Morrison at http://alldoorsconsidered.blogspot.com/ has a thoughtful post up about the increasing pressure on the American Middle Class and ways to maintain a middle class life. No longer can one just coast along and expect to maintain a middle class lifestyle. The pressures toward downward mobility are just too strong. Morrison's post got me to thinking What are my strategies for economic survival??
Here are my 7 strategies for middle class survival:
1. Don't retire. You may have to change to a less physically demanding type work or work fewer hours but do not cut off your source of income.
2. Get out of debt. I like Dave Ramsey's baby step approach but there are many other debt reduction plans. Stop borrowing/charging now. Embrace creative frugality.
3. Do everything you can possibly do to maintain your family's physical and mental health. Diet, exercise, and attitude.
4. Learn useful skills. No one is born knowing how to do these so get in there and learn:
How to cook
How to sew and mend
Gardening
5. Combining households--Saves money and keeps away loneliness.
6. Develop community ties--church, gardening society, local businesses.
7. Be prepared to take care of yourself in an emergency or natural disaster. Food, water, medication, fuel.
If we do these things and the economy continues to worsen, we have a chance; if the economy improves, we've lost nothing and gained much.
Thought for the day:
Dig a well before you are thirsty. Chinese proverb
1 comment:
Florence,
Thanks for the link. I just finished sewing my own flannel pj's yesterday as well as a pair for my husband. Retail, I would have spent $50 for each. Sewing? I only paid $7.76 for the good quality, cotton material and then the cost of thread and elastic per pair.
Priceless!
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