I snapped this photo a couple of months ago… I call it ‘sign of the times’.  I love hearing on the radio when someone announces that the recession is over or almost over.  I still have many friends without jobs and also many that are underemployed.  What is the definition of ‘recession’?

re·ces·sion ¹ [ri-sesh-uhn]

Economics – a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration. Compare depression.

a temporary depression in economic activity or prosperity

Cultural Dictionary (I didn’t know there’s actually a cultural dictionary)

general business slump, less severe than a depression.

Our economy is built on our society’s shopping patterns and habits.  If everyone shopped like me, we would have a HUGE recession, and really, for people like me, there would be nothing to purchase.  Supply and demand.  As long as there’s a demand, there will be a supply.

When my friend lost his job a couple of years ago, I took it much harder than he did.  It made me think about a few things.

• What if I lost my job?
• Am I living within my means?
• What short term changes would I have to make?
• What long term changes would I make?

I decided not to wait and make these changes if I had to, in some sort of crisis situation, I decided to make changes immediately.  Changes meaning no debt, paying myself and my charitable donations first, learning to live within my means, a healthy savings, an emergency fund, planning ahead on purchases, and of course, this challenge.  Doing this progressively and intentionally made it easy.  I hope life doesn’t ever throw me the jobless status, I can’t even imagine how difficult that must be.  I’m living more within my means, but trying to live less than my means now.