How has the economy impacted your life?

It will get better. Afterall there is no way but 'up' now. :) The economy has had small impacts on my life.

I did not get a raise last year, and just finally got one, after working two years where I am now. I had to stop paying my gym membership, and work at the club for my membership (which has closed down - today is the last day it will be open, due to the economic impact on the lives of many other people). I was actually able to SAVE $2500 last year, because I DIDN'T buy all the things I 'wanted', just some.

:)' Tuition has increased, and since I 'make too much money', will be working full time, and only going to school part time, I will not qualify for grants. I pay out of pocket. It has increased from $1400 a semester to $2000 a semester.So I will actually have to finally cut back on my spending on necessities.

What people have to understand is that money should not be the driving force behind living. If you REALLY think about it, a lot of money we make is for buying things we don't need...like that flat scree, or second computer, or high end phone/purse/car...etc.We wouldn't have to make that money if we hadn't already spent it. After figuring out my husband and my expenses, I got to thinking.

If one of us were to grow our food, to last most of the year, we wouldn't have to buy produce (not that that's a huge expense). If we cut back on electricity usage, we wouldn't have to make that money to pay it. If we down sized (I wouldn't be too happy with that), we wouldn't have to pay so much rent.

If we sold or scraped one of our cars, we wouldn't be paying for upkeep, and insurance. That would cut down on a lot of spending. That could possibly mean that one of us wouldn't have to work (more things would get done at home:).

NOW if only I could get HIM to realize that, maybe I can go to school full time, and finish up in a hurry. We as humans have the most creative brains of any animal we know. We have created civilization, and have adjusted from our cro-magnum days.

We must adjust again, from booming economy to not so booming economy. Yes, we all must cut back on spending. So be it, we with our big brains, can adjust to such situations, regardless of if we want to or not.

Sure that means making big adjustments, like leave a sinking mortgage, while ruining your credit. Or eating healthy and working out more, to ensure our health, so as not to run up costly hospital bills. That's one thing I'm worried about, not having a regimented work out schedule, which forces me to at least be at the club.

BUT again, the philosophy of the day is we MUST adjust. I must make another schedule, and stick too it. I joking thought that maybe I can kill two birds with one stone, and clean as my work out.

Clean hard. Maybe I'll look into it more. I hate how the dishwasher cleans our dishes anyway.

And I hear some non energy star dishwashers use a lot of water. Recently I read an article about which appliances people can live without. One person commented on their electric can opener.

That item is obviously a want.My first thought was, really? I guess it never occured to me that an electric can opener is something someone would desire. Some of them run $50!

NOOOOO thanks. I am often appalled at people who buy things just because it takes 15 seconds longer than they want to be doing it, and they are willing to pay money for it, and use up electricity (another bill that we have to pay money for). In closing, I remind you that the philosophy of the day is, Adjust.

Hasn't really. I'm a student and students are poor even in a great economy.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.