It's obvious that a lot of people are struggling financially. So many have already lost the financial battle and others are on the brink. It's sad, but is some of it preventable?
Here's why I ask...
There is a Mom that I used to see often at the Elementary School (I homeschool now so I don't see her anymore). Her family struggles financially (food stamps, free lunches at school, chruch food pantry, etc. give some relief). She's constantly complaining about the economy, our elected officials, etc. I've tried to be sympathetic, but I can't. You see... the last day I saw her, she was doing her usual rants.... I listened, not saying a word, not even nodding... it was her same-old, same-old tale of how cruel the world was. As I "listened", I LOOKED at her. She wore a concert T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants, one leg pulled up over her knee... she just a got a new tattoo and it was still tender and red, the pant leg was irritating the tattoo, so she pulled it up and off the artwork. Her acrylic nails were perfectly filled, filed and painted with an intricate design. She carried a disposable Dunkin Donuts cup and had a pack of cigarettes in her pocket.... meanwhile her children's only hope of "food on the table" came from the school, the foodstamps, and the church.
Do I have a problem with concert T-shirts, sweat pants, acrylic nails, coffee-to-go, or a person choosing to smoke... absolutely not. Do I have a problem with chosing these above providing for your familiy... yes! Where's the personal responsibility in the "change" our Nation needs?
Is she the ONLY person behaving this way... no! Here's another case from just the other day...
I was in the nail salon and sitting next to a lady that was also getting a mani/pedi. She was talking loudly on her BlueTooth... so loudly you couldn't ignore her. She was complaining about the fact that the economy was so bad that she had just let her auto insurance expire because she didn't have the money to pay for it! I was dumbfounded! There she sat, designer handbag at her side, BlueTooth on her ear, cell phone on her lap... unable to pay for her insurance. Where was any logical sense of priority?
Many, many people are tightening thier belts as the economy worsens. We're all either making sacrifies, or will be before long. We're rethinking our "disposable cash", re-working our budgets, re-structuring our investments/retirement accounts, making tough choices when it comes to defining wants and needs, etc.
When times are tough, people need to make tough decisions... cut corners, give up a little to get a little in the end. My family is blessed with my hubby's work and our pensions.... but we're not immune to the woes of the economy and we're tightening up in anticipation of a long road ahead!
We've cut out nearly all "eating out" (including the burger drive-through routine on hectic days), mani-pedi's are a "treat" and not a routine, I color my hair at home instead of going to the salon, my garden will be larger than usual this year, I coupon and refund more, I search for more "free" entertainment in my local community, etc.
What are you doing to make ends meet or prepare for the long haul? What can you/will you give up to help your family through these tough economic times?
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Comments: 14
When my ex and I were married, we had 2 garage sales per year. We not only sold our own junk (that somehow GROWS!), but also items we had picked up cheaply, fixed and sold at a small profit. We also sold some craft items at each garage sale, things I had made from junk that I or others would have normally thrown away. The yard sale each spring paid for our car insurance for the year, and in the fall it paid for our real estate taxes. We were able to pay our normal monthly bills, but sometimes had trouble with those two bills and preferred paying them once per year because we got a nice discount.
When I was a single mom, there was one mom in our apartment complex that drove me nuts. She also complained all the time, and often took her children's Christmas gifts or birthday gifts (like their cameras, stereos, game consoles) to the pawn shop to make ends meet. I might have felt sorry for her, except that she went to bingo at least 3 nights per week and admitted to spending about spending more than $60 per week. She also claimed that she usually won about $150 per month. Great. That meant she had a net loss of about $90 per month...if she was really winning $150 each month. My son was friends with one of her sons and he could not believe that we had never even been in a pawn shop. He thought all parents pawned their kids' possessions when times were tough.
If we really want to do something about people like her I suggest that you read Invisible Hand. But of course that takes some time as well. Nothing comes free in this life except death.
Well, I never get my nails done, I don't have TV, in the summer I often walk to work, and my family eats out only 1 night a week.
It is all about priorities people!
stopped shopping.......
except for food and neccessities.....
kicked one of my adult children out......
and I have been trying to cut down and eventually quit smoking cigarettes, too.....
I don't color my hair am fine with silver hair and have never had my nails done.
I earn gift cards on reward sites and build them up to get free food when we eat out and free books. I see no reason to completely make life about being home 24 -7. I will only live once and wish to enjoy life.
I have discovered the wonderful world of coupons...
I have enough cereal for a looooooooong time, lol.....
And I am trying out a lot of frugal tips that I have been finding on the web.
But I agree that we can't cut out everything fun, or life will not be worth living.
We cut out extra unneeded features on our phone.
I have always saved water by putting a large pitcher by the sink, and using the cold water to water my plants and animals--while wating for the hot water for washing dishes
.
I cook 2 big meals once a week, so we have leftovers for the week, I plan ideas of meals with ingredients so I do not have to drive to town but once a week.
I pay attention to good ideas I read or hear...thanks for the post.