Recession Road

As was posted at Mommytalk.com

I grew up in the 80's and 90's and it was the best. My early years were spent in a recession but you know what? I was okay with that. I didn't know any better. I thought that's how things were supposed to be. My dad had 18 years in a steel mill then it just shut down one day and he was jobless. We weren't going hungry or anything, but we weren't eating steak for dinner ever night or even hamburgers. But we were eating. Just like we always had, with stick to your ribs kinda food like mashed potatoes and hamburger gravy with green beans; or some beans and corn bread. (I wish my family would eat that stuff now.) That's where I came from.
So all this talk is getting me a little down. I mean why is it SO BAD? I feel bad for the people who are suffering. I do, really. You would think that my house would be suffering but were aren't any worse off than we were before the recession, even though my husband's hours at work have been cut. We are still okay; just the same as we have been for the last six years. Maybe it's because we never really enjoyed lavish spending sprees. I mean, I hear about how people aren't spending on things they normally would, like tanning, nails and lunches with girlfriends. I never really did that stuff to begin with, so I'm not really missing that, though I did get the look when he saw the phone bill. Looks like my long distance has been nixed. We really have only ever lived within our means, only spending extra when it was really extra... and that was hardly ever. Don't get me wrong. We would spend on things like going to concerts a few times a year, but really that would be it.
A while back I posted a comment on a post that mouthygirl wrote about the path less traveled. It seems I am always on that path, the harder path to trek; the path that makes you strong; the path that gets you dirty; the path that trips you up sometimes. That's were I am and it looks like I am getting some company! Welcome to the dirt road! I'll call it Recession Road for the heck of it. Pull up your boot straps and dig in, people. Pinch your pennies and stretch that dollar. People are nice here on this road. All the neighbors help each other out. It's a great place to be and it will build character.
If things are getting tight at your house, think about what you're spending. Do you have 300 TV channels? You don't need them. How about that kid of yours? Yeah, she's 10. Does she really need a cell phone? PLEASE! Can her cell phone and buy a hungry family a meal! Think about all the things in your daily life. Are the things you do or use things you need or want? I want, I want, I want is what got us into the recession in the first place.
What I'm saying here people is that times are tough. Think about what's important and make a change.