recession

So, apparently we are in this recession. Not that this is new news by any means and I hope i am not scaring anyone by being the first person to tell you this, but if that was the case i think you must have been hiding under a rock or avoiding news papers for the past months.

Anyways, i am of several minds on this whole business. First, all of the newspaper stories about how to live frugally kind of anger me. Or maybe i think i am somehow better than their suggestions because i already implemented them due to the whole living on a stipend that equals out to $5 an hour thing. When i read articles that talk about saving money by buying cheaper wine (cheaper meaning $15 a bottle rather $25) it angers me--if things are really rough for you, this should be self-apparent, or maybe you shouldn't be buying it at all, or maybe you should buy the $5 a bottle kind if you can't live with out it. I also think extensive newspaper coverage of it all may have exacerbated the situation by causing excess fear and helping to change people's spending habits faster than they might have on their own.

I have gotten along fine on my little living stipend, and have been able to save a little bit of money. But now, the end of the my term is starting to loom (less than three months left!) and with it, the big U word (shield your children's eyes) UNEMPLOYMENT. Okay, so maybe it will never happen if i am proactive enough, and i like to think that even though working at my current job hasn't been the most rewarding it will count for something. But yikes, even looking for job postings causes me to freak out a little. I then i start thinking about whether the little "buffer fund" i have saved up will be enough or not...

Anyways, i still have three months-ish to find something, and that time to continue saving money. And let's face it, sometimes i really miss the hands on type of work like working in a coffee shop and I am totally willing to go back to that. But the bottom line is: the newspapers have gotten to me! Bring on the spring time sunshine and the freshly blooming flowers (and some economic recovery while your at it, pelase!)