cakes—everything on sale. We even bought two flower pots.
I can say we really did our best this time. On top of that, luck was on my side—I received a salary raise as a jubilee reward for over 10 years of work at school. My wife currently receives only minimal state support for the children and is not employed. Once she starts working again when our daughter grows a bit older, I believe things will be much easier.
Unfortunately, we don’t have much help from extended family. We rely on ourselves, especially since I lost my mother. But when a person is determined and has someone to fight for, there is always a way to get through the month financially.
After shopping,about two hour later we came to Klara's mother.
At my in-laws’ place, where we visit a few times a year for celebrations, we were welcomed by my wife’s sister and her husband with their two children. They gave us preserved children’s clothes they had received from relatives in Germany—Danke, Deutschland :)
We exchanged greetings and gifts, and after the kids opened everything, we gathered around the festive table with Easter eggs.
After the children’s laughter, egg tapping, and declaring a winner, I had a conversation with my brother-in-law Jovan about work, as we always do.
After lunch, we went outside to play with the kids. The boys tried to ride a real gasoline-powered kids’ motorbike, while the girls danced to music, later joined by Aca. We played hide and seek, freeze tag, ran around the yard, and enjoyed every moment.
In the end, we admired the sunset, reflected on the day, and planned our next family gathering in Pančevo.
Another day—and soon another month—where we spent a lot of energy planning and figuring out how to get the most for the least money.
Thank you for reading my blog. I would love to hear from anyone who has had similar experiences in this race against time and money that seems to be worth less every day.
As long as we are alive and healthy—everything else… who cares.
Happy Easter!