Shrinking Nest Egg Doesn’t Have to Mean Gloom & Doom

Here’s a news flash!  According to AOL Money & Finance, consumers ratcheted back their spending by the largest amount in 28 years and tougher times are still ahead.  Clobbered by pink slips, shrinking nest eggs and falling home values, consumers are holding on even tighter to their wallets while  party members argue about which political candidate has what it takes to lead us out of this meltdown.  Personally, I am not sure any one really knows the solution to this problem because I think we are in familiar but uncharted waters and it will take a series of trial and error attempts to figure out what is going to work.  For most of us, we will have to continue to watch our spending and wait it out.  How can we benefit from these tough times?  For one thing, we can make a list of those things  that are most important in our lives and post it where we can see it every day; an overt reminder that there is more to life than money.  Another thing that we can do is find more creative and less expensive ways to spend time with family and friends.  The joy is in the company  we keep, not the events we attend.  Remember pot luck dinners and card/board game nights?  Just because the economy is dismal, does not mean that our lives have to be too.  When faced with the clouds on the horizon, seek the silver linings and who knows, these just might turn into the “good old days” that everyone talks about.  Please help make it easier to get through these difficult times and share your ideas or reminiscences of simple but significant memories.