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The Big Bailout and Us

I have been following the saga of the economy over the last few months, and it’s interesting to me, a regular citizen, to see how fast things are happening. The bailout idea has started to get all tangled up in itself, and the growing frustration of the American people is starting to be noticed. There are those of us out there that have been responsible with our money, and our credit decisions, and are used to keeping quiet, doing our jobs, doing them well, and living our lives the way we want to. And when the shit hits the fan in our lives, whether it is a lay off, an illness, or car accident, we tighten our belt buckles and find a way to make it work. We learn the rules required of us, learn from our mistakes, and on a daily basis, do the best we can to be good citizens to one another. Unfortunately, the people in power are telling us now we need to pay to fix some really big mistakes.

So what to do when nobody knows what to do? Tighten the belt buckle again, and since you won’t be able to go on Saturday afternoon shopping trips, take some time to find some free entertainment. Or tune into the world of information on the internet. Visit your local library, and learn a new thing or two. Sort through your stuff, and donate what you don’t need. Or you could horde it. If things slow down enough, your junk might be as good as paper dollars. You decide what you’re going to do.

In the next few weeks and months, take careful note of who you are giving your money to. With the economy in the shape that it’s in, it matters more today than yesterday who you share your money with. I’m not talking about investments, I’m talking about the products you buy, and the merchants you frequent. Our dollars that we get to take home are so important right now. Our paychecks, after taxes, social security and medicare are taken out, and after child support and other mandatory deductions are subtracted from our wages, are going to contribute to who stays and who goes. Having bad customer service? Take away your dollars. We vote with our feet. When we opt to buy one brand over another, it is money the other company isn’t making. And right now, with big names going under, it might impact who is still here when the dust clears and who isn’t.

I’m not going to tell you what to buy or who to frequent for your entertainment needs. But if there is a mom and pop shop that you like, and haven’t been there for a while, you might think about who IS getting your money. Personally, I currently work for a family run business. I like it. I don’t know if it’s a characteristic of my generation x peers or not, but I have shied away from corporate work. But do what you will. I won’t argue the point that the American lifestyle has benefited from big companies. It has. I love choices. But if some companies have to go, well, didn’t we always learn that’s what happens in economies like ours? Some make it, some don’t.

I wish they could make a Plan B that gave me more of my self earned dollars to take home. I don’t like it when I add up my biweekly deductions and see how much is taken out. I’m not even asking for a raise. Just let me keep what I make. I don’t think the people in power realize how close it comes at the end of every month. It’s hard to tell my family no when they offer up suggestions that cost too much. Each month the money just seems to get tighter and tighter, and the money left over at the end of the month just goes to another bill. If consumer spending is such a big part of the well being of the economy, why don’t they see that when we don’t have money to spend, and can’t afford any more credit, the spending stops? We don’t want to, we just don’t have enough anymore.

I’ve already been wondering how I’m going to swing it this winter, when I have to pay for the heating oil. It’s been on my mind all summer. Last winter the bills for heating were bigger then I’d ever seen, and I can’t imagine how much worse it’ll be this year. I keep cutting my budget, because I still know that one day I want to own a house. I’ve been watching home prices drop, waiting for the time when I could afford my starter home. The housing market had trouble when they priced the ‘new home owner’ out of the equation. Regular peoples’ wages just didn’t support the price wanted for a house. You could afford a new house if you combined wages and had equity in an already owned home. But if all you had were your wages, you couldn’t afford to buy a decent house. That’s where the bad loans come in. Think of it this way. If you are focused only on the building of the high school, but don’t notice the kindergarten enrollee numbers are sharply dropping, well, guess it doesn’t matter how important the building of the high school is. It will become a moot point. Supply and demand rule in house pricing. I know that properties that won’t sell and sell at marked down prices affect the prices of the other homes on the market. My husband and I have never owned a house, but one day we will. Alas, for now, I can only focus on my monthly bills, and hope the added financial stress doesn’t pull me under.

So these are my thoughts on the matter. If they help you in some way, great. You are not alone. If you don’t like them, fine too. Free speech is awesome. If you haven’t read the constitution in awhile, check it out. Hey, it doesn’t cost much to read.