Scarcity

I find myself being frugal in ways that don't really matter during this quarantine and I think it is a throwback to former times.

During a water shortage years ago I had to conserve water. We could only wash clothes on certain days and could not wash the car, or water the lawn at all.

During a gas shortage I remember needing to be sure we had enough gas to get where we needed to go, including the long wait line to buy gas.

During a snowstorm where I was trapped in my house for five days without heat, lights, internet, or phone once my battery died, I worried about running out of candles and having my pipes freeze so there would be no water. I used that water for many things, one of which was boiling it on a gas stove for some heat.

On camping trips in desert areas we had to conserve all water usage. No showers, frugal dishwashing.

Now that my personal biggest concern is running out of toilet paper, I should be really comfortable. After all I have enough toilet paper for a few weeks and I do know how to live without it, but I still find myself thinking:

Air the bed out you might not be able to wash the sheets, or your clothes.
Don't waste any water brushing your teeth.
Be careful of how much electricity you use and running the heater.
Don't eat too much bread, you might not be able to get more very soon.

It's that old scarcity thing, which of course should not be a problem right now except for people who are totally unconcerned about others and hoard things.