How Has The Economy Affected Your Way of Life?

I pride myself on being quick on the proverbial word trigger when it comes to responding to callers who try to “stump” me or put me on the spot on an issue.

Yesterday I wasn’t so quick with a caller on the topic of households having to cut back expenses because of the state of the economy. I DID respond well. But after an hour and then five and then SLEEPING on it, I wish I could respond to him today.

Well, I guess this blog IS a way of explaining it to him. And to anyone else who would be snarky enough to ask the question he did in the WAY he asked it.

I had just finished talking about how my family and I had to scale down our vacation plans a couple of times until we eventually just spent a few nice, peaceful days at my in-laws home instead of on a houseboat near Shasta or in a cabin by the ocean.

This guy sarcastically asked me if I was on commission with my job. I told him NO. He said, well, then I guess I’m just not understanding (his sarcastic, snarky tone was so apparent) how if your pay is constant how can’t you afford this vacation, etc.

First of all, I HAVE been affected by the economy. The price of GAS greatly affects economically what families and individuals can and cannot do. Making a cross country trip or even a shorter road trip when gas is $2.25 a gallon is a lot more feasible than when gas is $4 or more a gallon. For goodness sakes, it wasn’t that long ago that gas crept up close to $5 a gallon in California and other places.

INFLATION and the rising costs of necessary goods like FOOD has a TREMENDOUS impact on families and their financial state. If you are making $40K a year and bread and gas and goods and everything costs WAY more, doesn’t it stand to reason that your dollar doesn’t go as far?!?!

I told the caller that things like sponsorships and endorsements are greatly affected as well. Back in the day, I had TONS of sponsorships and endorsements. In tough economic times, not so much. People like that caller don’t seem to understand that if businesses are in the free fall PANIC that many if not most are in right now, they won’t budge as easily with their hard earned money.

Try getting even a charitable contribution from someone when the economy stinks versus when it is doing well. Do you think charities are doing better right now than they were before the recession? NOPE.

People are budging with their money as easily and comfortably as when times are good. It’s just a FACT of life.

So to the caller? Yes. The economy has affected my way of life. Mine and those of millions of Americans.

It’s not rocket science.