Depression

[Breeni]

Count yourself lucky that only half of your check goes to bills.  I have direct deposit and online bill paying, and I pretty much never see my money.  I think we are definitely going into something, whether depression or not, but I think we need to look to other causes than global outsourcing.  We as Americans live to consume, and even us frugal folk tend to follow that path at times.  Those people in other countries who are doing our work so cheaply would probably faint at the chance to eat out, while we get grumpy if we can't eat out whenever we want (for me, that's everyday ).  I am trying to incorporate ideas of simple living into my frugality, because much of what drives Americans into debt is the mindset that we "need" certain luxuries.  Having filed bankruptcy over these luxuries, I can speak from experience.  Try to focus on what you have, not what you can't have and keep those spirits high!

[CSinbad]

A little over 20 years ago I made $11,000.00 a year. I was able to  pay every bill, buy some of the groceries for my brothers and sisters kids and still had plenty of money to eat out regularly.  (I wasn't a good cook.)  When I left my company I made about $30,000.00 a year.  I was able to pay my bills and have enough left over for eating out once a week. I saved money for retirement 5 percent of my income.  In that time my  car purchase amounts increased  from $3,000.00 to 7,000.00 to $15,000.00 for 3 NEW cars.  

What I am saying basically is that everything goes up over time.  (My electric has increased 4 times in less than 4 years and I now pay less each month than my first year living here.) See UTILITIES for ideas on cutting costs.  Your situation is not unique my parents and their parents had cost increases the only difference was the exact amounts.   People can live today on less than $1,000.00 a month by being frugal and knowing the difference between want and need.  So get over your depression (& have a nice day)  and read some good books on frugality.  Feeling sorry for yourself won't save money or help you.  I now live on a less money each month then I did when I left my job (almost 1/2 as much) and I save money for retirement.  You can as well.  And yes some of my other costs have gone up, rent for instance.

[Renee Rivard]

Do you think we are going into a depression?  I am not a doom and gloom person , but it seems that every time I get a utility bill it keeps increasing, groceries are increasing.  The only good thing around my area is that we have several major grocery stores and they are in competion with one another so we do get good deals there.  Interest rates on savings are terrible.  It seems that the more I try to save the more the government takes or the utilities.  Try to keep my spirits up, but at times when I get my check about 1/2 of it goes on bills.  When I compare my bills to last year it makes me sick.  What gets me really mad is when companies frome the US are resourcing their jobs to other countries because they can pay people cheaper outside of the US.  Well if that is the case why aren't their products cheaper?  I just feel so sorry for the people who have dedicated their whole life to that company and bingo we no longer need you.  What does everyone else think?  Have a great day!