Here in the Hutchinson household, the pinch has been quite dramatic. Last year's job loss ate into my personal savings, and I'm in school, and not really earning any income. I do get a small sum from my internship, but it's quite limited. We've become a one-income household, and I was recently served up the portion of my surgery in October not covered by insurance: $4,000.
Like most Americans, caught in the Paradox of Thrift, we are cutting back and trying to save or pay down debt. Suze Orman, in her latest book Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan
For Christmas, Nate and I received a copy of The Complete Tightwad Gazette
As much as I poked fun at Dick Cheney's remark that eBay revenue was keeping our economy strong, I have to admit, I earn a quarter of my "income" from the online marketplace. (I don't think that's a good sign for the economy, however.) I've been slowly selling off my CD collection and books I won't read again on Half.com. (I got $13 for the Tightwad Gazette.)
I think back to stories that my grandparents used to tell me of living through the Great Depression. My grandfather earned his money as a machinist, carpenter, and surveyor. The family farm was still a going concern, and they sold some vegetables and milk, and they had enough to eat. My great-grandfather had his Army pension from WWI. They got by. And hopefully, so will we.