LBTL 2015: Day 5

The final day! I'm so glad it's here.

Again, I skipped breakfast and started eating in the late morning at work.

I have one raw portion of cabbage left. I tossed it with vinegar, oil, and salt for another cabbage slaw. I saved the dressing from the cabbage slaw I ate yesterday, so there was no additional cost to the seasonings. I had this as a snack for $0.13 flat.

Lentil salad. It was yummy!

I steamed up my last two portions of lentils ($0.22) to make into a lentil salad for lunch. I tossed the cooked lentils with two carrots ($0.14), the last 3 tomatoes ($0.21), 1/2 an onion ($0.05), 2 T oil ($0.12), 1 T vinegar ($0.02), and salt ($0.01). I also chopped up the final portion of roasted cabbage to add to the lentil salad ($0.16). That comes out to a whooping $0.93! But I ate some for lunch, and some for an early dinner.

I also had the last portion of potato "leek" soup from last night ($0.21).

When I got home, I added up the damage:
Cabbage slaw: $0.13
Lentil salad: $0.93
Potato leek soup: $0.21

I've got $0.23 left on my final night. I used that to whip up a final batch of potato leek soup. 2 portions of mashed potatoes ($0.12), 1 T oil ($0.06), 1/2 onion ($0.05)... and salt? Can I have some salt? I think I can. Many times this week, I charged myself a full penny for the addition of salt, but didn't use anywhere near the full teaspoon. In fact, I used less than 1/2 tsp on the lentil salad. I can use the other half to season my soup.

That means I'm ending day 5 at exactly $1.50.

The end couldn't have come soon enough. Even though I did very well this year and didn't go hungry like I did in prior years, this is tough. I find myself envious of things others are eating, almost resentful. I can't imagine what it must be like to live this way day in and day out. In fact, Live Below the Line is not a proxy of what it means to live in extreme poverty. Those who fall below the global poverty line must do everything for $1.50 a day - food, housing, transport, medical care, education... And no, $1.50 doesn't go a lot farther in their country. That figure of $1.50 is purchasing power parity - adjusted to reflect the value it would have in the U.S. That's why it's EXTREME poverty. It means having exceptionally little. Such a struggle.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this challenge. If you haven't already, please give to The Hunger Project and help empower those living below the line everyday.