Weekend Unwind | Surviving The Tough Economy

Posted by Cascia Talbert at Saturday, October 17, 2009

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It is the weekend and time to unwind, relieve some stress and discuss the past week. So grab a cup of coffee and join us here at Healthy Moms. What were some of the positive things that happened? What really bothered you? Did you laugh? Cry? Stand on your head? Whatever you did this past week I want to hear it. Writing down all the crazy things that happened over the past week is a good way to deal with stress. As our lives get busier and busier along with it is stress. It is time to let it all out so you can enjoy your weekend. If you don't have time to write all about your week just answer the Weekend Unwind question found at the bottom of this article. Grab the button code, make your blog post and don't forget to leave your link with MckLinky.

If you read my most recent article you should know by know that my family has been impacted dramatically by this recession. I also know that we are not the only ones. According to Capitol Hill Blue, the current unemployment rate is at 9.8 percent. 15.1 million Americans are now out of work, the department said. And more than 7.1 million jobs have been eliminated since the recession began in December 2007.

If your family has been hit hard by this recession here are some tips that can help you get through it.

Job hunting? Search for recession proof jobs. Education and health care are among the top ten recession proof jobs.
Rip up and toss those credit cards. This may be tough to swallow but if you need some extra money get rid of your tempting credit cards. According to credit cards.com, 78 percent of American households -- about 91.1 million -- had one or more credit cards at the end of 2008. At the end of 2008, Americans' credit card debt reached $972.73 billion, up 1.12% from 2007. That number includes both general purpose credit cards and private label credit cards that aren't owned by a bank. (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009) Average credit card debt per household -- regardless of whether they have a credit card or not -- was $8,329 at the end of 2008. (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009) The average outstanding credit card debt for households that have a credit card was $10,679 at the end of 2008. One year earlier, that average was $10,637. (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009)
Create a budget and make sure you are setting aside money for savings. Ask yourself these questions, do you really need over 100 channels on your television, or would it be alright to switch to a service with less? Do you really need that expensive gym membership, or would it be better to work out at home? Can your family get away with having only one vehicle? How often do you go out to dinner? Can you cut back to going out once a month instead of once a week? What other expenditures can you cut out of your budget?
Clip coupons and use them! Sometimes we get so busy that we forget to organise coupons and take them with us when we shop. You can purchase a coupon organiser for less than five dollars at your local department store. They are very handy and fit into most purses.
Get help! Don't be afraid to ask for government assistance if you need it. Visit Gov Benefits.gov to search for assistance programs near you. You can also search for food banks by visiting Feeding America.org.
Turn to your faith and be patient. God does things for a reason and we may not understand the why. Instead of asking why, pray that He will give you and your family the strength, patience and courage to make it through.

Now for the Weekend Unwind question of the week. What have you and your family done to cope with this recession?