Can we talk?

Tightening the belt for the economy

    What is everyone doing about the fearful economy? I know, I know. They're telling us that real estate values will go up before the end of the year, not as high as before, but up some, so we should be patient if we want to sell a house. And there will be bailouts of some kind eventually. But by the time that all comes together, working class people, that's most of us, could be living on the streets, deeply in debt, doing without medical care or medicine, or any combination of these.

    In our family, we're cutting out restaurants and keeping the house cooler. I don't drive the car unless I really have to. And I know some people who are trying to quit smoking to save money. I'm trying to get everyone in my family to clip coupons before they go shopping. I might get brave enough to let someone try trimming my hair, but only if I have enough spare cash to run to the hair dresser should the experiment go awry.

    My dad suggested we use a lower temperature when washing clothes. I read somewhere that only hot water kills germs and bacteria, that detergent helps but doesn't really do the job in cold water. I think socks, underwear, baby clothes, and linens qualify for hot water. Has anyone out there found an authoritative source on the hot laundry issue?

    We're also planning a movie night for extended family once a month. To reduce the entertainment bill without cutting out all fun, we plan on using a big family room for 4 generations to get together for a movie or two and popcorn. We'll have about 8-12 people or more,depending on which night we choose,more if someone brings a friend. So there will be lots of talking.

    Sunday, my dad made a big pot of vegetable soup for the Super Bowl. He kept adding whatever he could find in the freezer or pantry. Oh, it was sooooo good. He's held out on us for years. Who knew he could cook so well? We've been eating hearty soup all week and have served a few guests. They all loved it. It's so filling, you don't need a sandwich or salad to go with it. So that spread the budget out a little further and kept us warm when it was snowing.

    These are only token gestures in the grand scheme of things. I'd love to hear from other people on ways they are cutting back on spending, or how they are compensating for the lack of extra cash, particularly unemployed people. The trillion dollar stimulus package our president is working out will not have immediate or noticeable impact on most households. A change in our attitudes and daily habits will be necessary. I'm interested in how our citizens are responding.