So I saved some money this evening using an expired coupon for my hair conditioner at Menard’s. I like saving money on things that I buy because whenever I “lose” money paying too much for something or some other fashion of losing money ~ (believe me, I don’t think I’ve seen ’em all yet but am working on it every year!), I’m like; “Hey! I could’ve eaten that!

Tonite, I went across the street to Target and was going to buy a Swanson Hungry-man TV dinner but they had the Banquet one on sale for $1.02. Generally, I stay away from the Banquet but being all in a cost conscious frame of mind, opted for the cheaper meal. Too, that left me with 98 cents of my expired coupon savings from the conditioner still in my pocket. I’m such a cheap bastard!

Just had a few thoughts about my lovely salisbury steak, corn and mash potatos meal while I was eating it. For one, before I could get it into the microwave oven, I already had the ZZ Top song playing in my head. Other memories regarding TV dinners came to mind while I ate this too. Like, remembering that the reason why TV dinners were called that is because of the shape of the original foil trays they used to come in. I definitely remember these as I was a child in the seventies which, for today’s practical purposes, is equivalent to being a child in the fifties; Cold War, cheap gasoline and everybody smoked cigarettes. Of course, the rise of the microwave oven put an end to those metal trays though.

An ex-girlfriend’s mother was adamant about meals in the house being served only in the kitchen. She would call and say; “Come on, get in here. I don’t serve TV dinners in this house!” True that, the TV was shut off and everyone ate there in the kitchen. It’s really not a bad idea…
for a family! But I’m a bachelor nowadays so sometimes I eat TV dinners. And usually in front of this computer I’m typing on. I rarely watch TV unless it’s a football game.

Now say what you will about inflation, but looking for the above picture, I read that “The original TV Dinner sold for 98 cents” here at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepackaged_meal
That was 1953! It’s 2014 as I write this!! I just paid $1.02, a mere four cents more! Mine didn’t have a desert included but I’m fat, what do I need the desert for.
Besides, I have beer.