Economic Crisis & Recession; What changes have you made or do you plan to make?

Well, you gotta understand that we're barely considered middle class, used to be poor...have lost everything twice now. So we've never needlessly spent money where we didn't need to. We're apart of the freecycle group in our area, we all work when we can find work, we do have cable and high speed internet but only because the local provider is very decently priced and we got this deal that was only for the first people signing up for the phone-internet-cable, 3 in one thing they were trying out at the time. We have a hard enough time managing to keep these things. Unfortunately, we don't have a choice of just dropping one. Cell phones for us country people are a luxury and super expensive (fair useless too considering how rural things are here). We've cut down on the phone calls and simply try to coordinate more with friends -- we don't get to do things with friends as much either anymore because gas costs cut into food costs. We've always utilize the library, we don't buy anything brand new we can get used (clothes, for example). We never buy food full priced. Always bargains, though that's gotten harder because big stores don't have alot of things we can afford to buy anymore. Thank God for the dollar store... We have grown a good portion of our own food this year, though we've been stuck on the outskirts of the city for nearly two years now. And we buy from the local farmers whenever they're selling anything we can afford. Which, since harvest season's starting to wind down...heh. But most of this isn't much different than what we have been doing. Here's what plans HAVE changed: College is no longer my priority. Being homeschooled, I'll be lucky to afford the books I need to finish the last bit of my high school education. I will learn as much of the stuff, if not more, through whatever means I can find. Free online courses, like a kind vet member here on mylot pointed out to me from the MIT. Books...I'll bike three cities away if I have to, to find whatever books I need to keep learning. Since college is not likely to be attainable now, it also means I won't have the careers I was looking for which would've let me live fairly comfortably for the rest of my life. So, instead I plan to garden and make things with my hands for a living. If I can and dry, and freeze enough, this could be a year 'round business and that goodness knows the people around here'd probably need. Though I know it'll be hard to earn enough for myself and keep things at prices everyone can afford, I sure as heck will try. I've also canceled my plans to buy a car. I'm looking for a scooter, a fuel-sipper. Since this will let me travel, which'll play well into whatever business I manage to start up, and help me work other jobs since that will occasionally be the case (hopefully, anyway). Likely in cities more far away. While my plans for getting more involved politically, and in the promotion of good ideas that help people. Support of things I believe in, work for causes that help people... this hasn't changed so much as it seems to have melded into my plans to travel to sell things and support myself and my family, heh. I guess the most noticeable thing that's changed is, I can't plan on moving out now. My family needs me. It'll be easier for me to manage all this if I stick with them. If we manage okay, Mom can move away and leave me the house we're getting in the country (a no money trade for a scrap of country property we own and a house in the country on a decent scrap of land). My money helps us all afford to eat, some months...and I only do random jobs. Mostly accumulated bits of money from surveys, mylot, and other odds and ends I do online. Food allowances I get from charities I work at, what have you. And I'm just a teenager, sure I'll be officially an adult after next year and all, but I know it's not the typical order of things, lol. Life's different. But I can't complain really. I worry more for those who had it harder earlier this year. Those made homeless because of the foreclosures, or losing their jobs. Those with disabilities, or chronic illnesses who're living off of social security or what have you. And the elderly. I worry about them the most. Sorry, I just feel alot about this whole thing. I tend to go on a bit. ^_^'

We're moving to a small town where family is. Which for one thing, will help us will prevent one component of a downward spiral in the economy - more crime. Its a very low crime area. I looked at the crime reports and there were a couple of DUI's which is a stupid crime which could lead to murder (vehicular manslaughter) but I'm hoping its a rare thing. There are no bars and clubs there and things roll up very early in the evening. We use freecycle as well. We'd like to get to a place where we can buy a house - a small inexpensive one that we can take of without mortgage payments(we'd like to but its unlikely) so that we can have some land to grow our own food and such. We'll be closer in Meridian as I can work too - childcare is cheaper plus we have family there who have all expressed the desire to watch him - even steal him on weekends. Here, childcare is 250 a week and we don't qualify for vouchers. The move to the base there will help immensely. When we move we can have him in childcare on base (here even working on base doesn't qualify one to use base childcare) and its only 90 a week - still a lot but less then here. My husband will also be making more on the contract there - rather then inspecting planes he'll draw on his military experience and work in security - but as an explosives expert. Not my ideal choice for him - but he's happy to be making more money. I also believe in couponing. Having a book and using coupons in conjunction with sale prices. Once I'm working, I'll have control over my finances and they can be placed more strategically and practically (and the bank isn't all that practical these days - even credit unions). If I had control now, I would say no to cable, high speed internet and the large screen tv we pay 200 a month for and suffer in areas like nutritious foods. Each time I go for a job here though, it turns out he's looking to move elsewhere - for instance he's been assured - thanks to his parents (also military contractors) a position on base in Pensecola but with the economic downturn, everyone is holding on to their jobs. So that's a wait. Local produce here tends to be expensive. I shop Sunflower Farmer's market an indoor store which has - as they put it - silly prices. I don't drive - never have - so have always been saving in gas. When we move, I'll likely take a home job - I actually kind of have a work as you will political polling job - but since my husband works nights and sleeps days, I can't do it for now - as I need a quiet environment and need to look after my toddler. Any job I get outside the home would have make me a lot and those are few and far between in this place - to pay for childcare, taxes and gas - as my husband would likely take me - where a bit outside the city - and the bus service here is not great - so whatever my hours are I would have to add on at least three more in commute. More depending where it is. Used to take me about two hours to get two and from work before the baby. Right now toddler calling!