The Tightwad

According to Howard Davidowitz of Davidowitz & Associates, the economy is going to get worse and is going to stay that way permanently.  He claims that American standard of living is going to change and it will stay that way.  Now, I do have to wonder if that is true or not since our country has survived major economic meltdowns in the past.  During the Great Depression, American’s standard of living was pretty low, but we did eventually rebound, but that does not mean that we won’t be in for some REALLY tough years ahead.  We may want to look to the Great Depression as an example of how to survive these tough times ahead.

First, you need to understand the different between needs and wants.  You must be willing to give up wants for your needs.  This will increase your ability to survive the tough times.  Many American have a lot of trouble with this, but we can learn to do without if we need too.

Here are some other tips to survive the tough times:

1.  Grow a garden.  Learning to grow your own food will help make sure you have the food you need and will reduce the strain on your tight budget freeing up the money for something else.

2.  Use reusable items instead of throw away items.  Instead of using paper napkins, paper plates, paper towel, plastic flatware; use the type that you have to wash instead of throwing away.

3.  Learn to sew.  Sewing has become something of a lost art, but if things get really tough, you’ll be wishing you knew how, even if it just for simple things like fixing a seam or sewing a button back on.  Sewing isn’t just for clothes either, it’s good to know so you can make stuff like curtains, dish towels, pillows and napkins.

4.  Borrow what you can.  Instead of rushing out and buying something you want or need, you may want to find out if you can borrow it first.  Libraries are a great example of this.  If things get really tight, you may not be able to go out and buy books or videos, but you may be able to find them at you local library.  Neighbors and family are also a good source for borrowing things.  Instead of buying tools, specialized cookware, small appliances, ect., you may see if someone has one that you can borrow.  Just make sure you return the favor.

5.  Make it last longer.  Take care of your items and they should last longer.  Don’t be so quick to trade up.  This can apply to smaller items and to even big items like cars and houses.  If things get really bad, you may not be buying a new car or house anytime soon.  You may have to make do with what you have.  A small house is not the end of the world and children can share rooms if they have too.

6. Spend less on food. Use coupons, sales and store brands to get your grocery bill down. Use less expensive cuts of meat or better yet have a meatless meal a couple times a week. Find frugal recipes and make more from scratch to save money.

Yes, things may get tough for many Americans for quite awhile, but we can survive it with just a little know how!!!

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