After some thinking, I realize there are more positives to the recession.  Another plus is that we’re eating out less.  We seem to be known for our lack of time in the kitchen, quest for easy meals and prepackaged foods, and fast food fixes.  After all, Americans do suffer with obesity problems. 

When you cook your own meals at home, you spend more time with your family.  You allow time for the family to sit around the table relaxing, eating, and talking.  There isn’t a rush to get in a restaurant, the wait to be seated, and if you have little kids (like I do) there isn’t the worry about inappropriate behavior in public.  Eating at home  is healthier for you. You have a choice about what you prepare and there are no surprises about the fat and sugar that is going into the meals.  Eating at home also opens opportunities to allow the kids to help with meal planning and preparing foods with you.  It’s a great time for kids to learn and converse with their parents.

What positives have you found from this recession?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

A few years ago, I send out an email ranting to my friends about Americans being frivilous and spending more money than they made.  If I remember correctly, at that time, Americans were spending $1.50 for each dollar they made.  That meant that we were in debt; in big time debt.  Being in debt like that really bothered me.  We are so blessed in this country, yet we’re unbelievably materialistic and we feel entitled to having everything.  That ranting email is actually what landed me this job of writing for Thrifty Mommy.  Funny, huh?

Fast forward three years later and we’re in a recession.  People are struggling more than they have in years.  Yet one thing we’ve finally figured out how to do is save our money.  Americans are finally putting money into the bank and saving it.  We’re spending less, living within our means, and saving money for a rainy day.  To me, that’s good news!

What positives have you found to this recession?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

With the economy experiencing its own problems, most people around the country have been forced to rethink their expenditures and cut back on items which are only purchased for their luxury appeal. There have been many new terms with which to refer to this more conscious effort to reserve spending habits (recessionista, poorgeoisie), but for many typical middle-class family, this is a normal effort that parents put forth in managing their funds. These families understand that they cannot shop at high-end stores, but must instead provide for their children and make sure they are fed and clothed.

While this new influx of thrifty customers in many stores is a welcome sign in corporate America, it is a scene which should have been visible years ago when the credit crisis first started. The easy availability for nearly anyone to get a credit card has led to the financial crisis which we are now in. People began to solely rely on credit cards to get them to purchase large amounts which they normally couldn’t afford, even taking out exorbitant loans to buy an extravagant house or car. Now that more and more people are getting denied for loans or credit cards, there has been a heightened interest in ways in which to save money. Coupons have gotten much more use over the past months than they have ever before had, leading to more satisfied customers within grocery stores. Moms are looking for more ways to do cost-efficient activities and save money on weekly groceries. The recession has affected us all, and the repercussions have not been as bad as were forecast but simply have resulted in a restructuring of our needs and wants.

Learning how to shop thriftily is an art form which needs to be learned from seasoned veterans. Simply cutting back on extraneous expenses is the first step you can take which involves giving up a lifestyle which you may have been accustomed to but which is unneeded in the long run. Therefore, determining what you can cut out and what you need to survive is a vital part in becoming a thrifty consumer. Sales and coupons become part of your existence as well and you thereafter discover that there are many alternate routes to take in becoming a conscious customer in any setting. Many moms around the nation are used to this type of thrifty spending for those of you who are new to this “game” there is much to get used to, but in the end discovering how much you save is a reward in itself.

This post was contributed by Sarah Russel, who writes about the best online college degree. She welcomes your feedback at SarahRussel1234 at gmail.com.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

It is no surprise that the media is putting fear into the hearts of voters during an election year. Dave Ramsey shows how the media is encouraging recession fear.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy